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Ferd. Sor "Variations sur un Theme de Mozart Op, 9"

I was doing one of my favorite free time (if there is any) pastimes and reading through works in the Boije collection. I came across the Ferd. Sor "Variations sur un Theme de Mozart Op, 9" that is listed there and found it to be rather different from the version of opus 9 we all have come to love (or hate) with some very intertesting features.

I'm sure my question is covered somewhere but I've not found it yet..what's going on there? Is it an earlier version, intended for a different audience...or? I see from the two different versions I have, that there were different publishers...

Anybody able to educate me or direct me to some explination? I have the Brian Jeffery books but only the music editions not his other one "Fernando Sor Composer and Guitarist" so cannot look there without a trek to the local university.

It's not a big deal, I'm just curious.

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Permalink Reply by Rob MacKillop on April 25, 2012 at 8:29

It looks familiar to me except that the Finale is missing. I haven't sat with guitar in hand reading through the whole thing, but, just scanning with my eyes, it looks like it usually looks.

The Finale aside, what is different about it?

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Permalink Reply by Juan Pablo Pira on April 25, 2012 at 11:13

There is an earlier version and it looks more familiar. Check this:

http://erato.uvt.nl/files/imglnks/usimg/f/fd/IMSLP112346-PMLP97602-...

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Permalink Reply by Scot Tremblay on April 25, 2012 at 16:53

I'll just note a few differences from a quick scan without the guitar in hand. If one compares the version Juan posted and the Boije side by side then they show up...some obvious some not so much. The Finale is missing as you noted Rob, and so is Var. 1. The Theme in Boije has the slurs marked, not in Juans (maybe a change in how to play that figure, maybe a type error); Var. 1 Boije (Var. 3 Juan) fuller chords, slightly different to ending at first repeat sign; Variations in common in different order; differences in ornamentation between the two...

I won't list more to save time and space but by reading through both back to back with a guitar, the many subtle differences (aside from the most obvious ones) show up.

I don't think it a significent study worthy of a Doctoral Diss., well, maybe ;) there have been sillier things, but if the version Juan posted is earlier in publication than the Boije, it just got me wondering as to the thinking behind Sor or the publisher putting out a somewhat different, somewhat simpler version...other than money of course.

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Permalink Reply by Lars Hedelius-Strikkertsen on April 25, 2012 at 21:08

I think the most interesting thing is tha missing finale. Was that made by Sor himself and if not who wrote the one that shows. I know that's a question that no one can answeer but interesting to think of

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Permalink Reply by Juan Pablo Pira on April 26, 2012 at 4:08

The version I posted claims in its title page to be loyal to the composer's performance. Can it be that the Boije version is somehow "simplified"?

There are also some smaller differences like "Theme" and "Tema", Andantino and Andante moderato... well quite a few differences if you place them side by side.

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Permalink Reply by Scot Tremblay on April 26, 2012 at 20:55

Thanks Cogg. I'll go look at my Tecla volume one. It's been a while since I have opened them, I'd forgotten there was more than music in there.

That's interesting about the Carcassi Op. 24. I read through that a while back and wondered too if there was some connection between the simplified Sor version and the Carcassi...trying to compete for sales or who knows?...