UTSYO CHAKRABORTY ________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________
Navrasa
For Piano Book 1
To Pervez Mody, with admiration.
Navrasa, Book 1 was written on the insistence of Indian pianist, Pervez Mody. Pervez ji called me up one evening from his residence in Lahr, Germany and requested from me a sizeable piece which would reflect on our common Indian heritage, albeit with a contemporary colour. Finding the suggestion interesting, I immediately embarked on a recce to search for a reasonable “Indian” basis. A sudden flash of recollection made me remember that a mere two years prior to the composition, I had decided to write a suite of nine pieces for guitar called “Navrasas” based on the eponymous nine sentiments (or emotions) which have been dominating the daily practices of our Indian performing arts since time immemorial. After pitching my idea to Pervez ji, his enthusiasm about my proposal gave me the encouragement to commence work on the project. For the first book, I have selected four of the nine emotions. They are: 1. 2. 3. 4.
Sringara (Love) Bibhatsya (Disgust) Karuna (Compassion) Adbhuta (Wonder)
The first book should last approximately 10 minutes. -U.C.
(Love) ad libitum
3
3
3
C
3
10
cantabille
5
Quasi una fantasia. As if in a trance. [ = 72]
Sringara
3
20
()
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
()
24
A♯
15
ad libitum
2
32
28
ad libitum
3
3
3
3
[ = 80]
leggiero
7
getting steadier
(bring out circled pitches)
13
[ = 90 ↗ 180]
accelerando molto
17
24
()
29
3
harsh
3
harsh
= 180
3
obsessively
[ = 90 ↗ 180]
(bring out circled pitches)
accelerando molto
21 [ = 80] subito
Bibhatsa (Disgust)
= 180
2
2 1
[ = 80] subito palm
33
2 1
35
palm
accelerando molto
sim.
37
43
(observe decay of clusters)
39
(like clockwork getting faster)
[ = 200]
durata: 1'35"
Melifluous, constantly undulating [ = 45-50]
5
()
10
()
3
3
5
()
14
3
6
3
Karuna (Compassion)
3
3
3
C
3
3
3
A
3
2
18
()
22
3
3
()
26
3
3
6
1+3+1
3
6
5
()
8
C
2+2+2
3
3 3
5 2+2+2 3 6 3 ()
3
6
11
()
3
6
3 5
6
3 6
B♭
Bright, like a burst of white light [ = 80]
4
Adbhuta (Wonder) D♭
2
16
(bring out this voice, subtly)
23
3
3
3 3
27
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
32
3 3
3
3
3
bring out the sudden changes in dynamics
3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
36
3
3
3
(←one triplet quaver = one quaver →)
3
39
42
3
ritard.
3
46
3
3
( = 120)
3
← = →
4
50
()
58
54
62
3/4 + 1/8
(bring out this voice - with full power)
66
70
()
74
()
77
explosively!
()
5