David Dalle
Thursday March 9th, 2023 with David Dalle
Farewell to my father, René Dalle

Today I am saying farewell to my father, René Dalle. My dad was born in Nancy, France, on August 8th, 1944. He did not have the easiest of childhoods. His parents divorced when my dad was only four, then my dad lost his mother suddenly when he was 14. My dad was separated from his older sister Michou to live with his father. His father was a professional musician who played bandoneon and accordion and was the leader of a Bal-Musette band. His father instructed his children in music and my dad learned all the scales and chords and was asked to choose an instrument. Being a huge fan of the Belgian-Romani guitarist Django Reinhardt, who was extremely popular in France after the war, he chose the guitar. His father refused, as, by the late 50's, the popularity of the guitar and American-influenced pop music was eclipsing the old Musette bands like his. My dad’s father did not support him in continuing his education. So my dad left his father’s home at the age of 21. He put himself through school, sometimes living on one meal a day, until he met my mother shortly thereafter. She was an 18 year old American college junior who had travelled to France to specialize in the French language. She could not resist the charms of this handsome, blue-eyed Frenchman! On their first date, my dad told her he would marry her. She laughed at this crazy Frenchman, but, three years later, they were married! After their marriage in New York City (my mother's hometown), they settled in France for a couple of years before my dad received a placement in Quebec City. My sister arrived soon after, followed by me, and five years later they moved to Ottawa where my brother and two more sisters arrived. My dad never gave up his dream of playing guitar and ended up buying a quality classical guitar in the 80's. He spent years taking lessons and practicing, and I recall, as a child, laughing at his really long thumbnails! I did not really get to enjoy music with my dad until I was an adult, though he almost always listened to my radio program (and I remember him listening to CKCU in the car when I was a kid, often to very odd music!). In the past decade I was able to attend more concerts with him, and, in the past year, I started musical afternoons with him. I would invite him over and we would spend a Sunday afternoon listening to lp's while enjoying wine (always French!). My dad had a wide and thorough love of music, and we are going to listen to a program of music to say farewell to my dad. We are starting off with Astor Piazzolla and his 1959 "Adios Nonino", which he composed quickly after learning of the sudden death of his father, nicknamed "Nonino". My dad's father always played Piazzolla and my dad always retained a love of Piazzolla's music. We will also hear some classical, Flamenco, and African guitar, and Django Reinhardt of course, all music he loved. We will also hear some choices of mine which perfectly capture my thoughts and grief, especially Ferrucio Busoni's "Fantasia after J.S. Bach" which will end this set. Busoni composed this work in 1909, after he lost his father, to express his grief and his gratitude to his father for introducing him to the music of Bach. So please sit back and enjoy my musical farewell to my father, who, despite his challenging childhood, grew up to be a devoted and loving husband of fifty-four years, and wonderful and supportive father of his five children who adored him.