KOCHI: ‘Diurne’—the word packs within it a certain slumber; an intentional, enjoyable state of rest that you do not want to resist. Malayali musician Abhaydev Praful could not have named his album better. A composer, classical guitar player and a multi-instrumentalist, this 26-year-old has experimented with a very unconventional perception to music here. Diurne features eight tracks featuring western classical instruments which are not for those who can just hear but for those who can listen closely.
Hailing from Calicut and based in Auroville, Puducherry, Abhaydev has been a musician since he was 13, starting with classical guitar and moving on to mridangam, cello and a handful of other instruments. His inclination to western classical music—its melancholy and mischief—comes alive through Diurne. “The album, which is eclectic yet concise, comprises mainly two streams of work. Four bagatelles are written for piano, three pieces written for string trio, and a short piece written for the concert flute. These streams meet at the title track and its mirrored string version, exploring dualities of contentment or confinement, and stillness and stupor,” says Abhaydev, who recorded the album in 2017, but only allowed himself the pleasure of listening to it for the last three years.
“The lockdown gave me plenty of time to think it through. I thought I have got to bring it out someday, so why not now? It also brings together my state of mind right now —a certain melancholy and stillness with everything that is going on,” he adds. Abhaydev is not one to believe in the conventional hyperbola of increasing rhythm or groove when it comes to an album. His lineup starts with ‘Eclipse’, with elements of flute ruling a modest ensemble of guitars and cello.
Next up is Nocturne 3—third from the ‘Nocturne’ piano series that Abhay has beautifully narrated as a prologue to the experience this album offers. ‘Tango’ is your’s truly’s pick, not just for how it teleports you to a giant victorian theatre with a grand piano playing before you, but also the way it takes this album to its subtle, playful peak.
“If you ask me, music is not the recitation of notes that create an illusion of grandeur. My intention was to be minimal. It is an expression of my own thought,” says Abhaydev. Before the release of Diurne, he has worked extensively making and performing music for theatre and performance work, which perhaps helped him bridge a gap that most musicians miss to fill - the one between emotions and their expression.
For the album, Abhaydev assembled and worked with eminent musicians of the Madras Chamber Orchestra to form his own Monsoon Ensemble.
Prabhu George played the violin, Cyril Fernandes on the viola, Desmond Xavier on the cello, and S Balakrishnan on the concert flute. Abhaydev handled the piano, guitar, and composition. The album is available on all major platforms including Spotify, YouTube, Apple Music and Amazon Music.
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Eclipse 1:23
Nocturne 3 1:25
Tango 2:32
Nocturne 2 1:28
End Credits 3:43
Diurne 1 1:27
Diurne 2 2:10
Nocturne 1 0:29