It is like an abstract painting. Only, instead of a splash of colours seemingly random and with no recognisable shape, it is music with a splash of sounds, not set in any familiar format. But just as it does in the art work - stare long enough at it and it begins to make sense – the music too comes together before long.
A set plan could be good, but is it always fun? This seems to be the mantra of the German ensemble Mahaphon Clang. A bunch of four young Germans, calling themselves Laurstark!4 play along with Ramesh Shotham, a percussionist from Chennai. They are Jan F. Kurth, on the vocals, Matthias Kurth on the guitar, Litz Streun on the saxophone and bass clarinet and Demian Kappenstein on the drums. They are not willing to classify their music into any genre, but if you insist on buttonholing it, they reluctantly call it “improvised music”.
To the audience, it all seems strange at first. The percussion instruments, a saxophone and a guitar apart, sounds are coaxed out of chain links, brooms, chimes, bells, kitchen/garden tools, beads, steel plates and even bubble wrap. And somehow it all sounds like music!
While introducing the young musicians wearing bright sweat suits with Indian motifs on their sleeves, Ramesh describes Jan as “a vocal acrobat”, and as he begins to sing, we realise why. The sheer power and versatility of Jan's voice is shocking. There are times when he looks like a kid playing at being a robot, making peculiar sounds. But strangely, he makes it work.
Open to interpretation
It is interesting how people in the audience interpret the music. Some say parts of it reminds them of church music, while some others say it is like tribal music. The musicians are happy with that. May be that is the reason they don't have titles for their pieces. It is left open to interpretation. And every time they play, it is something new they come up with. They often come up with names for their composition after they finish a piece!
India has inspired them, they say. Their music reflects her sounds, chaos, colour and bustle. Demian saw a lady sweeping with a broom, he heard the sounds it made, and, lo and behold, the broom became a source of music. A meal at Annapoorna inspired a composition about Indian chillies!
Thakka dhimmi, thakka dhimmi begins Ramesh and soon Lutz joins in on the saxophone. The tempo builds up as Demian makes music with his drums, steel plates, the metal base of the mikes…he flings sticks around, rattles beads, produces sound with wind chimes, sticks, elbows, fingers, everything. His fellow-musicians crouch nearby, closely watching, waiting for the right time to jump into the musical fray. It has been an hour and a half. And the reaction to Mahapon Clang? Repelling, intriguing, stunning, entertaining… but most of all unforgettable, about sums it up.
Mahaphon Clang will now proceed to Chennai, followed by concerts in Thiruvananthapuram and then Chandigarh.
