Rashid Khan-T.M.Krishna Jugalbandhi - Chowdiah Hall, Oct 10

[lanupama]

The concluding concert of the Bangalore International Arts Festival was a jugalbandhi between Rashid Khan and T.M.Krishna.
I was not quite sure what to expect. I attended a concert of Rashid Khan a couple of years back and had been very impressed by the two pieces he presented. It was my first live Hindustani concert and I must say that Rashid Khan made a tremendous impression.

I have also heard TMK many times before and like his style. Still I was a little apprehensive about a jugalbandhi, but am unable to articulate the reason for it.

The concert started with a solo by Rashid Khan. He elaborated Puriya Dhanashree (I believe the equivalent in carnatic is Pantuvarali?). It was beautiful. The spell he wove held me mesmerised and I remember thinking that TMK had a hard act to follow!
The sarangi accompaniment was superb, so was the tabla. I couldn't hear the harmonium much. Unfortunately I don't remember their names.

Then came TMK's solo. He started with Ananda Bhairavi and perhaps because the Puriya Dhanashree was still echoing in my ears, I thought the kirthanai (Pahi Shree by Syama Sastri) lacked punch. He followed it with a very emotive Shankarabharanam. Swara Raga Sudha was rendered in very slow tempo and it was apt and soothing. I like RKSK's alapanai reply. Arun Kumar on the mridangam provided very sensitive accompaniment.

After a ten minute break, the curtains parted to reveal the entire team sitting on stage. The jugalbandhi showcased each of the artiste's many talents - the unbelievably fast taans (?) of Rashid Khan (with TMK ripostes every bit as fast and true to swara sthanam), the spanning of 3 octaves (here I enjoyed Rashid Khan's lower octave more than TMK, and TMK's mel stayi more), and many more. There was a lot of excitement and I felt genuine appreciation of each other rather than one of them trying to dominate the stage. They sang Desh and Kirvani (here TMK said that RK sings both madhyams but he cannot sing teevra madhyamam because it would become simmendhra madhyamam ?).
The downside I felt was that the beauty of both ragams was lost because one of them would cut in just as the other was getting to a particularly charming elaboration. It was indeed enchanting in parts but mostly it got overpowered by the artistes' exuberance. I had to leave before they finished Kirvani.

In summary, a very good concert.
A grouse with the organisers - the tickets were sold at Rs. 500, Rs. 1000 and Rs. 2000. However, when we got to the venue, half the auditorium was empty and people were allowed in for free. Not to crib, I do believe that one shouldn't count one's paise while promoting/enjoying art, but I do wish they had been consistent.

[srikant1987]

A grouse with the organisers - the tickets were sold at Rs. 500, Rs. 1000 and Rs. 2000. However, when we got to the venue, half the auditorium was empty and people were allowed in for free. Not to crib, I do believe that one shouldn't count one's paise while promoting/enjoying art, but I do wish they had been consistent.

A more down-to-earth and realistic price would helped them do that! And helped the listeners too. And also the artists!

[lifeisasong2]

Interesting combination. I always get excited by the idea of jugalbandis and they invariably disappoint. I would have liked to hear this one. There is a brief clip on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkQKpfFaze8

[arasi]

Lifeisasong,
Thank you for the suruTTi/suraTi.
Good to see you post again on Rasikas after it migrated. Yours is one of my favorite names on the forum.

The jugal bandis I have heard in my youth (Ravi Shankar and Ali Akbar Khan) blended seamlesly and produced an extraordinary effect on the audience. I don't think the modern day jugalbandis (of HM-CM) have achieved that state a harmony yet. It wasn't because RS and AAK coming from the same khAndAn and both played HM. Even with Sriram Parasuram and Anuradha (obviously, it's easier for them to practise together before performances), I find that HM-CM blend isn't achieved that easily (if teas are all about blending, I think music needs even more careful handling). Just a personal view, no offence meant.
I was listening to Rajam's violin recently. A vidushi born into CM but blooming as a HM artiste. I find tranquility and sukham in her playing. I haven't heard her playing with her brother, though. That would be worth listening to.
Who knows? If they don't push it hard and make HM-CM jugalbandi a pop concert, it may evolve into something worthwhile in the hands of responsible musicians. Listening to Anil Srinivasan on his piano, playing with Gurucharan and again with Viji Natarajan gave me hopes about CM-WM jugalbandis.
I love to listen to Rashid Khan. TMK is a top performer too. I don't know how I would have felt, had I heard the whole concert.

[lifeisasong2]

Thanks for the warm welcome Arasi . I did post again recently, complaining about the acoustics at Carnatic concerts and the lack of Tamburas (old pet peeves!).

I live in hope re HM-CM jugalbandhis-I would have loved to have heard the Rashid Khan-TMK one. Some time ago I attended a Shubha Mudgal-Bombay Jayashri jugalbandhi. But it sounded like an HM concert, though their voices do go together. An old jugalbandhi I listened to a couple of days ago-Kishori Amonkar and BMK, was a complete disaster for me.

I can't bear it when Sriram Parsuram and Anuradha Sriram sing together. They are individually very talented, but IMHO male-female duets in ICM have to be approached very carefully.

Recently listened to a Ravi Shankar/Ali Akbar Khan Jugalbandhi and was transported. Something inside says that same feeling is possible with an HM-CM jugalbandhi.

I am also very curious about the recent Malladi Brothers and Gundecha Bandhu jugalbandhi-hope a recording comes out.

[sivapriya]

To Quote respected ARASI : I find that HM-CM blend isn't achieved that easily (if teas are all about blending, I think music needs even more careful handling). Just a personal view, no offence meant.

I have NOT heard the concert in discussion.

My views are entirely based on several other JBs I have heard in the HM HM and HM CM combinations.

My views align with that of the view quoted above.
HM CM blend to achieve becomes a very challenging task, and very often the end take out is that of either listening to a HM HM combination , or a stand alone effort by either partners, intermittently seeking to fuse with one another.

[eesha]

I was listening to Rajam's violin recently. A vidushi born into CM but blooming as a HM artiste. I find tranquility and sukham in her playing. I haven't heard her playing with her brother, though. That would be worth listening to.

There is one NR-TNK jugalbandi in sangeethapriya.org

go to Concerts Catalog and filter by Jugalbandi. Album ID: 03-J0002

[arasi]

eesha,
Thanks. Will look for that.

[kssr]

Except in extreeeeeeeeeeemely rare cases CM-HM JBs are always a flop. Why take pains to list one by one and call it "unsatisfactory" and a whole lot of different words.

The only one I can call close to a good one was the TV programme of Lalgudi-Amjad Ali Khan,with Sri.Ramabhadran on mridangam. It was decades back. Also, the one that followed with BMK - Bhimsen Joshi was not that peaceful, although also interesting in its own way

[sirsub11]

I got to watch a snippet of this concert on youtube, where TMK is clearly elaborating on Surutti, while Rashid Khan appears to be strutting his stuff in a slightly different ragam. Perhaps it was the nearest Hindusthani equivalent of Surutti, but clearly many of the prayogas were from some other raag, which I am not competent to identify. The resultant effect was a bit unsettling. Perhaps one of our experts can shed some light.

[mankuthimma]

where TMK is clearly elaborating on Surutti, while Rashid Khan appears to be strutting his stuff in a slightly different ragam. Perhaps it was the nearest Hindusthani equivalent of Surutti, but clearly many of the prayogas were from some other raag,

raag sorath perhaps.

[mankuthimma]

Except in extreeeeeeeeeeemely rare cases CM-HM JBs are always a flop. Why take pains to list one by one and call it "unsatisfactory" and a whole lot of different words.The only one I can call close to a good one was the TV programme of Lalgudi-Amjad Ali Khan,with Sri.Ramabhadran on mridangam. It was decades back. Also, the one that followed with BMK - Bhimsen Joshi was not that peaceful, although also interesting in its own way

kssr
You may like some of the tracks I intend putting up here .
In my books , only TNK has the ability to savour the richness of Vilambith pace and look out for all those lovely nooks and corners in a raga . You can wait for the next track with bated breath ( or baited breath , perhaps ? )

http://www.mediafire.com/?o8td17qwj5xpsxm

TNK - N Rajam Sriranjini - Abhogi Kanada

[mankuthimma]

duplicate post

[mankuthimma]

Bilahari and all UKS Fans included :envy:

[vasanthakokilam]

I got to watch a snippet of this concert on youtube, where TMK is clearly elaborating on Surutti, while Rashid Khan appears to be strutting his stuff in a slightly different ragam. Perhaps it was the nearest Hindusthani equivalent of Surutti, but clearly many of the prayogas were from some other raag, which I am not competent to identify. The resultant effect was a bit unsettling. Perhaps one of our experts can shed some light.

Impressions from the youtube snippet.
I also hear Surutti in TMK and more of Desh in Rashid Khan. They are allied ragas ( along with Kedara Gowla ).
It sounded like in a couple of places RK tried to get the Surutti vibe but it did not sound quite like surutti but sounded different from Desh..

Other than the rough patches when they cut into each other, both seem to have sung pretty well. I do not think it meshed together well.. RK's section in that youtube snippet sounded lighter than TMK's. ( This may be because of my own conditioning that Desh is lighter when compared to Surutti and also to a CM ear, if certain CM gamakas are not there it may sound light. ).

In any case, the objective of Jugalbandhi may not be to mesh together styles to evolve a new one ( that is too high an expectation anyway ) but if we take it as presenting related ragas in their own styles side by side, that in itself is worthwhile pursuing. Atleast here they tried something other than Hamsadwani or Kalyani.

[mankuthimma]

http://www.mediafire.com/?sr2t9gguzogn8

A jugalbandi which future historians will mark as a watershed moment , perhaps .
One of the most brilliant and original ones I have come across .
One can see the influence of Vilayath Khan ( in his duets with VG Jog or Bismillah Khan ) in Bale Khans Playing .

A track that can put you on a trance . Great ragamalikas too . TNK stamps his authority over Surutti and Sindhu Bhairavi in unmistakeable fashion - A brillaint 90 minute effort .
UKS is on the Mridangam and RaghunathSa Nakod on the Tabla .
A precious moment indeed. Enjoy !!

I have put a short clip of Hirabai Badodekars Yaman in this folder too . It is the same composition which is taken up for the Jugalbandi

[rshankar]

Kji - the track of Sri TNK with sister N. Rajam was absolutely fascinating - I have always wondered if the two had played together - a superb musical example of nature and nurture - both working in the same and 'different' ways at the same time - do you have more such tracks to share?

[mankuthimma]

Kji - the track of Sri TNK with sister N. Rajam ... do you have more such tracks to share?

Unfortunately , No . I used to have one tape where they played bhairavi-sindhu bhairavi, which I seem to have lost.
They have brought out one commercial album with Chalaga Bhairavi and some other raga.

a superb musical example of nature and nurture

Also a superb example of the wretchedness of the establishment in Chennai,too , to recognise N Rajams contributions . Something which she herself has gone on record , about . Coming to think of it , what else does one need to showcase to the world , as a grand unification theory.
And look at all those silly duets which are part of the current scenario. Here in Chennai. Absolutely frustrating.

Please go through the other track too , with care . That is a classic example of how a jugalbandi should be . Atleast in my books.The number of times the artists get into uncharted territory while exploring the raga , with such delicate interventions.
Imagine a Dhani - Shudha Dhanyasi Combination ....

[bilahari]

Thimma, that was an excellent demonstration of srIranjani/ AbOgi kAnaDa by the siblings. Indeed, theirs is the only jugalbandi combination I like! Thank you very much for the clip. However, it ends midway through tAnam (around 13 minutes) - is there more or is my download incomplete?

What I like about TNK-NR is the understanding they have - they both have similar aesthetics in their presentation, value the effect of silence in music, vilamba kala raga development, similar building up of tempo in alapanai, excellent "chemistry" in taking up from where the other left off in a very appropriate (and non-jarring) manner... In sum, a very high "sowkhyam" quotient.

I haven't listened to the second clip yet. Recently, I have heard Irshad Khan (sitar) and Chitravina Ravikiran in a jugalbandi playing kharaharapriya, which was also well-conceived.