I Love Julian Bream

Those who have ever looked through charity shop record boxes will know that usually you spend most of your time flicking through hundreds of 'DJ' white labels, James Galway, Des O'Connor, Jim Reeves, Mantavani and a clump of 'classical'. It was amongst the classical that I found Julian Bream. I only bought the record because an old man on the London Underground had mentioned him during one of those rare conversations with a stranger, but that's serendipity for you.

My mother had been a fan of Andre Segovia and it is possibly that’s where my appreciation for the Classical guitar started. However most of the Segovia recordings I heard were primarily contemporary Spanish pieces, sombre and slow. However my first Bream recording introduced me to the courts of Medieval Europe and to the Lute. It's hard to describe the thrill of hearing him play. To hear the range of sounds he produced from the same note. The Lute sounded more and more alien the longer I listened. It has an interesting history which you can find some of here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lute. It is even harder to describe the moment I finally found footage of him playing.

He's a small bald man who throws himself in to every piece he plays. Leaning into the guitar like a boxer absorbing punches. His face gurns during each bar of music and I love him for it. That's not the gushy luvvy 'Love'. This is the love that comes from being held spellbound, by someone so technically adept and immersed in the music. Watching other guitarist like Williams or even the old man Segovia - there is physical detachedness from the piece. Perhaps it is a more cerebral experience for them.

Listen to the recording above and catch him in action here: