Thomas Adès - Forgotten Dances (Sean Shibe)

Information

Composer: Thomas Adès

1. Forgotten Dances: No. 1, Overture, Queen of the Spiders
2. Forgotten Dances: No. 2, Berceuse, The Paradise of Thebes
3. Forgotten Dances: No. 3, Courante - Here was a swift (for Max Ernst)
4. Forgotten Dances: No. 4, Barcarolle - The Maiden Voyage
5. Forgotten Dances: No. 5, Carillon de Ville (for Hector Berlioz)
6. Forgotten Dances: No. 6, Vesper (for Henry Purcell)

Sean Shibe, guitar

Date: 2025

Label: PentaTone

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Sean Shibe’s EP Forgotten Dances features Thomas Adès’ six-movement work written specifically for him, marking Adès’ first published solo instrumental composition outside his keyboard output. The recording spans a wide expressive range, from the vivid Overture, Queen of the Spiders and hallucinatory Barcarolle to the highly virtuosic Courante, the percussive Carillon de Ville, and the chaconne-inspired finale Vesper, based on Purcell’s An Evening Hymn. Shibe’s performance highlights both the technical demands and stylistic nuance of the score. The EP also serves as a preview of the forthcoming full album Vesper, scheduled for release in April 2026.

Sean Shibe, born in Edinburgh in 1992, trained in Scotland, Austria, and Italy before joining the Guildhall School of Music and Drama as a Guitar Professor. A former BBC New Generation Artist and recipient of major awards from the Borletti-Buitoni Trust, the Royal Philharmonic Society, and the Leonard Bernstein Award, he has established himself as an innovative force in contemporary classical music. His current and upcoming seasons feature premieres of concertos by Cassandra Miller, Oliver Leith, Mark Simpson, and Tyshawn Sorey, extensive European and US tours, major recital appearances as an ECHO Rising Star, and a Wigmore Hall residency, including a Boulez centenary programme. Performances with leading ensembles and collaborators further underscore his artistic range and growing international profile.

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