On Saturday evening there was a unique opportunity to see the Russian Balalaika Quartet, Karavai, in Abingdon. Thy came thanks to George Haslam, who has so many musical contacts. They performed at the Royal British Legion, just after the 10pm Meat draw, having sped over from a concert in Dorchester.
Their leader asked through their interpreter “What is this instrument?”
The audience hazarded a guess … “Balalaika?”
The Balalaika has just three strings, two of them the same.
The music produced by such a simple instruments was amazing. The quartet began with Russian folk songs, then played Russian arrangements of songs from round the world, including an Irish Ballad, and Eleanor Rigby by the Beatles.
We sat at the front table and, when they ended their half hour performance, were moved to stand up, like X Factor judges, acknowledging a simply incredible, and very moving, performance.
Pictured above are the interpreter, the Balalaika Quartet, and George Haslam (who played baritone sax before they arrived) and Steve Kershaw (who played double bass with George).
Karavai are here from the Russian City Perm, in the Urals – twinned with Oxford. They would love to play at the Liverpool Festival.
