Peter Badura-Skoda

Dear David,

Something for ntz, a note on Peter Badura-Skoda whose name occurs in connection with a climbing trip my father, Anton Nelson, took with John Cooke in 1963, the item is found at the end of John Cooke's narrative on Kilimanjaro, with which the following could be linked:

Peter Badura-Skoda had a home in Arusha and a music store on the street running north from the clock tower.

His wife, Rosemary, was a pianist who often played for performances at the Little Theatre.

His brother, Paul Badura-Skoda, was the Czech concert pianist of international stature, who once visited Peter in the 50's and gave a full piano recital at the Little Theatre in Arusha.

At his music store, Peter sold LPs to my father, who had begun collecting the organ works of Bach on LP performed by Albert Schweitzer, whose work in Africa was a major influence on my father's decision to go to Africa.

Before leaving California, my father had a gramophone record player outfitted to run on a car battery. Our home at Makumira did not have electricity, but we could hear classical music every evening, while he charged the battery in the car every morning on the way to Arusha or wherever.

In this way Peter and my father enjoyed a close friendship.

Chris Nelson

I continue to enjoy my 24 photos on ntz.

I arranged to meet Ax where a track takes off northwards from the Arusha-Dodoma Road towards Engaruka. Ax brought with him his two teenaged daughters and Peter Badura-Skoda, a friend from Arusha whose landrover we travelled in.