| |
MUSIC
Reverberations
A
Taste of Thaat
 While
the title of the album may confuse the lay listener of music, it is really
quite simple to appreciate. In Hindustani classical music all ragas belong
to certain categories called thaat-the parent-scale from which the raga
is derived. The word thaat therefore refers to the basic patterns in which
the seven notes of the saptak are arranged. It is from these patterns
the aroha (an ascending series of notes) and avroha (descending series
of notes) originate. Pandit Vishnu Narayan Bhatkande devised this system
to bring an organised approach to identifying the hundreds of ragas in
Hindustani classical music. There are 10 thaats-Bilawal, Kalyan, Khamaj,
Kafi, Bhairav, Bhairavi, Asavari, Marwa, Poorvi and Todi.
Sony Nad
has compiled renditions both by young masters and legends in a set of
10 cassettes and cds. Each volume is dedicated to a thaat. The array of
artists-both instru- mentalists and vocalists-is interesting: Pandit C.
R. Vyas, Pandit Jasraj, Hari Prasad Chaurasia, Kishori Amonkar, Rashid
Khan, Shruti Sadolikar, and so on.
Sony Nad
has repackaged this series from its repertoire. Some excellent pieces
include Amonkar's khayal in madhya laya set to teen tala; Jhanaka jhanaka
payal in raga suha (thaat Kafi) and Kumar Gandharva's khayal in drut teen
taal; Ari ye ri in raga Shivmat Bhairav (thaat Bhairav).
The quality
of recording is flawless. The package also comes with a booklet that explains
the various thaat. A good step to educate and initiate the lay listener.
A collector's item.
-S.
Sahaya Ranjit
|
HOT
TRACK
Pub Classics
(Sony Music; Rs 125)
Pub
Classics, a "pitcher full of soft rock"—never mind
that until a few years ago the word pub was mouthed in the same
tone as pornography—melds 17 nostalgic tunes.
Those
among us who recall simpering to The glory of love (Peter Cetera)
and Lonely is the night (Air Supply), or determinedly mouthing the
lyrics of Black velvet (Alannah Myles) and Africa (Toto), will feel
right at home, and back in the 1980s with this album.
That
said, if ever a pub dj had the temerity to cue Starship bellowing
Nothing's gonna stop us now, or stream a whimpering Kyrie (Mr Mister)
into the ears of beer-guzzling 20somethings, he would be shot dead.
Other
tunes like Keep on loving you (Reo Speedwagon) and Drive (The Cars),
with their touching faith in love and urgent calls for reconciliation,
and their wearing tilt towards the love couch rather than a downtown
bar, will, at the very least, make you sniffle quietly into your
glass of lager.
-Sonia
Faleiro
|
Stirring
Strings
The music
of Prem Joshua can't be labelled because it has a little of everything-music
from Greece, Turkey, Afghanistan, Arabia, Africa; jazz and most of the
important Indian classical and folk varieties. Mudra means hand gestures,
and various mudras symbolise energies in ancient vedic rituals. In this
album, Joshua has interpreted the mudras in music through 10 pieces. "My
inspiration has been Indian music. With my western musical background
I have tried to bridge both the Indian and western music world,"
says Joshua.
His connection
with the Osho Commune in Pune led him to visit India. In those visits
he found the surbahar-a stringed instrument-at a friend's house. This
friend had fled Lahore at Partition, hence the piece Lahore connection.
It is refreshingly
new and is a step towards a world music genre.
-S.
Sahaya Ranjit
ARRIVALS
Pyar
Ka Pehla Khat
(Magnasound; Rs 60)
Old wine in new bottle. Previously released as Face to Face. Vintage Jagjit.
Pyar
Kar Le
(Tips; Rs 50)
Gurdas Mann's effort to reinvent his style. Peppy music to set your foot
tapping.
Hamri
Karo Haath De rachha
(SMW; Rs 55)
Pandit Ajoy Chakrabarthy renders Gurbani on ragas. With commentary.
Hot#
1 Hits
(BMG; Rs125)
Rock till you drop. Lou Bega, Christina Aguilera, TLC, Air Supply and
others.
Top
|
|
Orthodoxy in economic thought is as odious as obscurantism in the socio-religious context. INDIA TODAY Associate Editor, V Shankar Aiyar, offers a contrarian take on the stock markets and the cause and the impact of policy and practice. 