Scottish guitarist Steve Shibe is a feature artist at London’s Wigmore Hall this season. I first clocked him at a stellar concert with the Manchester Collective in Cardiff. He is clearly a musician to watch out for as this concert proved.
Scottish composer James Dillon’s 12 Caprices for guitar solo was given its world premiere. Conjured earlier this year, Dillon’s sound contains ghosts of atonality, though the allure of classical Spanish guitar was never far away. Gently hushed, these miniatures commanded the space, the sense of quiet was highly pleasing. Shibe looked focused and played with his renowned pianissimo. With a dedication to American poet Dan Alberson, Lorca also appears to be an inspiration with his red hot landscape of Andalusian another. 12 Caprices is proof that solo acoustic guitar is back and sexy as ever.
Guitarist Sean Shibe at London’s Wigmore Hall. Photo: Darius Weinberg/Wigmore Hall
The night prior, I heard a singer tackle “Vissi d’arte” from Tosca at a dinner. I’ve been thinking about just how challenging this aria is to master. In comes Canadian composer Cassandra Miller and her Bel Canto from 2010. Inspired by said aria, more specifically Maria Callas’ iconic rendition, Miller arranges two sets of instruments in the hall, one on stage, the other a string trio up in the balcony. Macedonian-Canadian mezzo-soprano Ema Nikolovska has a commanding presence and an intriguing and touching vocal instrument. You wouldn’t necessarily pick up that Bel Canto is inspired by Tosca upon first listening; the sung part is almost parody-like, sweetened with ornaments. The idea was to depict Callas through her ups and downs, as her voice changed and modulated. I’m still not sure if this really worked as a piece, its piquant nature left me undecided.
Guitarist Sean Shibe performs with (l-r) George Barton, Adam Walker, Ema Nikolovaska, Alphonse Cemin, Iris van der Bos, Emma Wernig and Sam Wilson. Photo: Darius Weinberg/Wigmore Hall
Further Pierre Boulez centenary celebrations continue. Le marteau sans maître (or ‘The Hammer without a Master’) from 1953-4 holds up as an example of one of his more important works. Using the vividly surreal verse of René Char as its grounding, the work involves a medium sized-ensemble, with the additions of singer and guitar. The use of the three percussionists that feature heavily are indebted to Boulez’s teacher Olivier Messiaen, no matter what he eventually thought a out his mentor’s music. Musical shavings of semi-tonality abound in this chamber cantata. Nikolovska returned in brief movements, half of which involved mysterious humming, the rest, restrained vocals of the Char text. The insinuations rather than total declarations here may be in keeping with French impressionism. If a little too long, the work still stands as a vital avant-garde work of the era.
Mezzo-soprano Ema Nikolovksa will return to Wigmore Hall on July 1 for a recital of works by Brahms, Mendelssohn and Schumann with pianist Cole Knutson.
