This is the soft cover edition of the book. For the hard cover, click here.

This is the first book to present a detailed account of the musical achievements of Julian Bream. In a wide-ranging celebration of his artistry the book offers essential perspectives on vital elements of twentieth century guitar history and reveals how Julian Bream succeeded in establishing the instrument as a uniquely expressive force on the contemporary scene. As well as his phenomenal success in inspiring composers such as Britten, Tippett, Walton, Arnold, Berkeley, Henze, Brouwer, Takemitsu, etc., to write for the guitar, Bream is also renowned as the twentieth century’s greatest lutenist and a passionate advocate of Elizabethan music.

Julian Bream’s influence is apparent in every area of the classical guitar repertoire. He transcribed Baroque works by Scarlatti, Buxtehude, Cimarosa, etc., and is acknowledged as one of the great interpreters of the music of J.S. Bach. He revitalised awareness of the early nineteenth century works of Sor, Giuliani, and Aguado, while bringing to the public the music of Spain from the sixteenth century to the present day and breathing new fire into Latin American music by composers such as Villa-Lobos, Ponce and Brouwer.

Bream, over the years, revolutionised the guitar concerto, inspiring new works in this genre at the same time as performing the perennial favourites. Through concerts with Peter Pears, George Malcolm, Peggy Ashcroft, John Williams, and the Julian Bream Consort, he demonstrated his unique versatility, offering new interpretations of both early and contemporary music.

This broad canvas is represented here in terms of Bream’s concerts, recordings, and editions. The book also includes many photos, a comprehensive list of his musical publications, a discography, and a bibliography.