RAHUL SHARMA: Akaash
This recording marks the coming of age of a young maestro who is now firmly established as one of the most popular attractions on the Indian classical music circuit. Since 1996, the gifted Rahul Sharma has shared the stage with his father and mentor, Shivkumar Sharma delighting crowds in all corners of the world with their duet performances known as jugalbandi. That process has been an essential part of the grooming of young raw talent into a mature artist.
Having won over the plaudits Rahul has now declared that his life's priority is to popularise Indian classical music itself. He is well aware that his task has been made lighter through the endeavours of his father, Shivkumar Sharma who has transformed a folk instrument, whose use was confined to the valleys of Kashmir, into a fully fledged classical concert instrument making major modifications to its design in the process. Rahul is only too well aware that his father faced many hardships on this tireless journey performing all over India, waging a continuing battle to establish the Santoor which was not initially accepted by classical purists.
Now Rahul is all set to take the Santoor to greater heights in the twenty first century by adding new dimensions to it with his creativity.
Thanks to the open mindedness of his parents Rahul grew up to the sounds of Pink Floyd and Sting, developing eclectic tastes and influences. Unlike many great masters, Shivkumar Sharma took care not to force his son into Indian Music and accepted his appreciation of other different music forms as an essential part of his learning. His family also insisted on him completing his academic studies before venturing into the music business.
Though Rahul's task now is easier, his challenges are no less daunting. Living up to his father's reputation and the high expectations that come with it is a challenge he seems to be facing in a relaxed and confident manner.
Santoor originates from a world family of stringed instruments with its roots in Persia.
In India it was first used in Kashmir as an accompaniment to Sufi folk verses.
In Iran and China (known as Yang-Qin) the Santoor has a classical tradition, and its use in Hungary and Romania in folk music suggests that it was used by gypsy communities travelling across from Asia into Central Europe.
As is the case with many other India instruments like Sitar, the name has its roots in Persia. Santoor literally means 'one hundred strains'. Santoor has in fact approximately ninety strings stretched across the bridges and struck with a pair of curved wooden mallets (kalam).
This live performance was recorded on 10th January 2004, at the twenty fifth anniversary of Saptak Music Festival, an annual twelve day celebration of India's finest classical music hosted in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. It is an event at which Shivkumar Sharma has been a regular headliner since its inception.
North Indian Raga music is time based. All ragas have an association with specific times of the day or seasons of the year. The root of this practice is not clear but there is no doubt that nearly all serious artists adhere to this custom in their performance and very often in their practice too.
This recording features a pentatonic (five notes) raga, Chandrakauns, associated with the late evening.
The first part of the performance is divided into three distinct parts, Alap, Jor and Jhalla as is the tradition in a classical recital. Alap is a slow, serene exploration of the chosen raga. It is in the Alap where the artiste reveals his maturity and the vision. Alap demands complete concentration as well as the experience of handling abstract melodic ideas. After this, the musician moves to Jor (track 2) in which numerous variations on the raga's basic theme are presented within a self regulated rhythmic framework. The tempo gradually increases to the concluding section called Jhalla (track 3) in which various complex rhythmic patterns are presented.
For an instrument to be accepted as classical it has to be able to emulate the human voice, the ultimate classical instrument. This requires the effect of meend (glissando), which is the ability to pass, unbroken, from one note to another, as opposed to staccato. Two techniques could be used to create this effect on a stringed instrument. One is by pulling the string, as in the sitar, and the other is by gliding the fingers as in the Sarangi or Sarod. Rahul Sharma sustains the resonance of the notes and maintains their continuity by gliding his kalam, or strikers along the strings very delicately creating very little vibration. This gliding technique allows him to play Alap, the slow improvised invocation of a raga.
The first gat sees the introduction of the tabla, played by veteran accompanist Shafaat Ahmed Khan of Delhi. Rahul has chosen to play a gat in a nine beat rhythmic cycle (Matta taal). Gat is the name given to a composition made in a specific rhythmic cycle. These can be traditional compositions or can be made spontaneously depending on the confidence and depth of knowledge of the performer. The Gat should reflect the nature of the raga effectively and it provides a motif around which to improvise.
Rahul plays three compositions gaining in momentum and tempo as the performance progresses culminating with a very fast tempo that stretches the technical ability of each of the performers to the limit.
Notes: John Ball
