Presse Nigéria 2007

DAILY NEWS FROM NIGERIA.

Le Petit orchestra swing show in Enugu

OVO ADAGHA Posted to the Web: Sunday, June 03, 2007

LAST week, Le Petit Jazz orchestra Swing De France, a French classical music group currently on tour of some selected Nigerian cities berthed at the Zodiac Poolside, Enugu. On stage was the brilliant French violinist and conductor, Laurent Zeller, backed by Alain Wilsch and Giles Parodi on the lead and bass string chords. Together, they formed a rich ensemble which thrilled the audience with a high- ranging repertoire of selected classical pieces.

The first three acts were classical masterpieces. They were Serge Gainsbourg's La Javanaise, Charles Trenet's Menilmontant, and Edith Piaf's Hymne a L'Amour. All which represented the symphonie fantastique of modern French classical music as it is known today. Other masterpieces were to follow in quick succession and the audience enjoyed every minute of it.

It was a small ensemble by any standards (comprising only three men) nonetheless the orchestration was rich in harmonic fervour. They emphasized the sensuous and symphonic effects available to the modern orchestra. More often than not, they seemed to break with classical tradition, giving the melody to the brass section and transferring the percussive function to the strings of the lead guitar.

Quite remarkable was the amazing skill and ease with which Laurent Zeller rendered the works that were most likely composed on other media, the keen aesthetic sense he attributed to them, and how he succeeded not only in preserving the original content of the songs but also creating a unique style that clarified its structure.

He had a magnetic influence over crowd, not the unruly chants one would usually see at hip hop shows. He was different, his violin lures you to keep quite and listen, for fear of missing any note. Listening and watching him play did something to one's senses.

It was magical. There was no awkwardness in him and he appeared unaffected by nothing else but the instrument in his hand, over which he had such superb control .

He augmented his high musical scores with varying anecdotes of his prowess in Igbo language. Cheerfully re-enacting to the audience the few Igbo words he had learnt on the day. This again won him applause from the crowd which cut across several strata of the society. But it was not all about Laurent Zeller, his compatriots, Alain Wilsch and Giles Parodi, were equally impressive and resourceful in their display. They were a delight to watch and provided a melodious rhythm on which the songs flowe For most people in the audience, and some who were probably listening to the violin for the first time in their lives, it was an invaluable experience. The concert was by all means a success. Once again, it came about as an offshoot of the working partnership between the art bodies in Enugu, The Alliance Francaise, MUSE and FRCN, who contributed in one way or the other to make the show a reality. The virtuoso performance of musicians indeed paid tribute to the French cultural and musical heritage and after 90 minutes of ethereal music, the actors rose to a standing ovation from the appreciative audience.