Playing resourcefully on
Simon Schembri, guitar recital
The setting was the historic courtyard of the Auberge d'Italie. To everybody's relief, a cool breeze blew most of the evening. It was not enough to cool off Simon Schembri, who had to perform in the glare of powerful spotlights, something which like a true professional he took in his stride. Mr Schembri's highly accomplished performances are always looked forward to and the audience present was indeed appreciative, if perhaps over-enthusiastic. There is this irritating tendency for many to interrupt a set of pieces by applauding after each piece rather than at the end of a set. Oh well, there are worse things!
Mr Schembri dedicated the first half of his recital to works by Villa-Lobos, a tribute to the composer who was born 120 years ago. The lilting smoothness of Choros No. 1 started off this highly creditable tribute and was followed by Five Preludes. Shining examples of the composer's mature style, the E minor prelude opens the set. It is a very popular piece, one which could be described as the composer's trademark in the guitar repertoire. The enjoyment of the preludes is in the clever distinction and contrasts between each one. No. 2, in E major is very assertive, playful, with very rapid finger-work and an agitated mid-section while No. 3 in A minor has an earnestly pleading character. The other prelude in E minor, (No. 4) came across in a bold declamatory manner. Here the performer gave an even more impressive account of himself with the fast rippling effect his playing produced amid a rapid cascade of notes. Yet this was the briefest and most compact of the set, which was concluded on a generally relaxed note with the D major prelude. The Etudes Nos 8 and 11 concluded this personal homage to Villa-Lobos, the former etude rather brooding and introspective in character and the latter being a shade more dramatic.
The second part of the recital was full of surprises. Not because of Gordon Mizzi's charming Variations on a Maltese Theme with its three or four variations. The hazards of presenting open-air recitals during a Maltese summer are manifold, mainly fireworks, petards and bells. The rest of the recital was spoilt by them. Even a full orchestra could not cope with this airborne barbarism, still less the delicate guitar. Yet Mr Schembri never lost his cool and played resourcefully on. In between bangs and interruptions he performed three Albeniz pieces: Granada, the least affected by the din, which was to increase with Asturias and Sevilla. When circumstances permitted one could still admire the way the guitar went from forte to pianissimo in marvellous evocative contrasts. One could also get an aural "glimpse" of the sultriness of tango music as so excellently presented in the works by Piazzolla which concluded the recital.
Verano Porteno was of its very nature a greatly passionate piece which contrasted with the more restrained Invierno Porteno. Well, Romantico was just that (bangs permitting) and the rhythmic diversity of La Muerte Del Angel came through pretty well with that angelic spirit somehow avoiding being blasted out of the skies. It must have been hard for Mr Schembri to concentrate in such circumstances but he went doggedly on, much to his credit too for he ended with two generous encores.
Mr Schembri dedicated the first half of his recital to works by Villa-Lobos, a tribute to the composer who was born 120 years ago. The lilting smoothness of Choros No. 1 started off this highly creditable tribute and was followed by Five Preludes. Shining examples of the composer's mature style, the E minor prelude opens the set. It is a very popular piece, one which could be described as the composer's trademark in the guitar repertoire. The enjoyment of the preludes is in the clever distinction and contrasts between each one. No. 2, in E major is very assertive, playful, with very rapid finger-work and an agitated mid-section while No. 3 in A minor has an earnestly pleading character. The other prelude in E minor, (No. 4) came across in a bold declamatory manner. Here the performer gave an even more impressive account of himself with the fast rippling effect his playing produced amid a rapid cascade of notes. Yet this was the briefest and most compact of the set, which was concluded on a generally relaxed note with the D major prelude. The Etudes Nos 8 and 11 concluded this personal homage to Villa-Lobos, the former etude rather brooding and introspective in character and the latter being a shade more dramatic.
The second part of the recital was full of surprises. Not because of Gordon Mizzi's charming Variations on a Maltese Theme with its three or four variations. The hazards of presenting open-air recitals during a Maltese summer are manifold, mainly fireworks, petards and bells. The rest of the recital was spoilt by them. Even a full orchestra could not cope with this airborne barbarism, still less the delicate guitar. Yet Mr Schembri never lost his cool and played resourcefully on. In between bangs and interruptions he performed three Albeniz pieces: Granada, the least affected by the din, which was to increase with Asturias and Sevilla. When circumstances permitted one could still admire the way the guitar went from forte to pianissimo in marvellous evocative contrasts. One could also get an aural "glimpse" of the sultriness of tango music as so excellently presented in the works by Piazzolla which concluded the recital.
Verano Porteno was of its very nature a greatly passionate piece which contrasted with the more restrained Invierno Porteno. Well, Romantico was just that (bangs permitting) and the rhythmic diversity of La Muerte Del Angel came through pretty well with that angelic spirit somehow avoiding being blasted out of the skies. It must have been hard for Mr Schembri to concentrate in such circumstances but he went doggedly on, much to his credit too for he ended with two generous encores.