At a glittering event on July 18, the Maharaja Shri Jayachamaraja Wadiyar Foundation celebrated his 104th birth anniversary, with Governor of Andhra Pradesh, S. Abdul Nazeer, as the chief guest. Jayachamaraja Wadiyar’s daughters, Kamakshi Devi and Indrakshi Devi, other family members, and a number of invitees paid homage to his legacy. The occasion devised by Maya Chandra, aptly called ‘The King Speaks’, released podcasts of the Maharaja’s speeches, beginning with his historic coronation speech in 1940.
The series is tribute to a true Renaissance polymath, whose intellectual pursuits did much to preserve and promote Indian culture, while his eclectic knowledge and practice of music included both Carnatic and Western Classical. His study of Sanskrit scriptures manifested itself in his strong sense of duty, truly in the interests of his subjects, rather than for personal gain and glory. He was the personification of Krishna’s teachings in his lack of ego and willingness to accept change, readily ceding his glorious Mysore kingdom to the Republic of India.
The Maharaja was an excellent pianist but, in fact, he wanted to become a conductor, under the tutelage of Rachmaninoff, but fate required him to ascend the Mysore throne, so he picked up the scepter instead of the baton. He funded the Philharmonia Orchestra, and was responsible for vinyl recordings of historic performances, including first pressings of Rachmaninoff and Medtner playing their own compositions.
A portrait of the Maharaja of Mysuru, Jayachamaraja Wadiyar. | Photo Credit: The Hindu Archives
Tribute concert
As a fitting tribute to his patronage of Western classical Music, a piano recital followed. Large screens flanked the stage, rather overshadowing the piano, which should have been moved downstage for better acoustics, as the piano sounded too bright in the large hall. While the visuals were informative, they distracted from the piano performance by the prodigiously talented Syed Fateen Ahmed, just 15 years of age. Though a full-time Std 10 student, Syed’s love of music spurs him to dedicate a daily hour practising the piano, squeezing in an extra hour on weekends.
Impressive range
The repertoire showed his impressive range of keyboard mastery. He wisely chose short pieces for his programme, given that the heterogenous audience had but a few western music aficionados. Opening with Bach’s ‘Prelude’ and ‘Fugue’ in C Minor was appropriate, as Bach composed the two volumes of The Well-Tempered Clavier “for the profit and use of musical youth desirous of learning, and especially for the pastime of those already skilled in this study”. Bach’s words could have been written with Syed Fateen in mind!
After the structured, though deceptively simple, Bach, the announcement of Mozart’s ‘Sonata No. 8’ led one to expect an expansive joyous contrast. However, the Sonata, true to its A Minor key, was rather forlorn. Having witnessed his mother’s death, Mozart might have chosen the bleak minor key, the first of only two sonatas he wrote in minor keys. Syed brought out the contrast of the conflict of its opening, with the more soothing second movement, before the desperation returned in the Presto conclusion.
Sensitive rendition
The beautifully lyrical opening bars of Mendelssohn’s Rondo Capriccioso Op. 14 were a welcome change. Syed Fateen’s sensitive rendition bodes well, as he will probably bring even more interpretive feeling as he matures emotionally. He also brought the necessary romantic dimension to the Rondo tune, then shifted effortlessly to the flurry of fortissimo octaves of the conclusion. His sturdy bass, providing rich choral underpinnings, was particularly noticeable, so that it was no surprise to learn that Syed Fateen is left-handed, though he is capable of balancing the natural predilection, giving the right hand its due.
The dominant left hand was also evident in both the Chopin pieces. Strong chords marked Scherzo No.3 in C # minor. In this composition, Chopin is very Lisztian, demanding rapid and accurate technique for its running octave patterns. Fateen was equal to the demands of shifting from the furious main theme to the more typically Chopinesque cantabile.
His apparently slight frame was capable of the power required for the zest and sweep of Chopin’s “Revolutionary“ Etude in C minor, to mark the bombardment of Warsaw. Here again, Syed Fateen’s left hand exulted in the opening theme’s scales, arpeggios and the persistent semiquavers that have to be played evenly throughout. However, he did justice to the right hand’s role of the powerful chordal basis, and legato melodic figurations that appear in widely distributed octaves.
Rachmaninoff was a favourite composer of both Jayacharamaraja Wadiyar and his sister, Rani Vijaya Devi of Kotda Sangani, whose favourite piece, Rachmaninoff’s famous Prelude in C# Minor, was played in her memory. The pronounced 3-note bass chords replicate ‘The Bells of Moscow’, again giving Syed Fateen’s left hand enjoyable scope, though the volume calms down to pianissimo with the introduction of the theme. Agitato is reasserted but the piece’s coda close is calm.
Tchaikovsky’s Dumka in C minor, is a single movement piece, subtitled “Russian Rustic Scene”. Syed Fateen was equal to the challenge of its virtuosic demands, veering from the ballad reminiscent of a folk song, to an animated con fuoco.
The programme concluded with Nicolas Medtner’s ‘Fairy Tales’ Op.26, No.3. The maharaja’s generous support of the struggling composer and performer ensured that his music survived. Though Jayachamaraja Wadiyar never met him, Rani Vijaya Devi, also a brilliant pianist, played Rachmaninoff for Medtner when she met him. Mysore Foundation published the memorial Volume, Nicolas Medtner (1879-1951): A Tribute to his Art and Personality.
A well-deserved revival of Medtner opus
Given the family’s association with Medtner, Syed Fateen was requested to include one of his pieces, which he learned and practised in just two weeks. Its delightful melody had immediate appeal, and its restrained romanticism made for very attractive listening. This Medtner Opus has been rediscovered and is enjoying a well-deserved revival, a pleasing justification for the confidence the maharaja had in the once obscure composer.
For the Encore, Syed Fateen was joined by his younger sister in Astor Piazzolla’s Libertango, arranged for 4 hands. While Falisha provided the bass tango rhythm, the liberation of the title was apparent in the jazz-spiked melody played by Syed Fateen, bringing the programme to an upbeat close.
