Country

:

United Kingdom

Birth

:

July 15, 1933 in Battersea, London, England

Death

:

August 14, 2020 in Wiltshire, England

Period

:

Contemporary

Genre

:

Chamber

 

 

Keyboard

 

Julian Bream was born on July 15, 1933, in Battersea, London, England. He was the youngest of three children born to a family of musicians. His father, Henry Bream, was a jazz guitarist, and his mother, Gladys, was a singer. Julian's older brother, John, was a pianist, and his sister, Margaret, was a cellist. Julian showed an early interest in music and began playing the guitar at the age of 11. He was largely self-taught, but he also received some instruction from his father and from the guitarist and composer, Lennox Berkeley. Julian's early influences included the Spanish guitarist Andrés Segovia and the English lutenist, Arnold Dolmetsch. In 1950, at the age of 17, Julian made his debut at the Wigmore Hall in London. He quickly established himself as one of the leading guitarists of his generation, and he began to perform regularly throughout Europe and the United States. In 1959, he made his debut at the Royal Festival Hall in London, and in 1960, he made his debut at Carnegie Hall in New York. Julian was known for his virtuosic technique and his ability to bring out the expressive qualities of the guitar. He was also a champion of contemporary music, and he commissioned and premiered works by many of the leading composers of his time, including Benjamin Britten, William Walton, and Michael Tippett. One of Julian's most famous recordings is his 1961 album, "Julian Bream Plays Dowland and Bach." The album features Julian's interpretations of works by the English lutenist John Dowland and the German composer Johann Sebastian Bach. The album was a critical and commercial success, and it helped to establish Julian as one of the leading interpreters of early music. In addition to his solo career, Julian also performed with a number of ensembles, including the Julian Bream Consort, which he founded in 1960. The ensemble specialized in music from the Renaissance and Baroque periods, and it featured a variety of instruments, including lutes, viols, and recorders. Julian received many awards and honors throughout his career. In 1964, he was awarded the OBE (Order of the British Empire) for his services to music. In 1985, he was awarded the CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire), and in 2002, he was awarded the Gramophone Lifetime Achievement Award. Julian continued to perform and record well into his later years. He retired from public performance in 2002, but he continued to record and to teach. He was also an avid collector of guitars and other stringed instruments, and he wrote several books on the history and construction of these instruments. Julian Bream died on August 14, 2020, at the age of 87. He was widely regarded as one of the greatest guitarists of the 20th century, and his legacy continues to inspire and influence musicians around the world.

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