Coming round the bend in the pitch darkness, suddenly in front of us, like something out of a fairytale, the Palace was ablaze with lights, its compact form illuminated from the topmost spire down to the ground ! Dating from the mid-nineteenth century, the palace is an Indo Saracenic extravaganza, set in 700 acres of park land, built by Major Charles Mant, a Scottish Engineer ! Still home to the Gaekwad family and the current Maharaja, it was part of an expansive building programme which shaped much of Baroda City, a hundred-and-fifty years ago.
The concert was to be staged in the grand Darbar Hall of Lukshmi Villas Palace - featuring 15 clarinetists mostly from Leon, in France, 'L'Ensemble de Clarinettes de Vouiron', celebrating a fusion of Western and Eastern music. The red carpet was out and shoes were to be removed. The Hall, with its Belgian stain glass panels, was lit by huge crystal chandeliers and the intricate Italian mosaic floor was covered by a vast, soft, white duvet. Gold lozenger shaped bolsters were dotted around for guests to lean against through the 2 hour programme ! And wide doors opened onto an Italianate courtyard, with fountains creating spurts and cascades of water, the cool air drifting into the hall beyond and the background splash, setting the mood for the evening.
But far from being a fusion of sounds, it seemed more like an occasional 'infusion', as the tempo and intricacies of the clarinet, bear little relation to the haunting sound of the Indian bamboo flute and the tabla and dholak, create a distinctive and urgent rhythm, which is essentially Indian.
This was an occasion for the high society of the town - they were all present, exquisitely dressed in saris and the men in kurtis, whilst the Western expat community was represented in their full complement, of about 30 people, mostly employed on contract, by foreign European companies.
The concert was to be staged in the grand Darbar Hall of Lukshmi Villas Palace - featuring 15 clarinetists mostly from Leon, in France, 'L'Ensemble de Clarinettes de Vouiron', celebrating a fusion of Western and Eastern music. The red carpet was out and shoes were to be removed. The Hall, with its Belgian stain glass panels, was lit by huge crystal chandeliers and the intricate Italian mosaic floor was covered by a vast, soft, white duvet. Gold lozenger shaped bolsters were dotted around for guests to lean against through the 2 hour programme ! And wide doors opened onto an Italianate courtyard, with fountains creating spurts and cascades of water, the cool air drifting into the hall beyond and the background splash, setting the mood for the evening.
But far from being a fusion of sounds, it seemed more like an occasional 'infusion', as the tempo and intricacies of the clarinet, bear little relation to the haunting sound of the Indian bamboo flute and the tabla and dholak, create a distinctive and urgent rhythm, which is essentially Indian.
This was an occasion for the high society of the town - they were all present, exquisitely dressed in saris and the men in kurtis, whilst the Western expat community was represented in their full complement, of about 30 people, mostly employed on contract, by foreign European companies.
Wow, that is absolutely stunning!!
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