Pt. Vijay Raghav Rao : SUNRISE (vol. 2) 

Three recordings of live performances in the morning by the legendary flautist symbolizing the ascending vitality of modernism in traditional Indian classical music. Like SUNRISE (vol. 1), this album of exceptional artistic brilliance features music rooted in the natural metaphor of a rising sun. 

“Makes the notes dance and quiver in an enchanting manner, spouting mellifluous melody in a variety of tonal nuances, embellishing delectable compositions notable for a refined sense of design” – The Times of India

“Rays from sunrise drew forth buds and stretched them into long stalks, lifted up sap in noiseless streams, opened petals, and sucked out scents in invisible jets and breathings” - Thomas Hardy 

1. AHIR BHAIRAV 
In this performance Panditji interprets in his inimitable style a variation of the oldest known scale in traditional Indian classical music. The rendering summons ethereal emotion that blends a deeply felt spiritualism with romantic visions of a sun rising over a rustic country scene, in which Lord Krishna - in the guise of a cowherd playing the flute - tends to his flock of cattle, preparing them for the day ahead. In the hands of the finest flautist/composer of our time the weight of tradition mingles seamlessly with rusticity and heart-felt devotion. 

Tabla: Pt. Mahadev Indorkar

2. BHOPAL TODI 
In this live recording Panditji interprets a rare variation of one of the most popular scales in Indian classical music. The performance emotes compassion and heartfelt empathy with those who suffer physically, intellectually or spiritually. The elegiac composition leans on unadorned musical notes - shorn of technical dazzle - to highlight, without obtrusion, the unassailable dignity of the spirit amidst what chaos there may have been. In the process, classicism finds new meaning appropriate for the modern condition. 

Tabla: Pt. Mahadev Indorkar 

3. HINDOL 
In the spirit of this album's character highlighting Panditji's devotion to Lord Krishna, this selection features his interpretation of a Raga traditionally associated with an image of Lord Krishna reclining on a swing, surrounded by his devotees. The atmosphere is suffused with playful reverence. An early morning's ambience burnishes the joie de vivre. Panditji's composition is delectable in that the melody easily straddles the subtle ground between elegance and intellectualism, even as it uses rhythm and tempo to present an objective, physical picture of a divine swing in perpetual motion. That the enchanting melody is essentially based on four musical notes - skillfully woven into a substantive, poem/song - is a testament to Panditji's artistic genius. 

Tabla: Sanjay Kumar

 

Pt. Vijay Raghav Rao : SUNRISE (vol. 2) 

Originally recorded live in Bombay, India and Springfield, VA, USA 

Special thanks to Smt. Lakshmi V. Rao 

Sound Executive Dr. Vijay Vardhan Elchuri  Executive Producer Sanjay Kumar 

 © 2014 by Pt. Vijay Raghav Rao & family 

From The Red & Green Company