Fred Schofield
Haibun: G Sharp
(for Roland Dyens, July 2001)
The room used for concerts in the Guildhall, Bath, is like a sort of inverted giant Victorian birthday cake: elaborate stucco all round the tops of the high walls and three chandeliers, each the size of a small modern bedroom, along a line between the audience and platform. In this setting, even those of us wearing casual clothes, have a scrubbed-clean-for-the-occasion look. We chat in anticipation and flick the programme’s pages with restraint. It’s a humid evening and large sash windows behind the platform are open - a dozen or so miles from the coast, there’s still a slight tang of salt in the air.
The guitarist has a long walk on: down the centre isle, along the front of the platform, up the steps and back to the centre; he takes it with a calm and confident stride. He looks comfortable bowing in black shoes and trousers and a purple open-necked shirt
after tuning
with focused care -
seagulls
The first piece is a florid improvisation. In the second, formal and classical, he brings out subtleties in a way which makes us strain to listen. One of his own compositions is an eloquent homage to his favourite note; it involves retuning the guitar whilst playing. Between pieces he gazes out from a reverent face which is on the brink of a wry smile. He talks to us as if there were only one other person in the room with him
the player’s eyes
follow his phrase
to silence
Page(s) 62
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