Plot Summary

Julian Bream, considered by many as the greatest classic guitarist of the 20th century, tells the remarkable story of his life in music. Over three hours of material, illustrated with over one hour of complete musical performances, includes contributions from John Williams, Peter Pears, Igor Stravinsky, William Walton, George Malcolm, Richard Rodney Bennett and Ali Akbar Khan. Julian’s influence has resulted in a repertoire rich in contributions from Britten, Walton, Henze, Takemitsu, Tippett, Rawsthorne, Lennox Berkeley and countless others. He enthusiastically communicates his musical passions which are celebrated in this generously documented DVD. Highlights include Julian’s coming out of retirement for a performance of Britten’s Nocturnal, written for the guitarist, and an emotional return to the composer’s home in Aldeburgh, and an exclusive BBC Radio 3 recording of Richard Rodney Bennett’s Sonata for Solo Guitar.