The eminent veteran sarod player and teacher Buddhadev DasGupta
gave an enthralling hour to open the second concert of raags for
the monsoon season, with no sign of flagging in rhythmic verve and melodic
inventiveness, and there was a marvellous rapport with his tabla
colleague Partho Sarathi Mukerjee. DasGupta self-deprecatingly
thanked us for our appreciation of his 'humble offering with the ravages
of age'.
The evening ended with the spectacular double act by the popular brothers
Rajan & Sajan Misra, , who sing khayal, vying
with each other in virtuosic runs and flourishes. Noticeably aged a
little since last encountered teaching at the 1999
Summer School which I attended, they roused the audience to vociferous
appreciation - their skill and endurance could shame most Western singers
trained in bel canto coloratura.
There was a programme note supplied this time, including interesting
explanations of how gentle showers inspire elegant glissandi in monsoon
ragas, rumbling clouds the scale-runs and vocal shakes.
Recommendable live recital CDs by Buddhadev DasGupta and
the Misra brothers are available at mid-price from the AMC's
CD shop; their attractive and informative
website is a valuable source of information about Asian music in London
& UK, with news of tours, lectures, exhibitions and workshops, and
there are well advanced plans for an Asian Music Centre in Acton next
year, with multi-media displays.
Everyone should take an opportunity to experience the special atmosphere
that appreciative audiences bring to live concerts of Indian music.
For details of the AMC's Autumn 2002 concerts email info@amc.org.uk
Peter Grahame Woolf
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