ゴールデンの輝き Golden Radiance

　アデレードでのジョイントコンサート。数多の声が交錯する中、ジョンさんの歌声は夜空に瞬く金星のように圧倒的な光彩を放っていた。当時の私には、後にロベサルで幾度も共に歌い、彼の家で寝食を共にする未来など知る由もなかった。
　時が過ぎ、ご高齢のため私は別の家に滞在しているが、合唱団で再び一緒に歌声を響かせた。「合唱歴56年、もう昔のようには歌えないさ」と笑う彼。しかし、いざ共に旋律へ身を委ねた刹那、「老い」のかげりは見事に砕け散る。少しも錆びていない、あの日と同じゴールデンの輝き。その威厳ある響きの前では、私のCF生活37年など短い前奏曲（プレリュード）に過ぎない。偉大な先達の底知れぬ力に、ただ畏敬の念を震わせた夜だった。（三瓶）

At a joint concert in Adelaide, amidst a tapestry of countless interweaving voices, John’s singing shone with an overwhelming brilliance—much like Venus twinkling in the night sky. Little did I know then that, in the years to follow, I would sing alongside him time and again in the *Robert Salis* choir, and even share a home with him, living and dining under the same roof.

Time has passed, and due to his advanced age, he now resides elsewhere; yet, we found ourselves singing together once more within the choir. "I’ve been singing for 56 years—I can’t quite sing like I used to," he remarked with a laugh. But the moment we surrendered ourselves to the melody, any shadow cast by "old age" vanished completely. His voice remained untarnished, possessing that same golden radiance I remembered from so long ago. Before the majesty of his tone, my own 37 years in the choir felt like nothing more than a brief prelude. It was an evening that left me trembling with awe at the unfathomable power of such a great, seasoned predecessor.（Akihiro)