This page gives supplementary information about Sor’s Complete Studies.
This definitive modern edition of Sor’s studies edited by Brian Jeffery and published by Tecla Editions is the one which was originally selected by the official selectors of the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music, and is currently listed by them in their guitar syllabus. It is particularly recommended for use by students.
Why should I use this edition rather than any other? – Because this Tecla edition of Sor’s Complete Studies establishes a new and fully reliable text, fully practical, at a very reasonable price, easily available with low postage worldwide. I (Brian Jeffery) established for the first time the complete edition of Sor’s guitar music, and this edition of the Complete Studies is again newly established strictly from the original editions.
Also because it is fully authentic and has no fingering other than that which Sor himself put. Some other modern editions which are on sale add modern fingering, but Sor wrote some of his studies specifically to give practice in certain fingering, so that to add different modern fingering for such a piece seems perverse because it cancels out Sor’s own intention. Also my own experience from having played this music in many concerts is that for me at least, Sor’s fingering is far easier than modern fingering. Use Sor’s own fingering and everything is fine.
The edition is Urtext and contains all the pieces in one book. It scrupulously takes into account the many textual problems which the original editions presented, in order to make this both a reliable edition for study and a thoroughly practical one for concert performance. A particular feature of this edition is that there are commentaries on the individual pieces based on Sor’s own ideas and intentions as expressed in his Method, with many quotations which are directly relevant to individual studies. It is an established major standard edition for teachers and students, and is available at a price accessible to students.
This is a fully authentic edition as far as fingering is concerned, in that the only fingering given is Sor’s own (very practical, it may be said). No modern fingering is added as it is in other editions.
About right hand fingering and this edition: the guitarist and teacher Heinrich Jochen wrote in an email: “Concerning the historic right hand fingering as described in Sor’s method: many problems I came across in the coda of opus 9 (variations on a theme by Mozart) were solved almost instantly after applying pim exclusively. You are to be thanked for pointing out this principle in your edition of Sor’s studies and exercises.”
