Hail Haydn

It was a fitting tribute with strings to that master of symphonies Joseph Haydn. A Hungarian ensemble,Auer String Quartet,came together to commemorate the composer’s 200th death anniversary that falls on May 31. The concert at the India International Centre opened with a fiery yet folksy composition that blended lofty classicism with the free-spiritedness of gypsies.

“Haydn popularised the string quartet music. To us,his music is supreme and we just try to do our best with it,” said Vilmos Oláh,the lead violinist of the quartet that was formed in 1990 by the students of Ferenc Liszt Academy of Music,Budapest. Skilfully paced and characterised by intricate strumming patterns,the violins and the viola made their way through a series of weighty yet harmonious cello chords as String Quartet No. 7 came to life. The quartet’s performance was received with applause and it led them on to some playful extemporisation. “Our notes are always formally written but they are just 40 per cent of what we eventually perform. Impromptu sessions similar to those of the Indian classical music are the most fun,” said the cellist Akos Takács. “That is precisely why we are all fans of your music,especially of Pandit Ravi Shankar,” added the violinist Gábor Berán.