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Music on Thursdays - Online

Thursday 10th June 2021


Julian Bream
classical guitarist extraordinaire

Performers: principally Julian Bream
with John Williams, Stéphane Grappelli, and Peter Pears
also featuring Andy Summers & Ben Verdery

Richard Miller's  selection of youtube recordings to illustrate the genius of Julian Bream

Available: from Thursday 10th June
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Programme

Julian Alexander Bream CBE

15 July 1933 - 14 August 2020



Traditional (probably Elizabethan)
first registered in London in 1580
Greensleeves


Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
from Lute Suite in E minor BWV 996 (c1708-17)
    Bourrée

from Prelude, Fugue, and Allegro in Eb major BWV 998 (c1735)
    Allegro


Francisco de Asis Tárrega y Eixea (1852-1909)
Recuerdos de la Alhambra  Memories of the Alhambra  (1899)


Frederic Mompu Dencausse (1893-1987)
from Suite Compostelana (1962)
    II  Coral
    V Canción


Joaquim Malats i Miarons (1872-1912)
Serenata Española (1896)


Claude Debussy (1852-1909)
from Children's Corner (1906-08)
    VI Golliwogg's Cakewalk


Django Reinhardt (1910-1953)


arr Benjamin Britten (1913-1976)
text & melody collected by Ernest John Moeran (1894-1950)
published as Six Folk Songs from Norfolk
    The Shooting of His Dear


William Turner Walton (1902-1983)
from Five Bagatelles (1970-71) written for Julian Bream and dedicated to composer Malcolm Arnold
Bagatelle No 5


Edward Benjamin Britten (1913-1976)
from Nocturnal after John Dowland  Op 70 (1963)
    VIII Passacaglia


Toru Takemitsu (1930-1996)
すべては薄明のなかで – ギターのための四つの小品 –
from All in Twilight (1987)
    IV Slightly Fast


English Traditional Folk Tune 16th/17th century
later New Orleans Traditional Folk
The House of the Rising Sun


Joaquin Rodrigo Vidre (1901-1999)
from Concierto de Aranjuez (1934)
    II  Adagio


Andy Summers (Andrew James Somers, b1942)
Ben Verdery (b1955)
12 February 2021, theworld premiere performance
in New York, of
Bream Dream



Concert duration:  61  minutes
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► Please help us to fund our recent 'as live' concert recordings

If the concerts cover their costs we will be able to do more.

Please donate now !

Many thanks to those who have donated already.

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Hidden amongst all the detailed information given in the confusing and conflicting government proclamations concerning the Corona virus throughout the last twelve months, I came across a news item reporting that the English classical guitarist and lutenist Julian Bream had died on 14th August 2020 at the age of 87.

Regarded as one of the most distinguished guitarists of his generation he played a significant role in improving the public's perception of the classical guitar as a respected solo instrument.

The teenaged Bream, son of a jazz guitarist, gave his debut guitar recital in Cheltenham on 17th February 1947, at the age of 13. I have been unable to find details of the programme of this concert however it could well have included these items.



Traditional (probably Elizabethan)
first registered in London in 1580
Greensleeves        (3m50)

performed by Julian Bream in 1972



Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
from Lute Suite in E minor BWV 996 (c1708-17)
Bourrée        (1m35)

performed by Julian Bream

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Julian Bream was accepted by the Royal College of Music for his piano playing and advised to leave his guitar at home as the instrument was not taught at the College. This eventually led him to resign from the College, thus paving the way to an illustrious solo career.

In the early to mid twentieth century the guitar repertoire was limited to arrangements of works written by composers such as Bach, Mozart, Schubert and other classical heavyweights, or the nineteenth century  Spanish composers, Sol, Tarrega, Carulla amo ngst them.

Here are two examples:



Johann Sebastian Bach
from Prelude, Fugue, and Allegro in Eb major BWV 998 (c1735)
Allegro        (4m00)

performed by Julian Bream
. . . and one of my personal favourites:

Francisco de Asis Tárrega y Eixea (1852-1909)
Recuerdos de la Alhambra (1899)        (3m55)
Memories of the Alhambra

The famous Recuerdos de la Alhambra is a piece designed primarily to develop technical proficiency according to Tarrega's new-found principles, but musically it is undoubtedly a fine repertoire piece. Julian Bream 1983

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As Bream's career advanced, and his popularity increased, he was able to expand his repertoire considerably to include works by Federico Mompou and Joaquin Malats:
Frederic Mompu Dencausse (1893-1987)
from Suite Compostelana (1962)
II  Coral        (3m10)
V Canción        (2m50)


Compostelana relates to Santiago de Compostella. The pilgrimage city at the end of the Camino de Santiago, Pilgrimage of St James, or simply "the Camino", is situated in the north western province of Galicia.
The word is also used for the 'passport' that shows one has completed the Camino.


Joaquim Malats i Miarons (1872-1912)
Serenata Española (1896)        (3m50)

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 In further developments of his playing career, collaboration with other artistes became more common.

Among these, fellow guitarist John Williams, violinist Stéphane Grappelli, and tenor Peter Pears.

Claude Debussy (1852-1909)
from Children's Corner (1906-08)        (2m50)
VI Golliwogg's Cakewalk

performed by Julian Bream and John Williams in the Church of All Saints, Wardour Castle, Wiltshire


Django Reinhardt (1910-1953)
(1m45)


performed by Julian Bream and Stéphane Grappelli


arr Benjamin Britten (1913-1976)
text & melody collected by Ernest John Moeran (1894-1950)
published as Six Folk Songs from Norfolk
The Shooting of His Dear        (2m50)

performed by Julian Bream and tenor Peter Pears
O come all you young fellows that carry a gun,
I'd have you get home by the light of the sun,
For young Jimmy was a fowler and a-fowling alone,
When he shot his own true love in the room of a swan.

Then home went young Jimmy with his dog and his gun,
Saying, "Uncle, dear uncle, have you heard what I've done? Cursèd be that old gunsmith that made my old gun,
For I've shot my own true love in the room of a swan."

Then out came bold Uncle with his locks hanging grey,
Saying, "Jimmy, dear Jimmy, don't you go away.
Don't you leave your own country till the trial come on,
For you never will be hangèd for the shooting a swan".

So the trial came on and pretty Polly did appear,
Saying, "Uncle, dear uncle, let Jimmy go clear,
For my apron was bound round me and he took me for a swan. And his poor heart lay bleeding for Polly his own."
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As his popularity grew during the second half of the 20th century, many contemporary composers were writing specifically for Bream. Lennox Berkeley, Malcolm Arnold, Benjamin Britten, William Walton and Toru Takemitsu among them.

Here is a selection of these:

William Turner Walton (1902-1983)
from Five Bagatelles (1970-71) written for Julian Bream and dedicated to composer Malcolm Arnold
Bagatelle No 5        (2m30)

performed by Julian Bream in the Church of All Saints, Wardour Castle, Wiltshire


Edward Benjamin Britten (1913-1976)
from Nocturnal after John Dowland  Op 70 (1963)
VIII Passacaglia        (7m05)

performed by Julian Bream (premiered 12 June 1963)

Toru Takemitsu (1930-1996)
すべては薄明のなかで – ギターのための四つの小品 –
from All in Twilight (1987)
IV Slightly Fast        (2m50)

performed by Julian Breamin in the Church of All Saints, Wardour Castle, Wiltshire

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As an example of how wide-ranging Julian Bream's taste in music roamed, I have included his arrangement of the traditional Blues The House of The Rising Sun to the background of an interesting modern dance performance. This recording is only available by clicking through to youtube.


English Traditional Folk Tune 16th/17th century
later New Orleans Traditional Folk
The House of the Rising Sun        (3m45)


arranged and performed by Julian Bream following the success of the version by The Animals (1964)

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I have tried, but I cannot resist any longer, so Joaquin Rodrigo's Concierto de Aranjuez must be included. Here is the second movement, the Adagio. 

Joaquin Rodrigo Vidre (1901-1999)
from Concierto de Aranjuez (1934)        (9m50)
II  Adagio

taken from Bream's 1984 film segments for Channel 4, entitled ¡Guitarra! A Musical Journey Through Spain

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I would like to end this brief foray into the musical life of Julian Bream with a tribute to him by Andy Summers, guitarist of the band The Police, and classical guitarist Ben Verdery. Here is their most recent collaboration, Bream Dream.

Andy Summers (Andrew James Somers, b1942)
& Ben Verdery (b1955)
12 February 2021, the world premiere performance
in New York, of
Bream Dream        (5m15)

a tribute to the life and work of Julian Bream, written and performed by Andy Summers, archtop & electric guitars, and Ben Verdery, classical guitar

 I hope you have enjoyed my personal perspective on the life and work of guitarist Julian Bream (1933-2020).

Richard Miller
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We hope you have enjoyed Richard Miller's selection of you tube video recordings celebrating the life of Julian Bream

Next week, Lynda Chang is our host for a selection of Unusual Instruments - instruments you probably have not heard before
just two more of these weekly video selection concerts
to get us to the end of June
after which we hope to go LIVE at

Leatherhead Methodist Church
from July 1st

comments welcome:    musiconthursdays@gmail.com
▼ last week's 'as live' concert recording ▼
accordionist Iñigo Mikeleiz Berrade
▼ next week's selection concert ▼ (not yet active)
Unusual, Rare, . . . or just plain weird

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Never miss a concert . . .

Our weekly* newsletter tells you about upcoming concerts and other local music events

*weekly - only during the weekly concert season, occasional at other times
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These nine concert recordings for Leatherhead
are still available on youtube

click on the buttons below to Listen (and watch) Again

and please tell your friends about them too !

Iñigo Mikeleiz Berrade
accordion / bayan player
JS Bach ♦ Albéniz ♦ Camarero
Rafael Marino Arcaro
José Sáenz de Garmendia 
'Pepe Andoain'  ♦ Joaquin Larregla

Buck Brass
trumpet • horns • trombone
Gabrieli  •  Brahms
Thomas Adams   •  Steven Verhelst
Wilhelm Peterson-Berger
Glazunov  •  Mozart

Ibrahim Aziz
treble, bass & Renaissance viols
Diego Ortiz ♦ Rebecca Rowe ♦ Tobias Hume
Bach ♦ Le Sieur de Machy ♦ Telemann
Le Sieur de Sainte-Colombe ♦ Carlos Martínez Gil

Thomas Ang
piano
Bülow ♦ Liszt ♦ Amy Beach
Samuel Coleridge-Taylor

Phil Hopkins
chromatic harmonica
Stuart Whatton piano
JS Bach • Fauré • Gershwin
John Barry • Scott Joplin • Debussy

Carmenco

flute, voice &
2 guitars
the story, told by
Carmen

organist
Marion Bettsworth
Bach • Böhm • Chaminade
Vierne • Ireland

Diphonon
viola & accordion
Duo
Handel • Britten • de Falla
Taboada • Lohse • Marais

Jazz on Thursday
with pianist
Eddie Lee
performing a selection of his own arrangements
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We need your help to fund our concerts recorded 'as live' by professional musicians
► Did you listen ?
►Did you remember to give afterwards ?

Here is a further chance to do so

If the concerts cover their costs we will be able to do more.

Please donate now !

Many thanks to those who have donated already.
You set us all a great example !
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Concert Selections Still Available

for your listening on this Website:

Please click on a title to go to the concert webpage
• Marina Kan's 2020 AGM Piano Concert

• Concert for St George's Day and Shakespeare's Birthday

• Music on May Day

• Music for VE Day 75th Anniversary

• Piano à Deux - Linda Ang Stoodley & Robert Stoodley, 4 hands on 1 piano

• Clocks & Cathedrals (musical clocks, that is)

• Guitars & Friends - a guitar medley

• Beethoven & Haydn String Quartets

• Cello Tango - from solos to multi cellists

• Organs of Paris  ♥ Les Orgues de Paris

• Flute Fest

• Virtual Viola, hosted by Lynda Chang

• Multi Piano - pianos from two to 12 at a time

• From Sackbutt to Trombone

• Harp Haven - our President's 100th Birthday Concert

• Oboe Omnibus

• Gentle Guitar

• Music for Unusual Instruments

• Viola da Gamba, hosted by Ibrahim Aziz

• Music & the Military

• Choral Music

• Clarinet Compilation, hosted by Lynda Chang

• The Voice, hosted by Lynda Chang

• Beethoven 250, hosted by Peter Horsfield

• Eddie Lee's Jazz on Thursday - recorded as live for MoT & Arts e-Live

• Diphonon viola & accordion Duo - recorded as live for MoT & Arts e-Live

• Marion Bettsworth & organ of St Michael's Highgate - recorded as live for Arts e-Live

• CarmenCo - Carmen's Story in flute, voice & guitars - recorded as live for Arts e-Live

• Phil Hopkins, harmonica, Stuart Whatton, piano,
            From JS Bach to film music composer John Barry - recorded as live for MoT & Arts e-Live

• Musical Fireworks - a musical selection

• Music of the Musicals up to 1960 - a musical selection

• Thomas Ang's 2021 AGM Piano Concert - recorded as Live for Music on Thursdays

• Vivaldi 343rd Birthday Selection - hosted by Peter Steadman

• Saint-Saëns Centenary Selection - hosted by Peter Horsfield

• Music for the Lute - hosted by Lynda Chang

• Musicals 1960 to 1990 - hosted by Peter Steadman

• Ibrahim Aziz plays Renaissance viol, treble viol, bass viol - recorded 'as live'

• Music for Royal Weddings Selection - hosted by Peter Steadman

• Albinoni 350 Selection - hosted by Peter Steadman
 
• Yehudi Menuhin 105th Anniversary - hosted by Lynda Chang

• Sexual Intrigue in Opera - hosted by Liz Barnes

• Buck Brass  Trio/Quartet - trumpet, horns, trombone - recorded 'as live'

• String Quartet Movements - hosted by Lynda Chang

• Stravinsky & Disney - a match made in heaven ? - hosted by Lynda Chang

• ORGANS: Spectacular • Captivating • Unique - hosted by David Biggs
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Visit the making music channel on youtube

You will find lots of music videos recorded during lockdown

click on the logo
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