Sanjog: Sitar Violin Tabla

CHOWDHURY & CHATTOPADHAY – “Sanjog”
Dunya, 2003

NORTHERN INDIA – Program of “night” ragas performed by a sitar/violin duo, plus tabla. The title means fusion: according to the liner notes, Subroto Roy Chowdhury plays sitar in an old-fashioned, almost 19th century style, while the violinist, Madhuri Chattopadhyay, balances traditional and modern impulses. Their interplay is fresh and absolutely brilliant. Recommended!

1. 15:46 – atmospheric duet, slow but vibrant: violin & sitar trade overlapping short melodies over drone in a very nice dialogue. Tempo rises near the end.
2. 15:39 – adds tabla to an upbeat rustic/folksy melody that grows more energetic, frequently referring back to a short motif. Final 7 mins are fast, train-like.
3. 6:41 – alap section similar to #1 but a bit faster, much shorter.
4. 13:42 – courtly midtempo, a bit of China in the melody line. Tabla urges the others forward; not fast but full of tension, with rich harmonic textures.
5. 8:01 – still tense, but they pull back. Quick tabla pulse as tabla/violin trade off.
6. 9:03 – reflective intro: sitar up front, violin prowls the perimeter. Then a light-hearted duet over loping tabla beat. Speeds up & falls back a few times.

[Fo] - 3/31/06