Keeping the programme diverse, the Riga Saxophone Quartet played some transcriptions, classical music, jazz music and pieces in a rare performance. By Jigyasu Joshi
“My all-time favourite is sitar maestro Ravi Shankar and he is an inspiration for me,” said latvian saxophonist Artis Simanis, the founder of the Riga Saxophone Quartet. The band was on their maiden trip to India to celebrate the International Day of Peace and the seventh World Flute Festival. In the serene night breeze, under the starry sky, the Quartet took the audience on a musical journey with their 50 minute gig. With their wide-ranging repertoire, the artistic ensemble performed classical works, original 20th and 21st century works, compositions of world famous jazz composers, lyrical melodies and engaging rhythms of latin American music.
Simanis was all praise for Indian musicians and found them “breath-taking.” So enamoured is he that as organiser of a music festival in Riga, which happens every second year, he invites Indian saxophonists and some excellent drummers.
Further speaking about Indian music, he said, “The improvisation that comes from Indian musical instruments and music is on the basics. This we find difficult to develop with other musical instruments.” He believes that though there are numerous forms of instruments in different countries of the world, music has a common language worldwide. “It has that essence which brings together people from different cultures. It is about meditation, the feelings and connecting people beyond differences,” he added
Artis, who has been awarded the latvian Great Music Award, the highest form of recognition in latvian music, shared his journey which was initially tough. “I had a difficult journey in the beginning of the quartet since we started with concerts for children in schools and playing in churches. However, things are better now and we do a lot of music shows in latvia and outside,” he said.
Performing at The Taj Mahal Hotel, the Quartet played some transcriptions, some classical music by Joseph Hyden; some jazz music and some original pieces. Ciudades-Sarajevo (Bosnia and Herzegovina 2011) and Air of Johann Sebastian Bach of Guillermo lago were among the other interesting pieces.
Other band members were also excited to play for the Indian audience. Beside Artis, this Quartet has Ainars Šablovskis on tenor saxophone, Baiba Tilhena on baritone saxophone and Katrina Kivleniece on soprano saxophone. Ainars, who has been a part of the Quartet from as long as it was formed, said, “I started with playing piano because my sister is a professional pianist and I used to listen to her every morning. But I always wanted to play saxophone. For some reason, I loved the instrument. But when I wanted to take lessons, a teacher wasn’t available. This was latvia 25 years ago.”
Ainars believes that saxophone has long been associated with a stereotype of being a jazz instrument, whereas it is more than that. “It is totally wrong. Saxophones were initially used in the military bands of France and Belgium. Sound of this instrument can be very soft and can also be really powerful, so it became popular with the military bands. later on, when the instrument was introduced to the jazz musicians, they found it interesting and they included it then to their music style.”
Elaborating about the Quartet, Baiba Tilhena said, “Our quartet introduced classical latvian music. Playing saxophone in church was a really new concept in those days. In the beginning, it was hard but slowly and slowly we flourished.” Baiba, who is also a saxophone student at the latvian Academy of Music, said that they always change repertoire and try to play something fresh every time. “I think it is very important to mention that the music instrument industry has changed, the preferences have changed and people now look forward to the classics also. It is not just the simple or new music that they enjoy. So we need to adapt to that change and we try and do it as much as we can,” she said.
Remembering one of her most memorable performances, she said, “It was last year, that we were performing in Uzbekistan and the weather outside was like 53 degrees and the venue of the concert was equally hot. So it was really hard to play then and I clearly remember our condition,” she chuckled. But then music just flowed.y