The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
Arts
Friday, April 14, 2017 — 5

 
COURTESY OF SANAM MARVI

CLASSICAL MUSIC COLUMN

Springtime, breeze and 

Bach on the lawn

Wednesday morning I knew 

exactly what I was going to 
write about tonight. I woke 
up to find the whole day 
directed toward the object 
of my desire, a concert by 
the ensembles A Far Cry and 
Roomful of Teeth taking place 
in the evening. Last week I 
interviewed 
the 
composers 

and a violinist involved in it 
for this publication. This week 
I attended a discussion by the 
composer Ted Hearne, whose 
music and presence was an 
integral part of the program. I 
hadn’t been this excited about 
any one single thing for several 
months, at least. I was going 
to attend the concert, go home 
and pour my heart out about 
Caroline Shaw, Ted Hearne and 
the incomparable virtuosity of 
these two ensembles.

But I can’t write about it 

now. I just can’t find the words. 
It was simply too good, and 
happened too recently. It seems 
cliché, but it’s true. I’m still 
internalizing the experience, 
and before I try to tell you 
anything about it, I have to live 
with it for a bit. But here we are, 
and this is my last column of the 
year. So I’ll make this promise 
— in a few months time, when 
we all return to Ann Arbor, I’ll 
have figured out something to 
say. But in the meantime, let’s 
talk about Bach.

During my final two years 

of high school, I studied music 
as a boarding student, at a 
school that was technically 
part of a university. Most of us 
students lived on campus, and 
— lacking a car or other means 
of 
transportation 
— 
that’s 

basically where we spent all 
of our time. Usually our days 
were filled with the work of 
honing our art, but as the end 
of the academic year drew in 
upon us in the springtime, 
often we would find a few 
hours to sit and simply enjoy 
the newly pleasant weather. 
At the heart of campus there 
was a little collection of grass, 
trees and picnic tables where I 
and some friends would sit and 
read.

Across the grass there was 

sometimes 
a 
woman 
who, 

on particularly sunny and 
pleasant days, would practice 
the violin in the open air. It isn’t 
an extremely common thing, 
I’ve found, for a musician to 

practice their instrument in a 
place where they can be easily 
overheard by others, especially 
other 
musicians. 
Generally 

the fear of judgment might 
dissuade one from such an 
act, but this violinist seemed 
to have no such reservations. 
And she was, after all, very 
good, and the weather was 
very attractive. But as I would 
sit reading, I would listen 
half-attentively to her music, 
which, almost invariably, was 
the solo music of J.S. Bach. 

Bach is a name that is nearly 

universally recognizable. Even 
those who aren’t musicians or 
listeners of classical generally 
know something about him 
(even if it’s only his Toccata 
in D Minor). And this is with 
good reason: He is, after all, 
generally 
regarded 
as 
the 

greatest composer in all of 
history, a reputation which 
I find to be well deserved. 
Everything he touched came 
out perfect. There is just no 
bad piece by Bach, as far as I 
can tell. But if I were to pick 
just one little corner of his 
music to use to introduce him 
to others, it would have to 
be his music for solo string 
instruments. 

Nearly everyone is familiar 

with the first movement of the 
first cello suite (if you think 
you’re not, go listen to it and 
realize you’re wrong), but 
that famous piece is merely 
the beginning of a huge body 
of work that is breathtaking. 
Over the course of his life, 
Bach composed three sonatas 
and three partitas for solo 
violin and six suites for solo 
cello, somewhere around five 
hours of music. All of it is 
worth listening to, but there 
are definitely moments that 
stand out. The Chaconne from 
the Partita in D Minor comes 
to mind, as does the Fugue 
from the Sonata in C Major. 

One of the most appealing 

things 
about 
Bach’s 
solo 

string music is the air of 
simplicity it conveys. While 
it is (like all of Bach’s music) 
extremely 
complex 
and 

nuanced, somehow he is able 
to convey the impression of 
plainness — plainness not in 
the sense of something boring 
or ordinary, but in the sense 
of a sort of forthrightness, 
a lack of pretension. The 
sound of someone playing 
alone, almost to themselves, 
transmits a feeling that the 
music is somehow speaking 
directly to you, that you are 
hearing something which no 
one else is hearing. More than 
that, it simply sounds truthful, 
somehow. 
The 
stunning 

violinist Hilary Hahn once 
remarked that she hasn’t gone 
a day since she was eight years 
old 
without 
playing 
Bach, 

because he is “the touchstone 
that keeps my playing honest.” 
This honesty is something that 
you can hear in the music.

And maybe it is just the 

associations I have with this 
music, but to me it sounds like 
something else I inexplicably 
tie to honesty: a sunny day. 
When I hear it I think of 
spring weather, and when I 
find myself in spring weather, 
I want to hear it. Now that it 
seems spring has finally come 
to Ann Arbor for good this 
year, I took a few hours out 
of my week to just sit outside 
and listen to Bach, something 
which I also did last year and a 
practice I highly recommend. 
It’s a meditation of sorts, a 
space that you can create 
outside of the stress and the 
worry of the end of term and of 
finals, a place where you can 
exist as merely yourself, alone 
with the music. 

So, if you can find a moment 

for it, this is my suggestion, 
especially if you are feeling 
the pressure of the close of 
semestre. 
Go 
outside 
and 

take a walk, silently. Meander 
through the Arb or down to the 
Huron. Avoid thinking about 
all the things that trouble 
you. Find a pleasant patch of 
grass, lie down and put on a 
recording of Bach. Exist in 
that moment for as long as 
you can. When you’re done, I 
promise, for whatever reason 
things will be better. 

DAYTON 

HARE

COMMUNITY CULTURE PREVIEW

UMS presents Sufi poetry

“I fill this earthen vessel with 

love for my Beloved / I fill this 
earthen vessel with love for my 
Lord / I fear only the wrath of 
Allah / I fear only the wrath 
of my Lord” — “Mahi Yaar Di 
Gharoli” by Sachal Sarmast, 
Bulleh Shah and Shah Hussain

Sanam 
Marvi, 
renowned 

singer of Pakistan and South Asia, 
performs 
many 

poems like “Mahi 
Yaar Di Gharoli” 
in 
the 
native 

languages of her 
country. Trained in 
Sufi and folk music, 
her voice captivates 
audiences with her 
chillingly hypnotic 
and beautiful tones.

Generally, 
Marvi 
performs 

for Pakistani and South Asian 
audiences, where she is in high 
demand. However, she decided to 
return to the United States for her 
fourth tour. 

“[I] saw it as an opportunity 

to perform for non-South Asian 
audiences. [I] felt that this was 
great opportunity to get [my] 
music across” Marvi said through 
translator Arieb Azhar, a guest 
artist performing with Marvi. 

Born in the Pakistani province 

of Sindh, Marvi sings in languages 
such as Sindhi, Saraiki, Punjabi, 
Urdu 
and 
Hindi, 
which 
are 

prevalent around different areas of 
the Indus River. 

“They are connected languages, 

but of course very different,” Marvi 
said. “The message of the poems [I 
sing are] the same.” 

Marvi’s career in music began at 

a very young age. Her father trained 
her, and upon realizing her talent, 

he exposed her to the masters of 
Pakistani classical music. 

“Anyone who wants to get 

into music seriously has to start 
studying from the basics and the 
basics are classical music whether 
you choose to specialize in folk, 
semi classical or classical. But to 
gain a real knowledge of music you 
have to study from the classical 
masters,” Marvi said.

While music in Pakistan is 

different than in the United States, 
it is a highly valued aspect of society. 

Respected 
poets 

write the majority 
of the songs, and 
folk music is an 
important 
part 

of 
carrying 
on 

traditions 
and 

messages of love 
and faith.

“90 percent of 

the folk music in Pakistan consists 
in singing the poetry of the various 
poets of Pakistan who have written 
Sufi poetry in the diverse languages 
of Pakistan. So people sing that 
poetry and take that message 
forward,” Marvi said.

The messages of Sufism strive 

to teach the customs of Pakistan 
and to preserve these traditions 
through song. On a deeper level, 
these songs serve to connect the 
audience with something within 
themselves.

“People say that Sufism is the 

mystical side of Islam, but the Sufis 
themselves say that Sufism is a 
message for all humanity,” Marvi 
said. “The message is an inclusive 
message of universal humanity, 
of connecting with each other as 
human beings before anything else. 
The message is one of connecting 
with the divine inside each of us in 
our own ways and connecting with 
the oneness of all existence.” 

Marvi does not sing in English, 

but that does not prevent anyone 
from 
understanding 
the 
true 

beauty of her lyrics. Whether one 
is fluent in a Pakistani language 
or not, all will be able to relate to 
emotion that Marvi draws from.

“Even 
if 
someone 
doesn’t 

understand the language, they 
will understand the sounds that 
are being created through her 
vocals, through the instruments 
that are being played … Music is 
the same all over the world. Notes 
are the same, being in tune is the 
same … they will understand the 
feeling of communion through the 
performance,” Marvi said. 

Marvi is extremely popular in 

her home country. According to 
Azhar, her success is due to her 
proper training by the masters. 

“It was just a matter of time 

before [I] became exposed to the 
public,” Marvi said. “The first time 
it came about in 2009 when [I] was 
picked up to perform at this very 
respectable television program on 
folk and classical music.” 

Afterwards, 
Coke 
studio, 

financed by Coca Cola, signed 
with Marvi and she has performed 
with them for the past seven years. 
Arieb has also performed with this 
contemporary Pakistan program. 
Marvi’s career skyrocketed from 
there as more and more people 
flocked to hear her mesmerizing 
singing.

“The only message [I] can give 

is to encourage people to come and 
listen to the music. [I hope] to put on 
a great performance,” Marvi said. 

By bringing Sanam Marvi to the 

University, UMS is creating an even 
more diverse array of performers. 
As a solo artist from across the 
globe, Marvi adds to the cultivation 
of the art community in Ann Arbor. 
Her traditions and unique style 
offer a voice for a culture that is 
often overlooked. 

FALLON GATES
Daily Arts Writer

Although last season “Veep” 

closed — more like slammed — 
a door in Selina’s (Julia Louis-
Dreyfus, “Seinfeld”) face, it 
opened another one 
to the possibilities 
following 
her 

rejection 
by 

“both the people 
of 
America 
and 

Congress.” 
The 

acclaimed comedy 
returns 
for 
its 

sixth season after 
Selina’s bid for the presidency 
took a comedically unfortunate 
and unintentionally realistic 
turn — something her character 
is quite familiar with. Though 
now she’s free to explore who 
she is outside of the White 
House, it seems that the show’s 
writers are still figuring out 
what this looks like.

While 
Selina’s 
loss 

unknowingly foresaw the turn 
the real-world election would 
take following its finale, this 
season draws on the events 
marking the life of a former 
president, 
taking 
its 
story 

away from the White House 
into uncharted territory for 
the series. Not many shows 

can leave audiences on the 
note of uncertainty that the 
series did in the previous 
season finale. “Veep” did so 
with the understanding that 
the inherent humor central to 
the show is Selina’s inability 
to get what she wants. But this 

left the show in 
a tricky spot, 
fragmenting 
its 
ensemble 

cast 
whose 

hilarity 
is 

rooted in their 
dynamic, 
and 

disassociating 
almost entirely 

from the political sphere in 
which most of its comedic 
action took place.

However, 
the 
season 

premiere does a beautiful job 
reintroducing its cast, newly 
situated 
in 
their 
careers 

following their ejection from 
the White House. The premiere 
opens on a CBS Morning 
interview between Selina and 
Dan Egan (Reid Scott, “Dean”), 
in which she describes the past 
year following her loss and her 
reacquaintance with herself. 
As she and Dan awkwardly 
banter, we glimpse Amy (Anna 
Chlumsky, “The End of the 
Tour”) 
watching 
from 
her 

new 
fiancé’s 
congressional 

campaign headquarters, before 
cutting to Ben (Kevin Dunn, 
“Code Black”) watching from 
the Uber office where he’s 
clearly the oldest and most 
out-of-touch employee. And 
from 
Mike’s 
(Matt 
Walsh, 

“Ted”) TV, we see children’s 
programming, marking his new 
life as a stay-at-home dad — 
though his ambition to return 
to work is soon revealed.

Following last season, it 

was unclear where Selina’s 
staffers would end up, but we 
now find them in scenarios in 
which their personalities are 
least likely to gel smoothly. 
Amy’s crass language is found 
offensive by the small-town 
campaign 
staff 
and 
Ben’s 

lack of a social conscience is 
found distasteful by the other 
Uber 
employees. 
Though 

their fundamental humor as 
characters is well-maintained, 
the desire to see them reunite 
is not lost.

Rather than focusing on 

the team’s former proximity, 
the new season taps into 
the unexplored potential of 
Selina’s 
relationships 
with 

some of the other characters 
— 
among 
which 
are 
her 

ex-husband 
Andrew 
(David 

Pasquesi, “Groundhog Day”), 
former bodyguard and new 

daughter-in-law 
Marjorie 

(Clea 
DuVall, 
“Argo”) 
and 

most importantly, her devoted 
body man Gary (Tony Hale, 
“Arrested 
Development”). 

Gary and Selina’s relationship, 
though intertwined from the 
start, has taken a turn into 
new territory, as he grows even 
more protective of her and 
becomes 
hilariously 
clingy, 

especially making his dislike of 
Andrew known.

While Gary overcompensates 

in his efforts to make his 
importance to Selina known, 
Selina’s 
own 
quest 
for 

relevance, 
something 
that 

has evaded her throughout 
her career, is met with just as 
many obstacles. Seeing Selina 
fall in the previous season 
finale was heartbreaking, but 
watching her try to climb back 
up is made even more painful 
by her desperation to return 
to her former office. At times 
it’s funny, like when she sits 

behind the desk of the Oval 
Office replica in President 
Hugh’s 
new 
presidential 

library in the second episode, 
but at others it feels like a tired 
joke — especially as the stakes 
are much lower now (what’s 
left to pursue after losing the 
highest office in the nation?).

Outside of the White House, 

Selina’s 
relentless 
ambition 

feels 
more 
like 
unbridled 

desperation, and her comeback 
plot feels unfocused as the 
series quickly diffuses her 
efforts to start a foundation 
then shuts down the possibility 
of her presidential library.

While she tries to secure 

her legacy as president, Selina 
is relegated to an office in the 
South Bronx, where her new 
headquarters embody her sense 
of being discarded from the 
sphere of political influence. 
There, 
she 
argues 
with 

Catherine (Sarah Sutherland, 
“Shut Up and Drive”) over her 

late mother’s endowment and 
attempts to retain what little 
control she has by refusing to 
let Marjorie call her “mom.”

Though it’s all still funny, 

especially 
in 
the 
events 

following the season premiere 
— 
including 
Jonah’s 
failed 

attempt to woo his dates into 
the possibility of a relationship 
and the revelation of Andrew’s 
infidelity — there’s a touch 
of more despairing humor, 
possibly 
mirroring 
the 

dissatisfaction characterizing 
our nation currently. 

Despite the season’s initial 

struggle and lack of clear 
direction for Selina, it’s sharply 
written 
dialogue, 
well 
of 

Kennedy jokes and references 
to Selina’s constant failure find 
themselves right at home again 
in the new season. 

The sixth season of “Veep” 

premieres on HBO April 16th.

HBO

Latest season of ‘Veep’ 
struggles to find footing

SHIR AVINADAV

Daily Arts Writer

TV REVIEW

“Veep”

HBO

Season 6 Premiere

Sundays at 10:30 

p.m.

UMS Presents 
Sanam Marvi

April 15th @ 8 p.m.

Rackham 
Auditorium

$22 - $42