It was a melting pot of music, of the European kind. Riccardo Carlotto, an Italian and Ladislav Brozman from Slovakia played well in their European style. But they let their music coalesce, to a soothing effect.

Bangaloreans were treated to a smorgasbord of music — Gypsy, Spanish, Italian and Czechoslovakian music — at Ganjam store in Leela Palace last week.

The concert began with Vivaldi  by Svendsen. This romantic piece began at a slow pace and gradually gathered momentum towards the end. It’s a piece about the composer’s love for the sun, which one hardly gets to see in Sweden. He talked about the warmth of the sun and correlated it to the four seasons of the year - the blossoming flowers, the dusk and the nightfall.

Spanish De Talk  was dedicated to all those in love. Gypsy song  was quieter like a lullaby. Its extreme described the unending passion between a man and a woman. The duo also performed traditional Gypsy and Hungarian music that’s commonly described as tribal beats back in their respective hometowns.

Another interesting song titled, Pacsirtha, was dedicated to the lark. This was a combination of gypsy and tango. A fast one apt for anyone to hit the dance floor taking one through the wilderness of Spain.

“There are as many violins as there are breads in every home in Slovakia. Everybody has a song on his lips and an instrument in hand and they break into a song anytime, anywhere. That’s how I picked up my music,” says Brozman.

To experiment with music, Brozman says it has to sound peculiar and rich. “I am open to creating good music but I must be convinced by the mix and the blend,” says Brozman who began playing the violin when he was just seven. 

As a young man, Brozman moved to New York in 1978, where he studied under violinist M Benat, head of the conservatory of White Planes and member of the New Yorker Philharmonic Orchestra. After his return to Switzerland he entered the conservatory of Zurich. The works of Mozart, Beethoven, Tartini, Brahms, Saint Saens, Debussy, Ravel and Prokofjeff have influenced Brozman a great deal.

Riccardo says there are talas and ragas in every pieces he composes, tunes and plays. “It’s in my blood. Indian music is very static but there’s some movement even in that, which is  the best part of Indian music,” says Riccardo. 

After a brief stay in Spain, he moved to India in 1991 and presently resides at Auroville where he gives piano lessons, teaches recorder, music, composition and performance. He also gives various recitals, chamber and soloist, in and around Auroville, in other Indian major cities and Europe.