Robert Bremner
Encyclopedia
Robert Bremner or Brymer (c
. 1713–1789) was a Scottish
music publisher
. Evidence suggests that he may have born on 9 September 1713 in Edinburgh
to John Brymer and Margaret Urie, and had a younger brother named James, but little else is known about his early life. Bremner established his printing enterprise in Edinburgh in mid-1754 "at the Golden Harp, opposite the head of Blackfriars Wynd". Business was brisk from the start, and by the next year, he was publishing music on behalf of the Edinburgh Musical Society. Bremner later became an agent for the Society, traveling to London
and Dublin to search for singers and musicians to feature at its concerts. In 1756, he printed his own The Rudiments of Music, commissioned by the Edinburgh town council as an instruction book for spreading the ideas of the "Monymusk Revival", which was revolutionizing psalm-singing in the Church of Scotland
at the time. The third edition of his treatise was published in London in 1763, and was described in the influential Monthly Review
of Ralph Griffiths
as providing church-goers an easy way to "considerably improve their psalmody, by attending to the very plain and practical rules contained in this judicious tract".
Bremner's business acumen served him well in the late 1750s. He published Nicolò Pasquali's bestseller Thorough-Bass Made Easy in 1757, and took advantage of the rising popularity of the English guitar
to print Instructions for the Guitar in 1758. The next year, he published William McGibbon
's Scottish tune collections in four volumes, having secured the rights to McGibbon's work upon his death in 1756. During this time, he also displayed his musical prowess by arranging and publishing his Collection of Scots Reels or Country Dances in 1757, which featured the first published strathspeys
. His success allowed him to move to London in 1762, opening a shop in the Strand
and leaving a manager named John Brysson to run his Edinburgh establishment. That same year, he acquired the Fitzwilliam Virginal Book
for ten guineas
at the sale of Johann Christoph Pepusch
's library and later presented it to Lord Fitzwilliam.
Bremner was once a violin
student of Francesco Geminiani
, but disagreed with his mentor on the use of vibrato
, which Geminiani advocated be used "as often as possible". Bremner's Some Thoughts on the Performance of Concert Music, a preface to his publication of J.G.C. Schetky's 6 Quartettos opus
6 (1777), makes clear his opinions. If vibrato is "introduced into harmony", he writes, "where the beauty and energy of the performance depend upon the united effect of all parts being exactly in tune with each other, it becomes hurtful." Bremner may have even used his publishing position to censor his teacher's opinions. He republished Geminiani's 1751 The Art of Playing on the Violin in 1777, but three passages were left out in the reissue. One of them detailed the "more agreeable" sound provided by vibrato, which Geminiani deemed "the Close Shake".
Bremner died at his home in Kensington Gore
. He had married Margaret Bruce on 30 May 1756 in Edinburgh, and had three children: Charles, James, and Ellen. Preston and Son purchased Bremner's London stock, plates, and copyrights, describing the transaction as "not only the most extensive, but also the most valuable list of works ever exhibited in this kingdom". His will
left the greater part of his estate to Ellen and £
761 13s
1d
each to his two sons.
Circa
Circa , usually abbreviated c. or ca. , means "approximately" in the English language, usually referring to a date...
. 1713–1789) was a Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
music publisher
Publishing
Publishing is the process of production and dissemination of literature or information—the activity of making information available to the general public...
. Evidence suggests that he may have born on 9 September 1713 in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
to John Brymer and Margaret Urie, and had a younger brother named James, but little else is known about his early life. Bremner established his printing enterprise in Edinburgh in mid-1754 "at the Golden Harp, opposite the head of Blackfriars Wynd". Business was brisk from the start, and by the next year, he was publishing music on behalf of the Edinburgh Musical Society. Bremner later became an agent for the Society, traveling to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and Dublin to search for singers and musicians to feature at its concerts. In 1756, he printed his own The Rudiments of Music, commissioned by the Edinburgh town council as an instruction book for spreading the ideas of the "Monymusk Revival", which was revolutionizing psalm-singing in the Church of Scotland
Church of Scotland
The Church of Scotland, known informally by its Scots language name, the Kirk, is a Presbyterian church, decisively shaped by the Scottish Reformation....
at the time. The third edition of his treatise was published in London in 1763, and was described in the influential Monthly Review
Monthly Review (London)
The Monthly Review was an English periodical founded by Ralph Griffiths, a Nonconformist bookseller. The first periodical in England to offer reviews, it featured the novelist and poet Oliver Goldsmith as an early contributor. William Kenrick, the "superlative scoundrel", was editor from 1759 to...
of Ralph Griffiths
Ralph Griffiths
Ralph Griffiths was a journal editor and publisher of Welsh extraction...
as providing church-goers an easy way to "considerably improve their psalmody, by attending to the very plain and practical rules contained in this judicious tract".
Bremner's business acumen served him well in the late 1750s. He published Nicolò Pasquali's bestseller Thorough-Bass Made Easy in 1757, and took advantage of the rising popularity of the English guitar
English guitar
English guitar is a stringed instrument, a type of sister , which was popular in many places in Europe from around 1750-1850. The instrument was also known in Norway as a guitarre. There are many examples in Norwegian museums, including at the Norsk Folkemuseum. The english guitar has a pear-shaped...
to print Instructions for the Guitar in 1758. The next year, he published William McGibbon
William McGibbon
William McGibbon was a Scottish composer and violinist.Born and died in Edinburgh, he was the principal violinist of the Edinburgh Musical Society orchestra. Although a prolific composer, particularly for the flute, recorder and fiddle, only a few of his works are now known.-External links:...
's Scottish tune collections in four volumes, having secured the rights to McGibbon's work upon his death in 1756. During this time, he also displayed his musical prowess by arranging and publishing his Collection of Scots Reels or Country Dances in 1757, which featured the first published strathspeys
Strathspey (dance)
A strathspey is a type of dance tune in 4/4 time. It is similar to a hornpipe but slower and more stately, and contains many dot-cut 'snaps'. A so-called Scotch snap is a short note before a dotted note, which in traditional playing is generally exaggerated rhythmically for musical expression...
. His success allowed him to move to London in 1762, opening a shop in the Strand
Strand, London
Strand is a street in the City of Westminster, London, England. The street is just over three-quarters of a mile long. It currently starts at Trafalgar Square and runs east to join Fleet Street at Temple Bar, which marks the boundary of the City of London at this point, though its historical length...
and leaving a manager named John Brysson to run his Edinburgh establishment. That same year, he acquired the Fitzwilliam Virginal Book
Fitzwilliam Virginal Book
The Fitzwilliam Virginal Book is a primary source of keyboard music from the late Elizabethan and early Jacobean periods in England, i.e., the late Renaissance and very early Baroque. It takes its name from Viscount Fitzwilliam who bequeathed this manuscript collection to Cambridge University in 1816...
for ten guineas
Guinea (British coin)
The guinea is a coin that was minted in the Kingdom of England and later in the Kingdom of Great Britain and the United Kingdom between 1663 and 1813...
at the sale of Johann Christoph Pepusch
Johann Christoph Pepusch
Johann Christoph Pepusch , also known as John Christopher Pepusch and Dr Pepusch, was a German-born composer who spent most of his working life in England....
's library and later presented it to Lord Fitzwilliam.
Bremner was once a violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
student of Francesco Geminiani
Francesco Geminiani
thumb|230px|Francesco Geminiani.Francesco Saverio Geminiani was an Italian violinist, composer, and music theorist.-Biography:...
, but disagreed with his mentor on the use of vibrato
Vibrato
Vibrato is a musical effect consisting of a regular, pulsating change of pitch. It is used to add expression to vocal and instrumental music. Vibrato is typically characterised in terms of two factors: the amount of pitch variation and the speed with which the pitch is varied .-Vibrato and...
, which Geminiani advocated be used "as often as possible". Bremner's Some Thoughts on the Performance of Concert Music, a preface to his publication of J.G.C. Schetky's 6 Quartettos opus
Opus number
An Opus number , pl. opera and opuses, abbreviated, sing. Op. and pl. Opp. refers to a number generally assigned by composers to an individual composition or set of compositions on publication, to help identify their works...
6 (1777), makes clear his opinions. If vibrato is "introduced into harmony", he writes, "where the beauty and energy of the performance depend upon the united effect of all parts being exactly in tune with each other, it becomes hurtful." Bremner may have even used his publishing position to censor his teacher's opinions. He republished Geminiani's 1751 The Art of Playing on the Violin in 1777, but three passages were left out in the reissue. One of them detailed the "more agreeable" sound provided by vibrato, which Geminiani deemed "the Close Shake".
Bremner died at his home in Kensington Gore
Kensington Gore
Kensington Gore is a street in central London, England, the same name having been formerly used for the piece of land on which it stands. It runs along the south side of Hyde Park, continuing as Kensington Road to both the east and west. A gore is a narrow, triangular piece of land.The road is part...
. He had married Margaret Bruce on 30 May 1756 in Edinburgh, and had three children: Charles, James, and Ellen. Preston and Son purchased Bremner's London stock, plates, and copyrights, describing the transaction as "not only the most extensive, but also the most valuable list of works ever exhibited in this kingdom". His will
Will (law)
A will or testament is a legal declaration by which a person, the testator, names one or more persons to manage his/her estate and provides for the transfer of his/her property at death...
left the greater part of his estate to Ellen and £
Pound sterling
The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
761 13s
Shilling
The shilling is a unit of currency used in some current and former British Commonwealth countries. The word shilling comes from scilling, an accounting term that dates back to Anglo-Saxon times where it was deemed to be the value of a cow in Kent or a sheep elsewhere. The word is thought to derive...
1d
Penny
A penny is a coin or a type of currency used in several English-speaking countries. It is often the smallest denomination within a currency system.-Etymology:...
each to his two sons.