The great film-maker and novelist Klaus Voswinckel died recently in Munich on his 81st birthday. His life is commemorated in this obituary.

In his prose he “dances weightlessly between narrative, essay, poetry and sensual philosophy”. He created a wealth of vivid TV films, often with his wife Ulrike, portraying a wide range of musicians—such as The divine drummer: a journey to Ghana, Winterreise: Schubert in Siberia, Steve Reich: music in the words, and A step towards my longing: the composer Sofia Gubaidulina.

Dividing his time between Germany and Italy, Klaus would visit his accomplished daughter Esther and her family in Istanbul, where I was among a multitude inspired by his kindly, gentle soul and wise, good-humoured company. His heart was in Salento, whose popular culture he also documented on film. He was enchanted by taranta—a theme of his novel Tarantella oder Hölderlin tanzt, which I introduced here. So perhaps it’s suitable to send Klaus off with the passionate, intoxicating songs of his friend Enza Pagliara: