Guitarist Julian Bream, dedicatee of Berkeley’s Guitar Sonatina
Born 116 years ago on the 12th of this month, guitarists may not be aware of Sir Lennox Berkeley’s quality contributions to our repertoire.
Here are the main features of Berkeley’s music according to British composer Francis Routh : « a textural lightness and lucidity, a harmonic piquancy, an eighteenth-century galanterie, and a thematic brevity »
As a composer, several of his works have come to occupy a special place on the British music scene such as Serenade for String Orchestra, Op. 12 ; PianoSonata, Op. 20; Concerto in Bb for piano and orchestra, Op. 29 among many others.
As for the guitar, he brought elegant contributions to the its repertoire with, as usual, their discography between brackets, and thank you Sir Lennox! :
Berkeley, Lennox Sir (12 May 1903 – 26 December 1989) [84] :
Quatre Pièces pour la guitare, Op. post. (1927-32) for Andrés Segovia [9]
Sonatina, Op. 52 No. 1 (1957) for Julian Bream [39]
Songs of the Half-Light, Op. 65 (1964) for Peter Pears [5]
Theme and Variations, Op. 77 (1970) for Angelo Gilardino [21]
Guitar Concerto, Op. 88 (1974) for Julian Bream [3]
Sources :
http://www.musicweb-international.com/berkleyl/lberkley.htm#routh