RIP Julian Bream

Moe mai ra e te Rangatira…(Sleep, oh chief)

Takoto mai, takoto mai, takoto mai…(Lie, lie, lie)

Haere ki runga i to waka rererangi…(Travel aboard your heavenly vessel)

Haere ki nga whetu kei runga i to po roa, to po nui, te po tapu…(Go to the many stars of the long night, the great night, the sacred night)

Haere, haere, haere…(Depart, depart, depart…)

Julian Bream was what I would like to call a ‘Musician’s musician’. He was everything that many of us aspire to be - a virtuoso; a gentleman and a scholar; an indefatigable tour de force in the guitar and lute world; a transcriptionist par excellence; and an all-round good chap.

I had the incredible privilege of seeing Julian perform in Napier in 1988 when I was in my first year at high school. Unfortunately, I was so new to the guitar that I had scarcely a clue as to who he was and what he was playing. I do remember that he played All in Twilight by the Japanese composer Toru Takemitsu (I believe it had been commissioned the year prior).

When I was undertaking my performance major in classical guitar at Victoria university in Wellington I would often pull out a vinyl recording of Julian Bream and listen to him playing the Concierto de Aranjuez by Joaquin Rodrigo. I had never heard anything so exquisite apart from Segovia playing J. S. Bach’s Chaconne. Even today rarely more than a few days go past without me listening to Julian playing a piece in his own way - the Julian Bream way.

To me the way Julian played was unique amongst all players. His thunderous pizzicato in the beginning stanza of Granados’ La Maya de Goya, or the sultry sul tasto in Turina’s Fandanguillo are truly unforgettable displays of his extraordinary depth of musical understanding. The tonal variations and his idiosyncratic approach to phrasing and interpretation, salient in a world so full of amazing players.

When I was a bit younger I was in camp Williams because I just couldn’t believe his technical command so I tended to model my playing to mimic John (falling way way short). However, as I have aged I have gone back to Julian and analysed many of his transcriptions and increased my admiration of his approach and sound. The ending of my performance of Serenata Espanola by Malats is totally JB. I listened to his performance several times and then transcribed it by ear. To my knowledge nobody ends that piece like Julian does.

I am happy and unimaginably thankful that JB left a massive lexicon of music for lute and guitar for us to enjoy through the coming years.

Please feel free to comment and share your experience with Julian and his music below.

Concentric Rings. Victoria Guitar Trio Album Review

Introduction

To be honest it's been years since I've bought a classical guitar album. With the growing popularity of YouTube, Vimeo, and Twitch I find myself watching AND listening to players more and more rather than merely listening to an mp3. However, a couple of weeks ago I thankfully stumbled across a new classical guitar recording from the Victoria Guitar Trio based in Victoria, Canada. I decided to purchase the album and let me tell you it was a very good decision.

The Guitarists -

• Adrian Verdejo
• Bradford Werner
• Michael Dias

The Composers -

• Jordan Nobles
• Scott Edward Godin
• Rodney Sharman
• rd wraggett (according to Bradford Werner this is exactly how he prefers his name to be written)
• Benton Roark

The Pieces -

The album is comprised of thirteen pieces with two from Nobles, seven from Godin (forming a suite called 'On Poeticos'), two from Sharman, and one each from wraggett & Roark. The album title is taken from the opening piece by Nobles and it sets the listener in a good, warm place. I won't go into too much detail as I think it best that you head on over to iTunes and listen to the sound samples to get a feel for the music from your own perspective.

Things I liked about the album

• Top notch playing
• Excellent recording fidelity
• New pieces from exciting composers
• Thirteen pieces representing great value

Things I might have changed about the album

• Different mixing to capture the essence of each guitarist

Conclusion

This really is a must-have album for lovers of excellent classical guitar music. It is a pleasant departure from the done-to-death pieces from yesteryear.

Let your fingers fly!

Josh

Sagework Umbra Guitar Support Review

Umbra guitar support from Sagework

In this review I'll be explaining why I think this guitar support is so good for guitarists and why you should probably throw your footstool away in favour of this attractive, practical, but kind of expensive modern product. Don't forget to check out my other review on the Atlas guitar support also from Sagework and my installation video guide on YouTube (links are at the end of this article). 

Features:

• 100% Reinforced Nylon material
• Sleek modern appearance
• Highly adjustable
• Ergonomic design

Pros:

• Super easy setup
• Pickup & play
• Comfortable
• Safe & secure
• Light & easy to stow
• Cheaper than the Atlas model

Cons:

• Installation is more complicated than other guitar supports
• Adjustable points can be a tad overwhelming
• More expensive than other supports

My conclusions:

I have to say that after having installed this I will never go back to using a foot stool. I look at this as the nemesis to the foot stool. Here are my reasons:

• Practical. Just leave it attached to your guitar!
• Comfortable. The curved thigh mount feels great
• Adjustable. So many options allow you to seat the guitar in the perfect position
• Compact. This support packs up into a tiny space allowing you to stow it conveniently in your guitar case
• Posture. I love having both of my feet flat on the ground. This feels far more natural and stable.

Here's my video review of the Sagework 'Umbra' guitar support:

Watch my installation video for the Atlas/Umbra guitar supports below.

For performers I feel this is the way to go. When you walk out on stage with your foot stool or even if you've set up your foot stool in advance it just looks clumsy. Very rarely will it ever be set in the right place and bending over to place it in front of your chair is never flattering. With this support you can just attach it before you walk out on stage! As soon as you sit down you're ready to go and that for me is a beautiful thing. 

The Umbra comes in at around 20% cheaper than the Atlas making it a great deal! This support is built to last and although it may be the second most expensive option out there it will give you many years of comfortable, easy, and satisfying use.

If you want a support like this head to the Sagework website and buy one!

Let your fingers fly!