Fernando Sor’s Six Divertimentos [op. 1] for guitar are six delightful short pieces evidently designed for players of modest accomplishments. They are:
- Andante
- Waltz
- Larghetto
- Andante
- Theme and variations
- March
The splendid march No. 6 is one of the FREE TO EVERYBODY Sor files. The other five pieces are all charming, each in its own way.
Sor arrived in London from Paris in late March or early April 1815. He published these Six Divertimentos in London soon after his arrival. It was just a few weeks before the Battle of Waterloo in June that year. The tremendous military activity both in Paris and in London at that moment must have meant that military marches were heard all the time, and that may be why Sor composed the fine military march which is the sixth piece in the set.
None of the pieces is very difficult. Their charm and their great suitability for the guitar place them among Sor’s most rewarding compositions for the player of moderate accomplishments.
This edition comes from the new 2020 second edition of Sor’s New Complete Works for Guitar edited by Brian Jeffery. The Introduction and Index to the entire series can be seen here on this site.
