Freiburg, 7th February 2025
Dear Peter,
just a week ago, quite by chance, outside a shop I spotted a poster with the words ``Musik für Valencia‘‘ printed in big letters. Music, Valencia -a magic combination! And I thought at once of you, Peter; you, with your beloved village house up in the hills near Valencia, and you, with your great love of music. What was it all about, I wondered.
I took a closer look. The poster was advertising a benefit concert on Sunday, 1st February at the Hochschule für Musik in Freiburg, in support of two music schools near Valencia which had suffered badly in the catastrophic floods in November 2024. On the menu: works by Albeniz, de Falla and some other Spanish composers, unknown to me but probably not to you. All to be performed gratis by students at the Hochschule. A good cause, a good programme, a good connection. I would certainly be there. And I was.
It’s at times like this that I particularly miss you, Peter. How you would have loved this concert, with its young, talented and passionate performers – mostly Spanish or from Latin America – who had the vision, the generosity and the energy to make this concert happen. A Spanish guitar, a wind quintet, a brass ensemble, drums, a soprano and plenty more.. ``Valencia es la tierra de las flores, de la luz y del amor.`` And de la musica!
It’s almost a year since you left us, Peter. But, as long as the music goes on, you’ll be with me, with us, safe in our hearts and in our memories. Thank you for your friendship. And thank you for the music.
Anthony
PS Sabine gave me the little camellia you had in a pot on your balcony. I planted it out in the garden and now it’s growing – fat and happy!
