Vesper

Description

Sean Shibe’s new album, “Vesper,” presents a striking collection of contemporary works for guitar by the late Harrison Birtwistle, James Dillon and Thomas Adès, who neither play nor have ever played this instrument. Recorded here for the first time, these miniatures explore the expressive possibilities of the guitar in very different ways: ritualistic and evocative in Birtwistle, elemental in Dillon and rich in allusion in Adès. Shibe’s performances reveal the extraordinary richness, subtlety and versatility of the instrument, bringing each piece to life with imagination and nuance. On some of Birtwistle’s pieces, Shibe plays the Sylvette (2021), a guitar built by luthier Simon Ambridge in collaboration with Franco-British artist Lydia Corbett. Muse to Pablo Picasso — who himself exerted a significant influence on several Birtwistle works featured on this album — Corbett also inspired Picasso’s famous Sylvette series. The guitar, inspired by the small, responsive instruments of Andalusian luthier Antonio de Torres, features a work by Corbett, giving the performance a visual and symbolic dimension. Shibe is a former BBC New Generation Artist and winner of the 2022 Leonard Bernstein Award. His recordings have been awarded prizes by BBC Music Magazine and Gramophone.