Souvenir de Russie, op. 63

Souvenir de Russie op. 63 for two guitars is Sor’s last work, and a magnificent one. It was published in Paris in 1838-39 with the title Souvenir de Russie, fantaisie pour deux guitares. The composer takes two very Russian melodies, and shows great understanding of their essential nature in the way in which he intertwines them. The first, which is the theme on which the variations are based, is “Tchem tebja ja ogortchila” (literally translated: ‘What have I done to upset you?’). The second, at the Allegretto, is “Po ulitse mostovoy” (‘Along the gravel street’). Both of these are popular Russian melodies and were first published in N. Lvov and I. Pratch in Sobranie russkikh narodnikh pesen s ikh golosami (Collection of Russian folk songs with their melodies), second edition, St. Petersburg, 1806. (I am grateful to Dr. Margarita Mazo for the above information). Sor had spent some four years in Russia, in 1823-27, and it may be supposed that he had heard these melodies at that time. Souvenir de Russie is dedicated to Napoléon Coste, who was at this time in his early thirties. This edition comes from the new 2019 second edition of Sor’s New Complete Works for Guitar edited by Brian Jeffery. The Introduction and Index to the entire series are here in nkoda. This new edition is copyright © by Brian Jeffery 2019. Your cooperation is requested in not making illegal copies for other people. Brian Jeffery