Julian Bream

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Julian Alexander Bream, CBE (born 15 July 1933), is an English virtuo classical guitarist and lutenist.

He was one of the twentieth century's most influential classical guitarists, and he was instrumental in changing the classical guitar's public image as a respectable instrument.

Early years

Henry and Violet Jessie (née Wright) Bream was born in Battersea, England, to Henry and Violet Jessie (née Wright). He and his family moved to Hampton in London at the age of two, where he was brought up in a musical environment. His father, both a commercial artist and an amateur jazz guitarist, was unable to read music but had a sharp ear and knew how to play a lot of popular music. His mother, a homemaker of Scottish descent, had a warm and loving personality but no interest in music. When he was 14 years old, his parents divorced. Bream spent a lot of time in Battersea as his grandfather owned a pub, and his grandmother owned it. Django Reinhardt's playing impressed the youth Bream; he later named his dog "Django" after he was impressed; As an infant, Bream played the piano and cello, and Reinhardt encouraged Bream to play guitar.

Bream began his lifelong love of the guitar by strumming along on his father's jazz guitar at an early age before learning about dance music on the radio. He became dissatisfied with his lack of jazz harmony, so he began teaching himself. His father taught him the basics. Boris Perott, the president of the Philharmonic Society of Guitarists, gave Bream further instruction, while his father, the society librarian, gave young Bream access to a large number of rare recordings.

Bream's father gave him a small gut-strung Spanish guitar on his 11th birthday. He became a child prodigy at the Royal College of Music after winning a junior exhibition award for his piano playing at the age of 12. He appeared at Cheltenham on February 17th, 1947, aged 13; in 1951, he appeared at Wigmore Hall for his debut guitar recital.

The father of Bream had reservations about learning classical guitar. Bream, according to him, will be impossible to make a living unless he played jazz or something similar. Bream became more consistent and committed to becoming a professional classical guitarist as a result of his father's insistence. Even though the guitar was not taught at the university at the time, Bream played the guitar first, then the piano for his audition at the Royal College of Music. He was told not to carry his guitar when Bream was accepted into the college. Bream carried his guitar with him as he performed for late-night shows. Bream was asked to leave his guitar at home once the school's director discovered him playing the guitar in one of the school's practice rooms. Bream's reply to the plea was to leave the college.

Bream, who had left the RCM in 1952, was called up to the army for national service. He was originally drafted into the Pay Corps but after six months, he was able to join the Royal Artillery Band. He had to be stationed in Woolwich, which allowed him to moonlight in London with the guitar.

Personal life

Margaret, the daughter of writer Henry Williamson's daughter, with whom he adopted a son, was Bream's first wife. Isabel Sanchez was married in 1980 after they divorced. The union ended in divorce.

He lived in Semley, Wiltshire, for more than 40 years, first dividing his time between there and Chiswick, London, then moving to a Georgian farmhouse in Semley, where he lived there until 2008. In 2009, he moved to Donhead St Andrew, Wiltshire, where he was living in a smaller house. Bream was keen on cricket and a member of the Marylebone Cricket Club.

Bream died on August 14, 2020, at his Donhead St Andrew home at the age of 87.

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Career

He took any musical roles that came his way, including background music for radio plays and films, after three and a half years in the army. Bream's recording sessions and broadcasting for the BBC were vital to him during the 1950s and early 1960s. In 1952, he appeared at a recital at Wigmore Hall on the lute. Bream spent his remaining days on the planet 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 many other areas of the world. In 1959, Joe Powell's first North America tour took place. The Julian Bream Consort, a period-instrument ensemble with Bream as lutenist, was established in 1960. The consort's interest in the music of the Elizabethan period was revived. Bream appeared in Boston with the United States debut of his Consort in 1963.

Bream was a tutor at Dartington's music summer school in addition to master classes.

Later career

Bream suffered a serious right arm injury in 1984 in a car crash.

Malcolm Arnold's Guitar Concerto was broadcast on BBC Radio and TV in 1991. He appeared at a recital and concerto performances of Toru Takemitsu's works at the London Symphony Orchestra.

He appeared on two occasions at the Wigmore Hall during the 1992-1993 season, both at their Gala Re-opening Festival and in a special concert commemorating his 60th birthday. He toured Far East, visiting Hong Kong, Taiwan, Korea, and Japan, as well as the premiere of Leo Brouwer's orchestration at the Proms. Bream made debuts in both Turkey and Israel in 1994, to acclaim, and the following year starred on Don Juan DeMarco's soundtrack.

In 1997, he gave a recital at Cheltenham Town Hall to commemorate his debut 50 years. The BBC dedicated a television tribute to Bream, produced following a commemorative concert at the Queen Elizabeth Hall in London, a few weeks later.

Other performances during this period included a gala solo performance at the Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool; a Kosovo Aid concert at St. John's, Smith Square, London; recitals at the Snape Proms, Aldeburgh; and a tour of National Trust properties in summer and autumn 2000.

In November 2001, he delivered a commemoration recital at Wigmore Hall, marking 50 years since his debut in 1951. On May 6, 2002, his last performance was at Maddermarket Theatre in Norwich, Norwich.

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Awards and recognitions

• 1964: Officer of the Order of the British Empire
• 1964: Grammy Award for Best Chamber Music Performance at the Grammy Awards of 1964 for Evening of Elizabethan Music performed by the Julian Bream Consort
• 1966: Honorary Member of the Royal Academy of Music
• 1967: Grammy Award for Best Classical Performance – Instrumental Soloist or Soloists (with or without orchestra) at the Grammy Awards of 1967 for Baroque Guitar (Works of Bach, Sanz, Weiss, etc.)
• 1968: Honorary Doctorate from the University of Surrey
• 1968: Edison Award
• 1972: Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Soloist(s) Performance (with orchestra) at the Grammy Awards of 1972 for André Previn (conductor), Julian Bream & the London Symphony Orchestra for Villa-Lobos: Concerto for Guitar
• 1973: Grammy Award for Best Chamber Music Performance at the Grammy Awards of 1973 for Julian Bream & John Williams for Julian and John (Works by Lawes, Carulli, Albéniz, Granados)
• 1974: Edison Award
• 1976: Villa-Lobos Gold Medal (presented by the composer's widow)
• 1981: Fellowship of the Royal College of Music
• 1983: Fellowship of the Royal Northern College of Music
• 1984: Honorary Doctorate from the University of Leeds
• 1985: Commander of the Order of the British Empire
• 1988: Honorary Member of the Royal Philharmonic Society
• 1996: Royal Philharmonic Society Instrumentalist's Award
• 1999: Doctor of Philosophy from London Guildhall University
• 2009: Honorary Doctorate from the Open University
• 2013: Gramophone Classical Music Awards – Lifetime Achievement