EIF 26: Sean Shibe

The Scottish guitarist’s Festival debut explores Spanish and British music across five centuries. 

Sean Shibe’s recitals have become known for their startling originality: part concerts, part musical happenings. Described by The Guardian as a ‘truly compelling performer’, the multi-faceted Scottish guitarist frequently engages in a lively dialogue between past and present. This programme of Spanish and British music from across five centuries is no exception.

The Renaissance is represented by the graceful fantasias and preludes of Alonso Mudarra, and the sweet melancholy of Shibe’s go-to composer, John Dowland. Joaquín Rodrigo ushers us gently into the 20th century with his exquisitely written Tres piezas españolas (Three Spanish Pieces).

The contemporary composers in the programme take their lead from their forbears. Francisco Coll’s new work Sefarad draws on Sephardic folk music, while Thomas Adès’s restless Forgotten Dances suggests music heard long ago, not just rediscovered but reimagined.  

Presented by Edinburgh International Festival