The book is an emotional testimony to the age and reveals hitherto unknown aspects of Gidon Kremer’s character and original view of life. What did the great musician think about during the time of the pandemic, when rehearsals, concerts and tours became impossible?
“When I wrote (not) Winged thoughts, I could not even imagine the time of such human calamities and tragedies, “says Gidon Kremer.” From this point of view, my work would now be out of date. However, I hope that those who read these lines written over the last two years will find some meaning in them and that my efforts (as well as those of all my assistants) will not be in vain – there will be something to think about and smile in some good places. May a smile (as well as the hope that horrors come to an end) help maintain our love for life, for each other, and … music and art that we can always hold on to. “
One part of the book can be read in the two languages the author thinks most often, namely Russian and English. Next to the original, a translation into Latvian has been published by Eduards Liniņš and Gundars Āboliņš.
The designer of the book is Anna Aizsilniece, the illustrations for this book were created by a close friend of Gidon Kremer – the artist Sandro Kancheli, the son of the Georgian composer Gija Kančeli.
Gidon Kremer is a world-famous violinist and conductor born in Riga. On February 27, 2022, he celebrated his 75th birthday with the chamber orchestra he formed Kremerata Baltica this year marks 25 years.
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