Violin and piano for a beautiful evening

Mellifluous magic

A wonderful duet on violin and piano, performed by Michael Braudy and Aching Shaiza, mesmerised the audience at the India International Centre (IIC) recently.

Many cultural influences came together as western classical combined with Jewish strains, and Scottish tunes flowed into Indian ‘ragas’, to create melody on piano and violin.

Michael Braudy, an American violinist and Aching Shaiza, a pianist and vocalist from Nagaland, performed to a packed auditorium. Michael specializes in western classical and Celtic music, and his understanding of Indian ‘ragas’ would put any Indian to shame.

Aching, on the other hand, discovered her musical talents while singing in church choirs at Kohima. They rendered eight pieces in all, including a solo on the violin as well as violin and piano combined, to enthrall the audience. Michael began with the legendary Bach’s ‘Sonata number 3’ on violin. Bach’s compositions are full of variations and difficult to perform, but Michael rendered it with perfection. The contemplative ‘Sonata No. 3’ set the right mood for the evening.

This was followed by Argentinean composer Osvaldo Golijov’s ‘Lua descolorida’. An improvisation on a Jewish melody, this piece was described by the composer as ‘Belvet bells coming from three different churches’ and a ‘Death lullaby’. Michael and Aching certainly did justice to it. Then came Russian composer Alla Pavlova’s ‘Monologue’- a short piece that the composer had dedicated to her father.

Hereafter came the most exciting piece of the evening- ‘Taste of Indian ‘ragas’ and ‘Celtic tunes’.  In this composition, Michael played the tanpura along with the violin. He performed Raga Bhupali and Bhimpalasi along with Celtic tunes. He said, “Strangely, I find Scottish and Indian classical music very common. They complement each other beautifully and are both soothing and healing.”

He then enthralled the audience by playing the Bengali song Purano Shei Diner Kotha. Bengalis in the audience couldn’t stop smiling.

Then came a sad composition called ‘Paper wings’. Commissioned by Michael himself, it is composed by an American lady named Rain Worthington. She had created it for her ailing mother, and hence, when you hear it, the notes tugs at your heartstrings as the bow pulls on the violin strings. Next was a meditative piece called ‘Exaltation’ by a Chilean composer Iris Sanguesa. Iris apparently found the inspiration for this piece in a school of meditation.

Finally, came ‘Ashokan farewell’. Composed by Jay Ungar, when he had just finished a season of camping and was sad to lose the friends he had made there, the music reflected joy and sorrow, hope and despair, and loss – all in the same breath.

Michael explained, “This is what a violin and piano performance is all about. It does not use any lyrics, but it is supposed to well up the same feelings in a listener as in a song with words. These two instruments are powerful enough by themselves to create a perfect musical evening.”