Tagore’s song reloaded for garden city audience

Catch Rabindranath Tagore's songs performed with a difference at this concert this weekend that bring out Tagore's universal appeal

Tagore's song reloaded for garden city audience

Catchu00a0Rabindranath Tagore's songs performed with a difference at this concert this weekend that bring out Tagore'su00a0 universal appeal

The world is busy celebrating the Bengali poet, novelist, musician, painter and playwright Rabindranath Tagore's 150th birth anniversary year.

Sudeshna Rudra Sanyal

But to a young professional what does Tagore stand for? This question has troubled city-based theatre personality Ranjon Ghosal for decades.

And in an effort to bring Tagore closer to the young and old alike, Ghosal brings to town a unique concert titled Come Home to Tagore Songs that will present Tagore songs but with a difference.

In this recital, Kolkata-based singers Sudeshna Rudra Sanyal and Biswaroop Rudra will be performing Rabindra Sangeet or selected Tagore songs accompanied by a band of musicians from the City of Joy.

And if you are listening to Tagore songs for the first time, then Ghosal would make them easier for you by translating the songs and providing the history and context of each song during the performance.

"Alienation is created for Bengalis and non-Bengalis when it comes to Tagore. Rabindranath was a fantastic music maker. Through the concert we are going to show the kind of rhythms, musical genres and patterns that he experimented with," says Ghosal.

Ghosal informs that for the performance he has personally chosen two dozens songs from over 2,500 Tagore songs and each presents a different mood, melody, rhythm and inherent harmonic pattern.
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Songs like Tumi Sandhyar Meghamala ( roughly translated as you are like a garland of dusk clouds) bring out the romantic side of Tagore while songs like Pagla Hawa Badal Dine (describes how monsoon winds rake storms in hearts. Ghosal informs that each song is chosen with the thought of exploring Tagore's versatility.
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At the background for all those, who do not follow Bengali, there would be a screen providing translations of the song being performed. The translations are by Ghosal and his wife Sangeeta.

"I wanted to break three myths- the lyrics of Tagore's songs should only mean particular things, to sing without many instruments and to sing in a particular fashion," informs Ghosal.

He adds that unlike the traditional instruments, they plan to use guitar, pakhwaj, keyboard along with the usual ones like tanpura, harmonium and others. "The keyboard and guitar will not follow the melody but will harmonise with the melody," he says.

Singer Sudeshna Rudra Sanyal shares in a telephone interview that the songs will not be performed in the traditional way though the spirit and essence would remain intact. "We would be changing the beats for example while singing in Dadra I may move to Kaharva," she says.

Sanyal hopes that this innovation and experimentation would open Tagore to more people and transcend the barriers of language and region. "The concert will show why Tagore is relevant even after decades of his demise."

Doordeshi sheyi rakhal chhelay....
The shepherd boy from the far away land,
He played the whole day here in my yard under the banyan shade
He alone knows what songs he sang,
their tunes keep stirring my heart -
Do tell me, did you all get a hint of what he said?
When I asked, 'what should I get you?'
He answered, 'Nothing save the garland on your neck'
My day went thinking what would he give in return -
Only to discover his flute left behind on the dust.
Translated by Sangeeta Ghoshal

Where The Alliance Francaise de Bangalore Auditorium, Vasanthnagar
On May 29, 7.30 pm
Call 41231340