It was all kept a secret until the last minute.

In the autumn of 2007, I was looking forward to retirement. Daily work was becoming something of a strain; I was feeling exhausted and depleted. Early in November, I was casually asked if I would be free on the twenty-ninth. With no travels planned, I said yes. Some time toward the end of the month, I was told to show up at such and such a time in the afternoon and I noted it in my diary without the slightest idea what it was all about.

My wife and I arrived at the stage entrance of the Musikverein, which had been my access to the UE offices, and were confronted with a printed notice placed on a stand: “Konzert für Bálint András Varga. Musikverein, Steinerner Saal. Wiener Klaviertrio, Heinz Stolba, Reciter” (Concert for Bálint András Varga. Musikverein, Stone Hall. Vienna Piano Trio, Heinz Stolba, reciter).

In a state of excitement, we made our way to the hall and there, in the lobby, I caught sight of Friedrich and Gertraud Cerha, Sir Harrison Birtwistle, Cristóbal Halffter, Georg Friedrich Haas, Johannes Maria Staud, Jay Schwartz, and Vykintas Baltakas, as well as the board of Universal Edition and all my colleagues. They were waiting for us, with a knowing smile on their faces: unlike me, they were fully informed—in fact, they had actively prepared the event.