Rabindranath Tagore is a name that is known to almost everybody. He was a novelist, poet, lyricist, composer, painter, dramatist and singer, all in one. His compositions have not only enriched Bengal but the translations of his work like Geetanjali has appealed to the world. It is very difficult to understand his work in one lifetime. Our Indian Classical Music Expert Brinda Roy Chowdhury released Classical Tagore, some days ago.
She says, “He himself is the inspiration for me and many other artists like me who experience the richness and vastness of his work and learn something every day from his books, poetry and songs. Out of total 2500 songs, I have sung, recorded or performed many of his compositions on various occasions. But, I had been conceptualizing something like this in my mind for a long time. It took me longer to execute it. The 2500 songs are based on different categories or what we call Parjaay in Bangla. There is Prem Parjaa (love songs), Prakriti Parjaa (nature songs), Puja Parjaa (prayer songs), Bichitra Parjaa (diversified subject songs), Swadesh Parjaa (patriotic songs), Nrityanatya (dance drama songs), etc.”
Classical Tagore
Out of these categories, she has chosen 2 Puja Parjaa songs, which are also composed on two major Hindustani Classical Ragas – Raga Yaman and Raga Khamaj.
Brinda continues, “Raga Yaman is an evening raga and the Rabindra Sangeet I sang was- Daariye acho tumi amar gaaner opaare– the song describes the poet’s emotions for the Almighty. He says, his music has reached the holy Feet but he himself is yet to see Him. In the next half of my single, I sang a bandish on Raga Khamaj and a song – Tomari gehe paalicho snehe– The song says that the Almighty is like our parent. He has manifested himself as the Father to give us support, as a Mother to see the light of this world and as the Lover for beautiful things to embrace us.”
Talented musicians – Pallab Chakraborty, Shubhojit Majumdar and Tanmay Chatterjee – have given the instrumental support. Hridaya Productions have designed the video beautifully. It got her a massive response on YouTube and Facebook.
Contact
For updating us about new music releases, please contact Gayatri Rao at Gayatri.rao@lemonwire.com.
It was a visual treat and very soothing to ears. Wonderful presentation. Keep going Brinda Roy Chowdhury and Gayatri Rao.