The bilingual site devoted to the cultural life in Sri Lanka and in France                                                         Le site bilingue consacré à la vie culturelle au Sri Lanka et en France H O M E   /   I N  B R I E F CONTACT US TOPICALITY Sri Lanka / France CULTURE Cinema Dance Exhibition Heritage Literature Photography Poetry Spirituality Travellers DOSSIERS Fascination of the body Paul Cézanne In the Light of Gauguin Globalization Jean de La Fontaine Malraux / Segalen Picasso-Rodin Pigeon houses in Quercy Raphael Saint-Exupéry SOCIETY Abortion AIDS Death Penalty Mental Health GALLERY Raphael Miniatures of Kangra, India ARCHIVES  CD : our selection "Sambho Mahadeva"            Rajeswari Pamanabhan - Dr. Karaikudi Sambasivayer Subramaniam - Tajore Upendran Dedicated to vina, the reference instrument of the Carnatic music in South India, this issue from the collection of the Berlin Museum constitues a reference in the matter : quality of the performers and quality of the documentation give evidence. A must ! Reference : SM17092 - 4010228170924 "Liriche da Tagore" - Franco Alfano            1 CD audio (6th June 2004) Codaex France. "South India Nâgaswaram in the Carnatic tradition." O. K. SUBRAMANIAM In Kerala, the large oboe nâgaswaram is, first of all, an instrument of the temple music. In this CD, O. K. Subramaniam performs carnatic music : the classical tradition of South India, in an innovative and yet traditional style. Innovative, because the artist adapts with an exquisite finesse his instrtumental technique to a repertoire which is unfamiliar with this instrument, and traditional in his choice of ancient compositions and improvised forms which are hardly performed any more. 1 CD CD W 260119, 2004. "CEYLON'S DRUM MASTERS & HEALERS" "Sri Lanka : maîtres-tambours guérisseurs" 1 CD audio (13th July 2004) Buda musique; ASIN : B0002CHGQ2. "MEETING" "Two Worlds of Modal Music : Indian Ragas & Medieval Song Dominique Vellard (tenor), Ken Zuckerman (sarod and luth), Swapan Chaudhuri (tabla), Keyvan Chemirani (zarb). After exploring the affinities with the music of Souyh India (see below SOURCES), Dominique Vellard continues to work on the affinities between the medieval music in Europe and presently the musical traditions of North India. 1 CD Harmonia Mundi HMC905261, 2003 "SOURCES" Devotional Chants of Southern India & Medieval Europe Dominique Vellard, Aruna Sairam, voices. Gayatri Sairam, tampura. In this highly unusual recording, two superb singers explore the affinities between the ancient chants of their respective civilizations. While respecting to the full characteristics inherent in each tradition, they chose the music with great care so to bring out genuine kinships, resulting in juxtapositions of exquisite aptness and beauty, in performance remarkable for their technical mastery and warmth. 1 CD Virgin Classics, 2001 Sound extract "ORIENT ET OCCIDENT" ARVO PART Choir and Orchestra of the Swedish Radio, Tonu Kaljuste. The latest ECM release of music by the Estonian composer Arvo Pärt takes its title from the shortest work on the disc, Orient Occident, composed in 2000 for string orchestra. Tinged with Eastern musical motives, the texture constantly alternates between rich harmonies and unison sections. The CD opens with Pilgrim's Song, Pärt's tribute to his friend, the Estonian film and theatre director Grigori Kromanov. The work was written in 1984 for male voice and string quartet but it is the 2001 version for men's choir and string orchestra which is heard here. Based on Psalm 121 ("I will lift mine eyes unto the hills…"), Pilgrim's Song explores, as Pärt explains in his sleevenote, time and timelessness. The mellifluous vocal writing contrasts with a heartfelt mourning figure for strings. Como cierva sedienta (1998)--a five-movement choral drama for soprano, women's choir and orchestra--is the most substantial work on the disc. It begins in familiar Pärt territory--sustained voices, a tolling bell--before the orchestra begins to unfold. Some of the music which follows is almost filmic with its blazing trumpets and stratospheric vocal writing. Rebecca Agnew (Amazon.co.uk) 1 CD Collection : ECM NEW SERIES 4720802, distr. Universal, 2002.