Chennai based music composer Ganesh B Kumar’s ‘Spirit of Humanity’, set for a grand worldwide launch on June 26, 2020, by Navona Records, U.S.A.
- RISE - Symphony No.1 in D minor; a traditional Symphony in 3 movements
- THE JOURNEY - the first-ever Symphonic Poem by an Indian composer
Chennai, June 11, 2020: Brimming with passion for enriching human values,
by uplifting and elevating the
spirit of mankind, city based music
composer Ganesh B. Kumar, is all set for the worldwide launch of his new album, ‘Spirit of Humanity’. The
album comprising a Symphony, RISE, and
a Symphonic Poem, THE JOURNEY, the first-ever by an Indian composer, brings to
light two of the noblest qualities of man’s earthly existence, ‘Optimism and
Humanitarianism’, envisaged through the inspiring life stories of the legendary
composer - Ludwig Van Beethoven and ‘Maharaj’ Jam Saheb Digvijay Singhji, ruler
of the erstwhile princely state of Nawanagar,
Gujarat.
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(L to R) Ms.
Georgina Margarite Ezra, Song Writer, Translator & Linguistic Trainer; Mr.
Ganesh B. Kumar, Composer; Dr. Prem Venkatesh, Project Lead; Mr. Anand
Madhavan, Patron; Mr. V. Muthukumaraguruswamy, Chief Linguistic Consultant
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Glorious works of many composers wouldn’t have been possible without the
patronage of some of the most influential people in society, who were great
music connoisseurs. Shining examples of such generosity can be found over
centuries, which include patrons such as the Esterhazy family of Hungary to
Joseph Haydn, Baron Gottfried van Swieten to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and the
famous Archduke Rudolph, youngest son of Emperor Leopold II and youngest
brother of Emperor Franz, to Ludwig Van Beethoven. In this respect, Shri. Anand
Madhavan stands as a lofty example of a steadfast
and generous patron to the composer Ganesh B Kumar.
Spirit of Humanity – Video Promo Link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NhKR0rEes8
Spirit of Humanity – Audio Promo Link:
Incidentally, Shri.
Anand Madhavan happens to be the great grandson of Shri. V. Krishnaswamy Iyer,
who holds the credit for being the first person to bring
out some of Maha Kavi Bharathiyar’s early poems in print,
by arranging to publish and distribute copies to various schools. True to the
saying, ‘history repeats itself’, Shri. Anand Madhavan walks his great
grandfather's glorious path by being instrumental in bringing out composer Ganesh
Kumar's album, ‘Spirit of Humanity’.
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| Guest Alto Soloist with Shalini Balaji Singh with Choir of the Opera Halle |
A spellbinding work of collaboration, ‘Spirit of Humanity’, is an ode to
optimism and humanitarianism, supported by a dedicated core team, that includes
Dr Prem Venkatesh, the dynamic Project Lead from Scotland, Shri. V.
Muthukumaraguruswamy, a spiritual guide, erudite scholar and Chief Linguistic
Consultant, Mrs. Georgina Margarite Ezra, Songwriter, Translator and Linguistic
Trainer, and Shri. Anand Madhavan, the backbone and the Patron of the project.
Both the works have been performed and recorded by the Staatskapelle
Orchestra, Halle, Germany, under the baton of the renowned conductor Bernd Ruf,
comprising 91 instrumentalists, along
with 31 singers from the Choir of the Opera Halle, conducted by Markus Fischer.
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(L to R) Ms. Georgina Margarite Ezra, Song Writer, Translator & Linguistic Trainer; Ganesh B. Kumar,
Composer
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Speaking at the pre-launch press meet, Ganesh B Kumar shared with us his
exciting journey of the making of “Spirit of
Humanity”. In his words: “It has always
been my goal to compose music that enriches and uplifts the human spirit. When
Dhahara Vidhya Foundation, a non-charitable Trust from Chennai, India,
commissioned me to write two orchestral works, I was looking for motivational
and socially impactful themes that would benefit mankind. I was reminded of the
famous quote of Confucius, “The greatest glory in living, lies not in never
falling, but in rising every time we fall”, which inspired me to draw parallels
with the life of Ludwig van Beethoven, one of the greatest musical geniuses of
all time, whose music rose above every fall he experienced in his life.
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‘Spirit of Humanity’ Front Cover
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It is a known fact that Beethoven’s own circumstances were miserable –
loveless and pain- stricken with progressive deafness. Yet, he overcame these
obstacles, churning out timeless compositions. I have tried bringing out this
dichotomy in the symphony RISE, with the descending phrases depicting the
various falls in his life, while the consequent victorious emergence is
pronounced through the ascending phrases, invoking the spirit of positivity and
perseverance”.
Speaking on his second
composition, Ganesh Kumar said, “As with the first
composition, I was seeking a challenging and meaningful theme for my second
work. My search ended when Shri. Anand Madhavan drew my attention to a treasure
trove of lesser known historic events of
pre-independence India (1942-1947), which included the touching act of
humanitarianism by Maharaj Jam Saheb Digvijay Singhji, who was the first ruler
to open doors to and save the lives of thousands of Polish refugees during the
Second World War. The magnanimity of the Maharaj and the riveting tale of
displacement, despair, migration and resettlement of Polish refugees from the
Soviet Union to India, inspired me to write the Symphonic Poem THE JOURNEY -
from Despair to Hope, as a fitting tribute to the ‘Maharaj’, ruler of the erstwhile
princely state of Nawanagar, Gujarat.
THE JOURNEY begins with a melancholic aria, Lost Souls, penned by
Georgina Margarite Ezra, depicting the desolate condition of the Polish
children. The pinnacle of this composition
is the inclusion of a timeless Tamil poem from
Purnanooru, Undaal amma ivvulagam, written by the ancient King of the
Sangam era, Kadalul Maaindha Ilamperuvazhudhi.
The king, through this poem, gave mankind a poetic message about
humanitarian values, several centuries ago. This poem has been used as an
analogy to highlight the generosity and large-heartedness of the Maharaj. The
sole credit for choosing this poem and imparting linguistic training
to the German singers goes to Shri. V. Muthukumaraguruswamy.
Special significance - The worldwide release of the album, “Spirit of Humanity”, featuring RISE and THE JOURNEY, on June 26th
this year, attains special significance due to the fact that the current year
2020, happens to be the 250th birth anniversary of Ludwig Van
Beethoven, as well as the 75th anniversary, commemorating the
unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany, to
the Allied forces in 1945, thereby ending World War II in Europe. The
universal message of the spirit of positivity and humanity conveyed through
this album, would surely provide musical solace during these troubled times of
the pandemic.
More about the album:
RISE: A tribute to the legendary composer Ludwig Van Beethoven on his 250th birth anniversary, the
symphony RISE invokes the ‘Spirit of Positivity & Perseverance’. It sheds light on how Beethoven emerged
triumphantly as one of the most successful composers of all time, overcoming
various hardships in his life. It is a humble tribute by Kumar to one of the
greatest musical geniuses of all time, whose music rose above every fall he
experienced in his life.
The piece draws heavily on Beethovian elements from the first measure to
the last, and includes, among others, reminiscences of Beethoven's most popular
themes, such as the opening motif of the composer's Fifth Symphony, but
consciously introducing a rising figuration (as against the falling 3rds of the
original) signifying positivity and perseverance.
THE JOURNEY: The symphonic poem, THE JOURNEY – from Despair to Hope, is a large
piece of program music that reminds the listener of the little-known terrible
hardships of Polish refugees in the early 1940's, when thousands of displaced
Poles in Russia, owing to a great humanitarian act by Maharaj Jam Saheb
Digvijay Singhji, embarked on an arduous journey to India, and found a new home
in the then princely Indian state of Nawanagar, Gujarat.
This composition paints the deprivation, desolation, and truculent
perseverance of the refugees in stark tonal colors and the finale, an extolment
of the Maharaj's generosity, vividly evokes the satisfaction and relief in the
face of a suffering overcome. The Symphonic Poem makes a powerful case for
pacifism on the 75th anniversary of the unconditional surrender of
Nazi Germany to the Allied forces, in 1945, there by ending World War II in Europe.
‘Undaal Amma Ivvulagam’- An a
cappella in Tamil: As a reprise,
Undaal Amma Ivvulagam, a
timeless poem from Purananooru, written by the ancient King Kadalul Maaindha
Ilamperuvazhudhi, is featured as a bonus track in the album as an a cappella,
sung by Shalini Singh Balaji and
Keshav Vinod Kumar, thereby giving an Indian twist to conclude the Album.
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