Sean Shibe returns to the acoustic guitar on Profesion, bringing together works by Agustin Barrios, Heitor Villa-Lobos and Alberto Ginastera. The album derives its name from Barrios's "Profesion de fe" (profession of faith), a poetic, mythological text praising the divine power of music, often used as a preface to his concerts. Barrios's La Catedral and Julia Florida are combined with Villa Lobos's 12 Etudes, while Ginastera's Guitar Sonata completes the programme. These works by Southern American composers share a spirit of homage and pastiche, bound together by magical realism.
Agustin Barrios was both a virtuoso and a brilliant composer. Some of his pieces, always the same, are repeated by guitarists from time to time. But Philippe Lemaigre began to engrave the complete parts found of the Argentine master, for the happiness of those who have been able to obtain the rare box of 5 CDs. The work is exceptional, absolutely sublime interpretation, on a magnificent instrument. No equivalent in the history of the guitar.
Thibaut Garcia pays tribute with El Bohemio to the Paraguayan guitar virtuoso and composer Agustín Barrios (1885-1944). As Garcia explains, “Barrios is an essential composer in the guitarist’s repertoire. His music can be described as a skilful mix of South American popular music – inspired by the jungles of Paraguay – and the Romanticism of Chopin and Schumann, composers he idolised.” El Bohemio duly complements 16 varied works by Barrios himself with three of his transcriptions of famous pieces by Chopin, Schumann, and Beethoven. In addition, the album includes readings of two of Barrios’s poems: ‘Bohemio’, which lends the album its name, portrays the composer as a wandering troubadour; ‘Profesión de fé’ (Profession of faith) honours the Guarani, the indigenous people of Paraquay.
For his guitar laureate recording, Croatian-born Lovro Peretic has selected a panoramic programme that reaches back to the 18th century and forward to modern times. Of the two Scarlatti sonata arrangements one is by Peretic who has also transcribed a Brahms Intermezzo into a poignant lullaby. His performance of Karel Craeyvanger’s Weber homage, reveals the work’s variety and expressiveness. He also plays a sensually evocative piece by Barrios Mangore, and two barely known works by Debussy. Peretic ends the recital with Henze’s characterful Second Sonata on Shakespearean Characters.