On October 13, a few fortunate music lovers were treated to a performance by the Zagreb Guitar Quartet who started the Calcutta School Music Winter Concert Series on its 90th year. This ensemble, comprising musicians like Darko Peluzan, Krunoslav Pehar, Tomislav Vasilj and Melita Ivkovic, has secured a prominent position in its native Croatia and in Europe after creating epochal score for four guitars in Bach?s Art of Fugue in 2000. They began with Bach?s Eight Little Preludes and Fugues BWV 553 ? 560. Fastidiously arranged and rendered as an articulate display of contrapuntal playing, these were followed by the Three Traditional Dances from Split by Boris Krnic. The rich tone, intense involvement and perfect coordination were brilliant.
Fauzia Marikar
Geetalekha organised a programme ?Bandhu Raho Sathe?, based on Tagore songs to felicitate the teacher-scholar of Rabindra-sangeet, Subhas Chowdhury, on his 70th birthday on October17 at Sisir Mancha. It commenced with a chorus song, presented by the members of Geetalekha, followed by short speeches by eminent guests like V. Balsara and Subhas Chowdhury himself. Young Mou Bhattacharya exhibited commendable skill in Amala Dhabala Pale, while Aniruddha Sinha?s Ganer Jharnatalae was something unique for the vibrancy and range revealing the power of imagination. Rama Mondol and Pramita Mullick, as usual, excelled in their rendition. Swati Basu touched the heart with her soulful Bandhu Raho Raho.
Sharmila Basu Thakur
A brief melodic history of Dhrupad?s journey down the ages marked the end of the Hindi Fortnight celebrated by the Central Glass and Ceramic Research Institution. The Meghnad Saha auditorium reverberated with Om tvam Hari ananta Narayan when Dhrupad exponent Falguni Mitra explored the origin of nom-tom alaap in raga Yaman. The deepening hues of evening?s contemplative mood, steeped in the spiritualism of temple music, lingered throughout the Krishna-stuti-based composition in chautal. The power-packed jhaptal composition Japa maan Shankara in Puria Kalyan encapsulated the turbulence of the medieval age when Khayal emerged and began to elbow Dhrupad out. A rare dhamar in Shyam Kalyan mirrored the durbar music to its full glory.
Meena Banerjee
