The Financial Express (Delhi Edition)
GLOBAL HUMMING
Cross- cultural collaborations between Indian and western classical artistes are paving the way for some fine world music
Cross-cultural collaborations between Indian & western artistes are paving the way for some fine world music
VAISHNAV JAN toh taine kahiye je, peed parayi jaane hai, par dukhe upkaar kare koye, man
abhimaan na aane hai (Vaishnavas are those who feel the pain of others, help those in misery, but never let ego or conceit enter their minds). A little over three weeks ago, at Delhi’s Taj Mansingh, three violins paired themselves with a viola, a flute and a bassoon to play one of the country’s most famous hymns. Based on raag Khamaj, the tune was produced with incredible delicacy, rendered with the precision and effort usually put into a symphony by Bach and Mozart. Also, it isn’t often that one of the nation’s most popular hymns, written by 15th-century poet Narsinh Mehta, is played by a British or- (Left) US-based alto saxophone player Rudresh Mahanthappa chestra. It’s a hymn that was chanted in the years leading up to India’s independence and was also a favourite with Mahatma Gandhi.
Led by violinist Jacqueline Shave, a sextet from Londonbased chamber orchestra Britten Sinfonia gave us moments where it became easy to forget about sonic scales. It was ironical even, proving that music really does transcend all barriers. Supporting them in this performance was sarod maestro Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, who, along with sons Amaan Ali Khan and Ayaan Ali Khan, led the piece to perfection. “One has to find a meeting point. If you dilute any of the two forms, you are left with nothing. So that confluence is necessary,” Shave said before the concert.
In the 90-minute performance, what came across were the commonalities between western scales and Indian ra
gas, the poles-apart ideas of written music and the oral legacy of Indian classical music finding a meeting point. How, even as a plethora of musicians is busy working on the idea of fusion in the east-meets-West format in popular culture, a number of classical artistes on both sides of the spectrum are trying to find a confluence. “Finding common ground can be a little difficult to begin with. I wish I could read and write music, but I can’t. Indian classical music is all about improvisation. You have to feel it to play it, while every note played by western classical orchestras is written down,” said Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, who also collaborated with the 75-member Scottish Chamber Orchestra a few years ago.
A few monthsago, Delhi’s Siri Fort Auditorium resonated with a presentation from the BBC Symphony Orchestra that was organised by city-based organisation Seher, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and the British Council. The delicate yet organised adagios and canorous climaxes brought a unique experi- ence to the fore. Despite an array of moments and movements, which, for the lack of a better word, were exquisite with fine technique and finesse, the highlight for most of the Indian audiences was when the orchestra played Man dole mera tan dole, the famous ‘ been’ tune, on violins, cellos, flutes and horns. The integrity and sincerity in the piece permeated through. The awe was heard. Loudly.
L Subramaniam, India’s foremost violinist, recently headlined two performances at the Royal Opera House in Muscat, where he collaborated with the Royal Oman Symphony Orchestra. Another popular violinist from the country, Kala Ramnath, also collaborated with the London Symphony Orchestra for a piece that was written for her by the orchestra and performed it in London.
On the current American jazz scene, US-based alto saxophone player Rudresh Mahanthappa has been touring the world with some of the finest jazz names. He is mostly known in India for his collaborations with Grammy-nominated jazz musician Vijay Iyer and his work with jazz legend Bunky Green. But he has also collaborated with a number of Carnatic classical musicians. What is interesting about Mahanthappa’s music is that the musical arrangements are like conversations—specific responses to each other without stepping on anyone’s toes. “I actively avoid the term ‘fusion’ for this reason. There are many situations or collaborations where Indian and western musicians sit next to each other, playing in the same room or on the same stage, but not with each other. This is usually because there is a lack of knowledge as to how to go about creating a bridge between the two musical cultures, even though there are so many seamless paths between with regards to rhythm, melody and improvisation. I am not picking some of one and some of the other and smashing them together. The synthesis comes from years of internalising the sonic ideas and potentials of both forms,” he says.
As for western classical musicians joining forces with Indian classical musicians, the trend began with sitar maestro Pandit Ravi Shankar, who collaborated with iconic violinist Yehudi Menuhin for a slew of performances to put out music for audiences across the world. His 1971 collaboration with the London Symphony Orchestra is another wonderful example. Available as part of The Ravi
Shankar Collection, the performance has the orchestra members trying to fit into the framework of various Indian rhythms, with Shankar making sure that the sitar does not overpower their performances. The basic melody line is Indian, and Shankar sticks to the basic parametres of a raga, but executes it in a way that it all blends extremely well.
Earlier this year, organised by the German embassy, music composer and conductor Zubin Mehta’s concert ‘Ehsaas-eKashmir’ soared above the barbed wires that lined the entire city of Kashmir. At this controversial concert, that took place amid rows of chinar trees, cooing koels and intrusive military presence in Shalimar Bagh, the Bavarian State Orchestra had all the string lines and delicate adagios in place. But what preceded the symphonies was a collaborative performance between the orchestra and Soz-o-Saaz, a folk music ensemble conducted by santoor player Abhay Sopori. Sopori is a classical musician, who conducted a folk orchestra that merged the sounds of the dholak, sarangi and jaltarang with cellos and horns of the western orchestra.
The approach, so far, is interesting. What needs to be seen is how far it will go. “The goal is to make music that is simultaneously smart and passionate, soulful and intellectual, and relevant to contemporary culture, while bearing a message or an energy to which anyone can relate with, regardless of their background, race or culture,” says Mahanthappa.
We will be tuning in.