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Dance of the ragas

In harmony Vanessa Mae with Ustad Nishat Khan

Differences melted to create a perfect sound, recently. Violinist Vanessa Mae and sitar player Ustad Nishat Khan performed together at the Seagram’s 100 Piper’s Pure Music concert at the Intercontinental, Eros. The duo is on a three city tour of India, covering Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore.

While both the performers hail from different traditions, their similarities are uncanny. Khan performed first at the age of seven. At 13, Mae created a Guinness World Record for being the youngest soloist to record both Beethoven and Tchaikovsky violin concertos. Khan has played with the likes of BB King, Eric Clapton and Carlos Santana. Mae has worked with Michael Jackson, Prince and now with A.R. Rahman on her latest album “Choreography”. Trained classically, they have used their backgrounds to experiment and develop a new sound. While respecting the classicism of their musical instruments, they have made them contemporary. The venue was packed with standing room also occupied. With the hall full, people chose to watch the telecast in the corridors. It might be Mae’s first time in India, but the Delhi audience clearly seemed familiar with her.

Khan struck the right note with his greeting. “Delhi is my favourite place in the whole world.” He opened the concert with a piece in raga Tilak Kamod. The initial snags with the sound system were surpassed by Khan’s virtuosity. Vanessa Mae’s first piece started with a brief haunting melody. But when her troupe joined her, the music flowed like molten lava.

But the audience most keenly anticipated the jugalbandi between Khan and Mae. Playing together, they were a perfect combination, but were careful not to encroach into each other’s space. While Mae is from Singapore and Khan is Indian, their music was not Asian. Their inspirations included tunes from South America and Africa. In one piece the tight yet flamboyant beats of Tango were created. In another, robust Afro beats shook the hall.

Their stage personalities were however very different. Mae owned the stage by traversing it. Khan ruled from his corner seat. Known for her stage performances, Mae seduced the audience with her electric performance and her relaxed confidence.

NANDINI NAIR

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