A string instrument that has traveled through ancient times to the modern performance platform in the current times is the Sarangi. The ethereal quality of the instrument’s sound almost always evokes an emotional response from a listener. The instrument “sarangi†supposedly derived from the name “saurangi†(hued in a hundred colors), was commonly used in accompanying vocal musicians in the yester-years. There have been very few performers who have raised the standard of the instrument to one that can deliver a “solo performanceâ€. PadmaVibhushan Pandit Ram Narain is one such sarangi artist who is a living legend. MITHAS (MIT Heritage Arts of Southasia) presented his grandson Shri Harsh Narain in a sarangi solo recital on Saturday, October 8 at Wong Auditorium in MIT. Shri Narain was accompanied on the tabla by the talented Shri Amit Kavthekar, disciple of the renowned Ustad Allarakha.
Shri Harsh Narain had the fortune of studying the Sarangi under his illustrious grandfather Pandit Ram Narain from the young age of six years. His father, the Sarod maestro Shri Brij Narain and aunt, the Sarangi player Smt. Aruna Narayan Kalle also helped him gain a solid foundation in the intricacies of Hindustani classical music. An “A†grade artist of All India Radio, Shri Harsh Narain also holds a Masters degree in Business Administration.
The sarangi is a difficult instrument to play. Carved from a single block of wood, the sarangi has a box like appearance and is held upright with its base resting on the performer’s lap. Three main strings are played with a long horsehair bow going back and forth with the right hand while fingernails, cuticle and surrounding flesh on the left hand’s fingers press on a fretless board. 35-37 sympathetic strings create a rich and resonant sound effect that quickly touches the human heart, mind and spirit.
The concert began with a detailed alaap followed by Jor and Jhaala in late afternoon Raga Patdeep. The artist demonstrated skill in playing gamak taans (fast melodic phrases with heavy oscillation around musical notes). The momentary silence between rapid taan-like phrases created a haunting effect. In the first gat (composition) set to a slow tempo of 16 beat cycle teentaal, Shri Narain traversed musical notes in three octaves effortlessly. Shri Amit Kavthekar improvised across multiple avartans (rhythmic cycles) taking turns with Shri Narain. The second gat (composition) set to 14 beat cycle aada chautaal built excitement with several taans that ended on tihais. Shifts in timbre, volume, legato and staccato sounds as well as the frequent use of the vibrato ornamentation created an engaging musical atmosphere.
The second raga to be presented was Raga Shree. This plaintive and meditational raga is typically performed around sunset hours of the evening. Alaap, Jod and a brief Jhaala were followed by a gat(composition) set to ten beat cycle Jhaptaal in medium tempo. The asthai and antara movements were played twice in a row followed by taan movements with pronounced accent on the main “sum†beat. Shri Narain raised the tempo of the composition a few times in the second gat set to 16 beat cycle teentaal and played taans at varying speeds spanning multiple octaves.
The two hour long program concluded with an alaap and composition in Raga Mishra Bhairavi set to 16 beat cycle teentaal. Exhibiting his command over twelve semi-tones in the octave, Shri Harsh Narain often contrasted the shuddh (regular) musical notes with their komal (flat) variants in Bhairavi. When he concluded this finale, no member of the audience was willing to stand up from their seats. Tabla artist Shri Amit Kavthekar’s statement “Let’s go home!†as a gentle suggestion to the listener conveyed the message that the concert had ended.
Of the 35-40 members who attended the concert, a large population was multi-national. Anis Ehsaani, born to a Nigerian mother and an Iranian father said “I grew up listening to Jazz and it sounded like the artist was improvising on spot which is what Jazz musicians do. However, Jazz musicians must adhere to a form and a main line of melody. It was hard for me to tell what that main line of melody was in what I heard today.†Another Chinese concert attendee said “All the pieces he played sounded kind of similar and repetitive but the sound of the instrument was relaxing and kind of hypnotizing.â€
Sarangi concerts are a rarity in these times and it was a great opportunity for music lovers in Boston to get to hear a solo performance by a hard working young artist who is keeping his family’s rich musical legacy alive with his efforts. Kudos to MITHAS for organizing the performance and preserving Southasia’s heritage and traditions.
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