DUSAN BOGDANOVIC
"Angel, in memory”
As your friends pass away, it is as if your social and spiritual reality slowly dissolves.
Something remains; things shared, things created, like markers along a road stretching from an infinite past to an infinite future. In this limited moment, some persons show up as your spiritual friends or even twins.
There is a recognition of the spiritual dimension, which is mirrored. I felt something of this kind towards Angelo Gilardino. He was the first to recognize my work as a composer and helped me connect with the Bèrben, which remained
for many years.
He was also of great help, making my work visible to the artists and recording productions.
Later, we had rare but always substantial meetings at various festivals, primarily in Italy.
When I think of Angelo, I think of a commanding presence of spirit with great refinement and insight into the depths of all art, be it music, visual art, or literature.
As the creator of a new classical guitar school, Angelo’s authority was incomparable in Italy and the guitar world in general.
Through his effort as a pedagogue and musicologist, Angelo helped guitar to join other venerable classical instruments in its seriousness of approach, historically and theoretically informed performance, and repertoire.
His compositions, always created with absolute personal integrity, also point to his seriousness, depth, and refinement.
I would like to think that maybe the most unique and priceless of who we are is left in our works, our care towards the people and things we love and hold precious.
That way, the shadow is never only the shadow; it is a substance created and lived, remaining as an eternally alive and present reality.
Dusan Bogdanovic
Geneva, 30.05.2023
