It's strange and sad to have read on this List the obituaries of two
of my teachers within the space of one week.  I was in Felix Galimir's
chamber music class at Juilliard for two years, and I had brief contact
with Mme. Casadesus at the Conservatoire americain at Fontainebleau during
the summer of 1982, playing in her masterclass on two occasions.  Both were
superb musicians who communicated their passion for and ideas about music
very effectively when they taught or played.  I was always in awe of
Galimir's connections with great Viennese and French musicians (wishing I
had milked him for more memories and details), and found Mme.  Casadesus
incomparably charming when she told stories, in English, about "my
'usband," and her memories of Ravel, Faure, and even Debussy, who if I
recall correctly was on her entrance jury at the Paris Conservatoire.  (I
also recall her talking about playing Mozart sonatas with violinist Albert
Einstein in Princeton; she summed it up neatly: "But he could not count!")
I regard her as one of the most seriously under-rated pianists I ever
heard.  On my first day at Fontainebleau, I struggled against jet lag
during a magnificent cello recital she accompanied; I believe one of her
'usband's works was on the program.  Later in the summer, during one of
the masterclasses, she sat down at the piano quite spontaneously and played
for us one of the most "lumineux" performances of anything I've ever
encountered live -- Ravel's "Jeux d'eau," played with luxurious ease, and
almost unimaginably beautiful play of light, shade and highlight.  I wish
I could recall it perfectly, but in any case I cherish the memory.  Teri
Noel Towe noted that with Mr. Galimir and Mme. Casadesus, we've lost our
last links to the great French tradition of the early 20th-century.  I
would add to these two distinguished names that of tbe pianist and teacher
Beveridge Webster, who passed away earlier in the summer.  He also had
important contact with Ravel, and recalled in my presence on one occasion
having heard Busoni in recital.

DPHorn, contemplating the passage of time.