Jamie MacRae, Stokesley Methodist Church

CLASSICAL guitarist Jamie MacRae is a graduate of Edinburgh Napier University where he studied under Simon Thacker. He is currently completing his Masters degree at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester under the famous Craig Ogden, senior lecturer in classical guitar and a prodigious guitarist of international repute.

MacRae opened his Classical Cleveland concert with a work by Granados, Valses Poéticos, a tender delicate piece, and his fingering was appropriately sensitive. This music was new to me, and provided an insight into the extensive scope of the guitar, which must surely be the friendliest of "chamber" instruments, so delightful to the ear.

One problem for the exponent of the guitar – and this is surely not unique to any one venue – arises from the changes in temperature which necessitate constant adjustment of the strings.

In his introduction to the next piece, Royal Winter Music by Hans Werner Henze, MacRae remarked that it was written for and premiered by Julian Bream. The work was inspired by characters in Shakespeare’s plays. The selection performed included Ophelia, conjuring images of her gradual descent into the reedy stream, her voice weaving and floating as she slowly sinks, her song eventually overcome by the watery depths.

The Violin Partita by Bach followed, bringing a subtle "northern" tone to both of these works by German composers. The guitar is capable of very flamboyant, florid musical expression par excellence, and don’t we love that! But these two northern Europeans brought a degree of order within embellishment.

A very fine performance by this youthful guitarist who completed his recital with an encore of Granados’ Walses Poeticos Piano Transcriptions – Sentimental – 6th Movement.

Irene MacDonald