The Spanish composer, Fernando Sor (1778-1839), enjoyed a productive musical life, composing in the major genres of the day: ballet, opera, chamber music, symphony and solo song. His broad experiences imbued his guitar music with a sophistication unmatched by his guitarist-composer contemporaries.
Today's topic is an 'ukulele arrangement of Fernando Sor's guitar solo, Andante Opus 31 No. 1.
Study Tips
Melody
Learn the melody of Andante Opus 31 No. 4 first. It's straightforward and should fall under the fingers easily after a little practice. Take care to count out the whole notes (4 beats) at phrase endings.
D.C. al Fine
Andante Opus 31 No. 1 contains a new repeat symbol: D.C. al fine. D.C. al fine is an abbreviation of Da Capo al fine, an Italian phrase meaning return to the beginning and play until you see the word "fine." In the case of Andante, after you complete the fourth line, return to the beginning (Da Capo) and play until the end of the second line (fine).
D.C. al Fine | Fourth line of Andante Opus 31 No. 4 with repeat
Listen to the Track
Andante Op. 31 No. 4 was recorded with a Kremona Coco tenor. The melody was embellished slightly and improvised fills were added here and there. Percussion was provided with two frogs (guiro) and a casaba. Before practicing, listen to the track so you can absorb the sound and feel of the melody.
Andante Op. 31 No. 4 | Peter Kun Frary, ʻukulele
Play the Melody Now!
Practice the melody of Andante until smooth and aligned with the beat. Read the music—don't just copy the finger movements in the video. Play along with the audio track or video to help shore up your rhythm.
Once the melody flows smoothly, begin working on the chords.
Chords
You've played all the chords in prior pieces so you should be on familiar ground harmonically.
Arpeggio
An arpeggio accompaniment complements the slow and lyrical melody of Andante perfectly. We recommend playing the chords of Andante with the P-i-m-a 2X arpeggio you learned in Betty Lou of '52 (see video for demonstration).
Here's what P-i-m-a 2X looks and sounds like when applied to the chords in the first line of Andante Opus 31 No. 4:
Strum
If you prefer strumming, a down strum every two beats—Down 2x—blends nicely with an arpeggio and/or melody playing partner (see video for demonstration). You can even mix the P-i-m-a 2X pattern and strumming!
Andante Op. 31 No. 4 Demonstration | Professor Peter
•••
Study Tips
Melody
Listen to the Track
Play the Melody Now!
Chords
Arpeggio
Strum
