Strumming sarod storm
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Rhythm met melody at Taramati Baradari.
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RHYTHM DELIGHT Amjad Ali Khan. Photo: K. Gajendran
Yella Venkateswara Rao is known as the virtuoso with his mridangam. Of late, he has been trying to mix the rhythm instrument with lots of innovations and experiments that sometime confuse the listeners as to what the whole thing is about. Same was the mood and confusion in the minds of the audience as he gave a performance of tala vadya kacheri at the Taramati Baradari Culture Complex recently..
He started his performance with Hamsadvani raga and ended with a Raga Malika composed by him, which comprised many ragas with base as Keeravani. Though the melody part wherein he used the sitar, violins, flute and keyboard were pleasant to hear, the combination of all the melody and percussion was loud, and it created a cacophony when all were playing simultaneously. The emphasis was more on speed than showing balance between melody and rhythm.
The gesticulations and facial expressions of Venkateswara Rao created a complex amongst the accompanists, which was evident, as they started faltering in laya and sruti while playing the instruments. The tani (individual) avartan (performance) of the percussionists was not synchronised and the coordination was missing. Perhaps the rehearsals were insufficient. There appeared to be confusion as to who should play when and after whom.
Thrilling sarod
The second concert of the evening was by sarod maestro Ustad Amjad Ali Khan and his two sons: Aman Ali Khan and Ayan Ali Khan Bangash.
The concert began with Rag Kausi kanada, played by the two sons of Amjad Ali Khan who were accompanied by Sandeep Das on tabla. Though they are young, they showed their mastery in playing the instrument and proved that they are going to set the trend in sarod like their illustrious father.
Ustad Amjad Ali Khan started his concert with an unusual style, by playing songs composed from his new album Moksha. He preferred to move away from the traditional route and followed the first composition with a folk song set to dadra.
The concert concluded with all the three performing together at the end. The sheer melody of sarod and played by Amjad Ali Khan mesmerised the audience and they enjoyed every bit of it, unmindful of the non-traditional performance.
The ambience and the setting was very good and the APTDC needs to be complemented for the effort and as Amjad Ali Khan mentioned that despite 100 TV channels, many came to witness the performance live, and in turn keeping the tradition alive for performing arts.
On the whole it was an evening of rhythm and melody.
C.SURESH KUMAR
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