Sparkling sammelan
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Hindustani classical performances were the highlight of the ITC Sangeet Sammelan.
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Ajay Chakrabarty performs with ease.— Photo: K. Gajendran
ITC SANGEET Sammelans invariably present stalwart musicians, combining their talent with that of younger promising musicians. It was a mixture of vocal and instrumental Hindustani performances of high standard that ITC presented last week at Ravindra Bharati in its two-day festival.
The festival began with santoor `vadan' by Satish Vyas, disciple of music maestro Pt. Shivkumar Sharma. Satish showed the range of the instrument, which is generally known as an instrument with limitations, by playing Raag `Shree' in its varied formats of `aalap' and `jod', followed by a composition in `Jhaptaal'.
The composition's move and finish were interesting. Then he came out with a composition of late Pandit C.R. Vyas in `Teentaal', adding another `bandish' in fast tempo `Ektal' to it. The concluding `bandish' in Raag `Yaman' in `Teentaal' proved a fine finish. Abhijeet Banerjee accompanied him on tabla.
The second concert was Hindustani vocal by Ajay Chakraborty. His Raag `Rageshree' won the audience with its phases of `drut' and `atidrut', displaying his clarity in `sargam' patterns and the raga rendition as well. Later, he rendered popular composition `Ka Karu Sajani Aaye Na Balama' in `Sindhu Bhairavi' and concluded his show with the mahamantra `Hari Om Tatsat' which was popularised by the late Bade Ghulam Ali Khan.
Samar Saha on tabla and Gaurav Chaterjee on harmonium accompanied him. The second day's main draw was the vocal recital by the grand lady of Hindustani music, Girija Devi, for whom there was long wait as the whole schedule got delayed.
Before she began her concert, she recalled her first concert four decades ago in Hyderabad and even listed out the songs and ragas she rendered on the occasion to a "very attentive and loveable" audience.
She expressed her happiness on singing again and planned her concert in a way as to give every bit of the many forms of Hindustani music briefly.
However, the most attractive showpiece of her concert was the composition in Raag `Jog' - Aaja Huna Aave, Sajana More. The raga was presented extensively in all its stages of development in varying speeds following which she presented the composition decorating it with musical graces that generally are associated with these renditions.
The other attraction was a thumri `Piya Nahi Aave' in Raga `Mishra Desh'. Then came a brief presentation of a `Kajari' and `Hori'. Samar Saha accompanied her on tabla.
Devotional numbers
Earlier Purbi Parekh, daughter of sitar player Arvind Parekh, gave a recital. She opened with the devotional number `Mahadev Bikshankar' in Raag `Jhenjuti' and followed it with `Aaj Suhag Ki Raain' in `Shankara'. The last piece was a Rajasthani composition `Mhara Sonara Bayariya' in the popular Raag Mand. Dilshad Khan gave good support on tabla and displayed individual skills in brief solos when he got the opportunity.
The other programme of the evening was sitar play by Kushal Das who practically revelled in presenting Raag `Hemant', with the usual thrillers - breezy `jod' and `jhala' ending up with a `gat' set to `Vilambit Teentaal' and a fast tempo `gat' in `Teental'. This festival set an example of how a music programme should be conducted with brief introductions and no speeches.
G.S.
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