Événement

guitarrísimo: Cervantes and his Bigüela

Fernández produces colours of crystalline beauty, creating a dreamlike, magical and fantastical atmosphere. (Francisco de Paula Sánchez, Compact CD Magazine)

A precursor of the classical guitar, the vihuela rose to prominence in 16th-century Spain to become one of the most popular classical instruments of its day. It also features conspicuously in the work of the great Spanish Golden Age writer, Miguel de Cervantes, whose father is reported to have been an avid fan of the instrument.

In commemoration of the 400th anniversary of the death of Miguel de Cervantes, the eminent vihuelist, Alfredo Fernández, will perform a choice selection of 16th-century Spanish vihuela music by its greatest composers, Luis de Milán, Luis de Narváez, Enríquez de Valderrábano, Diego Pisador, Miguel de Fuenllana, and Esteban Daza, interspersed with selected readings from Cervantes Sonnets and Epitaphs.

Alfred Fernández studied guitar with Jordi Codina, Manuel González and Fernando Rodríguez, before undertaking specialist training in early plucked strings, including vihuela, baroque guitar and lute, with pre-eminent mentors such as William Waters, Rolf Lislevand, Paul Odette and John Griffiths. He has released three solo albums to great critical acclaim from the classical music press, including Le Monde de la Musique, Gramophone, Goldberg, Scherzo, Ritmo and Lute Society Magazine and Répertoire.

PLUS Join us after the concert for a complimentary glass of Spanish wine!

The guitarrísimo series is a collaboration between the Instituto Cervantes and the Iberian and Latin American Music Society, organised with the kind support of The Lute Society and Wines of Spain.