Julian Bream

Speaker 10:00

Hello, I'm Kirsty Young and this is a download from the Desert Island Discs archive. This edition may be slightly different from what was actually broadcast, but it's the only version we have. It comes from the British Library's radio collection. It was archived without the music, so although the Castaways choices are introduced, they're not part of this recording. Full details can be found on the Castaways page on the Desert Island Discs website.

Speaker 10:26

The programme was originally broadcast in nineteen eighty three, and the presenter was Roy Plumley.

Presenter0:33

On our desert island this week is the guitarist and lutenist Julian Bream. Julian, how well could you endure solitude, all alone on this wretched island?

Julian Bream0:43

Well, I probably could um endure it rather more than a lot of people, because well, in my profession I am nearly always playing on my own, and travelling on my own.

Julian Bream0:53

And for the last nearly twenty years I've lived right out in the country, away from what would seem ordinary civilization, and and I rather enjoy that. I don't think I would enjoy the desert island for too long.

Presenter1:06

Do you think a few discs would help?

Julian Bream1:08

I think a good feud this would certainly help.

Presenter1:10

Well, just eight. Do you play discs a lot at home?

Julian Bream1:14

Not a great deal, no. Well, I think one of the reasons is that my low phi as opposed to a high phi it doesn't sound very well. So I'm rather loath to play records and they sound awfully scratchy.

Presenter1:19

Hi, I've got

Presenter1:26

Did you have any plan in choosing this meagre allowance of just eight discs?

Julian Bream1:31

Well, I found it very, very hard to do.

Julian Bream1:33

For example, a composer like Mozart, who I probably adore more than any other, I could have chosen at least twenty, twenty five pieces.

Presenter1:43

Hmm.

Julian Bream1:44

But I have chosen one piece which actually had a tremendous impact on me because it was almost the very first piece of Mozart I ever heard.

Julian Bream1:55

And it was the um

Julian Bream1:58

Old recording made by the Proate Quartet.

Julian Bream2:02

Of the G minor quintet.

Presenter2:04

Yes.

Julian Bream2:05

And this is a piece which it was sort of really love at first sight. And I think I adore this piece of Mozart more.

Julian Bream2:13

than perhaps anything.

Presenter2:14

Do you remember the actual occasion when you heard it for the first time?

Julian Bream2:17

Yes, I I do. I I was on the radio. It was must have been nineteen forty five, forty six.

Julian Bream2:23

And uh I was completely entranced, as I am today.

Presenter2:32

The opening of the Mozart Quintet in G minor, a vintage recording by the Pro Arti Quartet plus Alfred Hobday.

Presenter2:40

You are a Londoner, aren't you, Julia?

Julian Bream2:42

Very much so, yes.

Presenter2:43

Uh

Presenter2:44

Yeah.

Julian Bream2:44

An ev

Presenter2:44

Yeah.

Julian Bream2:44

Music in the family?

Julian Bream2:46

My father was a good amateur pianist.

Julian Bream2:50

But he couldn't really read music on the piano. He played marvellously well by ear. Yes. He then took up the guitar in the war, and he learned a little bit of music, but he played quite well on the plectrum guitar. He played jazz, in fact.

Presenter3:06

He played in a dance band for a while.

Julian Bream3:07

Yes, in fact he had his own little group.

Presenter3:10

Mm-hmm.

Julian Bream3:10

And it was through his influence, and particularly.

Julian Bream3:16

the music that he played, which was the popular tunes of the period, that I really became interested in music.

Presenter3:22

Did he put you to the guitar, or did you take his guitar and start to play it?

Julian Bream3:27

Well, I think actually I took his guitar, because you see, he worked in the daytime, and sometimes when I wasn't at school, the guitar was always laying around it was either propped up in a corner or of lying on a chair.

Julian Bream3:41

And um I used to play with this guitar, while he was away, of course, and uh play with the radio, used to have the radio blaring on, you know, the sort of workers' playtime or whatever whatever it was. And I used to love doing that, and just strumming the instrument. And one day my father came home early from work and caught me playing his guitar, and I thought he was going to be absolutely furious. I thought he was going to hit the roof. Instead, he smiled and he said, Well, you know, if you are keen about it, uh I'll start you off.

Presenter4:13

Yeah.

Julian Bream4:13

Yeah.

Presenter4:13

So he gave you some lessons. Yes. There was an eventful day when Dad brought home a Segovia disc.

Julian Bream4:19

There was indeed. In fact, it was hearing this disc that really got me started on to the classical guitar, because up to then I was playing or trying to play jazz and popular music.

Julian Bream4:33

But my father did bring home this record and and then for my eleventh birthday he brought uh home uh a little Spanish guitar of your

Presenter4:41

Of your very own.

Julian Bream4:42

For me, yes. It was a most uh lovely little instrument, and uh so he started me on that too.

Presenter4:49

Did you ever see Segovia?

Julian Bream4:51

Not at that time. In fact, there was, in nineteen forty four, a rumor that he died in South America.

Julian Bream4:59

But he came to England in 1947 and

Julian Bream5:04

That's when I heard him first.

Julian Bream5:06

And of course it was simply well um electrifying, simply an incredible experience.

Presenter5:13

You borrowed a pair of binoculars, I believe, to take to the Wigmore Hall.

Julian Bream5:17

Yes. Well, you see, th it was very difficult in those days to get any really authentic lessons on the guitar, and so I thought the best thing was to uh go to Segovia's recital with a pair of binoculars, so that I could see the sort of intimate workings of his fingers. And uh actually that worked pretty well, though I used to get um m my arm used to ache rather, because they were very good binoculars, but very heavy.

Presenter5:44

Jumping ahead, you did in fact have a few lessons with him.

Julian Bream5:46

Well, I did. I had one in nineteen forty seven and one in nineteen forty eight. But as valuable as th these lessons were, I learnt more, in fact, from just watching him play at concerts.

Presenter5:58

But you were firmly resolved at this time that you were going to be a professional guitarist.

Julian Bream6:02

Firmly. I mean the the actual chances of becoming one were very remote.

Presenter6:07

Mm-hmm.

Julian Bream6:07

But uh it was something which I I loved and and I couldn't visualize a life that was without the guitar really.

Presenter6:16

But you were learning music in general. You were also learning the piano?

Julian Bream6:18

Yeah.

Julian Bream6:19

and I was learning the piano, and I was at the Royal College of Music.

Presenter6:22

Yeah.

Julian Bream6:22

And learning the cello.

Presenter6:24

Now incredible as it may seem nowadays, I believe at that time the Royal College of Music did not have a course for teaching the guitar.

Julian Bream6:31

No, they didn't, and not for many years. In fact

Julian Bream6:35

There really wasn't a good teacher in the whole country for many years.

Presenter6:38

It wasn't a respect

Julian Bream6:39

Yeah.

Presenter6:40

Yeah.

Julian Bream6:40

Uh

Presenter6:40

No instrument.

Julian Bream6:40

No instrument.

Julian Bream6:43

I mean, people respected Segovia naturally, but they thought he was very much a one-off freak, I suppose. Which he was. I mean, nobody.

Presenter6:50

Hmm.

Julian Bream6:52

played like him. I mean it was simply

Julian Bream6:55

Fantastic.

Presenter6:56

Do you remember your very first professional engagement, where you were paid any kind of fee at all, for performing in public?

Julian Bream7:03

Well, my first job in which I got

Julian Bream7:07

two guineas was for playing at a private function in London.

Julian Bream7:13

At the home of Prince and Princess Galitzin.

Julian Bream7:16

And I remember this very well because I'd lived in the in the suburbs of London, at Hampton on Thames, and it was the first time I'd ever been up to a big West End party.

Presenter7:27

How old were you?

Julian Bream7:28

I was about uh twelve or something like that, thirteen perhaps.

Julian Bream7:32

And the effect of this party was incredible. And I was just employed or asked to play four or five tunes, which I did.

Julian Bream7:41

And uh

Julian Bream7:43

I I remember this very well because there was a lot of food. And you know, uh in the war we had such little rations that it was absolutely incredible to see all these uh chickens and plates of beef and so forth. So, in fact, uh I ate a great deal after playing and was promptly very ill.

Speaker 17:48

The war we had such

Presenter8:03

Bode.

Julian Bream8:04

It's rather sad, but I got my two guineas and I thought with two guineas I owned the world.

Presenter8:04

Uh

Presenter8:06

You're gonna

Presenter8:09

Of course. Well, we've got you launched. Let's have your second record.

Julian Bream8:12

Well, my second record is a guitarist, but one who had quite an influence on my playing, although he is not a classical player. He is the great French gypsy guitarist Django Reinhardt.

Julian Bream8:27

And my father collected

Julian Bream8:29

all his old seventy eights. And and so his music was the very first music that I heard. And there was a lot worse music that I could have heard, because at Django at his best, I think

Presenter8:40

Dear

Julian Bream8:43

is a phenomenal musician. It just so happens that there's one lovely record of Django not only playing the guitar, but also playing the violin, which I think is uh a very unique record.

Presenter8:55

Yes, I had no idea he could play the violin.

Julian Bream8:57

Well, nor did I. But apparently before you know, he he had this terrible accident with his left hand and the third and fourth fingers were paralysed, he could hardly use those. But apparently he did actually play the violin before the accident. But uh he gave up the violin

Julian Bream9:17

And then somebody uh lent him a violin for this recording.

Presenter9:23

A rare record recorded in nineteen forty two of Django Reinhart playing the guitar and the violin.

Presenter9:29

Now you told us about your first professional engagement under very glamorous circumstances. In fact, the following year you gave your first recital.

Presenter9:39

Yes, that's right in Cheltenham. This was pretty ambitious. You could only have been, what, fourteen? About that, yes, I suppose.

Julian Bream9:45

And also the programme was pretty hard that I chose.

Julian Bream9:49

I remember being very, very nervous, and for some strange reason I had to borrow a guitar for that particular concert, and I only had a chance to get used to that instrument you know about three or four hours before. So that's that's qu that really was quite a hair raising uh concert.

Presenter10:07

To say the least, it was a challenge.

Julian Bream10:09

It was, but it went pretty well.

Presenter10:11

And you began to work on the radio.

Julian Bream10:13

Hm, very much. In fact, I actually, the year before, appeared on the television, just as it started up in the Alexandra Palace days. And I played on the map.

Presenter10:22

What was the show?

Julian Bream10:24

It was the I think the very first show that

Julian Bream10:27

Of Music for You. Was that the programme with Eric Robinson? Oh yeah.

Presenter10:30

Oh yes.

Julian Bream10:31

And then I'd I'd done a programme that was sent out to Spain, especially being for the Overseas Service.

Julian Bream10:38

Then I started by about forty seven doing the odd uh not so much recital, but working mostly on the light programme, playing music between the light music units, orchestral concerts.

Presenter10:50

And as soon as you left the Royal College you were called up for your national service?

Julian Bream10:54

Yes, that was some time later, when I was about eighteen.

Presenter10:57

Yeah.

Julian Bream10:58

As I went in fact I went straight from the college.

Presenter10:58

Uh

Speaker 110:58

Uh

Julian Bream11:00

where I had a most marvellous time really I loved my college days straight into the army, which were the most hideous and awful days of my life. In fact, I went just to the extremes in in about two weeks.

Presenter11:14

But you did get some music making while you were in uniform.

Julian Bream11:17

Oh yes, I did. Not initially. I was actually put into the Pay Corps, and I had to do sort of infantry training for a couple of months.

Julian Bream11:27

But then eventually I managed to get out of that. I I had one or two friends who who had a little bit of influence.

Presenter11:35

Uh

Julian Bream11:35

And that works magic in the army, you know. You've got to have a bit of influence. And I and luckily, I was pulled out of the pay corps.

Presenter11:37

You gotta have

Julian Bream11:42

and put into the Royal Artillery Band.

Julian Bream11:46

And of course it was uh a bit difficult to really get into that because uh you can't play the guitar on the march quite.

Presenter11:52

What were you playing?

Julian Bream11:54

Well, in fact, I did all sorts of odd jobs in the Royal Artillery Band, but I I did occasionally play the cello in the Mess Orchestra.

Julian Bream12:03

I then occasionally well, quite fact, quite often, played the jazz guitar. I took up jazz again, and I took up uh the electric guitar, no less.

Julian Bream12:13

And uh I r I s rather enjoyed that, I must say. I mean I just didn't like the being on parade every morning. But eventually I I I managed to live out. I managed to work it that I could live in a flat in London, in the West End, and then I had a little van and I used to drive down to Woolwich every morning for the parade.

Julian Bream12:33

And I I I mean eventually I found a very, as they say in the Army, cushy number.

Presenter12:38

I I see that according to my figures you were in the army for about three and a half years. Well, you were only supposed to be in about eighteen months, weren't you?

Julian Bream12:45

But two years. But you see, in order to get into the army band, I had to sign on for twenty-one years.

Presenter12:52

Oh no, you should still be there.

Julian Bream12:53

Yeah.

Julian Bream12:54

Well, not quite actually, right, but it was a frightening thing to sign a piece of paper which says twenty one years with the colours, but with the option of getting out every three.

Presenter12:58

Try me

Julian Bream13:06

And I didn't waste a day.

Presenter13:07

And I didn't waste a day.

Julian Bream13:09

So I did six months in the pay corps and then I had to do three years as a regular soldier.

Presenter13:14

That accounts for your military bearing. That's it. Let's have your third record.

Julian Bream13:19

Well now, as I mentioned, I I became interested in jazz again. I was about eighteen or nineteen. One of the groups that I loved and I thought was

Julian Bream13:29

In its way, you know, just as remarkable as the Proartie quartet, but in jazz, was the Benny Goodman quintet, and they were recording in the uh mid forties.

Julian Bream13:40

And not only

Julian Bream13:43

Goodman, but I think his personnel are absolutely terrific. I mean, for example, Teddy Wilson I thought was the most wonderful pianist, and Slam Stewart on the bass.

Julian Bream13:54

And there's Murray Fell drums, and I think Red Norvo is as good for my money as Lyle Hampton, as you will hear. And this is After You've Gone, played by the Benny Goodman Quintet.

Presenter14:10

After You've Gone by The Benny Goodman Quintet.

Presenter14:13

You'd become fascinated by early music. You used to go and work in the British Museum digging up old manuscripts.

Julian Bream14:20

Yes, in fact, I had been fascinated by Elizabethan history at school.

Presenter14:26

Yeah.

Julian Bream14:27

particularly the poetry I love the poetry.

Julian Bream14:30

And uh it became sort of natural in a sense to me to find the music of that period too.

Julian Bream14:37

And it just so happened that one of the most influential instruments at at that time was the lute, and of course a great deal of music was written for it in the Elizabethan times.

Presenter14:48

Now the lute isn't something that one sees every day. Where does one get a lute?

Julian Bream14:54

Well, quite. You may well ask. Partic well, at that time it was very hard. Although these days there are a tremendous number of loot makers in Oh, fantastic. I mean, you could

Speaker 115:03

Other?

Julian Bream15:06

probably find at least twenty five loot makers who make good loots well some better than others.

Speaker 115:09

Yeah.

Julian Bream15:12

But uh

Julian Bream15:14

At the time I took up the lute there wasn't a maker except Dolmetch, who made nice looking instruments, but they never sounded

Julian Bream15:21

Very pleasing at least to my ears.

Julian Bream15:24

I was very fortunate to meet uh the famous harpsichord maker Tom Goff.

Presenter15:29

Yes.

Julian Bream15:29

I remember him, who was an extraordinary person and a great character.

Julian Bream15:34

And when I mentioned to him that I wanted to get a loot, he then suggested that he might build one, and in fact he did.

Julian Bream15:44

It was pretty good, although I in fact played for many years the second instrument that he built.

Julian Bream15:50

But he built all sorts of instruments. He built clavichords.

Julian Bream15:55

and of course he's famous for his harpsichords too. But there was another instrument that he built which I thought was quite a an amusing and a rather lovely instrument too, and it was called a Bible regal.

Presenter16:08

Oh, don't know about that.

Julian Bream16:09

Well now, the Bible we're eagle looks like a huge Bible. I mean about five times the Gutenberg size, isn't it?

Presenter16:17

Yeah.

Julian Bream16:18

And as though as though you're going to open it up, you you turn the cover back.

Julian Bream16:23

beautifully talled leather cover, you see. And then there is a little keyboard. And to the left there are some hand bellows. And you work these bellows up and down.

Julian Bream16:35

and produce enough wind to set off this little organ.

Presenter16:40

Mm-hmm.

Julian Bream16:41

And I spent many evenings with Tom Gough, and he had a a very remarkable circle of friends who

Julian Bream16:50

Apart from anything else, I mean, they were very good amateur musicians, and after dinner, we would then go to the first

Julian Bream16:59

floor of his uh beautiful house in in well, not so beautiful but remarkable house in Ponte Street. And then we would play after dinner for an hour or an hour and a half on the harpsichords or the Bible Regals or whatever. Some of the music that we played on the two we had two Bible Regals.

Julian Bream17:19

Well the Purcell sonatas in four parts. We did two parts on the Bible Regals and two parts on the one harpsichord. And I can remember these pieces so well, and I thought at the time, you know, of course it was a sad sound, these Bible Regals, particularly if you ran out of breath, you know.

Presenter17:37

Yeah.

Julian Bream17:37

It was really very sad. And I thought that surely these pieces must sound much better than this, because I thought they were rather dull. But now the girl who leads my consort, my early music consort, Catherine McIntosh, sent me a tape of her and Monica Huggett playing these sonatas. And I hadn't heard them for about twenty years.

Julian Bream18:00

And, you know, hearing these, I was simply staggered how beautiful the music is, and actually how well they play it, too, and how nice these old violins sound, after modern violins. There's a sort of

Julian Bream18:15

gentleness about the music, and an aristocratic quality.

Julian Bream18:19

which I find really quite fascinating.

Presenter18:26

HERSELS SONATA NUMBER nine in F Major You said that you spent a lot of time on your own when you're travelling. You are, in fact, very much your own man. You like to fix all the details of your tours yourself.

Julian Bream18:39

Yes, so that is largely because these days I find it very important to choose the halls and be aware of the acoustical properties of the halls, because the guitar is such a quiet instrument, it's so intimate, and some of the halls that uh I'm asked to play in can be too large for it, and therefore now I know roughly in Europe or America the halls that are good for the instrument. I then plan my own sort of tour.

Presenter19:11

Yes.

Julian Bream19:12

and I found that this has made my life considerably happier.

Presenter19:16

You try not to get a concert every day you like one every other day.

Julian Bream19:21

Yes. Uh the reason for that is that I think it's very worrying travelling on a day and giving a concert at the end of it. Apart from the physical exhaustion of the travelling itself, if you get bad weather like fog or there's a sort of breakdown somewhere, then if you've got a concert that evening the chances are that you're not going to make it.

Presenter19:41

Hmm.

Julian Bream19:41

And I think that's very unfair on the local promoters.

Presenter19:44

And you'd like to get a bit of practice in before.

Julian Bream19:46

I like to yes, I have rather sort of clumsy fingers, so I I have to do quite a bit of practice. And I like the whole idea of getting to a place and settling down and then preparing the concert properly.

Julian Bream19:58

And so I generally play every other night.

Presenter20:02

What happens if you break a nail? Now this must be the the one thing that uh a guitarist worries about more than anything else.

Julian Bream20:10

Well

Julian Bream20:11

It it is. It is a very worrying problem.

Julian Bream20:14

The great thing is not to break a nail.

Julian Bream20:17

And I so I do a lot of things that I would normally do with my right hand. I'd do with my left hand. I've I've trained myself to do it that way.

Julian Bream20:25

Uh you can use false nails, but you try

Presenter20:28

Do you travel a pair of faults?

Julian Bream20:30

I've I've got a box of false nails in my guitar case, but

Presenter20:32

Mac

Julian Bream20:33

You know, if you do a rather loud call, they fly off.

Presenter20:36

Yeah.

Julian Bream20:37

In the

Julian Bream20:38

Yes, that's right. And once it flew off into the face of a lady in the front row and she was very uh upset.

Julian Bream20:46

And and so I've not used false nails since then. But well I'm very lucky in a sense because I take care and it happens only perhaps once in two years that I have an accident. But it's it's always at the back of my mind.

Presenter21:01

We've got to record number five, Julian. What's that?

Julian Bream21:04

Well, I'm very, very fond of the music of of Berlioz. There are several Berlioz pieces that I would want to take, and I found it jolly hard to sort one out. At the moment I'm very, very fond of Harold in Italy. I I I think it is the most

Julian Bream21:21

remarkable piece and what I find so uh attractive and wonderful is the immense imagination that Berlioz had.

Julian Bream21:31

For colour.

Julian Bream21:34

and the passion that drives his music along and the energy.

Julian Bream21:39

And

Julian Bream21:40

the great uh romantic uh

Julian Bream21:45

Edifice of his music.

Presenter21:50

The opening of Harold in Italy by Berlioz, the Cleveland Orchestra conducted by Lorin Mazzel, and Robert Vernon, the solo fiolo.

Presenter21:59

How do you plan your year, Julian?

Julian Bream22:02

Well, I p actually play the old fashioned season, which is sort of October to the end of April.

Julian Bream22:10

Of course these days it's changed because there are so many festivals in the summer that of course if one wanted one could play all the year round. In fact many artists do.

Speaker 122:15

The f

Julian Bream22:20

But

Julian Bream22:21

You see, if you're a guitarist and a luxurist, that you have to spend a lot of time either doing research, particularly in early music, or learning new pieces. Now, for example, I've I've always got a number of new works on the go that I've either commissioned or have been commissioned on my behalf. I mean right now I'm working on a new piece that Sir Michael Tippett is writing for me.

Speaker 122:37

About

Julian Bream22:47

And, you know, that will take a lot of work, and the summer's a very good time to do that.

Julian Bream22:53

And I also like to work at one project for a stretch, for example, like learning a new piece. I'd like to do nothing else but that piece for a week initially to get it under way.

Speaker 123:03

Mm-hmm.

Julian Bream23:06

And also living out in the country, in England in particular, it seems to me that the summer really is the delightful time to be there.

Julian Bream23:15

And so I work like mad in the winter.

Julian Bream23:18

And

Julian Bream23:19

create enough income, as it were, so that I can rest in the summer.

Presenter23:24

Yeah.

Julian Bream23:24

But I'm not resting because I'm off making a record.

Julian Bream23:28

My recordings, as you probably know, are are done in a little chapel two miles away from where I live. And so I'm recording, I'm learning new pieces, and also happily playing a bit of cricket and things like that, or doing a bit of gardening and

Presenter23:42

I

Presenter23:44

You very often go to the Alderborough Festival.

Julian Bream23:47

Well, that is one festival that I do go to. That is simply because

Julian Bream23:54

Well, I've always gone to it and and I've always loved uh the Orkbarra Festival, though I don't go quite so much now.

Julian Bream24:02

And of course, in the past, I've done a lot of work with Peter Piers at Harlborough. In fact, I mean, that's been one of the most enjoyable musical relationships that I've ever had. I mean, to do all these beautiful Elizabethan lute songs with an artist such as Peter has been extraordinary for me. And so.

Julian Bream24:25

I've always had a special affection for Peter and the Alborough Festival too, and I would always like to remember that on my desert island. And for that reason I'd like to play a very beautiful song, one of the most beautiful, in fact, of the English songs of the Elizabethan times. And it's by John Darland, If My Complaints

Presenter24:51

A Darland lute song If My Complaints, in which you're playing with Peter Pears.

Presenter24:58

How much time do you get to go out on tour with your consort?

Julian Bream25:03

Well, we try and do a little tour each year.

Presenter25:07

There are six of you, there's six, yes.

Julian Bream25:07

There are six of you, isn't it? There's six, yes, right. And it's something I look forward to very much. And we generally go towards the end of the summer, September.

Julian Bream25:17

which is a very nice time to travel, and it's the only time when I really play chamber music, and it's so refreshing to do so.

Presenter25:26

You've all played together for a long time. Yeah. You've got your own jokes.

Julian Bream25:28

Yeah, yes.

Julian Bream25:30

Oh yes, that's right. Although Robert Tyr, who who comes along with us, ha always has a whole lot of new ones each season. He really does keep us uh rocking with laughter. And we we have a lovely time and we're playing all this beautiful old music and it's something that I look forward to so much. But then of course after the consort tour then I have to start off on my US tour because I go every October to the the USA.

Presenter25:37

See

Presenter25:59

There's a a recent book about you written by Tony Palmer, but there's a great deal of it by you in the first person. How was it done? Did he travel round with you?

Julian Bream26:09

Yes, he did. Not uh for the all the tours of that year, but he certainly did travel round on several trips. And he just used a tape machine. And on some occasions I remembered that, you know, I would be driving and he was asking me questions. And I was driving at the same time and giving him the answers.

Presenter26:29

Why did you do it that way instead of you writing it?

Julian Bream26:31

Well, you know, I see things through my own eyes, and I've been giving concerts for so many years now. There are certain things I just accept as normal. But, you know, another pair of eyes can see sometimes the fatuousness of certain things. And also, I think a book of this nature has got to have pace. And it needs somebody of Palmer's ability to be able to get the framework of the book together so that everything hangs together well and has a sort of racy pace to it. Because I wanted the book to be about

Julian Bream27:11

Now and what I'm doing and and how it all works. And that's why I didn't write it myself. Record number seven.

Julian Bream27:19

We've just heard this beautiful love song of John Dahl and and

Julian Bream27:24

I think

Julian Bream27:25

Next to Darland, in many ways, some of the most beautiful love songs were those composed by Lennon and McCartney. I was always an avid fan of the Beatles, from their very beginning almost.

Julian Bream27:39

And I used to buy every record they made, I mean even the singles when they came out. And when you really get to know their music, it really is extraordinary how

Julian Bream27:50

Not only beautiful it is, but how very remarkable it is in really pure musical values. I mean I'm talking now about the words and the setting of the words and the harmony and the topicalness of it and the raciness of it and it's all about now and yet their love songs are extremely tender.

Presenter28:14

The Beatles here, there, and everywhere.

Presenter28:17

You're on this desert island. A question that has to be asked. How well could you look after yourself? Could you cope? Could you build a shelter?

Julian Bream28:24

I think I possibly could.

Julian Bream28:26

It would take me time to be able to get into a position of desperation that would enable me to do it. I tend to be rather lazy as a person in matters other than musical.

Presenter28:39

Well your cricketing love should help you in getting coconuts done.

Presenter28:43

Uh

Julian Bream28:43

That's broken.

Presenter28:44

Can you fish?

Julian Bream28:46

No, I've never fished, but if I was desperate I would obviously try.

Presenter28:50

Do you know anything about navigation? Could you handle a small boat, a rough boat?

Julian Bream28:53

Yes, I mean I have navigated on a small sailing vessel around the Aegean Islands.

Presenter29:00

Hmm.

Julian Bream29:00

But uh then I've g ha I had instruments then. But without any instruments it's jolly hard to do.

Presenter29:06

Yes, you've got the sun, the stars, the moon.

Julian Bream29:08

Yeah.

Presenter29:10

Right, do you know which is which? I mean

Julian Bream29:12

Well, I've got a a rough idea. I think I'd probably make a fool of myself and be beached fairly often, but I think I'd get round an island.

Presenter29:20

Good. What's your last record?

Julian Bream29:23

Now my last record is a piece by Schubert.

Julian Bream29:27

Who

Julian Bream29:28

In a way I love more than perhaps any other composer.

Julian Bream29:33

And although I'd love

Julian Bream29:35

To have met Beethoven and Mozart and Haydn, the person that I would really love to have met was Schubert.

Julian Bream29:42

From his music he must have been a most wonderful person.

Julian Bream29:46

And the piece that I have chosen is the Quartet Satz in C minor, which is uh I think a remarkable piece because it is obviously an unfinished quartet and y it got as far as

Julian Bream30:00

The first movement and a few bars at the second, then just lift it. But it seems to have.

Julian Bream30:07

Such drama and pathos, and it has that lovely, limpid, romantic quality which is so typical of Schubert in his very mature quartets. This is, after all, he was quite young when he wrote this. But this has that sort of freshness, the spring colour, which I find absolutely enticing. And I think it's a marvellous performance, this, by the Weller Quartet. I think it's got all the drama and then the lyricism when it's required. Beautiful piece.

Presenter30:44

The beginning of the Schubert Quartet starts in C minor, played by the Weller quartet. If you could take only one disc out of your eight, which would it be?

Julian Bream30:53

I take the Schubert quartetzads.

Presenter30:56

Right. And you're allowed one luxury, Julian, just one object of no practical use, which it would give you pleasure to have on the island.

Julian Bream31:03

The island.

Julian Bream31:05

Yeah, that's difficult.

Julian Bream31:07

Would you say to have some writing materials? was a luxury.

Presenter31:11

Leah said that's perfectly justifiable. You can have all the writing materials that you like.

Julian Bream31:12

Yeah.

Julian Bream31:15

Yeah, well now that would be marvellous because I've always wanted to write some poetry.

Julian Bream31:21

and I have never yet been in the sort of frame of mind to be able to get down to it and do it.

Julian Bream31:27

As indeed to write some more music. I've written a bit.

Julian Bream31:31

But I you know, it's something that I want to do more of.

Julian Bream31:36

And I think that on a desert island I would have the silence and the repose.

Presenter31:42

And you may choose one book. You already have the complete works of Shakespeare, and you have the authorized Bible. You may choose one other book, or one other work.

Julian Bream31:51

The book that gives me immense pleasure and satisfaction is that Chinese book, the Book of Changes, called the I Ching.

Presenter32:01

Yes.

Julian Bream32:01

It is the poetry of that book.

Julian Bream32:04

And also it's the natural philosophy which intrigues me. My God, on a desert island it'd be pretty natural, wouldn't it?

Presenter32:12

I think it would indeed.

Julian Bream32:12

And the other thing is that it's a useful book, it's an oracle really.

Julian Bream32:17

And once you learn how to read it, I mean you you

Julian Bream32:21

You can in a sense get a feeling of the future, what's going to happen.

Julian Bream32:26

And who knows, there may be some boat or something that may be able to rescue me that I could find out from this oracle. But it is a book which would give me probably more pleasure

Presenter32:35

But it

Julian Bream32:38

Then any other.

Presenter32:39

You shall have a sturdily bound copy, and thank you, Julian Bream, for letting us hear your Desert Island discs.

Julian Bream32:45

Pleasure. Thank you.

Presenter32:47

Goodbye, everyone.