Julian Bream & John Williams - Brahms

Julian Bream & John Williams - Brahms - Theme & Variations - 1975

[@jmardinly]

I was fortunate enough to have the front row center seat when they performed this at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor around 1974 or so. It blew me away then, and continues to do so today. This is, no doubt, one of the great musical happenings of all time.

[@alsatiancousin2905]

A thing I can be envious of. This is a true gem.

[@andrewstankus5227]

Wow that's awesome. This low quality video makes me tear up and get awe struck. I couldn't imagine the power flowing from these two when they're blasting that talent at you a few feet away. Were they mic'd or just used the acoustics of the room?

[@steveb9325]

Awesome

[@Per-Olovkindgren]

Sigh... this is one of the most beautiful pieces ever... Brahms.. my almost favourite composer... after Bach! Per-Olov

[@Rentaghost76]

two of the best guitarists ever playing together at the peak of their powers, pure bliss!

[@FanK92]

One of my favorite classics. It takes my 10 minutes always. Thanks to upload.

[@J-Dizzle95]

I'm so fortunate that I get to watch things like this :')

[@user-fv6uq7dt5d]

They are gifts that we may enjoy whenever we like.Thx. Greetings from Taiwan.

[@peterpontius9244]

Agreed. A pinnacle. Have been coming back to it for decades since first hearing a recording.

[@norabuschmann]

Great arrangment and awsome players. I love it, everything so clear, full of emotions. Thank you for posting this!

[@Deerse]

The most beautiful transcription for guitarduo, played on superb guitars by the greatest masters of the classical guitar. It can't get any better nor more intense, historical!

[@RobertoMartinez-kv5tp]

El nivel guitarrístico más alto que ha existido, y que por muchos años no verá el mundo.

[@carlosmanueldiaz531]

Siempre con el permiso de Andrés Segovia, la Academia Chigiana y Narciso Yepes

[@csabagaspar2821]

I listen to this piece almost every day. It remains exciting again and again. Thanks for posting it.

[@robertoalexandre4250]

Great performance. They never really intended to be a duet, as the legendary Presti-Lagoya, Abreu and Assad brother, but this is a remarkable performance by any standards. The passion of Bream and the precision of Williams make their tones blend beautifully. And a transcription which makes Brahms sound great on the guitar. Wonderful colors, the great build up to the fiery scale passages and then the beautiful and tender lyricism towards the end. It´s not that often great individual players come together in duet form and make some great music together : I´m reminded of Pepe and Angel Romero´s awesome performance of Rodrigo´s Concierto Madrigal which I believe has not been surpassed by anyone (even professional guitar duos) to this day.

[@MrNurutomo]

A beautiful composition was played by two maestro. They are prominent figure of classical guitar player. Become the famous history

[@osmartakashi]

This is my next challenge on the guitar :)

[@absurdplanet]

Just totally awesome and beyond what mere mortals are capable of doing. Julian Bream & John Williams make beautiful music together. Nothing nicer has ever been played on guitar.

[@CRGuitarist]

Can't get enough of it... I've watched it three times today. You know I'll be working on it shortly!

[@Thuringen]

These two definitely make an excellent duet. the Spanish dance by them is amazing as well.

[@tmjcbs]

This piece was recorded live on their 1979 recording 'Live'. Most of this recording was added as filler to new releases of their studio recordings 'Together' and 'Together Again', but unfortunately for you this Brahms piece was not included. There is an old CD release of 'Live' that does include this Brahms piece, but that is no longer available, you may find it on eBay.

[@chalet456]

time passes so fast! feels like history now. but still a wonderful sound. I've been listening a lot to Milica Ilic who is my guess for the future. a beautiful sound.

[@RobertoMartinez-uv4nx]

Eso es música! Es excelencia!! Es Magia!!!

[@uruchi80]

This is music in the form of divinity.

[@Elcharly007]

this beautiful pieze-que hermosa pieza es lo mas bello que eh escuchado en mi vida

[@pihi92]

this is so awesome, I wish I could play like that...

[@yhz22]

i love this peace its one of my favorites and they play it perfectly thx for these quality vids !

[@ayeGyi36]

their use of dynamics like ponticello, dolce, pizz, mute,etc.. are truly amazing, not to mention the rhythmic precision and synchrony.

[@pabzum]

Thank you for posting this. Wonderful JB, JB & JW.

[@paulostroff99]

Awesome and beautiful do not do this justice. Bravo! Bravo! TY.

[@CRGuitarist]

This transcription is simply magnificent...

[@PedroGron77]

The most fantastic music ever heard!

[@MrMjp58]

I watched as it was broadcast. I think it was made by Granada TV in '75, though I think I saw a repeat of it in late '76. There used to be a lot of great guitar stuff on TV back then. I taped it from the TV speaker onto a cassette and played it a heck of a lot. They were both outstanding exponents. I still can't believe JB is no longer with us and John is now in his eighties.

[@YayBenSpeck]

classical music is eternal. it's today's music everyday.

[@mynamesfriday]

Beautiful. Fantastic!

[@kimsky945]

위대한 기타리스트! 광활한 우주, 시공을 초월하여 동시대 태어나 그들의 연주를 감상할 수 있음을 기뻐하며~~

[@jb8256]

Wow - I love this transcription! It is such a great theme by itself. Total Brahms (I love the man to death), and somehow his genius really shows through in this arrangement. The ideas are crystal clear on the 2 guitars. I almost like it better than the sextet itself

[@jmardinly]

I got real lucky back in the 70's when I got THE front row center seat for a Bream & Williams concert in Ann Arbor. They did the Brahms at that concert. It just blew me away then, and now over 30 years later, it still blows me away. I still have the 2-LP recording of that program that they issued, but it was never issued on any CDs. Even a just a decent video of that performance would be a greater treasure than the contents from Aladdin's cave.

[@ericbrauch5872]

Beautiful

[@parakeethands]

Yes I purchased the "Together" CD recently for the version of "Claire De Lune" but could not find this particular piece on either CD. Thank you.

[@JacarandaMusic]

Yes its published, I've played it a few years ago. Extremely tricky in places but worth getting to see how its done.

[@Zora1337]

Very Very VERRY Nice , there are a good team is can listen it all the time =)

[@ymal2426]

素晴らしい素晴らしい素晴らしい

[@euclidesmitrecardenas5883]

Dos Master en la guitarra 😮 wao

[@Klaudiusz1983]

This piece is like a jurney in to the see of sounds.......I like it

[@marioestanislau007]

fantastic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@andreasnagel1051]

Hervorragende Gitarristen

[@tokaicarl]

you are so right- probably the only person i like in the whole world- when he's gone i will be finished

[@lujoguitar]

El colorido de Bream es algo inigualable... un dúo fenomenal, muy distintos entre ellos pero con un sentido musical común. Lamentablemente ese proyecto no dejó más testimonios. Da gusto ver artistas de esa categoría.

[@juanolave9173]

La guitarra de John Williams tiene un sonido impresionante!!!

[@pigeonhammer]

I have to strongly agree with tmjcbs on this one. Much as I love the electric guitar, theres a time and a place for it. Theres no way you can beat the purety of an acoustic in this style of playing

[@ted5kennedy]

awe inspiring!

[@johnyork417]

A real treat!

[@SolarJakee]

You are legendary.

[@tinnycringe]

me gusto mucho! formidable! incredible!

[@valentinstoyanov7254]

amazing

[@TommyNever]

This is one of Brahms's rather clunky exercises, but these two actually manage to bring it to life as a piece of music. A real collector's piece :)

[@juanito2322]

OMG! the hawaiann style at 8'05 in Brahms... it was really the last drop... such a heavy old style...and Williams' "groove", sense of the body movement is so unique...

[@Deerse]

Old style? I'dd rather call it timeless expression, still not yet matched with all the perfection off younger players nowadays who rather play flat and with almost no timbre variations on double top guitars.

[@Fr3derick]

Marvellous!!! Grandma mary

[@wmhough]

There is no evidence according to Chopin scholars of this being a quote of Chopin's - the first appearance of the quote is approx 1949 by John Duarte in BMG and probably a way of promoting the guitar at that time in England.

[@takanami100]

こんな演奏があったなんて。YouTubuでまた新しい発見ができた。動画の投稿者に感謝します。

[@polemikful]

omg

[@MBledzephed]

pure magic

[@kiaramaul]

Brilliant

[@alvaronunesdesousa878]

touching.

[@jimraw1]

WoW!

[@brtherjohn]

In the US, the complete lp concert, on RCA, was never put on cd but rather selections from it were used as fillers for the duo's earlier studio recordings and reissued as such (with applause carefully edited out). The missing selections are this excellent Brahms variations (published by Williams), Albeniz' Castilla and the Sor Fantasie Op 54. (But in the UK the complete concert was issued on CD nearly 20 years ago I think.)

[@swans1997]

I always thought these two would be so cool breaking into improv, but that's a no no in the classical world. Still wonderful these two together.

[@antione101]

@tmjcbs I had to buy a record produced in 1977 and made (and shipped) in England in order to hear the live recording of this song. I have not found it on professional record anywhere else. Another song on that record I couldnt find anywhere else was a Fantasia by Fernando Sor.

[@wmhough]

I agree my friend - it is a beautiful phrase and it certainly hasn't done any harm for the guitar!

[@tmjcbs]

This Brahms piece was recorded on their live album. Parts of this live album were added to the CD release of their LP's. But unfortunately Brahms was excluded. There was a CD release of this live recording, but that is no longer available, except perhaps eBay.

[@tmjcbs]

I'm afraid this is not available on DVD. Unfortunately all I have is this: a DVD transfer from a poor quality videotape. Indeed it would be great if this would be re-released.

[@user-ml4kp6no6q]

こういうのを知らないと、今の時代に生まれたしあわせがわからないよね。

[@user-bg8zb3ry4s]

넘 아름다워요!

[@newislandguitar]

Good rare footage.I wonder what tv station this was?.1975 had so many great guitarist performing on stage and tv..Lucky to have caught Earl Klugh at Carnegie Hall '75 and also Al Dimeola made his debut at Carnegie Hall that same year and also Liona Boyd's''75 debut at Carnegie Hall with Segovia's compliments plus Julian Bream's performances that year.I see John Williams has been performing with jazz-fusion guitarist John Etheridge for the past decade.Benson,Atkins and Klugh"manha de carnival'78!

[@LeonardoRozasVillegas]

As Chopin said, yes.

[@tmjcbs]

1975 - Granada Television, that's all I know. I guess it must have been filmed in London.

[@ulyssesjj]

This is difficult enough to create a full sound with a sextet never mind a duo - stunning playing!

[@djbmx91]

Is that what Heaven sounds like

[@nathanplayspiano]

@killzone3000 It's a form. Counterpoint is a compositional technique and monophony is a texture.

[@vizmaurogiovanni]

williams:guitar master and movie soundtrack equally gifted

[@moonbeamchaos]

John Williams of the movie soundtrack is a different person.

[@vizmaurogiovanni]

@@moonbeamchaosyes, i know , thank you :-)

[@clash44]

well just for your personal gain if you are interested: Julian Bream was the number one lutenist pretty much i the world for some time, he focused on reestablishing the lute and reembeding it into modern musical culture and maded a pretty fare dent. However he wanted to bring traditional lute and guitar music back to the world- things like baroque and elizabethan styled tunes. You obviously don';t hear as much of that on the radio as you do say cold play; but yeah.

[@bintheloft]

@CardiffClassicGuitar I believe Brahms said that first! But I totally agree with both of you.

[@mcondra99]

@tmjcbs. In the 1960s-70s when I followed classical guitar, and maybe since, Bream stood out for playing complex pieces and maintaining rhythm as part of a group. He had an Elizabethan ensemble; that may indeed have been its title. Some players maintain technical mastery by sacrificing rhythm; this is because the instrument is physically demanding of the left arm. Note in the middle of this piece, the long run of single notes that Bream plays without showing sign of fatigue.

[@pentetetra]

Sounds great - but check out the original! It's part of the 2nd movement of the Brahms String Sextet in Bb. The original is stunning.

[@ivohernandez5154]

Is there a possility to get hold of this transcription? I have looked for it all over and found nothing till I saw your comment. Please let me know whether you may be able to help.

[@2807lake]

The second movement of Sextet No.1 in B flat major, Op.18

[@tmjcbs]

What could plugging possibly add to the sound of a classical guitar, well...any classical instrument, for that matter?

[@jvz1001]

Nothing is better!! Perhaps the other piece that they play: suite for two guitars from Lawes!

[@johnquantran]

This piece is great. Where can I buy this video or DVD. Does it available in CA, USA.

[@MarkAntony]

I've never seen that video before! What date was it filmed and where?

[@Cinturatorrente]

commovente

[@birtwellp]

Love this piece. Should check out Mark Switzer too. Mark has an excellent classical guitar instructional DVD available.

[@noguitango]

It's theme very close to Spanish dance music theme La Folia. Heandel's Saraband's thehe is La Folia. Perhaps you know the solo guitar piece 'Sarabnd'.

[@regio180]

La quimica que se logra a travez de interpretar juntos, es superior a las individualidades ya que se recrean en lo que mas les gusta, tocar la guitarra.

[@LeonardoRozasVillegas]

That is a reasonable possibility of course. We don't have any way to prove that Chopin or any other composer who died long time ago said any quote, except if they wrote it down and some experts can compare that with other manuscripts to make sure of the authenticity. Anyway, I think Mr. Duarte did great using that quote to promote the guitar (if that's the case), it's a beautiful phrase by itself. Regards.

[@demigod6407]

Good

[@tmjcbs]

Mmm...I would say it's basically a melody and variations with accompaniment, which is either chords or single notes. Bream and Williams often changed lead and accompaniment several times in a piece when playing variation-like pieces.

[@davehshs651]

What an incredible piece! Beautiful and fascinating to listen to. Does anyone know which "theme and variations" by Brahms this is? (He composed several, based on themes by various composers.)

[@thepianotang]

what is power got to do with musicality? power is only one of many tools a musician can use to enhance his or her performance. its not something to be thrown in for the fun of it. i feel that these 2 have got it just right... john williams is a very pure musician and his musicality surfaces in everything he plays. Julian bream i have heard much less of but from waht ive seen they are a very good pair. good performance i say! thanks for the upload mate

[@ReturnOfTheStienway]

Oh God... another BRAHMMY!

[@johnquantran]

Where can I buy this video or DVD

[@kemalenver9475]

So beautiful. Is the transcription of this available anywhere?

[@paulrabenowitz3128]

yes - published by Boosey and Hawkes