Vande Mataram by orchestra

On August 14, 1997, Bankim Chander Chatterjee's Vande Mataram will signal the beginning of the golden jubilee celebrations of India's Independence at the Siri Fort auditorium.

The song -- which, till now, had remained essentially a choral composition -- will for the first time be rendered by an orchestra. The 70-member Delhi Symphony Society group will be led by Britain's Michael Mott, said honorary secretary Gautam Kaul.

''It took nearly six months of writing and balancing before the final music script was agreed upon," Kaul said.

The August 14 function would have two sections -- the Asian and European. The orchestral rendition under the Asian category would include Song of the Indian merchant by Rimsky Koreskov, Dance of Sigiroya Frescocs by Hussain Mohammed and Festival overture by R Hirose. Cassettes of the International rendition will be made available after the programme, Kaul said.

UNI