petit bouquetVIEW

notes

Kalnins dedicated and gifted the original manuscript to Paul and Ann Horncastle in gratitute for their support and friendship after his wife Herminé died in early 1991. He was a frequent visitor to their house and often stayed for hours playing and improvising on their piano. On his visits he always brought a little bouquet of cut flowers. On this occasion the little bouquet was not flowers but music.

Paul gave me the original music. It had no title and was handwritten on crumpled paper. I finally deciphered it and had it printed out. The Horncastles supplied the title remembering the weekly cut flowers. I visited the Horncastles with their copies and was asked to play it on the same piano Kalnins had played so often. When I finished I turned towards them. They were holding hands, Paul gazing intently at the music on the piano and Anne with the hint of a tear in her eye, both no doubt remembering the many times they had heard Kalnins play on their piano. It was a magical moment made all the more poignant with Anne’s passing shortly after.
- Gervais