Mellifluous chords of harmony
G. JAYAKUMAR
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Ustad Rashid Khan and Rupak Kulkarni wove a musical spell that captivated the listeners.
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PHOTOS: S. GOPAKUMAR
SPELLBINDING: Vocalist Ustad Rashid Khan.
A robust voice that smoothly glided from one note to another and vigorous and fast `taans' were the characteristic features of Ustad Rashid Khan's Hindustani vocal concert. Earlier, Rupak Kulkarni's enchanting flute recital displayed his superb breath control and nimble finger work. The audience at AKG Hall in Thiruvananthapuram travelled through a range of emotions as the two artistes put up a scintillating performance.
Long journey
Rashid Khan follows the Rampur Sahaswan gharana of singing. It has been a long journey for him in the field of Hindustani music. From the age of six, for more than two decades, he underwent training in the gurukul system under Ustad Nissar Hussein Khan of Rampur Sahaswan gharana.
flautist Rupak Kulkarni put up a scintillating performance.
Rashid Khan's performance vindicated Pandit Bhimsen Joshi's statement way back in 1988 when Rashid Khan was only 22. After hearing him sing, Bhimsen Joshi had declared that the future of Hindustani vocal music was safe with Rashid Khan.
Rashid Khan began his concert with a khayal, a musical form with an emotional content usually romantic in appeal, in vilambit taal (slow tempo). Bihag, one of his favourite ragas, is an ouda sampoorna raag wherein some swaras are omitted in the arohana (ascending order) and avarohana. He sang an elaborate alaap in a meditative mood, followed by jhod and jhala, rhythmic patterns.
Satyajith provided able support on the tabla, moving from slow beats to drut, fast tempo. Against the taal, Rashid Khan rendered `Mero manne' with imaginative skill involving sargam taankari, which added charm to the rendition.
Rashid Khan was supported on the harmonium by Mukund Pedkar and on the tampura by Satish Balaji.
Next, Rashid Khan rendered a short piece in raag Hamsadwani. It was noted for the excellent voice techniques that he displayed. In the raag Hansdwani, belonging to the bilaval thaat (musical scale of basic notes), Rashid Khan sang `Kahe manne.' The short piece was noted for the use of voice techniques similar to the brigas (vibrations in sound ) used by Carnatic musicians.
At the end of the programme, following a request from the audience, Rashid Khan obliged with a number in raag Thodi.
Disciple of Chaurasia
Rupak Kulkarni, a disciple of the renowned flautist Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia, began his flute recital in raag Pooryakalyan. He played the ang, the root from which the raag originates, in the alaap. Satyajit's tabla graduated from a slow pace and subsequently gained momentum. Rupak Kulkarni was supported by his student Varad on the flute.
Rupak Kulkarni's brief concert concluded with a semi-classical piece in the popular raag Desh.
The concert was followed by an interactive session in which Rasid Khan and music lovers took part.
The music programme Jalsa was third in a series of 12 concerts, organised by Indian Music Academy, in association with Pandit Motiram Narayan Sangeeth Vidhyalay, Thiruvananthapuram, and Swaralaya. Jalsa is sponsored by Idea Cellular.
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