Events
Events:
Concert by Hariprasad Chaurasia and Diabolus in Musica Feb 11, 2018
IISER, Pune and Alliance Francaise present:
MYSTICAL BREATH: Hariprasad Chaurasia & Diabolus in Musica
Date: Sunday Feb 11, 2018
Time: 19:00 - 21:00
Venue:: C.V. Raman IISER Auditorium
About: Hariprasad Chaurasia, one of the world’s greatest contemporary musicians, made the Hindustani classical art of the bansuri flute popular in the whole world. His immense talent as a composer allows him to capture the essence of the major genres of music from all continents. The Maestro feels a particular closeness to the purity of medieval monodies where many connections can be established with the world of ragas. Today, he is confronting the source of all Western classical music: The plainchant evolved in Christian communities of Western Europe during the first centuries, in the form of Gregorian chant and the first polyphonies of the Ecole de Notre-Dame, of which the Ensemble Diabolus in Musica has become an iconic and award winning interpreter. The long bamboo flute, incarnation of the breath, is the ideal instrument for this unprecedented meeting between the two worlds. “Mystical Breath” explores common fundamentals of these two repertoires: modality, improvisation on a content, virtuosity, rhythmic freedom or constraint, human breathing in the service of the music and the divine breath. The ecstasy of the subtle bansuri flute meets the vibratory power of Diabolus in Musica‘s terrestrial voices in a unique and exhilarating experience.
Artistes:
Hariprasad Chaurasia - Through an unexpected and exemplary journey, Hariprasad Chaurasia has become the most popular classical musician in India for the last decades – and the most in demand. The son of a wrestler from Allahabad, where he was born, the young Hariprasad is naturally promised to follow his father’s profession. But one fine day he falls in love with a bamboo flute (bansuri) heard on the radio and his way is then traced. The wrestlers exercise their ancient art on stage and it is on the biggest stages of the world that destiny was going to carry the flutist. He picked up flutes, took classes with local teachers and practiced in secret, taking care of his living as a stenographer before joining the flautist of Benares who had fascinated him on the airwaves to eventually become his disciple. The sheer beauty of his sound is compared to the famous Pannalal Ghosh who was the first musician to introduce the flute in classical concert.
At the age of twenty Hariji begins his career when he joins the All India Radio station in Bhubaneshwar in Orissa where he stays thirteen years in office. But he accepts too many concerts around, which is looked down by an administration perhaps jealous of his success. He is therefore dismissed. This surely is a shock but the promising musician takes the decision to try his luck in Bombay (Mumbai), where he joins the thriving film industry of “Bollywood”. He plays in the studios, composes and makes his way with success. But his over pleasing art was at fault with the real knowledge of the ragas, as if it just used them instead of serving them. For this reason, he luckily became the disciple of the famed Annapurna Devi, daughter of Allauddin Khan, the revivalist of instrumental music and sister of Ali Akbar Khan, the genius of sarod. Annapurna is ready to accept him on the express condition that he must start everything from scratch. The new student has a trait of genius: in order to get rid of the badly acquired, habits he turns his flute the other way, becoming left- handed, which forces him to change all his fingerings. He is initiated finally to the arcana of the interpretation of the raga-s. He thus enriches his repertoire of compositions and learns other forms of interpretation.
Convinced of the universality of the language of music and open to all cultures, Hariji has participated over the decades in regular creations of fusion and has recorded the largest number of CDs among all Indian classical musicians, his discography counting no less than two hundred albums to which his name is attached, including the famous Raga Guide of 4 CDs published by Nimbus. He performs with musicians from as diverse backgrounds as jazz, classical or other musical anchors such as Gregorian chant. A great teacher and guru, he founded a gurukul (school) in Mumbai where he lives and teaches to students from all over the world, as well as in Bhubaneshwar (Orissa).
Diabolus in Musica - Antoine Guerber took the direction of Diabolus In Musica* in 1992. From its beginnings, the Ensemble devoted itself to the French repertoires of the Middle Ages and quickly became a symbol of excellence in the world of medieval music. Diabolus In Musica is above all a group of impassioned lovers of the Middle Ages music – this long and distant period of time that has forged our whole culture and made us what we are; a period still too little known and surprisingly brilliant, inventive, surprising, which formed our language, saw the cathedrals flourish, giving birth to our towns and villages, inventing polyphony and wonderful music …
This Ensemble is made up of a team of permanent singers and instrumentalists gathered around Antoine Guerber, deeply invested in the demanding repertoires of medieval music with two major specialties: songs of the troubadours and polyphonies with men’s voices, from the 12th century until the Renaissance. Concerts in the biggest festivals around the world, critically acclaimed recordings as well as many educational activities are the main activities of the Ensemble that highlight the strong personalities of the chosen interpretations. The Ensemble is also devoted to musical research, which is at the origin of each of its creations and pinpoints as closely as possible to the medieval mentality and sensibility. Diabolus In Musica is always open to projects with artists from other backgrounds, endeavoring to enrich itself with highly qualified artistic collaborations and to promote the medieval repertoire. The Ensemble’s career has displayed a rich discography regularly distinguished by the press. In 2012 Diabolus In Musica receives the Liliane Bettencourt Foundation prize for choral singing, awarded by the Academy of Fine Arts. Antoine Guerber and Diabolus In Musica are also the creators of the festival Les Méridiennes, an event that is both engaging and particularly original – open to all music forms – and held at the beginning of July each year and whose success is growing every year.
The name of this group is a reference to a text attributed to a theorist of the thirteenth century who designates an interval of three notes between two sounds, thus bringing a dissonance to avoid absolutely in a polyphony. Otherwise… the devil enters the music … Diabolus In Musica is supported by the Region Centre Val-de-Loire (Tours being its capital). It is assisted by the Ministry of Culture and Communication / DRAC of the Region, in aid of the agreed artistic groups and is supported by the General Council of Indre et Loire Department and the city of Tours.
The concert is free and open to all
