Music

Venice & Punjab: Water Memoirs

by MANPRIYA KHURANA

 

 

VENICE-ING ACT

Manpriya Khurana

The project involves a complete confluence of cultures, compositions, concerns! An endeavour juxtaposing the five rivers of Punjab and the architectural masterpiece that Venice, Italy, is.

The Anad Foundation, the Italian Embassy and the Italian Cultural Centre bring to the city of Chandigarh, Punjab - Venice and Punjab: Water Memoirs, Soundscapes by Sara Michieletto, Bhai Baldeep Singh and Madan Gopal Singh.

And, just like the effort, it will be shifting to and fro between the two places, the  artistes and their responses.

Taking water as a common theme of their cultures, they will present the instrumental music of the Venetian school of violin, Sufi mystic songs and the percussion tradition of the Sultanpur Lodhi - Amritsari Baj, from Punjab.

"Sara and I were playing together at the planetarium in Delhi, she was playing violin and I was singing the aarti of Guru Nanak and I told her that we needed to organize something together. The second thought was, what would it be?"

Baldeep Singh leads you in and briefs about his brainchild. So, what would it be?

A concert where taking water as a common reference, the artistes will present some aspects of the artistic creativity while drawing everyone's attention to the most important element ... water.

He continues, "Why is it called a memoir? When you look at Punjab, it is like a beautiful body where a basic element like water is being insulted, like blood is being sucked out of it ... and the same is the case with Venice."

Vehement nods from Sara validate the point.

The Italian violinist will be rendering some very fascinating compositions of Antonio Vivaldi and Tomaso Albinoni.

"In a way, this concert is also part of my project, 'The Strains of Violin in India', that has two aims - one to make Venetian music known in India and to share with underprivileged kids the enthusiasm of being a musician and an artiste."

She adds, "I've been staying in Chennai for over two years now and met Bhai Baldeep Singh, who's a great conductor of western classical music, and I immediately jumped at the opportunity."

As for Chandigarh, the beautiful capital of Punjab: "I just landed today and I'm coming here for the first time and have heard a lot about this Le Corbusier's place. And Punjab is amazing, especially the people, so warm, friendly and tough."

At the concert, Bhai Baldeep Singh will be making a ten minute appearance. He laughs: "At the insistence of Sara and Madan, I'll be reciting a melancholy melody resonant of the five rivers."

Adds the 13th generation exponent of the tradition of Gurbani Kirtan: "In the late nineties, I had composed five tals named after the five rivers of Punjab. I'll be presenting those while Madan will be singing sufi texts, some of them on the two rivers of Punjab from the Rig Veda."

Just as the invite says: 'deep within, flowing on, the compassionate waters of life'.

 

A SYMPHONY OF WAVES 

S.D. Sharma

Soulful strains of classical symphonies on violin, spells of mystical Sufiana kalaams, the vitality of pristine Punjabi folk - all flowing in the melodic waves remained the salient features of a memorable musical concert Venice and Punjab: Water Memoirs held at the Tagore Theatre, Chandigarh, on the evening of Monday, February 8, 2010.

The programme, designed and directed by Bhai Baldeep Singh, commenced on a melodious note with acclaimed Italian violinist Sara Michieletto taking the centrestage.

Armed with exceptional experience and superlative confidence, she opened up with an Antonio Vivaldi classic, The Seasons, and bared the beauty of the seasons employing various intonations. She went on to emulate the great maestros, Francesco De Guranieri and Tomaso Albinoni, while delineating their compositions before doling out her own classic, Polo Wandering.

After three more symphonies, she concluded with her self-composed hit, Venice Punjab: Water Music, the central theme of the concert. She was at her best in two of her self-composed classics as she displayed technical virtuosity in weaving a series of engaging sequences in rhythmic patterns. With a long-drawn bow, Sara produced a cohesive melody with musical notes traversing in all octaves.

Meanwhile, Baldeep Singh, the maestro, joined Sara for a jugalbandi on a sophisticated violin and a raw brass pitcher. The audience relished her music and the spirit behind her inspired performance.

Baldeep Singh again doled out the electrifying Pakhawaj Prahant with adroit mastery over the rhythmic bols before defining the magnificence of the five rivers of Punjab in Whither Have My Rivers Gone. He had perceived five tal patterns spanning 25 to 33 matras dedicated in reverence of each river.

The soulful singing spell of Sufiana gayaki came from versatile maestro Madan Gopal Singh, a composer, singer, lyricist, scholar and scriptwriter. Holding a doctorate in the semiotic study of seminal texts in Indian cinema, Madan Gopal Singh wrote a film, Rasyatra on Malliakarjun Mansoor and films like Ekti Nadir Naam and Song Toona, based on a poem by Baba Bulle Shah. He has composed music for Khamosh Pani, Abir Bazar, and sung for Mani Kaul Kumar Shahani and a number of plays.

His diverse traits were amply visible in the brilliance with which he rendered compositions of different genres, starting with mystic poet, Sultam Bahu's "Dil Darya Samundron Dhuuge ..."

Gifted with a mellifluous voice and lung power, he traversed in all octaves while rendering Heer, the slumbering love legend of Punjab, authored by Waris Shah.

The audience applauded as he recited verses of Baba Bulle Shah, especially Hori Khelungi, and more from Shah Hussain. The mystic recitations melted in Punjabi folk, and old folk hits like "Mein Darya Di Machhli Ve Haaniya, Bagla Banke Aa ..." followed.

Madan Gopal Singh was accompanied by Preetam Ghoshal on sarod, Deepak Castilon on guitar and Gurmit Singh on percussions.

 

[Courtesy: The Tribune]
February 10, 2010

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