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Japan-India Raga Sandhya treated music lovers of Thrissur to a rare feast of Japanese and Indian music.

In addition to vocal music, recitals of Japanese vintage instruments such as the Koto and the Shakuhachi enhanced the charm of the programme that was held at Sahitya Akademi Hall. The programme was directed by versatile musician T. M. Hoffman.

Hoffman opened the recital with a solo on the Shakuhachi, a vertical flute with only five holes. The short melody in the traditional Honkyoku style was noted for its deep devotional overtones. Absence of rhythm accompaniment augmented the meditative mood of the piece

Suzuki Mai, a young and energetic musician, enthralled the audience with Tegoto, a composition of Miyagi Michio, the father of Koto music. The 13-stringed instrument, said to have an antiquity of more than 12 centuries, is the the National musical instrument of Japan. The nylon strings, which are nearly five-foot long, are tuned by easily movable bridges and plucked by specially made plectrums, which are fixed on the first three fingers of the right hand. The next number had Mai singing sweetly in a slow tempo as she played the Koto while Hoffman played the Shakuhachi.

Both Hoffman and Mai were accompanied by Abdul Aziz on the violin, Guruvayur Sanoj on the mridangam and Sunilkumar on the table for the following renditions.

A disciple of Ganesh Prasad Mishra in Hindustani vocal, Hoffman sprang a surprise on the audience by playing an alluring ‘Jayjaiwanti’ piece on the Shakuhachi, which elicited applause from the audience.

The recital assumed a novel dimension with Aziz switching over to the Hindustani mode and the percussionists accompanying in the misra chappu. There was a total change in the ambience of the programme as Fr. Paul Poovathingal presented a creative alapana of Hamsadwani as a prelude to the Dikshitar kirtana ‘Vathapi Ganapathim bhaje.’

The addition of the tabla in lieu of the ghatam was a welcome innovation. Aruga Sakiko kept sruti on the tambura.

Fr. Paul and Hoffman sang Kalyani and Mohanam with Hoffman elaborating the Hindustani equivalents, Yaman and Bhupali. All seven musicians rendered this number, which was a highlight of the concert.

Hoffman does not believe in the fusion of music. But he holds that there are many areas where the two music streams (Japan and India) can share; the Japan- India Raga Sandhya was a demonstration of this concept. It was organised under the auspices of Chetana Music College and the Chetana Sangeet Natya Academy.

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