Finnish guitarist Patrik Kleemola performs Fantaisie Op.12 by Fernando Sor (1778 – 1839) on an original Louis Panormo Guitar (1838). This comes via his great Youtube channel. Elegant and virtuosic performance by Kleemola. I like how he plans out themed repertoire series on his YouTube, such as his current set of performances of lesser played Sor works. He has a nice write-up in his YouTube description, below is just one paragraph but go check out the rest.
Theme “Aussitôt que la lumière” was the theme upon which Sor wrote his variations for Fantaisie op. 12. This melody of an old origin was used in many songs during the French Revolution and it’s probable that Sor knew it back in Spain under a different name more related to the revolution. The Fantaisie opens with tranquil Larghetto cantabile in C major creating a beautiful and calm pastoral scene. After the march-like theme the next variations are full of will to fight including military motives. The minor variation feels a sudden change in music’s direction and is followed by a touching return to major in the polyphonic variation and then a scherzo-like variation. The very ending of the whole work is peculiar. There’s a light-hearted “pizzicato march” which ends in diminuendo like receding troops of war… followed by a musical remark which seems more like a question than an answer.
