Peter and Julian: An Analysis of Pears and Bream’s Tenor-Guitar Performances

This project seeks to understand the artistic renown of the Peter Pears (1910 – 1986) and Julian Bream (b. 1933) duo by conducting a thorough analysis of their performance output as a tenor-guitar duo. Despite the acclaim they received during their lifetimes, the duo thus far has been unduly neglected in scholarly writings, and their performances, while widely celebrated, have never been analyzed. This problem is addressed primarily through the analysis of the duo’s album Music for Voice and Guitar (1965) and the development of a performance-practice guide to their distinct musical style. The analysis employs a unique methodology that combines empirical and descriptive analytical tools in order to better understand the duo’s performances from a wide array of perspectives. The resulting performance-practice guide covers several interpretive techniques that are found throughout the body of performances. This guide not only reveals the musical depth and creative choices that two of the twentieth century’s most lauded performers employed, but it can also serve as inspiration for future musicians. Indeed, as I demonstrate near the end of my thesis, the duo’s interpretations are based on principles that can be applied to other musical ventures. The overarching goal of this thesis is that the duo’s creative interpretations may help to generate ideas for other musicians to create their own meaningful musical performances.D.M.A