For Hungarian musicians,Zoltan Lantos & Bálint Gyémánt,Indian classical music is uplifting,spiritual & deeply meditative Nothing compares to the heavenly effect Indian classical music evokes. The degree of perfection and chiselled levels of mastery over the art is simply mindblowing, Zoltan Lantos revels in the uplifting,spiritual and deeply meditative impact of the sacred notes as he takes us on a musical journey that truly began in India in 1985. Eight years,here under my guru,Pandit Debu Chaudhri, tells the Hungarian violinist who is in town with his group Samsara including jazz guitarist Balint Gyement and percussionist Peter Szalai for a Indo-jazz performance courtesy the Chandigarh Film Society,Steps,Chandigarh Tourism and ICCR. What began as a cultural exchange programme soon transformed into an education in classical music for Zoltan. To make a living,I would take Western music classes at the embassies,and scoot all over Delhi,teaching and learning, he rewinds to those days when he learnt the sarangi from Pandit Ram Narayan and played the Tarangini. Interestingly,Hungarians have a deep relation with the East. Some say its our origins,and our ancient home lies in India. Unfortunately,the West is overloaded with pop culture,and its rare that people dig deep into culture,but that doesnt change the fact that we are connected, Zoltan feels the karmic pull. The best part about Indian classical music is its attention to rules and gurus. Everything is harmonised,structured and disciplined, Balint shares his understanding of the Indian music,adding how hed rather stick to the freedom jazz provides. Jazz has rules,but it allows space for change. While the Western classical music pays attention to technique,Indian classical music has a crystalised,more complex system and complicated ragas. Its centuries old and commands immense patience and devotion. Its not your regular music,its heavenly,spiritual and sacred. Music,in India,is a religion,and once you are into it,you cannot indulge in anything else, reflects Zoltan,who discontinued his classical education for he wanted to go back home and make his own music. Western music is written and composed,and even if you play Mozart bad,it will sound like Mozart while in Indian classical,a bad piece sounds awful! Zoltan smiles at this irony,and says how difficult it is to be a student of Indian classical music. You are one for years before your Guru allows you to perform. From performing with great artists like Steve Coleman,Al Di Meola,Trilok Gurtu,and Loreena McKennitt to playing with folk and ritual musicians,in the Roma caves of Granada,the deserts of Rajasthan and Buddhist monasteries in Himalayas,Zoltans Samsara now melodies and rhythms of traditional Indian ragas interwoven with the complex harmonic structures of jazz. Catch their concert by Samsara ensemble on November 7 at 5:30 pm at Bal Bhawan.
