A dialogue between East and West

A dialogue between East and West

We all associate the influential German musician, Ludwig van Beethoven with the symphonies that he composed. But how many of us know of his deep and abiding interest in Indian classical music? There are historical records which illustrate this association. In 1816, a translation of the Upanishads was made available in Germany and Beethoven immersed himself in these texts and even wrote a Brahmanic Indian poem in his notebooks to put it to music.

Building on this thought, a classical pianist Shani Diluka conceived of Project Cosmos in which she, sitarist Sahana Banerjee and tabla player Edouard Prabhu will explore Beethoven’s connection with Indian music. The programme titled Beethoven and India — Project Cosmos will be held in the city on Sunday (November 4) evening.
Talking about the project, Diluka says, “Project Cosmos is Beethoven’s piano recital in dialogue with ragas played by prominent Indian musicians, Banerjee and Prabhu. It is a dialogue between East and West, and the spirituality that connects both forms of music to the cosmos. I learnt that there was a link between Beethoven and Indian culture. The German composer was searching for the depth, which he found in Indian and Asian culture. He was incredibly mystical and curious about other cultures. As Beethoven was deaf half of his life, (he lost his hearing power in his 20s) in his compositions, he imagined things which were very abstract and modern. He is still considered as very innovative.”

Diluka met Banerjee in Paris in 2007 and she has worked with the sitarist and the tabla player on another project as well. “We are all international performers representing our art form all over the world. We met in 2007 in Paris. At that time, I used to live there and was popular as a sitarist. Prabhu is our common friend and also a very popular tabla player in Europe. Shani thought of creating a bond between Indian classical music and Western classical music. Her first project was ‘Schubert meets Indian classical music’ which was hosted by National Radio France and National Radio Venice, respectively. This year, she introduced us to the compositions of Beethoven and Project Cosmos,” adds Banerjee. 
 
When asked about her thoughts on Beethoven and Western classical music, Banerjee informs, “Both Indian and Western classical music are unique and have their signature style. And yet they are connected by the swaras.”
 
To which Prabhu adds, “Beethoven’s music is extremely structured. This is one common link with Indian classical music. In Indian classical music, we have this concept of sadhana which relates music with spirituality and self-realisation. Beethoven believed in it and his music is a reflection of that deep dimension in his art.”

Indian classical music’s association with spirituality is deep and widely known. However, the layman is not aware of the Western classical music and what it stands for. Diluka clears the air and says, “Western music connects the soul to the emotions, to nature or to mystical connections. Indeed, when it comes to German music, it was Beethoven’s quest to find a balance between reason and passion.” 
The Pune-based sitarist adds, “All the music in this world is created out of a philosophy. It stems from the realisation of truth of life. This is the spiritual base in both forms.”

And, when both the forms of music are played together, what should the audience look forward to? Prabhu answers, “I would say, it’s important to look at it through someone else’s eyes. Our aim is not to mix the two traditions. We try to preserve the authenticity of each, but highlight the common heritage that is beyond cultural differences.”

Through this concert, the three performing artists aim to convey a sentiment of brotherhood, peace and harmony.  “Project Cosmos is all about tolerance, a dialogue between cultures. It’s an example of sharing together an intense spiritual and fraternal experience. It’s an attempt to get people to bond together. We all need that more than ever. This is the goal of this project,” says Diluka on a concluding note.
 
ST Reader Service
A music programme Beethoven and India — Project Cosmos will be held at Mazda Hall, Dastur Primary School, on November 4, 6.30 pm.

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