Strains of Eki labonye and Chhaya ghonaichhe, sung to the accompaniment of piano, will fill The Tagore Centre at London later this month as musician couple Abraham and Madhusree Mazumder take the Bard of Bengal to the UK.
Abraham, conductor, violinist, veteran music teacher and Moheener Ghoraguli founder, and Madhusree, who is the director of Calcutta Music Academy, will deliver a string of lectures and present performances that fuse Tagore songs and European classical music into a symphonic fabric.
A day before leaving the city on the month-long tour of England and Scotland, Abraham sat at his gleaming black piano in his Jadavpur home, playing a few notes of Pran chai chokkhu na chai, and explaining how easy it is to blend Tagore with such western classical maestros as Bach, Mozart, Beethoven and Handel.
"It is only possible with Tagore's songs. They can be seamlessly woven with western compositions that audiences both from the east and west can identify with. Some musicians I have worked with were surprised at how easily everything synchronised," he said with a smile.
The tour is yet another milestone for The Tagore in Symphony project, initiated by Abraham in 2007. "While in England, Tagore attended concerts and went to churches. The influence of hymns is evident in his songs. Tagore wanted to keep everyone happy with his compositions," said Abraham. He pointed out that he has not altered the texture of Tagore's songs, yet integrated them so that musicians anywhere can read the scores and be part of the symphony.
"As I wrote the scores and went deep into Tagore's world, I realised what a genius he was. He was really unique. I could feel his spiritual bent of mind, his tolerance and his unending love for all," said Abraham, who is planning a full-scale concert with the Royal Scottish Philharmonic Orchestra next year.
In London, Abraham will attend an event titled A Brief Journey through the History of the Violin at the Museum Strings Gallery, Royal Music Academy. He has also been invited to a concert at Westminster Abbey.
The couple have an invitation from Edinburgh Napier University in Scotland. Abraham will visit various music schools and colleges in Glasgow, Dublin and cities in the UK.
