AN ODE TO THE MORPHING MUSE - A REVIEW

Vivek Venugopal

AN ODE TO THE MORPHING MUSE - Op. 6

Suite in 4 movements

I.   A Lasting First Impression - Soprano, Guitar, Piano, Violoncello
II.  Dreams & Resonances - Soprano, Guitar, Violoncello
III. The Deepest Recesses of the Soul - Soprano, Piano, Violoncello
IV. Exultation, Liberation - Soprano, Alto, Piano, Violoncello

Musicians

Salome – Voice - soprano
Tatiana Kritskaya - Violoncello
Jay Parte - Piano
Vivek Venugopal - Guitar
Anusha Ramasubramoney – Voice - alto

Composer Vivek Venugopal's strikingly modern, neo classical sort of chamber music could possibly be called progressive music, but we tend to agree with what the young composer calls it, 'contemporary classical'.

An Ode to the Morphing Muse - Op. 6 - Suite in four movements is an absolutely original and unique musical composition. The strikingly vivid composition is direct, forthright, strictly composed and highly engaging and it would possibly appeal to listeners of different aesthetic orientations, even those who don't habitually listen to classical music, or music that demands complete attention.

The suite is an unusual combination of wordless voices, cello, piano and guitar; with the soaring soprano voice used as an instrument that sometimes sits on top of the other instrumentation and sometimes blends in and harmonises with the cello and piano, both of which seamlessly take the lead, or harmonise as the composer has imagined and written it. 

These tasteful and communicative songs without words are innovative in harmony and texture and the composition's full, rich and bold colours compel, engross and involve.

Though connected, each movement could be called a tone poem and could stand on its own as the names of each movement indicate, yet when listened to as a single composition in four movements, one does get a sense of completeness.   

 Clockwise from top left) - Composer-Guitarist Vivek Venugopal, Cellist Tatiana Kritskaya, Vocalist Salome, Pianist Jay Parte, Vocalist Anusha Ramasubramoney and Visual Artist Devi Ganguly (album cover painting)

The voices and instrumentalists together, perform the composition thoughtfully and skilfully,  the Indo-Israeli soprano singer, Salome with her pure voice with minimum vibrato, the Russian cellist, Tatiana Kritskaya's wonderful tone and precision, Alto singer, Anusha Ramasubramoney's clear and cool intonation and pianist Jay Parte's fine touch and acute understanding of the composition, and, composer guitarist, Vivek Venugopal's finger picking acoustic guitar in the first two movements provides a landscape-like backdrop to the music.

All in all, 'An Ode to the Morphing Muse' is a nicely performed album of charmingly shaped melodies that that are a pleasure to listen to - again and again.

1. a lasting First impression

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=biBcy8OOHlc

2. Dreams & Resonances

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w62NG-gX-hw

3. The Deepest Recesses of the Soul

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hs_CKxdM5IA 

4.  Exultation Liberation

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71fZB_8dFXs

The music will be available on all streaming platforms on Sept 4th. The high resolution, virtual edition of the music is available for purchase on visitamusic.com'

STIMULATING RHYTHMS. CATCHY MELODY LINES AMAN MAHAJAN - REFUGE - PIANO SOLO ALBUM

Review appeared in Bangalore Explocity  

https://bangalore.explocity.com/article/bangalorean-aman-mahajans-refuge-is-impressive-yet-free-of-razzle-dazzle/

INSPIRED. TASTEFUL. ACCESSIBLE.  

     The music that Aman Mahajan showcases in this his first solo album cannot be boxed in or defined as a particular genre of music.

     ‘Refuge’ was released on 11 December 2019, on Subcontinental Records as a CD; a high-quality digital release; a limited-edition poster that came bundled with the digital release, and it's on all streaming services. 

     The music on this album defies genre. Composed between 2005–2018, the tunes synthesise jazz, Indian music, European classical music, East Asian themes, West African music, and folk music from around the world.

     That said, the music is classy, thoughtful, controlled, and yet, free. And the compositions are solid, grounded and refrain from needless razzle dazzle. They are introspective, yet lucid, as the pianist composer lets it all out in measured liberation - segueing from pre-set compositions to free-form improvisations in unnoticeable, smooth transitions that display the pianist's tasteful sensitivity and ability to extemporise spontaneously.

     The pianist/composer's compositions encompass a contemporary approach to music and incorporates a whole range of musical structures and stimulating rhythms and rhythm cycles; catchy melody lines, interesting harmonies and imaginative, just-the-right kind of improvisation for the structure of the composition. And though the compositions may sound simple, they are filled with rhythmic complexity, intriguing harmonies and appealing melodies.

    You can tell from the titles of the ten compositions that all the tunes in the album are unalike and appear to be inspired by diverse influences, and, whether or not you like classical music, jazz, or world music, the music on Aman's solo album 'Refuge' is sure footed, entertaining and engrossing!      

     Where Is It?  Is in the form of a cyclic chant, an incantation of repeated rhythmic phrases. The Ten Thousand Questions - employs unusual jazz chord progressions within an Eastern sounding scale and a seven beat rhythm cycle. More Than You Know - (Youtube link to More Than you know) is an interplay 

between Raag Des and certain harmonic and melodic fragments found in gospel music. Sitaphalmandi - the rhythm of the first section of this tune is based on Dappankuthu, a South Indian folk-dance beat, with the second section loosely based on a jazz waltz. Connections - is about the mystery of the unending cycle of the universe. The main motif repeats itself like unending reflections of itself. Beginningless - is another circular motif where a pattern/ motif is repeated throughout, but reframed by changing rhythms. Leifmotif - inspired by a falling leaf, this composition is in the rhythm cycle of 7 beats, and the melody is devised from Coltrane chord changes combined with Raga Yaman.

Where Is It? (reprise) // Refuge – an alternative take of the first tune, with new melodic and rhythmic variations on the theme.  Unnamed (live) - Recorded live in Graz, Austria - Aman shows his strong sense of how to frame his soloing. Sun Dance - is an attractive composition that makes you want to dance. It enlivens your spirit.   

     Aman Mahajan's syncretic, contemporary approach does not belong to a particular style of music, yet as one listens, the music grows quite special as Aman Mahajan weaves a dense yet liberating spell over the listener as each tune goes forward, layer over layer. Above all, the album 'Refuge' has been recorded so well and the tonal balance is so true and immediate that it sounds like a live recording in an auditorium with true acoustics.       

You can follow the album and artist on amanmahajan.bandcamp.com

Listen - YouTube links

More Than You Know

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aD1OT6jUEhI

Refuge 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lTJV_SQ5PU

The Ten Thousand Questions - Trio

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pz_BaFVfIYI

Sun Dance

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6ZcdDhseZc

Leiffmotif

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CdvJ69bxdHc

A VOICE AS CLEAR AS SUNSHINE

HARINI RAO

Tarang - Hindustani Classical Music Concert

at Guruswamy Centre Auditorium   
It was wonderful to hear the pure and assured voice of Harini Rao accompanied by Sri Upkaar Godbole on Harmonium and Sri Srinivas Haridas on Tabla, on a cool, crisp evening at the Guruswamy Centre auditorium on Sunday the 5^th of January, 2020, thanks to 'Tarang', the organisation that has taken it upon itself to promote and expose young jewels of Indian Classical music to music lovers in the twin cities by arranging Classical music concerts.

     Harini has a very appealing stage presence and her attractive tone of voice is as clear as sunshine and equally illuminating. She sang with certainty and clarity during her imaginative elaboration of Raag Jaijaiwanti, her opening piece.  

     She wove in and out of phrases with ease and elasticity while she improvised in her expansion of the raga which began in the slow Vilambit in ektaal with the bandish: eri maai mori, going on to the speedy Drut in teentaal – bandish - laadili pyaari ye, and the Tarana in drut teentaal, using the whole repertoire of ornamentation that she had at her disposal - light and sharp murkhis, ghamaks, andolan, khatka … everything always at the right place at the right time for the right length as she elaborated on and revealed the beauty and the mood of raga Jaijaiwanti. 

     Not having heard Raga Jaijawanti before, I went home and listened to Kishori Amonkar, Ustad Rashid Khan and Pt. Venkatesh Kumar singing this raga, on youtube, all of them were masterfully rendered and fabulous to listen to, and each was very different from the other. And so, though comparisons are odious, and I am not comparing anyone with anyone, I found that Harini's exposition of raga Jaijawanti held up very well; perhaps, because of hearing the singer 'live', or, because of the vibes from the superbly attentive audience, or because of the auditorium's good sound system. Whatever it was, it was a fine performance by a singer who to my mind, is up there amongst the best.  

     Harini Rao's programme continued with her second piece which was a crisp short 'Dadra - baalam tere jhagade mein rain gayi'. She went on to sing a dramatic 'Natyageet - taarini nava vasan dhaarini in Raag tilang. Next was a meaningfully sung 'Kabir nirguni bhajan - man lago yaar fakeeri mein'. Then, a 'Kajri' – at the request by a listener - 'Barsan lagi paniyaan'. And another, at the request of a listener, 'Tappa - O miyaan janewale - raag kafi' (free flow without tabla). She then sang from her practiced performance repertoire, a devotional Vithal  'Abhang - Sundar te dhyaan in Raag yaman', and ended with 'Bhairavi - Sumiran karle mere mana'.

     Harini's musical strength is her ability to pace the music so that all the music that she performs is interesting at all points of her exposition. The whole programme was extremely thoughtful, deeply felt, and performed with great skill, a tribute to her years and years of studying and training and practice, and her rich talent, as she sang with as much enjoyment as it was to us in the audience; connecting with the audience from the stage as her voice caressed every note and coloured the minds of the audience like a rainbow.   

    Though this is more a report rather than a review, a point that could be made is that an artiste ought to stick resolutely to the set programme and not deviate from it, or if the artiste is good-natured enough to accept requests, the requested piece should be one that has been practiced well and is performance ready.

     On the whole it was a wonderful performance by Harini Rao and her seasoned and skillful accompanists, Sri Upkaar Godbole on Harmonium and Sri Srinivas Haridas on Tabla for the dream audience at this ideal little theatre in Secunderabad, the  'Guruswamy Centre Auditorium' that comfortably seats 80 people and can stretch to accommodate around 100 people, and, its first-rate sound system. Not to forget, Tarang for bringing this young jewel of Hindustani classical music for us to listen to.