Raag Marwa | Pt Ram Narayan - Sarangi | Pt Suresh Talwalkar - Tabla

Описание: Jogiya Raagmala (13:20)

Alaap, Taan followed by compositions in Vilambit Teental and Ek taal

The tradition of classical Indian music is in many ways a complex process of interpretation that allows the artist freedom and space to create from the limited grammar, a unique musical world.

Every major artist has some favourite raags that they emotionally bond with to which they return to time and again over the course of their musical careers. It would be safe to assume that Pandit Ram Narayan has nurtured his fondness for Raag Marwa throughout his career. His interpretation of Marwa therefore is not only unique but is one of monumental power. This performance is no exception and undoubtedly one of his finest demonstrations of the creative reach of this technically challenging raag.

Pt Suresh Talwalkar on the Tabla is again a valuable partner in the project.

The Sarangi has never had a better artist to champion its cause than Pandit Ram Narayan. It seems unlikely that the magnitude and quality of his work will be equalled anytime soon.

The series of concert recordings that are being released by the Pandit Ram Narayan Foundation aim to make available these masterpieces to music lovers and especially to future generations of sarangı players to be acquainted with and be inspired by the genius of Pandit Ram Narayan.



PANDIT RAM NARAYAN

Ram Narayan's name is synonymous with the sarangi. Some of its practitioners found an easy way out, they simply exchanged their vocal chords and became extremely successful vocalists like Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, Ustad Amir Khan etc.

Unfortunately, in the hierarchy of instruments, it remained at the bottom because of the secondary role it played in a vocal presentation and thus it did not attract new enterprising talent and the players remained a contented lot with no efforts being made to study and improve this art.

Ram Narayan began his professional career in Lahore in 1944 and continued at Delhi and later Bombay, emerging as the most sought after accompanist. Throughout this period, he was learning, researching and experimenting with his instrument. His efforts received encouragement and praise from singers like Pt. Omkarnath Thakur, Pt. Krishnarao Shankar Pandit etc. His command over the technique of playing the sarangi reached a point when he felt his role as an accompanist was too constrictive as he had far too much to offer in music than his role allowed. He then launched a solitary one man effort to enhance the status of the sarangi on the concert platform. As in any pioneering enterprise, the initial response is always disheartening, but his unrelenting dedication and perseverance however, kept his efforts alive.
The technical innovations he instituted have revolutionized its playing, introducing a style that is now universally accepted as a model standard for all sarangi players.

Besides his phenomenal technical ability, Ram Narayan's success is also based on the richness of his musical ideas. By principle, a purist, he has combined a powerful technical ability with a traditional approach to the actual music content, to produce a sound, that is at once appealing to any intellect. It must be pointed out here, that Ram Narayan has received admiration in far greater degree in the West. It is probably for this reason that Ram Narayan's faithful admirers include musicians like Yehudi Menuhin, Pablo Casals and Rostropovich amongst others with whom he has enjoyed long associations. Yehudi Menuhin comments" The sarangi remains not only the authentic and original Indian bowed instrument but the one which most poignantly and in the hands of Ram Narayan revealingly expresses the very soul of Indian feelings and thought. I cannot separate the Sarangi from Ram Narayan so thoroughly fused are they not only in my memory but in fact of this sublime dedication of the great musician to an instrument which is no longer archaic because of the matchless way he has made it speak."