Maestro AR Rahman and virtuoso Dr. L Subramaniam celebrate life with a special intergenerational music tribute
Celebrated musicians AR Rahman and Dr. L Subramaniam have joined hands to celebrate commonality and the gift of life virtually at the Lakshminarayana Global Music Festival. The composer and violinist have rendered a musical tribute to violin legend Prof. V Lakshminarayana.
This collaboration is symbolic of the friendship between their families which goes back two generations. The tale goes that Rahman’s father, composer, arranger and musician RK Sekar, and Subramaniam’s father, Prof. V Lakshminarayana, used to live on the same street in Mylapore, Chennai.
This special collaboration, which has been rearranged by Rahman and Subramaniam, features the artists in their family along with the duo. Centred on “Don’t Leave Me”, a song composed by Dr. L Subramaniam that Rahman grew up with, the music video comprises performances by Rahman’s children Khatija Rahman, Raheema Rahman, AR Ameen, and Subramaniam’s daughter Bindu Subramaniam and Subramaniam’s granddaughter Mahati Subramaniam, along with the musicians’ dear friend and illustrious percussionist Sivamani.
About the rendition of “Don’t Leave Me”, Rahman says, “Here we are: three generations at the Lakshminarayana Global Music Festival. The friendship between our two families goes back two generations. In celebrating and honouring the violin virtuoso, Dr. L Subramaniam’s father, Prof. V Lakshminarayana, our families have come together to perform a song I grew up with, ‘Don’t Leave Me’, composed by Dr. LS whose timeless instrumentation and compositions continue to enrich, inspire, and influence all generations.”
Rahman adds, “Through this collaboration, we celebrate music and friendship, and hope that this tribute brings people together to not think about their differences but to see how we may all unite to create art and change.”
It opens with a spellbinding improvised composition by Rahman and Subramaniam who are joined by Sivamani as the trio renders a delicate piano, violin and percussive intro. Combining the worlds of Indian and Western classical music, the instrumental tribute is a bridge between the past and the future, tradition and innovation, celebration and commemoration. It notably also features a spoken word performance by Bindu Subramaniam that’s dedicated to her grandfather, Prof. V Lakshminarayana and the divine.
About the collaboration, Dr. L Subramaniam says, “It gives me immense pleasure and honour to collaborate with one of the greatest film composers and a visionary musician ARR. We have recorded a composition called ‘Don’t Leave Me’ which is dedicated to my father and guru Prof. V Lakshminarayana. This video has three generations performing together for the Lakshminarayana Global Music Festival 2023. Thanks a lot to ARR for his magic touch.”
Listen to the composition here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hVxBFrQ-Ps
