Music Reviews : Emanuele Segre at the Bing Theater

Italian guitarist Emanuele Segre brought a program of lightweight music to the Bing Theater at the County Museum of Art Wednesday night, and proceeded to play it for more than its worth. This discrepancy between the musical material at hand and Segre’s overinflected delivery of it made for some unconvincing music making.

He began with the brief “Tombeau sur la mort de M. Comte d’Logy” by the German lutenist Sylvius Leopold Weiss (1686-1750). He stretched and caressed and fussed over its simple Baroque lines until they lost direction.

Mauro Giuliani’s “Rossiniana” No. 1, Opus 119, based on themes by Rossini, had moments of cogency and excitement, others of nit-picking distraction: a straightforward lyrical line distended in unvocal fashion, an empty technical passage given undue gravity. His stage demeanor too--including swooning and agitated head motions and foot-stomping punctuation--seemed at odds with the musical expression.

But all was not lost. In four preludes and etudes by Villa-Lobos, Segre’s penchant for moment by moment nuance suited well the flowing melodies and rhythmical accompaniments of the music. He shaped each into persuasive, atmospheric statements with technical assurance and propulsive spontaneity.

Much of Paganini’s Grand Sonata in A proved admirable as well, its naive tunefulness gaining eloquence from Segre’s pliant phrasing. Still, there were times when one wished that he would leave well enough alone and allow at least one phrase to sing naturally.

Rounding out the program was a more sober, fluid account of Bach’s Prelude, Fugue and Allegro, BWV 998.