Hyderabad musician Vivek Venugopal’s fusion with the Bolshoi and Russian National Orchestra-OxBig News Network

Vivek Venugopal (third from left) with Russian musicians
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Composer Vivek Venugopal’s latest album combines two works — ‘Raga Poems, Op. 22’ and ‘Liberation, Op. 18’. Recorded in Moscow with musicians from the Bolshoi Theatre and the Russian National Orchestra, the album is a blend of Indian and Western classical elements.

In this interview, Vivek shares insights into his creative process and how the collaboration came to life. “I composed these pieces and sent the scores to my manager. We then selected musicians from Russia’s prestigious Bolshoi Theatre and the Russian National Orchestra.  I travelled to Moscow last October to oversee the rehearsals and recordings.”

Supervising the rehearsals was not just about perfecting the notes. “During rehearsals, I corrected mistakes, but the real work began when we delved into aspects such as texture, phrasing, balance, and dynamics. The music was recorded at the historic GDRZ Studio — The State House of Broadcasting and Sound Recording.” 

Once back, Vivek mixed the pieces himself and approached renowned German mastering engineer Frederic Stader, who has worked with the likes of Deutsche Grammophon and the Berlin Philharmonic, to master the final tracks.

Vivek considers it a great experience working with musicians from the Bolshoi Theatre and Russian National Orchestra. “They were intrigued at the prospect of playing my music,” recalls Vivek. “I was impressed by how they understood and expressed the Indian classical influences in my pieces. While everyone performed professionally, a few musicians stood out. Flautist Stanislas Yaroshevskiy amazed me with how he adjusted his flute’s sound to mimic the soft, breathy tone of the Indian bansuri, especially in the first movement of Raga Poems. Cellist Dmitry Fastunov played his parts smoothly, capturing a flowing, singing quality similar to Indian classical music. Violinist Dmitry Novikov brought great emotion to his playing, adding subtle slides and microtonal touches that reminded me of Indian music. Their ability to blend these influences into their style made the collaboration truly special.”

Spectrum of sound

Vivek Venugopal
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

When composing for a String Quintet and piano — including the flute — Vivek selected each instrument to achieve a specific sound. He explains, “I wanted six instruments across the spectrum to work with ‘textural hexachords’ (six-note chords). Alternatively, I could also achieve the desired harmonic results on the piano, while using the other instruments to layer multiple melodic phrases at the same time (which is rare or unheard of in Indian music) or for harmonic movement with a primary melody. Orchestration is an art form,” he says, “and each section brings its own unique texture and sonic balance”.

With 10 albums behind him and a new one set to release, how does Vivek feel his music has evolved, especially in blending Indian and Western elements? 

Vivek shares that ‘Raga Poems, Op. 22’ began as an experiment — a way to explore whether he could take on a major project rooted in Indian music. “Apart from a couple of guitar-based pieces early in my career, I consciously stayed away from Indian music, even though I respected its melodic and rhythmic depth,” he explains. 

His love for harmony initially made the idea of composing drone-based music seem challenging.  The solution? Pieces that loosely explored ragas — or more accurately, thaats (seven notes) — with a focus on harmony. “These are what I call ‘Harmonic Ragas’. They may not appeal to purists, but I have never composed to please anyone. I believe I have found interesting harmonic possibilities within each raga,” says Vivek.

The native link

He draws a parallel to Toru Takemitsu, the Japanese composer who also distanced himself from his native music before eventually embracing it. “My journey has been quite similar,” Vivek adds, “and the results show in this piece.” He also sees a connection to what Béla Bartók did with Hungarian and Romanian folk music — adapting its essence into his unique style — something Vivek says he unconsciously mirrored with Indian music.

‘Liberation, Op. 18’ seems, at first glance, entirely Western in its harmony and melody. “But the Indian link lies in the rhythm,” he points out. The piece uses additive rhythms, shaped by konnakol and bol — the Indian oral traditions of rhythm. It also experiments with hexachords (six-note chords), a technique Vivek says has continued to influence his musical thinking ever since.

Though Vivek grew up in Hyderabad, he feels the city’s direct impact on his work has been minimal. “Contemporary classical music is nearly non-existent here. I’m self-taught, learning by listening. My teachers are the 20th-century greats Igor Stravinsky, Alban Berg, Bela Bartok, Claude Debussy, and John Coltrane.” He credits one Indian mentor — Ghatam Karthick. “He reshaped my understanding of rhythm, and that has subtly found its way into my compositions.”