In this beautiful recital from 2010, Satyajit Talwalkar introduces his solo performance with an intricate composition over a 16-beat rhythmic cycle of Teental. Thereafter, he raises the tempo slightly and plays more compositions, embellishing them with tukdas and mohras and executes relas of great velocity with astonishing clarity and agility. He gradually layers each section, building it to a rumbling crescendo.

Son of Pandit Suresh Talwalkar, Satyajit adds his breath-taking execution to the deeply researched innovative style of his father in this recital. Pandit Talwalkar is also known as ‘Taal Yogi’ meaning a hermit or seeker of the rhythms. His style provides enough scope for melody to blend into rhythm, making it a balanced representation of both these aspects of music.

Satyajit’s left hand produces a finely modulated bass from the bayan, while the main action on the right-hand drum or the dayan takes place in the space where the white membrane and half of the siyahi (black dot) overlap. This characteristic gives a distinct flair to his sound. It is a fine balance of the thick sound of a percussion instrument and the softer nuance of its syllables.

Talwalkar embraces the melodic flow from Milind Kulkarni’s harmonium accompaniment and makes it integral to his solo. Kulkarni produces a beautiful refrain based on Raag Gawati, complementing Talwalkar’s masterful strokes. They exchange a nod, a glance, a smile each time a cycle is completed and through gradual layering of a composition, both arrive at the ‘sam’ or the first beat with elation.

Shot on a single camera, this recital is a heart-warming start to an evening filled with beautiful music.

Musicians
- Satyajit Talwalkar (tabla)
- Milind Kulkarni (harmonium)
Tabla solo in Teental