Sean Shibe

Dreams & Fancies

Delphian

THERE is a precision about the title of guitarist Sean Shibe's debut disc, on which the Edinburgh-born musician is captured solo in the splendid acoustic of Crichton Collegiate Church in Midlothian, which speaks eloquently of how the young player goes about his business. The set culminates in Britten's Nocturnal after John Dowland, which was written for Julian Bream, as were the other 20th century compositions by Walton, Arnold and Lennox Berkeley that Shibe plays. They are arranged on either side of three pieces for lute by Dowland himself, which Bream introduced to audiences at around the same time. Fancy, Fantasia and Fantasy are all present, so if that exercise sounds at all academic, think again. Everything here is rich in melody and Shibe is as articulate a virtuoso as Bream, communicating the precision of these intimate chamber pieces with real passion.

It also speaks volumes of an adventurous musician that, singularity of instrument aside, the album could hardly be further from the music Shibe played at the East Neuk Festival on the road to a week's run a the Edinburgh Fringe (SoftLOUD at The Space at Niddry Street, August 21 to 26). Both incarnations of his performing are unmissable.

Keith Bruce