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The Telegraph
December 17, 2011
Kolkata concert features Armenian folk songs
SWEET SYMPHONY
Kushal Dasgupta
Music
Bartók's rustic dissonances and Bach's ethereal counterpoint filled
up the December evening air at St John's church. The occasion was a
charity concert in benefit of Udayan held on December 10. Reverend
James Stevens, the founder of Udayan, read out the welcome address.
The eminent author, Dominique Lapierre, was also present among the
distinguished guests.
The programme began with a dance performance put up by the girls of
Udayan to the recorded music of Tagore's Anandaloke. The Kolkata Music
Academy Chamber Orchestra - comprising only Strings - under the able
direction of Abraham Majumdar performed Purcell's Dramatic Suite in
three movements, Rondeau, Air, Minuet. Though a bit hesitant at first,
the instrumentalists quickly found their bearings and adjusted
themselves to the acoustics of the 300-year-old church. By the time
they reached the second movement, `an Air', the sound of strings truly
reverberated across the Corinthian columns. The last movement, `a
Minuet', with a pizzicato section was executed flawlessly keeping in
mind its idyllic nature. The idyllic world of Purcell was followed by
the pastoral world of Bartók. Bartók's 10 dances for String
Orchestra are short, sprightly, nostalgic and, at times, dissonant
folk dances from eastern Europe. The members of the Kolkata Music
Academy Chamber Orchestra were able to capture the sprit of these
dances with their measured bowing and apt tempi. In the coming days,
we eagerly await to see the orchestra perform a much wider repertoire
under the able leadership of Majumdar.
Oishik Ganguly mesmerized the audience with his performances of Bach's
1st Prelude and Fugue from the Well Tempered Clavier Book-I and the
first movement from Mozart's A minor Sonata, K.310 on the piano. The
first movement from Mozart's A minor Sonata was performed at a
lightning pace. Following all the repeats, he ended the movement with
a sense of conviction.
Deepanjali Lobo gave a very crisp and refreshing rendition of Haydn's
Sonata in D major, No.27. She adeptly revealed the cantabile-singing
qualities of this sonata.
The last among the solo pianists, little Reet Mitra, won the audience
with his jazzy jig, `Intercity Stomp', by Christopher Norton.
Four Armenian folk songs, sung by the Tadevosyan Family Trio sans
accompaniment, were indeed a revelation. The soundscape the Trio
created instantly transported the listener to a medieval Armenian
apostolic monastery somewhere in the Caucasus.
Soprano Alisha Alexander, accompanied by her mother, Debra, on the
piano, effortlessly sang Arias by Gluck `O del mio dolce adore',
Schubert `Ave Maria' and Gershwin `Someone to watch over me', winning
accolades from the audience.
The climax of the evening was none other than James Stevens himself,
the in-house singing sensation and a very fine Bass, singing four
Negro Spirituals accompanied by Fauzia Marikar on the piano. The
evening ended on a high note with the children of Udayan singing a
Christmas carol.
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1111217/jsp/opinion/story_14879903.jsp
From: Baghdasarian
December 17, 2011
Kolkata concert features Armenian folk songs
SWEET SYMPHONY
Kushal Dasgupta
Music
Bartók's rustic dissonances and Bach's ethereal counterpoint filled
up the December evening air at St John's church. The occasion was a
charity concert in benefit of Udayan held on December 10. Reverend
James Stevens, the founder of Udayan, read out the welcome address.
The eminent author, Dominique Lapierre, was also present among the
distinguished guests.
The programme began with a dance performance put up by the girls of
Udayan to the recorded music of Tagore's Anandaloke. The Kolkata Music
Academy Chamber Orchestra - comprising only Strings - under the able
direction of Abraham Majumdar performed Purcell's Dramatic Suite in
three movements, Rondeau, Air, Minuet. Though a bit hesitant at first,
the instrumentalists quickly found their bearings and adjusted
themselves to the acoustics of the 300-year-old church. By the time
they reached the second movement, `an Air', the sound of strings truly
reverberated across the Corinthian columns. The last movement, `a
Minuet', with a pizzicato section was executed flawlessly keeping in
mind its idyllic nature. The idyllic world of Purcell was followed by
the pastoral world of Bartók. Bartók's 10 dances for String
Orchestra are short, sprightly, nostalgic and, at times, dissonant
folk dances from eastern Europe. The members of the Kolkata Music
Academy Chamber Orchestra were able to capture the sprit of these
dances with their measured bowing and apt tempi. In the coming days,
we eagerly await to see the orchestra perform a much wider repertoire
under the able leadership of Majumdar.
Oishik Ganguly mesmerized the audience with his performances of Bach's
1st Prelude and Fugue from the Well Tempered Clavier Book-I and the
first movement from Mozart's A minor Sonata, K.310 on the piano. The
first movement from Mozart's A minor Sonata was performed at a
lightning pace. Following all the repeats, he ended the movement with
a sense of conviction.
Deepanjali Lobo gave a very crisp and refreshing rendition of Haydn's
Sonata in D major, No.27. She adeptly revealed the cantabile-singing
qualities of this sonata.
The last among the solo pianists, little Reet Mitra, won the audience
with his jazzy jig, `Intercity Stomp', by Christopher Norton.
Four Armenian folk songs, sung by the Tadevosyan Family Trio sans
accompaniment, were indeed a revelation. The soundscape the Trio
created instantly transported the listener to a medieval Armenian
apostolic monastery somewhere in the Caucasus.
Soprano Alisha Alexander, accompanied by her mother, Debra, on the
piano, effortlessly sang Arias by Gluck `O del mio dolce adore',
Schubert `Ave Maria' and Gershwin `Someone to watch over me', winning
accolades from the audience.
The climax of the evening was none other than James Stevens himself,
the in-house singing sensation and a very fine Bass, singing four
Negro Spirituals accompanied by Fauzia Marikar on the piano. The
evening ended on a high note with the children of Udayan singing a
Christmas carol.
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1111217/jsp/opinion/story_14879903.jsp
From: Baghdasarian