An affair to remember and cherish...

At the end of a light but tiring day, I attended a violin concert on campus. I have always loved the instrument…. A tiny piece of wood that when used by a master reproduces the human emotions with amazing finesse and dexterity. A master violinist can make a violin sing, quite unlike the other musical instruments (well, so I think !! You are free to agree or disagree… ). The sound that it makes, although melancholic always touches my soul. I love everything about the instrument from its sound and its range to how it is played. Seeing a violin being played is reminiscent of a love affair… the violinist cradles the instrument gently on his shoulders as his hands deftly play the strings. The fiddle flirts with the strings and what arises is a beautiful symphony of love, agony and ecstasy… While the tone of the instrument is a little elegiac, forlorn and nostalgic, It also brings out rapture and ecstasy like no other instrument simply because the contrast in stark … !!! The ecstasy appears to come from the depths of agony and is therefore surreal…

The violin inspires me … something about it is just so intimate and romantic, distant and honest and so wonderfully alluring that every time I hear it being played, I wish to learn it. In some ways, If I were to liken myself with any musical instrument, I would probably choose the violin….
A violin reminds me of man's ingenuity and greatness… imagine making a piece of wood sing like that. I can only imagine the joy of the person who first made the instrument !!! :)

Today's concert was great as I had expected. Being no musician myself, I do not understand the technicalities of raagam, taanam, pallavi or kriti but I like attending classical concerts . Firstly, I love the feel and sound of the music. I like it when my body feels the rhythm in the music and moves along effortlessly. I like the rhythm as it gradually builds ultimately reaching a crescendo and envelops the entire hall in a frenetic dream. Secondly, seeing such ability in others reaffirms my belief in human skill and ingenuity which often gets eroded in the my daily encounters. What I also love seeing is the expression on the musician's or artist's countenance. As he creates a beautiful melody a beatific smile lingers on the face, the eyes dance with joy to the rhythm that was newly created, the fingers dance as if in a divine trance and at that moment in time you can see sheer bliss and joy.

I guess a concert is a gentle reminder of the sheer brilliance of human skill and ability which I tend to lose track of amidst the daily monotony.