The violin is an instrument that?s often underestimated. But the Violin Brothers, Deb Sankar and Jyoti Sankar Roy, have proved time and again that the violin is not just restricted to Western music, but can be used to bring out an entire gamut of emotions and rhythms.

Inspired by L. Subramaniam and L. Shankar, the duo formed their group in 2000 and held their first Millennium Concert at Madhusudan Mancha in south Calcutta. Their first album, released in 2001, was a fusion of Indian and Western classical music.

The brothers were trained in Western classical music from the age of eight, under Mihir Gupta. Their father, Nikhilesh Roy, a well-known flautist, saw to it that his sons received quality training and in 1986 the brothers graduated from the Licentiate Trinity College of Music, London, under Shyam Engineer. However, their professional entry into the world of music happened earlier. From 1982-83, they were part of Satyajit Ray?s orchestra providing the background score for more than 10 of his films including Hirak Rajar Deshey and Jai Baba Phelunath. They have also worked with filmmakers like Sandip Ray, Tapan Sinha and Goutam Ghosh.

They have also played with Pandit Ravi Shankar for Shanti Dhwani, composed in memory of ex-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. It was at this concert that they played a composition from the New York Philharmonic exclusively for Zubin Mehta. In the early ?90s when they moved to Mumbai for a brief period, they also worked with music composer Naushad on some of his films.

For the past three years, Deb and Jyoti have been mastering the nuances of Indian classical music under the guidance of Ustad Amjad Ali Khan. This apart, they are also engaged in orchestrating some of Khan?s compositions in a symphonic manner. They are being helped in this venture by Tanmoy Bose on the tabla and A. Shekhar on the mridangam.

At present, they are also working on some pop albums on Hindi film songs, giving them an instrumental interpretation.

DEB ON JYOTI

My brother and I share a great rapport and I can?t think of anybody else playing with me. This is because we started playing the violin almost at the same time. As Jyoti is a couple of years younger than me, he started learning about two years after me.

He might be my younger brother, but Jyoti guides me if I overlook something professionally, which I do very often. He is always thinking about my betterment, and this I really appreciate.

But then he is extremely impatient. Quite often he rejects my compositions outright without even hearing them. That really makes me mad. Besides, on stage he has a tendency to play fast to attract audience attention. But, I think, in a concert, there should be a gradual crescendo. Otherwise the composition has no effect.

Jyoti and I sometimes also play separately to enrich each other?s knowledge. Playing with another group helps you learn lessons that you may not have a chance to learn if you stick to your own group at all times. Again, our names are also confused very often. Playing separately establishes your identity.

Actually, as a child, I started out playing the flute, but developed asthma and couldn?t continue. Later, I got attracted to the violin. If we were not musicians, Jyoti and I would?ve gone into sports. Ardent football fans, we?d always play in opposing teams. That?s because we liked to compete against each other.

This kind of healthy competition is very important in our performances as well. When we perform, a part of the composition is structured while the rest is improvised on stage. It is in the latter that competition becomes indispensable. Only then does the composition gets livelier.

I believe that no one in this world is complete. Likewise, Jyoti and I complement each other. As for who is the better of us two, let the audience decide.

JYOTI ON DEB

Deb is a superior musician to me any day. Being in the same profession and playing the same instrument, I know this very well. And I respect him for this. But as a person, he is extremely absent-minded and soft-spoken. That?s definitely a creative artiste-like quality, but too much of it is not good. I have to always guide him around. Quite funnily, I am not like that at all; I am a more practical person.

We often differ musically. If we are discussing a composition, he refuses to change anything or listen to my advice. In that sense, he?s not at all flexible. If he changes a bit in this respect, our music-related conflicts will not arise.

When Deb and I play together, we have a very good understanding. He plays the Indian part mostly while I play the Western bits. One positive aspect of playing together is that we enrich each other. I feel it?s best not to perform alone. The quality performance we can give together can never be achieved individually. Divided, we are not strong enough!

The seeds of this unity between us were laid in our childhood. We always received equal attention from our parents. They had laid down certain rules that we follow till this day. We are an ?epitome of unity? for people around us. My daughter and Deb?s son are also of the same age and what?s interesting is that they too follow our example. They are extremely close. They are playmates and start missing each other if they don?t meet even for a day.

I remember, as kids, we used to fight a lot. I once broke a violin bow by hitting Deb with it. He was a quiet child and I used to dominate. I wanted to become a football player, but ended up following in my brother?s footsteps.

Deb may be a better player, but there have been times when I have received applause and he didn?t. Of course, there have been many times when it?s been quite the reverse. But, I too must be having some strong points, only that I am not aware of them. This reminds me of Ustadji?s sons Amaan and Ayaan. If somebody praises one of the two brothers, Ustadji asks that person to praise his other son as well. This is a sensitive area for any artiste and it should never be overlooked. Otherwise, the music suffers.

Photograph by Rashbehari Das