We are going to take you on a musical voyage through the gardens of Srivulliputhur in South India to the Hind Kush mountain ranges in Afghanistan and back.
The most challenging aspect of this project was trying to learn the lyrics and the correct pronunciation of two complex unfamiliar languages. The most fun part was our video shoot where we met in person after 15 months and sang to our hearts content!
The piece we are presenting is an adaptation of two compositions from diametrically opposite cultures, yet the two are strikingly similar in essence.
The folk component in this presentation is a poem composed by the persian polymath, and mystic Omar Khayyam in the 10th century. This is in the language Pashto or Dari which is spoken by ethnic groups in Afghanistan and Pakistan. In recent times the song was popularized by musicians Zeb & Haniya. In this poem, the rasika is saying, I am ready to lose myself in the beloved’s intoxicating gaze as I await the sacred arrival in a carpet of rose flowers.
The classical component is an ancient tamil hymn written by a female saint poet from south india. In these verses, she takes the form of a gopika. She describes the birth of sri krishna and urges her sakhis to abandon worldly woes to sing the praises of her beloved.
Both compositions convey a sense of self surrender in the presence of divine love. The source of divine love isn’t elusive after all, and the rasikas keep finding the beloved in their hearts through their music.
COMPOSITIONS PERFORMED :
1. FOLK : Paimona
Genre : Middle Eastern
Lyricist : Omar Khayyam
Popularized by : Coke Studio Pakistan
2. CARNATIC : Oruthi Maganai Pirandhu (a verse from the Tiruppavai)
Ragam : Behag
Composer : Andal
Thalam : Adi
Performed by : Laya , Pallavi, & Ragini
Curated and directed by : Surabhi Vijay
The CARNATIC x FOLK Edition -
We dove into the heartland, to rural India, the salt of the earth. Where the people are simple but real, where the music doesn't come from years of training but from the heart and soul. Folk music cannot be measured, like shasthreeya sangeet, by brighas and complicated sangathis. You sing it from experience and involvement, in a full-throated voice that can be heard across towns. If you were a farmer, a plantation worker, fisherfolk, or a laborer, you didn't have the time or resources to sit before a guru everyday and undertake hours of riyaaz. But folk music stemmed organically as a companion to deal with life - songs of distraction from hard labor, songs to help grieve, songs of celebration, songs of happiness on good harvest, songs of wisdom passed from generation to generation, and songs to educate where systematic literacy is not accessible. We pick up pieces from Gujarat, Rajasthan, Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka, and add a splash of familiar color with Carnatic music. Enjoy!
OPEN MIC 2021 -
Words mean more than what is set down on paper. It takes the human voice to infuse them with shades of deeper meaning, said Maya Angelou. This sums up our annual gala, our OpenMic concert, as we explore the tales of rural India through vibrant folk music infused with Carnatic melodies.
Theme : Carnatic x Folk Edition.
NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED. NO MONETIZATION. INTENDED PURELY FOR EDUCATIONAL & ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES.
***
Want to sing? It's never too late. Don't hesitate.
Fill out this form and help is coming your way:
https://carnaticalifornia.com/make-me-sing
Visit us also at:
OUR WEBSITE: https://carnaticalifornia.com
ON FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/carnaticalifornia
ON YOUTUBE: http://www.youtube.com/c/CarnatiCalifornia
ON INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/carnaticalifornia
ON TWITTER: https://twitter.com/CarnatiCali
ON SOUNDCLOUD: https://soundcloud.com/carnaticalifornia ON TIKTOK:
https://www.tiktok.com/@carnaticalifornia
The most challenging aspect of this project was trying to learn the lyrics and the correct pronunciation of two complex unfamiliar languages. The most fun part was our video shoot where we met in person after 15 months and sang to our hearts content!
The piece we are presenting is an adaptation of two compositions from diametrically opposite cultures, yet the two are strikingly similar in essence.
The folk component in this presentation is a poem composed by the persian polymath, and mystic Omar Khayyam in the 10th century. This is in the language Pashto or Dari which is spoken by ethnic groups in Afghanistan and Pakistan. In recent times the song was popularized by musicians Zeb & Haniya. In this poem, the rasika is saying, I am ready to lose myself in the beloved’s intoxicating gaze as I await the sacred arrival in a carpet of rose flowers.
The classical component is an ancient tamil hymn written by a female saint poet from south india. In these verses, she takes the form of a gopika. She describes the birth of sri krishna and urges her sakhis to abandon worldly woes to sing the praises of her beloved.
Both compositions convey a sense of self surrender in the presence of divine love. The source of divine love isn’t elusive after all, and the rasikas keep finding the beloved in their hearts through their music.
COMPOSITIONS PERFORMED :
1. FOLK : Paimona
Genre : Middle Eastern
Lyricist : Omar Khayyam
Popularized by : Coke Studio Pakistan
2. CARNATIC : Oruthi Maganai Pirandhu (a verse from the Tiruppavai)
Ragam : Behag
Composer : Andal
Thalam : Adi
Performed by : Laya , Pallavi, & Ragini
Curated and directed by : Surabhi Vijay
The CARNATIC x FOLK Edition -
We dove into the heartland, to rural India, the salt of the earth. Where the people are simple but real, where the music doesn't come from years of training but from the heart and soul. Folk music cannot be measured, like shasthreeya sangeet, by brighas and complicated sangathis. You sing it from experience and involvement, in a full-throated voice that can be heard across towns. If you were a farmer, a plantation worker, fisherfolk, or a laborer, you didn't have the time or resources to sit before a guru everyday and undertake hours of riyaaz. But folk music stemmed organically as a companion to deal with life - songs of distraction from hard labor, songs to help grieve, songs of celebration, songs of happiness on good harvest, songs of wisdom passed from generation to generation, and songs to educate where systematic literacy is not accessible. We pick up pieces from Gujarat, Rajasthan, Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka, and add a splash of familiar color with Carnatic music. Enjoy!
OPEN MIC 2021 -
Words mean more than what is set down on paper. It takes the human voice to infuse them with shades of deeper meaning, said Maya Angelou. This sums up our annual gala, our OpenMic concert, as we explore the tales of rural India through vibrant folk music infused with Carnatic melodies.
Theme : Carnatic x Folk Edition.
NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED. NO MONETIZATION. INTENDED PURELY FOR EDUCATIONAL & ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES.
***
Want to sing? It's never too late. Don't hesitate.
Fill out this form and help is coming your way:
https://carnaticalifornia.com/make-me-sing
Visit us also at:
OUR WEBSITE: https://carnaticalifornia.com
ON FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/carnaticalifornia
ON YOUTUBE: http://www.youtube.com/c/CarnatiCalifornia
ON INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/carnaticalifornia
ON TWITTER: https://twitter.com/CarnatiCali
ON SOUNDCLOUD: https://soundcloud.com/carnaticalifornia ON TIKTOK:
https://www.tiktok.com/@carnaticalifornia