Pavana (Pistoia), August 6, 2026 – Also Pavana is in mourning. In the small hamlet of Sambuca Pistoiese nestled in the Apennines, on the Tuscan side but overlooking Castel Di Casio, all is silent while in front of Guccini’s house reporters pass by peeking beyond the closed green gate that blocks the path leading to the Maestro’s large house. The intercom bears the handwritten note “Guccini Fra.”, discreetly. The same discretion that always characterized the Maestro in life and now even a few hours after his death.
A discretion and silence that pervades the entire small hamlet of few souls who, as in a shared mourning, gather to mourn their fellow citizen. Loved, known all his life, here in Pavana, Guccini had regularly frequented the areas that belonged to him from birth since his mother’s relatives lived here.
“Before falling ill he was at the club singing for the Proloco”
For an indefinite number of years Guccini lived and frequented his Pavana, as those who knew him from childhood like his friend Lino Pieraccini, the Maestro’s neighbor. “He was excellent. Not just good, excellent,” says his friend Lino. “We were kids when we used to roam down these hills gathering chestnuts and stealing fruit at night,” he confesses while Lino’s eyes also smile remembering life anecdotes spent alongside Guccini.
“In recent times, even up to a couple of months ago before falling ill, he had also been at the club singing for the Proloco, as we used to do as kids when we all sat together and he sang.” Then, the recent times, when still “many times he called me there” to the house behind the green gate from which Mr. Pieraccini is just across the street. “And I didn’t want to go disturb him but he came back here and called me. He was excellent.”
“Francesco Guccini was wisdom”
“Francesco Guccini was wisdom. He was knowledgeable about everything and was always ready for all my questions. His culture and knowledge, as well as his humanity, always impressed me. He was not discriminatory, he was a person close to everyone.” These are the words of Lisabetta Piludu, owner of the Caciosteria dei Due Ponti, where the singer-songwriter often stopped to eat. “I feel lucky to have met him. I will miss his voice.”
Read more The thousand lives of Guccini: music, writing, and teaching. «Contemporary poet and intellectual»
