Search - Kala Ramnath :: Touching Air

The exceptional beauty of Kala Ramnath's 'singing violin'

Pieter de Rooij | Amsterdam, The Netherlands | 05/15/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If I were to survive on a deserted island with only a few pieces of music to listen to, I would certainly like the company and unique beauty of the timeless music of violinist Kala Ramnath on two of her latest albums, 'Touching Air' and 'Kala'. Both albums were released by Sense World, a young label that focuses exclusively on classical raga-music. I've enjoyed a lot of their releases already and in my opinion Sense World excells in recording musical sound and in the choice and combination of artists.

In the world of North Indian raga-music Kala Ramnath has become famous for her unique 'singing violin'-style. Her musical abilities were nurtured in a family of celebrated violinists in both the North and South Indian musical forms. Kala took the road of North India, playing the hindusthani vocal style of Khyal, a genre that allows performers to display the depth of their musical knowledge and skills. Kala Ramnath was educated from a very early age by her grandfather Vidwan Narayan Iyer and later on by her aunt N. Rajam, another famous violinist who became legendary for developing a new vocal style for violin called 'gaayaki'. After absorbing this style Kala Ramnath continued her musical journey for many years under the guidance of another famous musician, singer Pandit Jasraj. His approach left a decisive mark on her playing, which elegantly combines an excellent technique with a deep emotional quality.

The renowned world music magazine 'Songlines' welcomed the album-release of 'Kala' with a raving review last year and later on it was voted there as one of the 'best world music albums of 2004'. I couldn't agree more! Kala Ramnath displays the very same top-performance level on her album 'Touching Air', a live-performance at the Saptak Music Festival 2001. On 'Touching Air' she plays the rarely heard midnight raga Nat Narayan, a creation of her guru Pandit Jasraj. On 'Kala' she plays the raags 'Jogkauns' and 'Bhatiyar'. Both albums showcase Kala Ramnath with outstanding improvisations, full of character, playfulness and exuberance. These performances are for me -an experienced listener of this kind of music- very relaxing and at the same time full of excitement. Her playing blossoms all the way, also thanks to really excellent artistic contributions by tabla players Vijay Ghate (on 'Touching Air') and Subhankar Banerjee (on 'Kala') who are able to grasp and respond to all her musical intentions.

Kala Ramnath gently unfolds the raags on 'Touching Air' and on 'Kala' within a slow framework of twelve beats (ektaal) and expresses her 'vocal' approach in a lyrical and introspective way. When the tempo gets faster she displays all her technical virtuosity as well, without ever forgetting to transfer emotional content in her musical phrases. The enormous and endless variety she's capable to display in her phrasing, based on several melodic formulas/compositions in these raags, is breathtaking and overwhelming. It's this fully developed and well balanced broad range of her musical abilities that makes Kala Ramnath such an interesting and very pleasant performer and these wonderful performances such a captivating and satisfying experience.

Listening to 'Touching Air' and 'Kala' really leaves me no further doubt: Kala Ramnath is one of the most gifted violin players on earth today.





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Ramnath Live: Outstanding Spiritual Improvisations

Dr. Debra Jan Bibel | Oakland, CA USA | 07/06/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Her studio releases were excellent but this live performance, as many concert events can achieve, is pure magic. Even at the start of her career, it is fair to predict that Kala Ramnath will forever be remembered as the leading violinist of the North Indian, Hindustani musical tradition and one the great violinists in the world. Technically precise and consistent in bowing and fingering, profoundly sensitive to the midnight mood of the rag, here Pandit Jasraj's combination Raga Nat Narayan, and open to lyrically inventive improvisations, she grabs our ear and enters our heart. Spiritual pathos and passion are evoked in the opening movement, the alap. Propelling her forward in her appearance at the 2001 Saptak Festival in Abmedabad is Vijay Ghate on tabla, whose drum work is rock solid in the initial 12-beat ektal rhythm and solo flourishes. As the piece moves into the gat or final, fast movement, the musicians shift to the 10-beat jhaptal and end with 16-beat tintal. Midnight was never so bright. We leave in delight and peace."