Jazz from the land of Mozart, Hayden

Yes, that may sound preposterous but it’s true. We had two jazz musicians from Austria, the land of Mozart, Hayden, and Schubert, masters whose music lifts the soul to the highest, the most sublime plains of existence and makes it waft over celestial meadows, light years away from jazz.

These musicians were Cristoph Haritzer (clarinet) and Paul Schuberth (accordion). The most avante-garde jazz and classics may make strange bedfellows but then that’s the way it was.

At a musical performance held at the National Academy of Performing Arts (Napa) on Tuesday night, they opened the account with a tune with alternating tempo, swift jazzy movements alternating with slow, soporific ones. Unconventional as the music sounded, it seemed to have held the audience spellbound with rounds of hearty applause every now and then. 

The tune was followed by others with the same frantically discordant rhythm, something that is a characteristic of jazz. While the older, more orthodox of music buffs may not have been swept away by it, the younger crowd, who were a slight majority among the audience, seemed to relish it.

Actually, we have to get accustomed to the new genre of music, the 21st genre, because that is what music is now. What was discordant a hundred years ago is melody today. Times change and so do concepts. We mustn’t allow our choices and prejudices to harden along with our arteries.

At a certain juncture, clarinetist Cristoph Haritzer changed over to the bass clarinet and both musicians maintained complete harmony and coordination. At one juncture, the tunes seemed to reflect influences of Pushtoon music.

However, there was an Austrian folk tune, “Wann i die sternlein sielig”, which decidedly was their best. Even though a little jazzed up, it still reflected the classical Austrian influences. One could get the feel of Austria with its enchanting woods and the beautiful mountainous, pastoral landscape. It had a strong element of folk rhythm. This was the tune that must have captivated all the audience, young or old. It was most beautifully, meticulously rendered. While Haritzer excelled at the clarinet, Schuberth did so at the accordion. His nimble, swift movement of fingers at the accordion was marvellous.

Then came fusion music, something that seems to be a fad these days. This included a tune by Haritzer on the flute and Ustad Waqas Gulab on the Tabla. All one could say is it was interesting. Ustad Gulab’s deft, nimble fingerwork on the Tabla was superb. And, both of them, managed to produce harmony. It was a highly commendable performance.

To begin with, the programme began with subcontinental classical music with Ustad Akhtar Hussain on the Sarangi and Ustad Bashir Khan on the Tabla. It was a lilting, soporific, melodious rendition they presented.

Then there was a Thumri with Ustad Salamat Hussain on the transverse flute and Ustad Waqas  Gulab on the Tabla.  It was the Raag Peelu. It was executed most deftly with perfect coordination between the two artistes.

What was highly commendable was the inclusion of subcontinental music as it was an ideal attempt to acquaint our youth with their cultural heritage and induce them to appreciate classical music, taking their minds off those ear-splitting, nerve-raking pops. Napa certainly deserves a pat on the back for this endeavour.