Simply captivating
MANJARI SINHA
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Sumitra Guha's vocal recital at India Habitat Centre was sweetness itself.
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The HCL Concert Series presented Sumitra Guha's vocal recital this past week in the basement hall of the India Habitat Centre. The enthusiastic audience response and turnout spoke highly of both the vocalist and the organisers.
Initially trained in Carnatic music, Sumitra Guha was exposed to Hindustani classical music during her stay at Tagore's Vishwa Bharati University at Santiniketan. It opened up new horizons and she was drawn to Hindustani music herself. Luckily to begin with, she had the privilege of learning from Pandit A. Kanan and Malabika Kanan, celebrated musicians of the Kirana gharana. Later she trained under Pandit Sushil Kumar Bose, a disciple of Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan. Gifted with a sweet voice and groomed under such stalwarts, Sumitra is one of the most popular artistes of her generation.
Welcome choice
She opened her concert with raga Kedar, which was a welcome choice since one hardly gets an opportunity to come across a raga like Kedar in the present-day concert scenario. After a brief alap to create the mood of the raga, she began the bada khayal, "Aaj Ghanshyam aaye... " in vilambit Ek tala. The elaboration of the raga through bol alap and the gradual badhat mirrored her passion for refinement and aesthetic elegance, which is quite different from command over mere technique. The taans that followed were spread over all the three octaves from the mandra Shadja to taar Pancham. The mesmerising sargam taans had difficult twists and turns even in the chhota khayal - the popular bandish "Kanha re Nanda nandan" that followed. There was yet another composition in raga Kedar set to drut Ek tala that went "Ratiyan mori bairan bhayi" in continuation.
Spirituality in music
After treating the rasikas to the captivating Kedar for nearly an hour, Sumitra went on to sing the raga Hamsadhwani. She started with her own Sanskrit composition in praise of Devi Saraswati. Spirituality in music is Sumitra Guha's forte. The structurally sound bandish "Matang tanaye... " set to Jhap tala also proved her versatility as a poet and composer, the vakgeykaar.
It was followed by the famous bandish of Ustad Aman Ali Khan, "Laagi lagan Sati pati sang", also in Hamsadhwani. Incidentally, her own institution is also called Sumadhur Hamsadhwani, where she imparts training to young artistes in the traditional guru shishya parampara.
Devotional composition
The singer concluded her concert with Bhramar geet, a devotional composition by Surdas, with the lyrics "Neha laago Shyamsundar son". It was sort of a ragamala that started with Manjh Khamaj and went on to ragas Basant, Bahar, Miyan-Malhar, Darbari, et al. In fact, the main course was so sumptuous that the sweet dish was redundant. The bhajan was not needed after the impressive "Laagi lagan" in Hamsadhwani. She could have easily concluded her concert at that crescendo.
Bharat Bhushan Goswami on the sarangi added charm to the vocal recital. It was heartening to see a female artiste, Malabika Mandala, on the harmonium, which is normally considered to be in the male domain. Malabika and Anoop Ghosh on the tabla gave commendable support.
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