Wow, we are sliding down hill towards the Weekend rather quickly, it's amazing how fast time move when you're having fun. And I am having fun, it has been a great week so far with lots of great Music from our Giants of the Guitar. Our emphasis on The Performers this week has brought us terrific performances by Andres Segovia, Narciso Yepes, and John Williams thus far. Today we feature Williams' fellow countryman Guitarist/Lutenist Julian Bream.
Our friend Wikipedia tells us this about our featured Performer:
Julian Bream is one of the most distinguished classical guitarists of the 20th century. He has also been successful in renewing popular interest in the lute. He was born into a musical family in London in 1933. His father was a commercial artist, with an "extraordinary talent for drawing" and a "natural musician" according to Bream. Bream would lie under the piano in "ecstasy" when his father played. His grandmother owned a pub in Battersea, and Bream spent much time there during his youth. His father played jazz guitar and the young Bream was impressed by hearing the playing of Django Reinhardt.
Our friend Wikipedia tells us this about our featured Performer:
Julian Bream is one of the most distinguished classical guitarists of the 20th century. He has also been successful in renewing popular interest in the lute. He was born into a musical family in London in 1933. His father was a commercial artist, with an "extraordinary talent for drawing" and a "natural musician" according to Bream. Bream would lie under the piano in "ecstasy" when his father played. His grandmother owned a pub in Battersea, and Bream spent much time there during his youth. His father played jazz guitar and the young Bream was impressed by hearing the playing of Django Reinhardt.
Bream began his lifelong association with the guitar by strumming along on a small gut-string Spanish guitar at an early age to dance music on the radio. He become frustrated with his lack of knowledge of harmony, so read instruction books by Eddie Lang to teach himself. His father taught him the rudimentary basics. The president of the Philharmonic Society of Guitars, Dr Boris Perott, gave Bream further lessons, while his father became the society librarian, giving young Bream access to a large collection of rare music.
On his 11th birthday, Bream was given a guitar by his father. He became something of a child prodigy, at 12 winning a junior exhibition award for his piano playing, enabling him to study piano and cello at the Royal College of Music. In 1947, aged 13, he made his debut guitar recital at Cheltenham.
Leaving the RCM in 1952, Bream was called up into the army for national service. He was originally drafted into the Pay Corps, but managed to sign up for the Royal Artillery Band after six months. This required him to be stationed in Woolwich, which allowed him to moonlight regularly in London with the guitar.
After three and a half years in the army, he took any musical jobs that came his way, including background music for radio plays and films. Commercial film, recording session and work for the BBC were important to Bream throughout the 1950s and the early 1960s. He played part of a recital at the Wigmore Hall on the lute in 1952 and since has done much to bring music written for the instrument to light.
1960 saw the formation of the Julian Bream Consort, a period-instrument ensemble with Bream as lutenist. The consort led a great revival of interest in the music of the Elizabethan era. Bream pursued a busy career playing around the world, his first European tours took place in 1954 and 1955, followed (beginning in 1958) by extensive touring in the Far East, India, Australia, the Pacific Islands and other parts of the world. Bream performed for the Peabody Mason Concert series in Boston, first solo in 1959, and later with the US debut of his Consort. In addition to master classes given in North America, Bream has conducted an international summer school in Wiltshire, England. You will remember I told you yesterday about the Grammy he shared with John Williams in 1973 for Julian and John.
I have a great bit of video to illustrate the charm and vibrance of one of his live recitals. This performance was broadcast live on the BBC 2 on 01 Feb 1978. Julian Bream performs works by Bach, Villa-Lobos, Albeniz and Britten at Old Wardour Castle before a live audience. For a companion piece, I have chosen Bream's 20th Century Guitar LP from 1967 with works only by 20th Century Composers which you will find duly posted on my tumblr.
You may indulge yourself in the delights found in these darling dudes in denim when you scroll down to this week's edition of Men In Jeans down below. Be sure to check out the 'Awesome Aussie' Hottie of the Day! over on my tumblr also. Thanks for stopping in, tune in tomorrow when we profile the First Lady among our Giants of the Guitar. Until next time as always, Enjoy!
You may indulge yourself in the delights found in these darling dudes in denim when you scroll down to this week's edition of Men In Jeans down below. Be sure to check out the 'Awesome Aussie' Hottie of the Day! over on my tumblr also. Thanks for stopping in, tune in tomorrow when we profile the First Lady among our Giants of the Guitar. Until next time as always, Enjoy!
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