Celestial feel that swirled innermost soul
Farewell Pradeepanjalee - Review:
Ranga CHANDRARATHNE
The 15th Pradeepanjalee was held on August 13 as the last in the
series before Pradeep Ratnayake leaves for USA for his higher studies.
Though the concert was made up of its traditional items such as Wind
and Stallion in the Field, different items such as Pradeep play Rag
Bihaj, a rag with complex features which have similar characteristics of
host of other allied ragas such as Shankara. This rag can be appreciated
when it is played in its simplest form.
 For the first time on Sitar, Pradeep played second and the third
parts of the Raga, Jot and Jhala (There are three parts in a raga named
Alap, Jod, Jhala ) in 12 beat Ada Chautal with Ravibandu Vidyapathy on
Pakhawaj. Ada Chsutal is a special beat tailor-made for the instrument
Pakhawaj. Significantly this is, perhaps, for the first time that
Pakhawaj is used to play Jhala.
Gat is a composition of a Raga which is played in three tempos,
Vilambha(slow tempo), Madhya (Medium tempo) and Drut (fast tempo). Here
in Gat section, Pradeep will shift from Vilambha to Druta with Ektal
which has not been played in that composition before.
Though Pandit Ravi Shankar used this technique on some occasions, it
was used only in concerts. These novel features would certainly be of
interest of those who are studying Indian classical music and would also
elevate the taste of audience.
'Stallions in the Field', a piece based on Thuraga Vanama though
played brilliantly played, the fashioned violin and Guitar seemed to be
of not so strong.
It should be mentioned that instrument Sitar is basically influenced
by two schools Mayher Garana founded by Ustad Alahudeen Khan and
followed by Pandit Ravi Shankar, Ali Akbar Khan and Pradeep's teachers
Prof. Indranil Bhattacharya and Imdadkhani Garana which produced
generation of musicians like Ustad Vilayat Khan, Illiad Khan.
At Shanthi Pradeep had the privilege of studying under the two Granas;
first under Prof. Suresh Chandra Misra who was a contemporary of Pandit
W.D Amaradeva and master Mudunkotuwa at Shanthi Niketan.
So Pradeep studies that tradition of Garana in addition to the Mayher
Garana under Prof. Indranila Bhattacharya, last student of Ustad
Alaudeen Khan who taught Ravi Shankar.
The compositions on the second part of the concert represented
diverse traditions of music such as North Indian Classical Music,
Western Music scores and Jazz, blues as well as selected features from
popular music and traditional Sri Lankan music such as Vanam.
Then Flight, a piece based on traditional Vannam, 'Spring', "Stallion
in the field" , piece based on Thuraga Vannama and 'The Wind' occupied
the latter part of the concert. With additional features, these pieces
would be different from their previous versions.
The Winds from Home is a composition steeped in folk music (Sitar,
Flute, Ghatam, Tabla and Ganjira). For this composition, Pradeep has
extensively derived elements from Indian folk melodies. However, Pradeep
has not borrowed Indian melodies but beautified his creation with some
elements from them.
This is one of the unique compositions which bring out the air of
fields and harvest with the sublime merriment associated with it. Khole,
a West Bengalian folk music instrument, Ghatam, a North Indian
instrument have also been used to add allure of folk elements in the
tradition of North Indian and Bengali folk music.
Mozart's A La Tourca. Pradeep has re-oriented these pieces with Latin
American swing beat without compromising the salient characteristics of
the original pieces.
Influenced by the new versions of Alathukha played at World Disney
Concert Hall by world famous pianist Freddy Ravel, Erik Maranthon
saxophone player and Jeffery Husain, Pradeep has composed these pieces.
These pieces were not only played on fusion style but on also pure
classical style with original characteristics.
The last item 'Flight' depicts the powerful movements of hawk as it
glides and soars through the sky. It is one of the favourites in the
Pradeepanjalee series which is based on traditional Ukusa Vannama.
Though it is purely based Sri Lankan traditional music, other
elements such as those from Jazz, rock, Western and Indian classical
music have also been used for the creation.
Special attention has been paid to the solo instruments Gataberaya,
Udakki and Tammatama with Sri Lankan identity. A technique such as Sawal
Jawap (question and answer, traditionally played between Sitar and
Tabla) has been, for the first time, used on Sitar and Gataberaya.
Jawari Sangat is another technique which has also been used in the
composition. It is a technique whereby two instruments are being played
simultaneously. This is being practiced with Beraya.
'Eastern Blues' is another item, perhaps, be first time played on
Sitar. In fact, it is one of the components of Pradeep's further studies
at the Colombia University. However, playing a Blues tune on Sitar does
not make a real piece of Blues unless techniques in that tradition of
music are used in the performance.
Here 'Eastern Blues' is played by Pradeep Ratnayake on Sitar,
Eshantha Peries on Piano and Ravibandu Vidyapathy on Mommad, Kala Bera,
congo drums and Tabla. Pradeep will also present 'Kuveni' a piece based
on Kuveni Assna.
Trough the fusion and innovative music, Pradeep Ratnayake has created
a distinct Sri Lankan identity not only in Sitar but also in his
masterpieces such 'Indrakeelaya' , tone poem composed for the occasion
of the 50th Anniversary of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka in 1999.
Having studied in the University of Visva Bharati and established in
the famed school of Maihar Gharana, the same tradition which nourished
the music legend of Ravi Shankar.
His voyage into the realms of innovative fusion music carried him to
the prestigious venues such as Asia Society (New York), United Nations
Office (Geneva), Walt Disney Theatre (Los Angeles), Kennedy Center
Millennium Stage (Washington DC) and Vienna Musikverein (Vienna).
Traditionally, the Pradeepanjalee concert is commenced with a Raga in
North Indian classic. For this concert, Pradeep has chosen the Rag Yaman
as a tribute to the tradition which created him.
He played the basic features of the Raga; Alap (a free
improvisation), Jode Alap and Jala (the zenith of the Alap) and Gath in
Three Tal commenced in slow tempo (Vilambitlaya) and developed into
medium tempo (Mahdyalaya) and the fast tempo (Drutalaya). Significantly,
Pradeep played the Rag according to the Maihar Gharana style. The Rag
Yaman creates a mood of devotion and spirituality.
The violin and the drum dominated the scene in most instances. Most
of the times, the melodies were drowned by the violin, guitar and drums.
However, audience quite forgot it, perhaps, by the actor-like
performance and gesticulation especially the nodding by maestro
Ravibandu Vidyapathy. This time, he was also in a typical Kortha with
longer sleeves.
If the sleeves unfolded as happened the other day at Ananda Colleges
Auditorium, it would have created a slightly muted sound. This would
also have contributed to increase the fun on the part of the audience.
I believe that Ravibandu would have played out the tricks to keep the
audience in tempo.
Ravibandu's constant nodding with changing facial expressions from
droll to grim added much-needed allure to the performance. Lakshman
Joseph de Saram smouldered with changing tempo of the violin while
Harsha Markalanda got into his trance with moving of fingers along the
black and white keys of the grand piano. |
