In The Afternoon With Cecilia

Before heading down to see the Cecilia String Quartet on Sunday, I stopped by Madras Masala for some dosas. Given the similarity in description, it's hard to remember which dosa option I have previously ordered though I've been here many times. But I'm certain I've never had the chili cheese masala dosa because it was like eating addictive junk food (in a good way). No doubt it's an "authentic" dish but the combination of gooey, melted cheddar, spicy chili flakes, and crunchy dosa shell was like eating the greasiest, lip-smacking yummiest guilty pleasure potato chips ever.

Afterwards, I headed down to the Music Garden. This small park nestled along the boardwalk near Spadina Ave and Queen's Quay often host musical acts. Today, the Toronto quartet was performing Haydn's String Quartet In D Major (wryly acknowledged by the MC as incorrectly listed as a "Sun" quartet in the program guide) and Ravel's String Quartet in F Major. It was a bit cool in the shade, and one violinist did jumping jacks before the show to warm up.

With only a passing familiarity with classical music, I wish they did more than simply list the movements in the pieces. In any case, the two compositions had easily distinguishable styles. The Haydn piece sounded "old-fashioned" with runs and ornamentation. The Ravel quartet had a "modern" sound with its rhythmic pizzicatos and repeating phrases with a "film-score" feel. I chuckled to myself about the supposed gypsy-like feel in the Haydn, a little bit like how European ballroom tango drains most vitality from Argentine tango.

The performers physically interacted with the music in different ways. Min-Jeong Koh (violin) and Rachel Desoer (cello) were on the whole composed and contained. Caitlin Boyle (viola) and Sarah Nematallah (violin) had animated gestures: shoulders sliding, eyebrows wiggling, smiles and grimaces.