Friday 3 August 2012

A thought for Robert

Amidst the many supportive messages and comments I have received for the music video of Nothing comes to Light a black cross has spread its shadow when I read Bévinda's mail. After a few lines of  praise for my work, she announced that our beloved friend Robert Brechon had passed away at the age of 92. I had met the man on several occasions and immediately warmed to him. He may have been three generations older, but his spirit was young, dynamic and inspiring. The last time I had seen him was for one of those musical afternoons at Julia's. Bévinda had come and brought Robert along. We knew about it, so Julia, Isabelle and I prepared a selection of arias, art-songs, duets and trios especially for him. He was enchanted and so delighted to be there. Yes beyond 90 he was, but his energy was like of a child's. 
I was looking forward to seeing him again on my next trip in October. In my mind, he was to live many more years. That will not be, alas. Bévinda's grief is of course deeper. She had assisted Robert for his work these past years because of their common passion for Fernando Pessoa.
"I saw a white envelope in the mail box with a black cross on it this morning" she wrote to me. "It was for Robert. I feel like an orphan..."
I feel an immense sadness. I really loved the man.



[...]



Robert visited Jay and asked him to pass that last message to me...

"Everything will better now. Don't you worry. I'm there. I'm close to you, I play with you. I will only worry the day when you forget that I have never existed. And that day will come. I am speechless because my voice is intertwining with my deeper thoughts. So, let the violins play and forget the roses. Be fairplay because of this game I only learned one thing: to let everything go, not be yourself, just be no one, nothing, swept away, the wind, the sorrows which chase past and future and remain in the present time. The mist on the window which now surprises the cold north wind, there really merges. Ubiquitous murmur, funny radiance, I kept nothing, I give it back now, I no longer have any use of these primary things. I am tired, so I go!"

Now I'm in tears...
A passionate man, an adventurous mind, serious, at the same time always saying that he was 'useless', because 'people don't care'...
What an extraodinary man. 

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