​JulianBreamGuitar.com

Creative Guitar International
Letters from England-Bream Plays Henze Work by Graham Wade
Sring 1977, Vol. 4, No. 3, p. 29

"The second important occasion was the appearance of Julian Bream at the Wigmore Hall, London where he played the same programme in two concerts one weekend. This was the world premiere of the Royal Winter Music by Hans Werner Henze, a bringing to life through the guitar of well-known Shakespearean characters. This was an event that caused even the somewhat aloof critics of the Sunday papers to squint through their pince-nez in the direction of the guitar, an occurrence practically unique in the annals of English music! Bream's second half was a performance of Villa-Lobos' Twelve Studies, a tour-de-force of miraculous virtuosity richly acclaimed by all but the sourest and most stupid of those critics who would criticize almost anything played on the guitar. Julian Bream's eminence, however, rests on the support and affection of the concert-going public, and his fame was spread among the grass-roots by a beautiful television film showing his home, a game of cricket, and musical sessions, and was accompanied by interviews with Bream and a biography of his career. An issue of a remarkable lute record completed this season as an artistic mile­stone in Bream's achievements."

Guitar New

Julian Bream by Wilfred M. Appleby, p. 7

October/December 1971 No. 114

Announcing the new major work in Julian Bream's programmes at the Queen Elizabeth Hall in London.

Ibid. Guitar Music by Alfred M. Appleby, p. 12

Discuses the Carey Blyton the new piece written for Julian Bream called The Bream. The composer uses the large freshwater fish in a slow stream as an inspiration for the composition.

ibid. Town Hall, Birmingham. p.19

Julian Bream announcement Guitar recital at the Town Hall in Birmingham England on November 9th at 7:45 p.m.

Julian Bream by Wilfred M. Appleby

July/September 1971, p. 4  No. 113

Julian Bream back at Cheltenham. Guitar recital at the Town Hall on April 29th. Appleby gave high praise to Julian and even referred to him as "Mr. Magic". The article also mentioned that Bream was on Colour TV on May 19th playing a Prelude by Bach, Homenaje by de Fall and Fandangulillo by Turina. . On May 26th he made another TV appearance playing music by de Visee and Granados. Finally, his 23rd concert tour of America is scheduled for October but before he will perform in Austria, Belgium and Germany

The Soundboard - The Guitar Foundation of America
The Guitar In Canada: Juris Poruks by Jim Forrest
 August 1979, Volume 6, No. 3, p. 85

An interview with Juris Poruks in which they discuss all aspects of the guitar culture in Montreal. When discusiing technique he mentions that Lagoya likes to play off the right side of the nail while Seqovia and Bream play off the left side of the nail.

Guitar
April 1974

Creative Guitar International
Avant-garde music: 2nd part-Bream records feature avant-garde by John W. Tanno*        

Winter 1978, Vol. 5, No. 2, p. 14
"Perhaps the best introduction to the beginnings of the avant-garde may be heard by listening to Julian Bream's Twentieth Century Guitar (RCA LSC 2964). This recording, released in 1967, leads us from the experiments of Villa Lobos (Etudes #5 and 7) to Frank Martin's Quatre pieces breves (T933T to Reginald Smith Brindle's El Polifemo de C7roTl956) (a 12-tone work which really doesn't sound it and to Benjamin Britten's Nocturnal (1963) While none of these works can be said to be strongly avant-garde, each of them begins to pull away from the traditional Spanish style of guitar music by introducing a new musical vocabulary This recording has had a tremendous impact, and it was not surprising that Bream recorded a second album in 1973 featuring similar works by English composers, including the captivating Concerto for Guitar and Chamber Ensemble composed for Bream by Richard Rodney Bennett (RCA ARL 1-0049)."

Ibid, LETTER FROM LONDON: Bream master classes By Colin Cooper, p. 31
"Much interest was aroused by the television showing of the master classes held by Julian Bream in his Wiltshire house. If they demonstrated one thing very clearly, it is the psychological truth that role-reversal can play havoc with standards of performance. I have heard more than one or two of these young players perform brilliantly at the Wigmore Hall, rising to the occasion and generally doing what was expected of them. But here, reduced in status to pupils, they fumbled, fluffed, frowned, lost concentration and generally exhibited lack of confidence, like any other young students in the presence of their teacher; almost as if, again, they were doing what was expected of them. There were exceptions, of course, but it appeared that being forced into the subservient role of pupil did severe (though not, one hopes, lasting) damage to a performer's self-confidence.
Making all allowances for nervousness, one cannot escape the impression that the gap between the first rank of guitarists and the second is still a large one--larger, I would say, than that which exists in comparable instruments such as violin and piano. Much remains to be done in the field of educating guitarists musically. Master classes are one way of doing it, but guitarists as capable in this respect as Bream are unfortunately rare.
Some attitudes could be reshaped with advantage. One young player possessed a thumbnail of sabre-like length. It produced an incredibly unpleasant sound, but when the player, who was generally praiseworthy in every other respect, was reproved for this infelicity, he could only reply: "I find it more comfortable to play like this." So now we know: The comfort of the player is more important than the sound of the music. Perhaps players should form a trade union and force composers to write only music that they can play "comfortably"."    

Guitar Player 
October 1971
Article: Classical Genius

Digital cover- Oxford site

Guitar
October 1973

Creative Guitar International

by Ruth and Jerry Mock

Fall 1974, Vol 2, No. 1, p. 12

The article references a BMG article by Graham Wade called An Obituary for Guitar News. The entire BMG article was quoted in reference to the demise of the publication. The article mentioned the importance of Guita News when it came to reporting all things classical guitar news and how it closely followed the professional life of Segovia, Bream and Williams.

Ibid, Letters, p. 14

Small article about how Julian is no longer the only guitarist that also plays the lute and unlike the younger players, Bream still uses a guitar technique to play both instruments.

Gramophone
June 1979
Article: Julian Bream in Full Bloom

Creative Guitar International
Schedule of Events
Winter 1977, Vol. 4, No. 2, p. 32

Announcement: Julian Bream after Princeton, NJ recital Nov. 15. A Bream photo included.

Photo by John Soto/Classic Guitar Center

The Soundboard - The Guitar Foundation of America
Guitar Chamber Music, Why? One Amateur's View Point By Matanya Ophee
1976, Volume 3, No. 3, p. 48

"we all went to hear Julian Bream with the Melos Ensemble,
playing the Giuliani Concerto, Op. 30. The program
opened with the Gervais de Peyer, and the celebrated Brahms
Quintet for Clarinet and strings. This was a unique opportunity
for guitar enthusiasts to be exposed to one of the
world's leading exponents of the clarinet, and to a piece
of music that is considered by many to be one of the most
difficult to perform, and at least in this writer's opinion,
one of the greatest compositions of all times.

Guitar News

Julian Bream by Wilfred M. Appleby

October/December 1972. p. 13

No. 118

Review of the Cheltenham Festival at the Town Hall on July 1212th. Julian gained high praise for his performance at the Melos Ensemble's Concert. Aside from Mozart's Divertimento, the rest of his programme was focused on modern composers. Bream Played Bennet's Concerto for Guitar and Chamber Orchestra, Walton's Five Bagatelles and Rawsthorne's Elegy. Elegy "was edited and completed by Julian Bream using Rawsthorne's own material. This work gave the guitarist more scope for displaying the beauty of the instrument rather than the fireworks of which it is capable in his masterly hands.

The Guitar Foundation of America

Works in Progress/Completed by Thomas F. Heck

1975, Volume 2, No. 2, p. 21

The Guitar Foundation of America has entered negotiations with the non-profit Guitar Workshop of New York to publish facsimiles of the first editions of Mauro Giuliani's Rossiniane, Op. 119, 120, 121, sources which Julian Bream used in his recent reco77177 (R67 Red Seal, ARL 1-0711). Plans call for the publication also of a chamber music series with guitar, the first number of which will be an edition
by Peter Danner of a Nocturne by Carulli (V1. & G.). Please send the Archivist your proposals for other works to be included in these series.

The Soundboard - The Guitar Foundation of America
Conversation with Julian Bream by John Wager-Schneider
 February 1980, Volume 7, No. 1, p. 9

John interviewed Bream at the KPFK-FM studios in Los Angeles in November 1979.

Julian Bream is asked about

- having two completely different programmes for each tour to avoid muscle memory and increase the focus on the music.

- Taking 3 months off in the summer to prepare for the next season.

- Revisiting certain pieces after 3 or 4 years of not playing them.

- Playing guitar in England in the  1940's and 1950 's.

- Being desperate for money in 1947-1948 and actually taking a few dance band jobs for the BBC radio. Having to borrow the plectrum guitar and pick.

- His first big London concert in 1950 with an audience of 300to 400 poeple.

- Creating the Julian Bream Consort in 1959-60.

- Dowland was likely a virtuoso on the lute.

-Disbanding the Consort after 5 years.

-His guitar technique would suffer if he dedicated too much time to early music

- David Munrow

- Discuss commissions throughout the 1970's, Mainly the Royal Winter Music

- Guitarist now starting to play Britten's Nocturnal after a long period where only Bream would play it.

- Discussed the succes of the LiVE album with John Williams. Future touring not likely because Williams hates to travel.

-Reviving the Consort in a more authentic manner

Guitar 
December 1977
Article: Julian Bream Master Class

Creative Guitar International

Bream in Concert by Michael Wright
Winter 1975, Vol. 2, No. 2, Pg 12

The article was a review of a Bream concert at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. WI in 1975. Julian played the lute in the first half and the guitar in the second half of the concert. The performance was reviewed very favourably. The sketch of Bream by Marilyn Nicely appeared at the top of the article.

Ibid, Records: Soloist Together by Ruth and Jerry Mock, p. 16

"Julian and John/2" by Julian Bream and John Williams. RCA ARL 1 -0456. This duo record makes one wonder: Do they use a metronome? It is disturbing to hear two guitars sound like two guitars, rather than a duo. Otherwise, this record is musically pleasing."

Issue online at

https://creativeguitarinternational.com/Vol%202%20No%202.html

Creative Guitar International
Letter from England: Bream event by Graham Wade
Fall 1976(typo actually 1977), Vol. 4, No. 1, p. 36

"The biggest event on the British guitar scene this year without a shadow of a doubt was the appearance of Julian Bream at the Wigmore Hall, London, on three consecutive nights in May to commemorate an important anniversary for the Wigmore Hall and Bream's own debut there 25 years ago. Also appearing with him were Peter Pears, Murray Perahia, Peggy Ashcroft, and the Gabrieli Quartet, and the three nights of concerts were acclaimed by critics and public alike as a magnificent celebration of both the magnificance of the Wigmore Hall and the similar magnificence of Britain's great guitarist whose achievements grow more splendid year by year."

Creative Guitar International
Bream as a co-performer by John W. Tanno
Winter 1976, Vol. 3, No. 2, p. 33-34

The short article discusses Bream as a co-performer in the orchestra setting using two recordings as an example, Concertos for lute and Orchestra RCA ARL 1-180 and Julian Bream: Berkeley and Lennox. Bream not only performs with others but also plays multiple lute parts in the same recording thanks to multiple-recording techniques. Both albums are reviewed very favourably.

The Soundboard - The Guitar Foundation of America
An Interview With Leo Brouwer by Richard Stover
1975, Volume 2, No. 4, p. 72

When asked whom he admires most among today's
guitarists, Leo replies: "there is one who is an
extraordinary musician: Julian Bream. How he
plays the guitar, in spite of supreme difficulties!
Also Oscar Caceres, a fine musician, and Beethoven
Davezac and Turibio Santos. And to attend a
concert by such a unique and beautiful artist as
Alirio Diaz!"

The Soundboard - The Guitar Foundation of America
Newsworthy by Thomas F. Heck
1975, Volume 2, No. 1, p. 5

"BREAM DRAWS ON GFA ARCHIVE. One of the primary purposes of the Guitar Foundation of America is to promote interest in the classic guitar through its archive, which provides copies of rare guitar music to the public and to members alike at cost. In the autumn of 1973, Julian Bream came to Cleveland on a concert tour, requested to examine some Giuliani pieces, and spent several hours at the home of the archivist reading through the music. He ultimately asked for and was provided with copies of three Rossinianas of Giuliani (operatic optpourris based on themes of Rossini), including Op. 119 and 121. This fall, a year later, behold! The latest Bream, "Sor Grand Sonata Op. 25, Giuliani Le Rossiniane". It contains considerably edited versions of Giuliani's Op. 119 and 121, superbly recorded, but unfortunately without a word of acknowledgement of the GFA's help in providing copies of the music."

The Soundboard - The Guitar Foundation of America
Guitar Chamber Music, Why? One Amateur's View Point By Matanya Ophee
1976, Volume 3, No. 4, p. 75

"BREAM, JULIAN
RCA ARL 1-1491. Lute Music of John Dowland, 1976.
Bream re-establishes his title as the foremost interpreter
of Dowland on the lute with this bright,
crisp, and clean performance. For fans of Julian
Bream and Elizabethan music, this album is an
essential purchase."

Creative Guitar International
London Lectures by Colin Cooper
Spring 1976, Vol. 3, No. 3, p. 11-12

"The unique series of lectures organized by the Inner London Education Authority provides a rare opportunity for guitar teachers to get together. Unfortunately, the limitations imposed by the necessity on the one hand of delaying the commencement until teachers have finished their day's work and assembled at the Music Centre, and on the other hand, of getting it all over before the caretaker locks up, mean in effect that discussion after the main lecture is severely restricted.
Nevertheless, the teachers manage to make themselves heard. If Julian Bream objected to being criticized for not passing on his knowledge in printed form to future generations he did not show it. And guitar professor Hector Quine, having delivered an unsensational account of the functions of his office, looked only slightly surprised to find himself involved in a heated argument about the precise way a string responds to being struck apoyando.

John W. Duarte has lectured in this series, and so has Gilbert Biberian, who talks eloquently about the subject that he perhaps more than anyone is equipped to talk about: Ensemble guitar. But not surprisingly it was Julian Bream who attracted the biggest audience. What an attractive speaker this man is! Fluent, persuasive, salty, funny, shrewd, occasionally unfair (eg, to modern architecture), sometimes on shaky ground (talking about the violin bow "artificially" keeping the sound alive). Bream could have talked for twice the length of time without losing attention.
One of his themes was the lack of general musical awareness in most guitarists. Years ago, in a radio programme called "Desert Island Discs", he chose Schubert's C Major Quintet as a supreme example of chamber music. Now he wanted to know how many of us had ever listened to Beethoven's late quartets. Without waiting for a reply Bream hurried on to other matters, including an account of how his left-hand technique had undergone radical modification. Courteously resisting the clamor for a demonstration. Bream walked off carrying guitar and footrest without having played a note. So stimulating had been the talk that he was immediately forgiven.
The ILEA and its guitar organizer Malcolm Laws are to be congratulated on their initiative in arranging these lectures. With only a little extension, they could become what London patently lacks: A true forum for the free expression of ideas."

The Soundboard - The Guitar Foundation of America
RECONSTRUCTING THE ROSSINIANE OF GUILIANI/BREAM
A FEATURE RECORD REVIEW by Thomas F. Heck

1977, Volume 4, No. 2, p. 47-48

A very extensive analysis on how Bream took liberties by making cuts and substitutions in the arrangements of the original editions to create a final interpretation that makes "the total
experience as meaningful as possible both to the performers and to the audience".

Webmaster's note:

Thomas Heck of the GFA provided Bream with the original editions. Heck invited Bream to his home to look through the music. Bream preceded to played through the music for hours at the author's home before asking for a copy. This article is a must if interested in knowing in detail how Bream pieced together what finally ended up on the recording.

Gramophone
April 1974

BMG (Banjo, Mandolin, Guitar)
November 1972 
Article: Julian Bream versus John Williams

Guitar
June 1976
Article:

January/March 1970, No. 107

Julian Bream was given high praise for his recital on February 22th at the Queen Elizabeth Hall in London. His guitar solos comprised of a suite of four pieces by Purcell, two Bach Preludes and music by Sor, Weiss, Debussy, Turina (Hommage a Tarrega), Frank Martin, etc. It was also the first performance of the Thomas Wilson piece Soliloquy. Appleby quoted Max Harrison from The Times, "Lasting about ten minutes, this is pleasingly acid and angular, dark-toned but with a noticeably wider range of gesture than the rest of Mr Bream's programme."

The Soundboard - The Guitar Foundation of America

FROM THE CHAIRMAN
A Message from Frederick Noad, Chairman, Board of Directors.

1977, Volume 4, No. 1, p.

Noad is reaching out to members for donations to a scholarship fund. He used the PSG as an example and how successful they were in getting the classical guitar community to supporting the young Julian Bream when he was in finacial need.

THE DEVIL'S ADVOCATE by George Warren

 p. 6

The article deals with the issues that have surrounded the classical guitar since Segovia struggled to lift it out of the hands of the flamenco and jazz guitarist back in the early 1920s. The author makes a claim that the classical guitar has achieved its elevated stature among classical instruments at this point and it is no longer necessary to keep these strict boundaries around the instrument. Most professional classical guitarist plays around with popular music privately or at parties and will even play classical arrangments of pop song for an encore. The article brings back the days when Wilfrid Appleby was so aggressively against anything being called a guitar aside form the Spanish classical guitar. The article states that Appleby was selective on who he banned from appearing in the pages of his now-defunct Guitar News. He refused to acknowledge Laurindo Almeida yet continued to support Julian Bream yet they both played classical guitar and liked to play jazz as well. Finally, the article referred to Appleby as the late Wilfred Appleby when he was still very much alive and well for a man in his 80s. The mistake was corrected in the following issue. Appleby's wife sent a letter to the editor requesting a correction and included a recent picture taken on their day of anniversary.

GUITAR CHAMBER MUSIC, WHY?
One Amateur's View Point
Part Three
By Matanya Ophee p.23

The author continues her discussion on her part 3 of Guitar Chamber Music.  In discussing  Boccherini Quintet in e minor, Ophee discusses the guitar and its problems with volume amongst a group of louder instrument. She mentions Julian Bream and describes his solutions when playing the piece and how he may change what is written in order for the guitar to remain audible. 

Guitar 
March 1974

Creative Guitar International
Performance by Pam Lipscomb
Fall 1973, Vol 1, No. 1, p. 26

Lipscomb, one of the writers of the magazine, mentions having seen Julian Bream in concert in Austin Texas. Bream played both the lute and the guitar. She asks one of the readers to compare the technique for the 2 instruments. (reply on Fall 1974, Vol. 2, No 1, p.14)

The Soundboard - The Guitar Foundation of America
CURRENT DISCOGRAPHY Compiled by John W. Tanno
May 1979, Volume 6, No. 2, p. 48

A short but glowing review of the new album Julian Bream and John Williams LIVE. " The performances represent the highwater for duo guitarists, and set a modern
standard to which all contemporary duos must aspire." You "will want to add this album to your collection as the finest portrayal of the sound of two guitars".

Early Music

On playing the Lute - Julian Bream in conversation with J.M. Thompson

October 1975, Volume 3, Issue 4, p. 348-352

https://academic.oup.com/em/article-abstract/3/4/348/444518?redirectedFrom=fulltext

Lute Society Profile by J.M Thomson, p. 383-386

https://academic.oup.com/em/article-abstract/3/4/383/444529?redirectedFrom=fulltext

Magazine Articles: 1970 - 1979

An article about young muscicians and the moment, after a lot of hard work , that they realize that they can really play the intrument. Julian Bream was given as an example of such a moment after he played his first recital.  Such a revelation came to Julian Bream, who, after his successful first recital, at the age of 13 in Cheltenham Art Gallery, said "I didn't know I could play like that!" . Several young performers had such a moment at the June meeting for the Cheltenham Classic Guitar Circle.

Ibid, Julian Bream Recital, Aldeburgh Festival, 1970, p. 9

Julian Bream gave a recital on June 9th at the Maltings at Snape in Suffolk, the location for the 1970 Aldeburgh Festival. His guitar solos comprised of Berkeley's Sonatina, the first performance of Fricker's Paseo, two Bach preludes, , Schubert's Menuetto from the Sonata in G Major, Gerhard's Fantasia, de Falla's Homenaje and Miller's Dance.  He played a Villa-Lobos' etude for an encore. The author mentioned that while Bream was reading the printed score on the stand for the first performance of the Paseo. his facility seemed quite unhampered, producing with ease the large range of "guitaristics" demanded by the composer: sombre chords; fast scalic passages; harmonics and a wide usage of the fingerboard and even a rather alarming "broken string" sound effect.

Ibid, Forthcoming Concerts, p. 13

Julian Bream at the Queen Elizabeth Hall with Andre Previn on piano and Melos Ensemble.

The Soundboard - The Guitar Foundation of America
The Guitar Music of Stephen Dodgson by Richard Provost
February 1979, Volume 6, No. 1, p. 3-4

An article on Stephen Dodgson. Julian Bream is mentioned in reference to the pieces he commissioned and performed. 

Ibid, CURRENT DISCOGRAPHY Compiled by John W. Tanno, p. 25.

A short but glowing review of Julian Bream new album Villa Lobos: The Twelve Etudes for Guitar; Suite Populaire Bresilienne.  "until you have heard Julian
Bream perform them on this recording, you probably haven't heard them at their best. Bream plays them with such freshness and control, that one forgets that they have been heard so often.