Fernando Sor - William Carter - Irish Times

This is a guitar record with a difference. And, as William Carter explains, it all comes down to fingernails. Unlike most guitarists, he has chosen to play the works of the Catalan composer and guitarist Fernando Sor (1778-1839) by plucking with the tips of his fingers rather than his fingernails, and quotes the composer himself in support: "Never in my life have I heard a guitarist whose playing was supportable if he played with the nails." The sound is smaller, rounder, more malleable and more seductive than the norm. The music itself is light, even flimsy, with the composer's most famous work, a set of Mozart Variations, taking pride of place. The gentle performance style does a lot to enhance the charm of the music.