Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site utcsri.UUCP
Path: utzoo!utcsri!elf
From: elf@utcsri.UUCP (Eugene Fiume)
Newsgroups: net.music
Subject: Re: modern guitar technique
Message-ID: <966@utcsri.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 3-Apr-85 11:37:03 EST
Article-I.D.: utcsri.966
Posted: Wed Apr  3 11:37:03 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 3-Apr-85 13:03:53 EST
References: <9533@brl-tgr.ARPA>
Organization: CSRI, University of Toronto
Lines: 41


				[]

> ...Julian Bream ranks pretty low in classical guitar technique...
> 
> -------------------------------------
> 
> I guess I don't know that much about classical guitar technique, but
> I've known quite a few classical guitarists, and I have never heard
> anyone criticize Bream's technique. In fact, the only criticism I have
> heard has been to the effect that his style is too heavily biased toward
> technical, rather than musical, accomplishment. This is a point of view
> I do not happen to share, but neither do I know of any technical
> weakness in his approach, or of any difficulties in the repetoire that
> are beyond his ability. Why do you rank him "pretty low?"
> 
> Lewis Lazarus
> Xerox
> Los Angeles, Ca.
>  

I answered this query privately some time ago, but for the benefit of other
curious persons, I mentioned in my article that Bream's technique is sloppy
only relative to the other guitarists listed in the article.  On the
other hand, I'd rather listen to Bream (live or recorded).  For various
reasons, Bream's left hand has gotten somewhat clumsier.  This is evident
in his live (guitar--he also plays lute) performances but not in his
almost uniformly excellent recordings.  He, like Gould, knows how to use
the studio to great advantage.  It's really too bad that some of his
recordings (RCA, of course) from the 50's were so terribly engineered and
pressed.  He was at his absolute peak technically, and his subtle, intimate
interpretations are gems.  If there were more classical guitarists of his
artistic qualities about, perhaps fewer student guitarists would sound so
monotonic (monotimbral?) and mechanical.  And if you are a beginning guitarist
looking for an artistic role model, please consider choosing Bream or Angel
Romero rather than Segovia (I can just hear the flames (:-) ), Williams,
or Parkening.


Eugene Fiume
{decvax|allegra}!utcsri!elf