Fernando Sor’s World

Emmy-Nominated, John Doan has completed a book about Fernando Sor.

Visions and Dreams: Hope Amidst Misfortune
Fernando Sor –  The Father of the Classical Guitar

One of the highlights of Doan’s research is acquiring one of Sor’s instruments from 1819. This instrument is noteworthy for being one of the first six-strung guitars in England.

It features the first mechanical tuners on a guitar! 

Sor also pioneered playing the first amplified guitar!

Doan’s new book includes Sor’s and Doan sheet music that narrates his story through music, as well as his complete autobiography, presented for the first time in English.

Doan also includes etchings of Sor at 13 years old.

In 1791, Sor posed with his boys’ choir at the Monastery of Montserrat as seen with this rare etching.

Even Goya portrays Sor at 24 years old, unknown to art historians.

Doan used this image on the cover of “Visions and Dreams – Hope Amidst Misfortune – Fernando Sor – The Father of the Classical Guitar.“

The presence of authentic instruments tells a story beyond words. Imagine encountering a Dital harp, a Harp Lute Guitar, Baroque Guitar, or an “English Guittar” from the World of Sor. Among these forgotten instruments, Sor introduced the sixth-string guitar to England, and is still gaining popularity today.

This book about Sor’s life and the collection of instruments from his world will be a valuable addition to many museum offerings. It will captivate attendees with its unique perspective on the guitar.

The remarkable aspect is that these instruments are just a part of understanding the world Sor lived in. They reflect a different way of perceiving music in general, something that Sor himself was at odds with in his own time. An exhibition showcasing these instruments and the thinking they represented should leave a lasting impression on those curious about the world that preceded us, and the world yet to come.