French impromptu concert enthrals locals

Musicians improvised as they sounded like a mini-orchestra

ISLAMABAD: An ensemble of French classical and jazz musicians enthralled the audience at Lok Virsa’s recently renovated Bali Jatti Rooftop theatre on Tuesday evening.

Le Concert Impromptu performed music ranging from the pre-Napoleonic waltz to jazz classic and modern contemporary. The concert had been organised by the Embassy of France and Alliance Française d’Islamabad.

The musicians improvised their music, either played from memory or improvised instead of relying on sheet music. They took on music, text, choreography, and stage directing, juxtaposing it with Bach and Zappa, Villa-Lobos and Jobim, Coltrane and Vivaldi to construct an entirely new repertoire.

For its performance on Tuesday, the musicians performed to a desert-themed backdrop, a cushioned floor and subtle yellow lighting.

As it started to perform, the band sounded like a small orchestra because of the variety of notes from the flute, oboe, clarinet, horn and bassoon.

Their music was influenced by their home country, France, as well as continental Europe, North Africa and Central Asia.

True to their tradition, they collaborated with some local performers including Taimur Khan and Salman Adil who played the sarangi and the flute respectively.

Their rendition of Pavane pour une infante defunte (Pavane for a dead princess) was one of the most riveting performances of the night, leaving the audience mesmerized.

The band, a wind quintet, surprised the audience by attempting an orchestra piece — which is usually performed by 400 musicians.

Le Concert Impromptu also paid tribute to Claude Debussy by ‘painting with sound’.

The concert ended with a bold fusion of continental French music with the flute and sarangi that emphasized the universality of music.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 26^th, 2017.