Julian Bream was one of the most poetic and thoughtful of English guitar virtuosos, with a passion for Renaissance lute music. At first, he might seem an unlikely disciple of Andrés Segovia, the charismatic Andalusian superstar of the classical guitar. In fact, Bream cited Segovia (42 years his senior) as a lifelong inspiration. In 1984, shortly before Segovia’s death, Bream recorded this lovely tribute album of music played by—and in several cases, actually composed for—his hero.
It’s gloriously atmospheric, with Bream’s playing evoking Segovia’s sensitivity, his flashing tone-colours and his fierce pride. But Bream is unmistakably his own man, in an all-Spanish programme that ranges from the flamenco swagger of Falla’s “The Miller’s Dance” to the jewel-like miniatures—by turns delicate and playful—of Federico Mompou.
