Recorded in Wardour Chapel, near Julian Bream's home
in Wiltshire, this 1982-3 recital finds the eminent guitarist at the
peak of his form. Capturing the right balance and sound for the guitar
is always tricky, and this is among the most successful recordings to
have been made during the past two decades. In this new incarnation
it sounds as good as ever. The problem is that too distant a perspective
misses details, whereas too close a placing puts too much emphasis on
the physical sounds of fingers and strings. Neither of these problems
is felt here, with the result that the music and the magnificently characterful
performances score a veritable triumph.
To gain such praise the music itself must be strong
enough to justify the enthusiasm. And it is. The major composers are
Albéniz and Granados. The former's substantial Suite Española,
nearly twenty minutes long, has both beauty and expressive range. The
same might also apply to the less well known Valses Poèticos
of Granados, which are beautifully characterised and lovingly phrased,
but without a hint of mannerism. The two Danzas Españolas show
Bream's true understanding of the Spanish idiom, of which he has been
a master for many years.
One of the strengths of a great artist is the ability
to make people listen with fresh ears, not only to masterworks central
to the repertory, but also to less well known works, from both the present
and the past. This is precisely what Bream does here. Both the charming
Serenata of Malats and the more substantial pieces by Pujol are given
idiomatic performances that make the music sound its best, and make
also a strong case for its wider appreciation. For this is one of the
finest guitar recitals of recent times.
Terry Barfoot
Julian Bream (guitar)