Julian Bream Fantasia X

[benzzed]

a master among masters,

[soullessSiIence]

Bream is far better than Beiber.

Please don't say things already obvious.

[goscott4]

Wonderful...Thanks!

REV  18

[moopsypoo]

Is it me or is it just the sound? I've listende to some Segovia tapes and Bream...the guitar sound is always very "distinct". The melody always sound "distinct". More distinct than any other that one might hear..

[Boldstrummer]

Great playing, but very brittle with the tone. But that's a lute for ya. . .

[nicoejz]

I want that guitar.

[adamg709]

This is a stunning performance as always from Bream.

On the Segovia issue, I have picked up some vinyls of the man recently and however great his influence may have been he does sound as if he's struggling on many pieces (especially on the famous recording of the Bach 'Chaconne').

[YadQurbany]

Good lord! What a performance!

[heavyatheart]

best guitar sound i've heart yet...

[NoDeity]

*applause*

[maged918]

Feeling.. pure emotion

[Geist40]

Honestly I really detest comparing a guitarist like Bream to Segovia. Each are undisputed masters. While you may like one better than the other but that in the end is a subjective aesthetic qualification. To me it is like saying blue is better than red.

As far as this piece goes, I learned it because of Bream's interpretation,which is divine; and also through study found that I also learned much from Yepes' as well.

[jonewer]

If God himself picked up a guitar I dont believe he could do better.

[govertgoed]

Dont forget that segovia was a great inspiration for bream. Bream told in his dvd that he saw segovia playing with an orchestra. And that was the first time he heard a guitar with an orchestra. He bought a binoculair to watch segovias right hand the whole concert.

About this vid. it is also from a dvd by julain bream called guitarra a musical journey through spain and it starts with the vihuela with alonso de mudarra. I really recommenend this dvd.

[classicalChrstguitar]

How it was meant to sound! 

[tokaicarl]

i am always amazed at bream's sound

[MrJasonbuckner]

that was fuckin awesome

[MrUglyDuckly]

you can feel Mr. Bream's emotions through the playing, how does he do that?

damn... it's amazing!

[Partyrockboy122]

uhmm... he does that through his movements, and he was con concentrating very hard, but if you may have not noticed... he was playing a 12 string baroque guitaur, (I may be wrong) I'm learning this piece, and i think it may make it 2 times harder playing with 12 strings... anyway i hope this was helpful

[rfpguitar]

The instrument that Bream plays in this video is a Vihuela which was used in the Renaissance and Mudarra was a Spanish Renaissance composer. This clip is from

the DVD Guitarra A Musical Journey Through Spain in which Bream covers the history of the guitar in Spain from the Renaissance through the 20th Century.

[jonewer]

Bream in overdrive!

[joosukas]

Olé Maestro!

[aghily]

da best.

[Cyrloud]

marvellous

[Warchild281]

this truly is the essence of passion and beauty. very inspiring

[comanchehotspot]

it looks very similar to a lute

[mclegg721]

Obviously you've never seen a lute, it looks nothing like a lute! lol.

[XxStalkerxSasquachXx]

@mclegg721 Really, you can't be saying anything, that is a lute.

[mclegg721]

@XxStalkerxSasquachXx

You are mistaken it's a Vihuela de Mano. now go be ignorant somewhere else

[Partyrockboy122]

I have no idea what a de Mano is... but I believe that it's a baroque guitar, if you want to try to prove me wrong, do so. But a lute looks waaay different. It has a smaller neck, and it's slightly bigger.

that (in my opinion) is a 12 string Baroque guitar Vihuela

[rfpguitar]

@Partyrockboy122 Vihuela de Mano refered to a vihuela that was plucked with the fingers

as opposed to a vihuela de arco that was played with a bow. The Baroque guitar was an instrument with 5 pairs, or courses of strings that came after the vihuela.

The vihuela was a Renaissance instrument that had six pairs of strings. The Baroque guitar was played in the Baroque era.

[cgdag]

My eyes are wet here. This is music, music with heart. Absolutely stunning.

[Zoloft61]

wow

[porpoisefathom]

what a sound!!!

[porpoisefathom]

omg what is that a guitar or a vihuela?

[ChicaWolverina]

It's a vihuela probably by Jose & Liam Romanillos.

[rfvlz]

Grandioso!!!

[rtorresvazquez]

Bravo...bravisimo....

[lsur04]

The voice-over was badly timed and spoils an otherwise inspiring performance.

[CedroMacho]

Unbelievable!

[WolfishNuckajuh]

not as good as other bands ive heard cos he not playin the drums and no one is singing

[aaaBurke89]

This is satire, yes?

[ShipperS7]

No?

[aaaBurke89]

My comment was a reply to WoflishNuckajuh.

[andrebarnas]

Awesome!!!

[boundsie99]

Go Julian!

[stvlndn]

The best performance I have heard of Fantasia X, by far.

[nikosz66]

what a musical feeling !

no matter what he plays,lute ,classic guitar, antigua guitar

 he is the ABSOLUTE MAESTRO

[clash44]

anyone kno this luthier??

[opidacul]

the luthier in the video is Contreras (I think) the elder one, looks alott like him, and on the table you can see a guitar model of his (Carlevaro model). the vihuela that Julian Bream is playing is made by Romanillos.

[robernicodemo]

se me ponen los pelos de punta

[MikeJS57]

Stunning.

[keto6789]

You can find a version of of it in "The Renaissance Guitar" by Noad.

[SUNNYD3322]

Playing seamlessly, delicately and beautifully. As natural as breathing.

[Drtunafish]

do you know where i might find the score to this for classical guitar?

[9419872008]

the music and the guy are ecstatic!

[paule720]

very nice.

[angrymormon]

easily sounds like it could be two instruments at the end, bream is fantastic.

[nickmctrick]

Wow!

[chopin65]

My thought exactly.

[thejugglenaut91]

couldn't have put it better myself

[capnpayne]

this is fantastic musically and his technique is just out of control

great!

[zaken6]

wow! julian bream is the No 1.

[christianos666]

very nice!! Bream happens to be a profressional lute player aswell as a pro guitarist.

[porpoisefathom]

this is a lute

[hermx0]

No, its a vihuela! And Bream here proves to be an expert on it! Beautiful sound with this piece.

(A lute is the much more bulky thing with the much more strings and an angled neck, although the vihuela also has double strings, but the lute has a lot more bass strings on top!)

[ayeGyi36]

it's the best rendition of this song though i personally don't really like the attack style towards the end of the song

[theqwertyaz]

My favorite interpretation is the one of Narciso Yepes, on his strange guitar.

Not to be found on youtube, sadly!

[ftryew]

is he using a pick for the scale work

[garotobossanova]

Wonderful!!

[Klaudiusz1983]

WoW great piece and ofcourse performer

[Klaudiusz1983]

Great piece im liting this all time since two deys;)

[wfd57fatman]

Such a special instrument! Gut frets and lute-like courses, yet an almost guitar-like sound, and then again a brightness and texture that's unlike either a guitar or a lute. This is possibly the best sounding Vihuela I've heard, and is possibly in the best two hands that could play it! I wish I could have heard this live. YouTube sound just doesn't capture it all.

[philomelodia]

I think the key is that he uses his nails. It gives it that special snap. I don't like the vihuela with the flesh of the fingers. It's to bassie compared to the lute because of the body shape, I think. This piece is soooooo beautiful to me.

[LutenistDeMari]

None of the great masters played with nails - and don't say Bream is a master vihuelista- he is a brilliant musician but he hardly tapped the depths of this instrument or its repertoire.

[philomelodia]

Wouldn't dream of making such a claim. All I'm saying is I like the sound of this particular interpreatation of this particular piece. Not so sure it would've sounded as nice with the flesh. Know of any recordings to compare?

[omaregb]

that guitar in the beginning looks like one of those that carlevaro uses

[f2mp3f]

I feel glad that over 50,000 people have viewed this fantastic clip

[JednookiStarzec]

The BEST

[lucisuciu]

incredible performance ... and the sound of this vihuela is so powerful ...

[ZanxGuitar]

beautiful !

[hermx0]

This guy imerses himself so much in every piece he does - just incredible. And all the way he remained a pleasant down-to-earth character.

Very respectale,indeed!

[german2890]

is that a some sort of lute?

[tremendousOt]

Yes.  I Believe they call it a- Guitarre.

[peterluth]

I think it is a vihuela: the lute-like instrument (but with the shape of a guitar) for which Mudarra's wrote this "Fantasia que contrahaze la harpa" (Fantasy that imitates the harp).

Peterl

[german2890]

so any one who plays the guitar con play that, right?

IT's playing it's exactly the same, isn't it?

[peterluth]

Renaissance lutes and vihuelas have this tuning: (from bass to treble) E,A,D,F#,B,E. So the difference with the guitar is only in the third string: guitar=G, vihuela=F#. But lutes and vihuelas have double strings so there are guitarists, who are used to play with nails, that have troubles to articulate their right hand fingers on these instruments (lute and vihuela players did not use nails.) Anyway, Bream seems to have no troubles at all.

Peterl

[danmcc]

i always thought this piece sounded like a harp especially the glissandi like parts

[djypsydjazz]

It actually seems a little large for a vihuela. Vihuelas are tiny compared to that. It is definately built to look like a vihuela.

[djypsydjazz]

Never mind. I guess with some more observation it is a vihuela. That is an amazingly made instrument by the way.

[OsvaldoPaese]

Great piece of music played beautifully.

[5stringofFernandoSor]

Awesome. Watching guitars being built was just a bonus. Julian Bream is a master, if you love his playing I HIGHLY recommend his duet album with John Williams called 'Together'. They made two albums together as far as I know, but Together is so ethereal, I put it on when I can't fall asleep..works EVERYTIME!

[poveteya]

Gracias,santa España,por dar tan ilustres hijos.

[0k0g040]

reneisance guitars are very intersting, and julian bream is great

[yipmicha]

amazing guitars!

[646879]

Sir Julian rules!

[JednookiStarzec]

Great!

[taylor410ce]

Wow that was awesome! does anyone know where i can get a left-handed classical guitar.

[AlsatianCousin]

On any well-equipped guitar shop. :)Or then post catalogue.

[00sven00sven00]

i just got a left hand classical yesterday, its right handed, i just had to get one with a straight saddle( it actually wasnt, its still at at tiny angle!) so all i did was file the saddle at an angle to compensate...it that made any sense whatsoever!! but gee it would be nice to actually have a proper lefty!!

[taylor410ce]

thanks man i think i might do that same thing. What brand was it?

[despinian]

go take a running jump, preferably into the middle of a busy road

[allahisthegreatesttt]

or off a large dam or bridge. or into a wood chipper. preferably the wood chipper for it's entertaining qualities.

[despinian]

Timeless

[123MvD321]

From the great Julian Bream DVD: !Guitarra! A Musical Journey through Spain...

[vinothelizard]

bream is the daddy,, j williams is no where near his class,,,

[Beyondward]

right.

[Mistermagoo77]

Who cares!

He is keeping alive a repertoire and an instrument!

Go listen to yer freakin odette albums and shut up!

[aranthos2007]

serious speed

[alexander0070]

Have you ever seen a classical guitarist with these feelings???!!!???? Great

[Utubesuxmycock]

could someone please post this video? the entire video

[InfernoXV]

String tension on these two instruments is significantly lower than on the modern classical guitar, so playing with nails and with the higher right-hand position distorts the tone. If you care to see how lutes should be played, do a search for Paul O'Dette on youtube.

[InfernoXV]

This gives a radically different tone, particularly for the vihuela which sounds dark and almost melancholic.

When Bream plays it with modern guitar technique (he doesn't even try to be historical about it), it sounds nasal and twangy. Ditto for the lute, which should sound much less twangy.

[InfernoXV]

Possibly the worse vihuela tone I've ever heard. Bream should stop pretending to play vihuela and lute, as he does nothing more than play them with guitar technique, destroying the distinctive sounds of the instruments.

[AlohaBay]

Ok Segovia. Can explain exactly how you are supposed to play the lute and vihuela as opposed to playing the guitar. Please tell me yours seeeecccccreeetttttssss my precious.

[InfernoXV]

Left-hand technique almost identical. Right-hand technique differs quite drastically. For a start, almost all historical evidence shows a thumb-under technique with the little finger always in place on the soundboard, not the thumb-over which classical guitar uses. Next, the usual place at which the strings are plucked is not dead-centre over the rose, but slightly below the rose. Lastly, we play with the fleshy bit of the finger, not with nails.

[alenio25]

J. Bream stopped to play lute since 1995, I bought one

of its lutes made by the great luthier L. Breton ,it's

an historical lute with an incomparable sound. I'd like to suggest you to have a look at pictures from 1580 -1620

epoca ,all the lutenist play the lute near the bridge with high right hand, with nails, it means the sound is like

clavicembalo not arpa.

[siegfried05]

for me Julian Bream is only a step behind Segovia... that says all

[LutenistDeMari]

Bream is far better than Segovia.

[Testacojones]

Bream will tell you that you're very wrong.

[ThisDream]

Even if he did I'd still believe Bream is better.

[soniameh]

Come on you moron's that my personal opinion I like williams more than bream and David russel more than the two....it's not necessacry that we both would like Bream

[kbkesq]

must not have been such a popular luthier- a lot of inventor in the shop. ;)

[soniameh]

i think John williams is far better than mr bream

[philphotoman]

All subjective, but in this you are wrong. I have seen both players live, both solo and as duo over the last 30 years or so, and they both have a distinctive style- this partcularly suits when they duoed..

[xxx190xxx190]

man that is a seriously stupid comment

[xxx190xxx190]

i meant the comment about williams being better than bream

[sab3156]

Are you an idiot? John Williams is pathetic. Sigh, I hate repeating my arguments, but listen to pieces where he changes notes to facilitate his own mechanical and dry technique. This is particularly true in "Prelude no. 1" by Villa-Lobos, and in some other pieces. Just learn some more about the guitar. Perhaps get a teacher to show you how to play one.

[Pitcairn2]

Sab3156

You are what we refer to in the UK as A TOTAL TWAT.

[LutenistDeMari]

When you turn 15 0r 16 then you will understand Bream.

[soniameh]

F U

[LutenistDeMari]

Good comeback.

[Ruffilb]

Does anyone know how that thing is tuned?

[rogerhughston]

Same as guitars today, just with the extra string tuned to the same pitch as the one next to it :) Not octaved like the usual 12 strings of today

[guitarist147]

fantastic. why don't i have a vihuela? :(

[kbkesq]

because then you'd need to change your name to "vihuelist147"

[guitarist147]

lol. Fair point. Would be a better name though. Watch this space...

[melvis24]

This guitar is incredible. It sounds so brilliant, bright and frsh. Why do modern classic guitars sound so dark and muddy?

[Musicislove123]

this is a Viheula, it's not a guitar, but it does sound incredible. it's an ancestor of the guitar

[osmium]

I would give anything to play guitar like Mr.Bream

[onuryazgan]

Great Job!!!

He is beyond compare...

[gatsbi007]

like how mudara's fantasy bass runs

[mikenrobnas]

imagine a world without music

[dvh99]

magic such beautiful playing and a wonderful instrument