F. Sor - Fantasie, Op. 7. Guitar by René Lacôte (1868)

I had the opportunity to play and record on an original René Lacôte guitar during a visit to Italy. Lacôte was one of the most important guitar builders of the 19th century, and his instruments were played by Aguado, Carulli, Sor and Coste. This instrument is dated 1868, and is believed to be one of the last two guitars he ever built. This guitar is incredibly responsive, colourful, and an absolute joy to play. It is tuned low at the request of the owner, and i really think it sings at the tuning.  I decided to record one of my favourite pieces (or at least the introduction), by Fernando Sor. This is supposed to be followed by a theme and variations in C major, however, it is perhaps not on the same compositional level as the introduction.  We filmed this after a recording session with a fantastic viola guitar duo. We were a little pressed for time so you can see the equipment scattered about the room. This instrument was used with kind permission from the owner, Matteo Mela. Filmed in Aosta Valley, Italy.