Quiessence
by Mindia Devi Klein
Original Ancient Future flutist Mindia Devi peforms all the instruments on this CD of contemporary explorations of North Indian classical ragas on the bansuri, the traditional North Indian bamboo flute.
Track List
- Reappearance of Dawn (Mindia Devi. 25:32). A garland of eight different North Indian ragas (traditional melody forms) to evoke various rasas (moods) associated with the different prahars (watches) of the day. The sun rises with rag Bhairav and sets to Puryia Dhanashri – the sandhyaprakash ragas (meeting of the lights). In between these come the sounds of the sun-filled morning rag Alhaiya Bilawal, the playful afternoon rag Vrindaviani Sarang, and with rag Bhimpalasri we sense the darkening shadows of late afternoon. With the rising of the moon comes the romantic evening or rainy season rag Desh which seduces the senses and expresses shringara – the joy affection and pathos of romance. Following is the evocation of midnight with the deeply serious rag Malkauns. At last we hear Bhairavi, the evocation of the Goddess Bhairavi, a ragini of utmost compassion, pathos and longing bring us full circle to the "Reappearance of Dawn." As with all North Indian classical music, the basic melodic structure of the rags are traditionally set while the improvisation comes from the imagination of the performer.
- Nightingales' Prayer (Mindia Devi. 21:19). This piece is based on the mid-morning rag Asawari. Its primary rasa is karuna – deep pathos and compassion. Asawari is full of tyag, the mood of renunciaiton and sacrifice. In this version, three nightingales (three bansuri flutes) are singing to one another and to the forest praying for the well-being of all the woodland creatures, plants and spirits who dwell there.
- Moonlight Embrace (Mindia Devi. 23:31). This piece explores the nuances of the beloved raga Yaman Kalyan, an early evening raga. Yaman Kalyan expresses the blissful feelings of shanti, bkhakti, and karuna- the rasas of peace, devotion and a bit of longing as well. In this version the 46 string European zither accompanies the lone bansuri in a gesture of musical embrace.