Bálint Varga

Luciano is much on my mind and with the approaching tenth anniversary of his passing, even more so. I regard myself as fortunate to have known him and to have had frequent contact with him during my years with Universal Edition. Each time we met in Paris, Radicondoli, Edinburgh, Gütersloh, Vienna), he impressed me with his tremendous intellect; each time I hear his music, I am filled with admiration for its timeless quality. It is a great pleasure for me to witness the way his compositions have become part of the repertoire world-wide. He is truly one of the few immortals among those who appeared on the international music scene after World War II.

The sketch he gave me at the completion of our booklength interview has been framed and is hanging on my wall. Dated January 27, 1981, it is a sketch of Ritorno degli Snovidenia. Luciano wrote on it: «to Bálint - perché ritorni anche lui | Con affetto Luciano Berio».
Sadly, I have never been back...

Bálint Varga

[Luciano Berio's manuscript from Ritorno degli Snovidenia (1976-77), B. Varga's private archive, by courtesy]