ISLAMABAD: A performance by Le Concert Impromptu, featuring music ranging from the pre-Napoleonic waltz to jazz classics and modern contemporary, was held at Lok Virsa’s Garden Avenue on Thursday.

The concert was organised by the Embassy of France and Alliance Française d’Islamabad. True to its name, Le Concert Impromptu either played from memory or improvised instead of relying on sheet music.

The concert was held at an outdoor venue with a desert-themed backdrop, a cushioned floor and subtle yellow lighting.

The band began by expressing their gratitude at being able to perform in Pakistan and discussed the memorable parts of their visit.

The band sounded like a small orchestra because of the variety of timbres from its various instruments: the flute, oboe, clarinet, horn and bassoon, and the consistency and clarity of their sound.

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

Their performance was fresh and finely balanced, which was particularly apparent in the way they collaborated with Taimur Khan and Salman Adil on the sarangi and flute.

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

Their command over their instruments was also consistently on display on Thursday night.

The band, a wind quintet, surprised the audience by attempting an orchestra piece usually performed by 400 musicians. Le Concert Impromptu also paid tribute to Claude Debussy by, as they said, painting with sound.

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

Published in Dawn, October 25th, 2017