Chennai-based classical-contemporary pianist Anil Srinivasan considers music to be fluid, not conforming to the limitations of genres, cultures or style. In today’s world, Srinivasan, in New Delhi recently for a musical collaboration with Jazz pianist Sharik Hasan, believes, musicians in every part of the world are united in their love for music. It is a fraternity that frees itself from the limitations of the man-made borders and varied backgrounds.
“The biggest paradox is that, though the world is shrinking in the age of technology, the idea of divisiveness is increasing. Despite the fact that music has transcended borders over centuries, distinctions based on race, religion and ethnic identities is gaining traction. I seek independence from these constraints and celebrate the freedom of music,” says the musician. His collaboration with Hasan, part of “Keys to India”, a series of piano concerts across the country, “is a manifestation of this thought.”
“‘Keys to India’ brings together two pianos and pianists of international repute and is a spontaneous sharing and interaction of two musical minds,” he says. Crafted anew to respect the sensibilities of the piano, the collaboration, he says, “attempts to showcase Indian music at its best, and is, in a sense, representative of fierce nationalistic pride and the notion of equality and brotherhood.” The idea of doing a duo-piano concert appealed to both the musicians because it required each musician to ‘listen’ to each other as much as playing melodies with natural chord progressions. The development of the piano in Europe over the past three centuries from the santoor in Asia, says Srinivasan, “is a perfect example to showcase how music unites the world.”
At the Delhi concert, held at the India International Centre, the duo presented versions of a wide range of musical genres which they sought to interweave through the medium of themes such as Nature, Romance, Human Condition, Seasons and Nationhood. The evening began with the artists’ own interpretation of the theme of ‘Nature’. They started with the famous Jazz melody, “Nature’s boy”, moving onto the raga Katri-Nile.
The theme of ‘Romance’ was what resonated with the audience the most where the duo performed the popular songs of Jazz and Bollywood ranging from “Autumn Leaves” to Rabindranath Tagore inspired Bollywood song “Chura liya hai tumne jo dil ko”, ending with Cindy Lauper’s “Time after Time”. The intertwined chord progressions supporting the interchanging melodies were refreshing examples of how harmonic minor scales could be showcased through various styles of music such as Jazz, Bollywood and popular music.
The theme of ‘Human Condition’ was probably the most poignantly displayed through the example of Ludwig Van Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata”. As Srinivasan explained to the audience, “This composition is the epitome of the victory of human spirit over human condition”. Beethoven composed the sonata when his deafness had already advanced and he used the vibrations of his instrument to overcome his shortcoming.
It followed the theme of ‘Seasons’, presented through a selection of ragas like Basant, Malhar and Megh, combining them with Hasan’s self-composed melody, ‘Jack-O’-Lantern-Jig’, finishing it with ‘Raindrops on Roses’ from “Sound of Music”. The concert ended with the pianists’ interpretation of ‘Vande Mataram’ under the theme ‘Nationhood’, an attempt to render a composition not conforming to a particular style but an amalgamation of the ‘music of one world’ — which, according to Srinivasan, “is the concept of one-nation-one-people.” The theme resonated well with the Delhi audience who interacted with the performers at the end of the concert, even giving in requests for pieces to which the musicians obliged during the encore.
“Keys to India” in New Delhi was presented in collaboration with IIC Delhi and curated by Aalaap, a national performing arts’ initiative based in Chennai.
