Sor: Souvenir de Russie, Op. 63 (Memories of Russia)

Travel with us to Russia as we explore the unique music of the Russian guitar with in the new release by Dorian Sono Luminus “Souvenirs of Russia” by the ensemble The Czar’s Guitars.

The unique guitar duo The Czar’s Guitars was founded in 2004 by the well-known lute and guitar virtuoso John Schneiderman and Oleg Timofeyev, the expert on the Russian seven-string guitar. The two musicians joined their forces to revive the legacy of the Russian guitar, the instrument that unlike its Western-European cousin is only now gaining the respect and recognition it deserves. In 2006 The Czar’s Guitars released their first CD recording, dedicated to the music of Mikhail Glinka (1804-1857) in 19th-century transcriptions for two guitars.

The album is considered by the performers to be a Russian tribute to the Spanish composer Fernando Sor (1778-1839), or, even more specifically, to his famous guitar duet Souvenir de Russie (Op. 63). Much has been speculated about Sor’s time in Russia (1823-5), but the disappointing truth is that there is no recorded record of his guitar-related activities in that country. It is known that on his Russian journey he followed his wife Fèlicitè Hullen, who was appointed a prima-ballerina in Moscow. The ensemble decided to make Sor’s masterpiece the foundation of this album. They surrounded it with real Russian guitar music that would create an unusual context for Sor’s piece and would also illustrate how the Russian musical culture was organically connected to the repertoires in Western and Central Europe.

With works by Russian composers such as Vladimir Morkov, Semion Aksionov, Fernando Sor and Mikhail Glinka, this album truly brings the treasures of Russian guitar music to the listeners by performers that know it best. This is sure to be a loved by guitarists, chamber music lovers, and music collectors around the world. This recording is truly a Fabergé egg of sonic color and technical performance.

Fernando Sor (1778–1839) was, along with the Italian Mauro Giuliani, the greatest composer for the guitar at the turn of the 19th century, and his method remains one of the most remarkable publications on guitar technique. Unlike Giuliani, however, Sor wrote little for orchestra (with the exception of his revolutionary chorus Corone la victoria, written when he was in the army resisting the Napoleonic onslaught into Spain, and four ballets), preferring solo or duet genres to concertos. As a lifelong enthusiast of dance and song, many of his works are based on Catalan traditional themes, but he did turn to orchestral works by fashionable composers of the day including Mozart and Daniel Steibelt, arranging dances by them for guitar. The Op.39 set is an example of these transcriptions.

Sor travelled widely throughout Europe, including spells in the UK and Russia, and accepted a post in the French administration (like many Spanish intellectuals) after the defeat of Spain. Napoleon Coste (1805–1883) was the son of a French soldier and in 1830 he studied with Sor in Paris where he established a name for himself adapting the newly published (in France) songs of Schubert for guitar and voice. As in the music of his teacher, the spirit of the dance is never far away in Costa’s music, as can be heard in the Scherzo and Pastorale Op.10. The Grand Duo, however, is a late work on a large scale, and is more complex, presenting considerable challenges to the players.

Guitar virtuoso David Starobin has selected “favourite” recordings of 19th century repertoire from recordings made during the past 35 years.

The selection includes music by the 19th century guitar world's leading composers and is performed on both period and modern instruments.

As a bonus, this disc includes the first release of Starobin's recording with the late Italian violinist Pina Carmirelli of Paganini's Sonata Concertata. These remastered performances give evidence of why Starobin was recently called “arguably the most influential American classical guitarist of the 20th Century” by Soundboard Magazine.

This delightful double-album features two historic “Terz” guitars, from the first half of the 19-th century. The “Terz” guitar (read everything about it in the informative booklet) is smaller, with an intimate sound, and a higher register. It was much in use in the romantic era, and the repertoire features popular music from that time: Fantaisies and Divertissements of Fernando Sor, Rondo and Grand Pot-Pourri of Giuliani and works of Pettoletti and Caspar Joseph Mertz: all very pleasing, charming music, played with taste and delicacy by the Belgian Duo.