Each year, classical music enthusiasts eagerly await the Darbar Festival in London. We look forward to those profound moments of emotional and sensory experience that can only come from an ancient and highly evolved musical heritage – that of Indian classical music. In this age of streaming music, Darbar provides the rare opportunity of live performances of Hindustani and Carnatic classical music to a London audience. It offers that rare ephemeral moment where the musician and the audience feel connected with each other and with the infinite.
In keeping with Darbar’s track record of showcasing the latest classical music talent, alongside maestros, we were treated to an evening of glorious instrumental music by two prodigious young talents. The first part of the evening saw a sarod recital of Aman Ali Bangash who was accompanied by the young Anubrata Chatterjee on tabla. The second part saw a performance of legendary Carnatic violinist Dr. L. Subramanian who was joined by his extremely talented son Ambi Subramaniam.
No Carnatic instrumental recital is complete without the resonating rhythm of the Mridangam, one of the most ancient percussion instruments of Indian music and the Ghatam or the clay pot which provides a tonal contrast to the Mridangam. The Subramaniam father and son duo were accompanied by Pandit Anindo Chatterjee on tabla, VV Ramanamurthy on mridangam and Giridhar Udupa on ghatam.
Aman Ali Bangash opened the evening with a rendition of ‘Raga Shri’. It’s an early evening ‘raga’ which has been widely used by Sikh Gurus in their compositions. It’s also celebrated in a lithograph of Wajid Ali Shah- the Nawab of Oudh who is famous for his love of Indian classical arts. The raga is said to create a devotional mood with a power to call down spirits. Bangash interpreted the raga beautifully, swiftly moving from an introspective’ alaap’ to a ‘japtal’. Next he presented’ Raga Desh’, a beautiful and romantic night raga before finishing with ‘Raga Sindhukosh’ based on one of his fathers compositions.
Dr. L Subramaniam is a renowned violinist of the Carnatic branch of Indian classical music. In the second half of the evening he started with a rendition of ‘Raga Hansadhwani’. Composed in the Pentatonic scale it’s one of the iconic ragas of the Carnatic school. The percussion interludes in between the violin solos and duets radiated high energy. The tabla master was joined by the highly skilled mridangam and ghatam players in a showcase of different’ talas’- the metrical cycles of the rhythmic system. The accompanying ensemble presented live improvisations keeping up with the violin virtuosos.
Darbar Festival presents evocative concerts where performers and listeners both delight in sharing high emotional and sensory experiences. Long after the show the music echoes in the mind.
Review by Koushik Chatterjee
Featured Image: Dr. L Subramaniam and Ambi Subramaniam in performance
Darbar Festival 2024 ran from 24th to 27th October, presenting the finest international and UK Indian classical musicians. Passionate about programming female artists, and offering Britain’s finest musicians, composers and singers an international platform, Darbar Festival continues to be the best place to discover the ever-evolving melody and rhythm of Indian classical music.
Programme highlights included:
Dr L Subramaniam and Ambi Subramaniam + Amaan Ali Bangash.
Pandit Kushal Das + Ashwini Bhide Deshpande. A special concert celebrating midnight ragas through India’s iconic sitar, followed by the Jaipur-Atruli style of khayal (imagination) vocal.
Aruna Sairam. An authentic south Indian concert known in India as a kacheri, presented with a vast repertoire of raga and spiritual lyrics.
Pandit Anindo and Anubrata Chatterjee. Tabla duet by India’s finest tabla legend with his son.
Read Abundant Art’s latest Review: ‘Whistling As The Night Calls’: Martin O’Brien and zack mennell’s provocative exploration of the spectral space between life and death- at Deptford VSSL Studio until 1st December – Abundant Art
