Bhadke (2019)
COMMISSIONED by South Asian Symphony Orchestra
As both an Indian-origin composer of Western classical music and a lover of all things Bollywood, I was delighted to be asked to create a new orchestral work inspired by the classic song “Shola jo bhadke.” The song itself is the spark that ignites the orchestra piece: all of the melodic and rhythmic motives in the orchestra are transcribed from the original song and recontextualized. As the piece progresses, the Western orchestral music is transformed until it fully embodies the spirit and energy of classic Bollywood. I hope that by featuring the smaller, hidden motives in the song, the audience will find a renewed way of listening to an old favorite.
duration: 6 minutes, 40 seconds
scoring: Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon, Horn, Trumpet, Trombones, Timpani, Percussion, Violin, Viola, Cello, Bass
Score for BHADKE: