Fernando Sor (1778–1839; baptized as José Fernando Macario Sors) was a Spanish composer, guitarist, and pedagogue and is regarded as one of the most important figures in the history of the classical guitar. He was born on 13 February 1778 in Barcelona and received his musical education, among other places, at the Monastery of Montserrat.
As a celebrated virtuoso, Sor performed in numerous European cities and composed not only operas and ballets, but also symphonies, string quartets, and Spanish songs. Of his extensive body of work, it is above all his guitar compositions that have endured to the present day.
His guitar works are distinguished by their polyphonic style and possess a timeless quality that transcends changing musical fashions. Among his best-known compositions are his numerous studies, which continue to form an essential part of the core repertoire of the classical guitar.
Fernando Sor died in Paris on 10 July 1839.
