Fernando Sor – Seguidillas. Edited by Brian Jeffery. Paperbound.

Fernando Sor’s Seguidillas are twelve witty and amorous songs in Spanish for voice with guitar (or piano) accompaniment. The book has twelve songs, with an English translation for each text and with a full introduction explaining what exactly seguidillas are.  The guitar accompaniments are mostly not difficult.  With photographs of two songs from the MSS in which they are found, and a facsimile reprint of Sor’s own article “Le Bolero”.

This famous edition of Fernando Sor’s Seguidillas, edited by Brian Jeffery was the first time that these songs had ever been published since their own day.

“The Seguidillas brought down the house. Beautiful pieces! A very special moment in our season” (Steven Blier, Artistic Director, New York Festival of Song).

Here is Teresa Berganza singing “Un canónigo quiero” on Youtube from this book:

Here is “Si mis ojos te dicen”,  Seguidillas manchegas by Sor from the original score published in this Tecla edition, sung by Pilar Jurado with the group L’armata armonica:

And here is “Las mujeres y cuerdas” from this book, sung by Pilar Jurado with the group L’armata armonica:

Fernando Sor composed these seguidillas in Spain in about the 1790s and 1800s, for voice with guitar accompaniment (some with piano). They take a significant place in the history of Spanish song and of popular song in general.

Some of these songs have traditional themes, such as the first two: “Cease tormenting me, cruel Memory”, and “Happy I live in Love’s prisons”. Others have their witty side: “Los canónigos, madre” says that canons don’t have children, only little nephews and nieces.  Mother, says the singer, I want a canon, so that I can be an aunt… “Las mujeres y cuerdas” tells us: “Women and guitar strings: you need talent to tune them.”

“The Seguidillas brought down the house. Beautiful pieces! A very special moment in our season” (Steven Blier, Artistic Director, New York Festival of Song).  “Like the Mazurkas of Chopin”, said a musician who performed them.

The twelve songs are as follows.

Cesa de atormentarme (e to f’)
De amor en las prisiones (f to g’)
Acuérdate, bien mío (f sharp to g’)
Prepárame la tumba (g to a”)
Cómo ha de resolverse (e to g’ sharp)
Muchacha, y la vergüenza (e flat to d’)
Si dices que mis ojos (e to f’ sharp)
Los canónigos, madre (g to a”)
El que quisiera amando (f to g’)
Si a otro cuando me quieres (f sharp to f’ sharp)
Las mujeres y cuerdas (g to a”)
Mis descuidados ojos (f to f’)

Ranges: Most of the songs go up to f, g, or a so they will suit a tenor or soprano, but one, Muchacha y la vergüenza, goes up only to d’.  The exact ranges are indicated above as follows:
a, b, c, and so on up to g: this means from the a four notes below the treble stave, up to the g which is on the second line of the treble stave.
a’, b’, c’, and so on up to g’: this means from the a which is on the second space of the treble stave, up to the g which is on the space just above the treble stave.
a”, b”, c”, and so on: this means from the a which is on the line immediately above the treble stave, upwards.

The Introduction, in full.

Tips for singers

Fernando Sor biography

Fernando Sor life and music (a longer biography) 

Tecla home page.