“The work and the man were of a pair. Modesty aside, the self-same qualities attracted me to both: rigor, vitality, daring, but also finesse and an unshakeable frankness. All this, plus his great fortitude: ten years earlier, adversity had hit him in a musician’s most sensitive spot, the ear. While he didn’t become deaf, like Beethoven, his hearing was forever distorted. Finding the original resonance of sounds while he was composing was a constant struggle, but he never allowed his disorder to have a negative impact on his work, which he continued to create with the same determination and success.”

 

Guitare et Musique – January 1971 n° 65