DESCRIPTION:
GRAM CHARA
{Rabindranath Tagore/ Kaczor/ Hardern}

Directed by Matthew Hardern
FX by Miguel Domingo Redondo

From the album 'Albion Voice'
iTunes http://bitly.com/X4pFrg
Amazon http://bitly.com/Q9H1kM

Gram Chara is a reworking of a well known poem by Bengali poet and novelist Rabindranath Tagore, set for two voices and strings by Neil Kaczor & produced by Matthew Hardern (who also directed and produced the video). The main strings are played by The Ligetti Quartet whilst the solo viola da gamba is played by Liam Byrne.

Bishi grew up hearing her mum sing this as a lullaby and in performance during her career as a classical singer.

Susmita has studied the Tagore tradition throughout her life and 2013 is an important celebration for the man regarded by many as the greatest writer in modern Indian literature. 100 years ago Rabindranath Tagore became the first non-European to win the Nobel Prize in Literature.

He was an accomplished artist, environmentalist, rural reconstructionist, political thinker and philosopher; as an educationist he founded the International University, Visva-Bharati. His compositions were chosen by two nations as national anthems; the Republic of India's Jana Gana Mana and Bangladesh's Amar Shonar Bangla; he even established a new dance form called Rabindra Nritya.

Tagore had strong links with Scotland after establishing a close friendship with pioneering Scottish town planner Patrick Geddes and his grandfather Dwarkanath Tagore was honoured with the Freedom of the City of Edinburgh in 1845.

The string arrangement echoes with Scottish themes that pay respect to this historic International communion of art, literature and humanity.

English Translation......
Beguiles my mind the earthly road
Beyond the village it does spread
I know not for whom my mind thrusts
With arms languishing in those dusts
Pulling at my feet the road drags me out
To an obscure end I know nothing about
In which turning in the road
Will I find the mother lode?
Where some new person I will befriend
I can't fathom where it will end


Video Credits .......
Producer/ director - Matthew Hardern
FX design and programing - Miguel Domingo Redondo
Camera 1 - Chris Hughes
Camera 2 - Gabi Norland
Lighting Assist - Kevin
Dancer - Seeta Patel
Hair - Christian Landon
Bishi Makeup - Hermes, Chris,
Susmita Makeup - Maria Papadopoulou
Stylist - Matthew Hardern/ Bishi

Music Credits ......
Susmita Bhattacharya - vocals
Bishi - vocals
Liam Byrne - viola da gamba

The Ligeti Quartet
Mandhira De Saram - violin
Patrick Dawkins - violin
Richard Jones - viola
Valerie Welbanks - Cello

Produced by Matthew Hardern/ Neil Kaczor
Engineered by Neil Kaczor/ Raz Olsher
Mixed by Hardern/ Peters
String arrangement by Neil Kaczor