REVERIES OPUS 7
Vivek Venugopal – Visita - Composer
Shantanu Patel - Piano
Tatiana Kritskaya – Cello
Tomasz Pajak – Violin
Reveries' is an album of a new set of classical music themes composed by Vivek Venugopal, alias Visita.
In this set of five duos and trios for Piano, Cello and Violin, Vivek Venugopal – Visita – has composed music of novel ideas and interestingly balanced melodies that intertwine the percussive sound of the piano with the sinuous sounds of the cello and violin in a way that is harmonious and innovative.
It is perhaps due to the resonance of wood and strings that they share that the sound of the cello, the violin and the piano go together so compatibility, so one wonders why there are not so many classical pieces composed for this combination of instruments.
In my first listening of Reveries, Vivek Venugopal's compositions sounded unpretentious, yet beautiful and stimulating in their own unique way, and I was reminded of the minimalistic and mystical music of Erik Satie who entitled his sets of musical pieces with made up names like Gymnopedies and Gnossiennes.
All five seemingly restrained and understated compositions on Reveries sound elegant, effortless and becalming and yet have their dramatic moments. They are relaxed and pleasant to listen to, and quite dissimilar from each other, and yet, each of the compositions in Reveries shares an unusual synergy throughout the album - imagination and wit override a strange melancholy. This is truly remarkable, and, entirely alluring.
So just as in Satie's music, Vivek Venugopal's compositions are not easy to describe individually but can be described collectively, mainly because they do not conform to the conventional sonata form completely. So, here are Vivek Venugopal's own thoughts and ideas of each composition:
REVERIES - OPUS 7
1. A Vestige of Hope - Violin, Piano duet.
This piece is about keeping that last remnant of hope alive, expressed by a particularly drastic shift in dynamics from very loud to very soft at certain points.
2. Serendipity - Cello, Piano duet.
By alternating edgy and somewhat happy atmospheres, this expresses how things tend to 'fall in place' in the strangest of ways.
3. A Metaphysical Reverie – Piano, Cello, Violin Trio.
In this piece a semi-abstract, dream-like mood is created
4. An Affective Crossroad - Piano, Cello, Violin Trio.
The piece has three distinct sections, though not separated as movements, they create very specific emotions and thoughts – the first section – at a 'life' crossroad - the second part, happy & chirpy, having taken a path. The third section is melancholic, but, happening in between. In the transitions are different 'intermediary moods' represent happiness and sadness for all the different paths that one could take at the 'emotional crossroad'.
5. The Eternal Dance of the Misfits - Piano, Cello, Violin Trio.
This piece is a dance dedicated to 'the misfits' or non-conformists.
Expressing the music with Empathy
Playing new compositions require a heightened musical understanding and sensitivity to the overall design and mood of each composition. And these three musicians Shantanu Patel - Piano; Tatiana Kritskaya - Cello, and Tomasz Pajak – Violin, have interpreted Vivek Venugopal's compositions with insight and thoughtfulness that only musicians of worth can do. And all three have proved themselves musicians of worth; they have the talent and technique to articulate the right mood and style of the compositions, and most of all, they have empathised completely with the compositions. It's not easy to marry the strange melancholy, that is overridden with a witty playfulness, and infuse them with the right spirit. But that’s what they do.
The Musicians
Shantanu Patel is a professional Concert Pianist, Conductor/Lecturer from Ahmadabad, India. Shantanu graduated from The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and is a versatile performer, his repertoire ranging from Baroque to Modern 21st century music. ,
Tatiana Kritskaya – Cello - was born in Chishinau (capital of Moldova, USSR) and took up the cello at age six. After studying at Rachmaninoff Music Lyceum, she continued her studies with Prof Alexey Seleznev at Academic Music College of Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatorto. Tatiana career is as a soloist. She lives in Mumbai since 2014.
Tomasz Pajak – Violin - was born in Poland in 1985, a graduate with distinction from Karol Szymanowski Academy of Music in Katowice and Royal Conservatory in Brussels.
Tomasz’s innovative artistic projects include collaboration with the Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra for Zubin Mehta’s 80th birthday celebration and a Memorial Concert presented by Zakir Hussain. Currently, Tomasz is a faculty member and a violinist in residence at the Delhi School of Music.
You can listen to the music on YouTube though it's not live.
A Vestige of Hope
Serendipity
A Metaphysical Reverie
An Affective Crossroad
The Eternal Dance of the Misfits
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