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 allusions in Adès. Shibe's interpretations reveal the instrument's extraordinary richness, subtlety, and versatility, bringing each piece to life with imagination and nuance. On certain pieces by Birtwistle, Shibe plays the Sylvette (2021), a guitar built by luthier Simon Ambridge in collaboration with Franco-British artist Lydia Corbett. The muse of Pablo Picasso—who himself exerted a significant influence on several of Birtwistle's works 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, lending a visual and symbolic dimension to the performance. Shibe is a former BBC New Generation Artist and winner of the 2022 Leonard Bernstein Award. His recordings have been honored with awards from BBC Music Magazine and Gramophone.