Wind Quartet gives a taste of master composers of Western Classical Music

It is common knowledge that unlike the improvisational freedom in Indian classical music, there are precisely constructed compositions in western classical music, which are expressed in traditional notations. Listening to Symphony Orchestra’s Wind Quartet music provided yet another opportunity to realize that even within a composition there is scope for creativity in its interpretation. The four young players of the Quartet – Aigerim on the Flute, Al-Farabi on the Oboe, Raslan on the Clarinet and Alpamys on the Saxophone – all seated all through except when they rose to politely acknowledge at the end of each composition the listeners’ appreciation.

You do not need technical knowledge to appreciate either Indian classical music or Western classical music. Music pleases – it pleases the mind and sooths feelings. If that happens to you at a music event, you understand and like! It happened to many when Music Quartet performed at Natarani last Sunday evening (28/10). A couple of them more familiar with it kept greeting the players, flutist Aigerim in particular who led the band and communicated with the audience in English, with a smile. Mallika, almost ready to dance, swayed sideways expressing the joy she felt.

This emotional response, the response of the spirit within to it, is what makes the experience of listening to classical music a unique aesthetic experience. Even those in the audience who were not uninhibited enough to give a visible response – some embarrassingly give an audible response as well at concerts! – liked and silently appreciated this genre of music with a gentle smile. Compliments to Natarani in its bid to cultivate taste with a wide variety of performances.

The dainty one-hour Wind Quartet concert SOI presented with professional finesse ranged from the all-time great masters like Bach and Vivaldi of the Baroque era to those of the Renaissance like Mozart and Beethoven to the 19^th century romantic Tchaikovsky and beyond right up to Christian Daguet’s early 20^th century Banana Rag, which found an echo among the listeners. Looking forward to the Jazz Concert on November 3!