THE FUNERAL OF MUSIC ... 2
With the decline in classical culture following the obliteration of aristocracy and royalty, popular culture has been on the rise. As the masses have become empowered with the rights of democratic self-governance, their participation in the classical arts has inevitably brought about its precipitous decline in standards. These classical cultural traditions were earlier exclusively the domain of the elite in society, the upper echelons of refined tastes and sophisticated bearing who would brook no mediocrity of execution in the fine arts and always set the highest standards of excellence as the precondition for the life of a work of art.
With the advent of the Industrial Age the transition from imperial-feudal culture to popular democratic culture began but the effects of cultural decline were not quite apparent for a long time as democracy did not supplant overnight all feudal systems all over the world. Thus, the old-style feudal patronage to the fine arts continued in many places across the world even as the decline started in places where democracy first took roots.
Although, the title of this series of essays relates apparently to music in general but the thrust of my writing shall be on Indian music, especially Hindustani classical music. I proceed from here on in that line with references to allied subjects whenever made being only to establish the principal content of the text.
The decline in indigenous imperial power in India following the British conquest, the gaining of independence and the establishment of democracy gave power to the people who now took charge of the scene of Hindustani classical music. As this was earlier the exclusive privilege of the aristocracy and the masses had never any access to this refined art form, popular taste had never had the occasion to develop sufficiently into its critical knowledge and appreciation. Suddenly, the ballot changed it all and post the passing of the Anti-zamindari Act in the first decade after independence, the feudal lords and the royalty in India were economically crippled and their social prestige reduced to nought, although, local loyalty of erstwhile subjects for a while continued. These princely states used to be the regular patrons of the classical music and dance forms and with their demise, these traditions also faced extinction in the classical sense. Though, not quite. Now public enterprises came forward to sponsor programmes but the age-old Gurukul system of learning was now on the way out and this spelled the doom for classical music and dance.
To be continued...
Written by Sugata Bose
Photo : Baba Allauddin Khan (sarod, centre) at a concert performing, accompanied by Ustad Ali Akbar Khan (sarod, left) and Asheesh Khan (sarod, extreme right). Seated is Pandit Nikhil Banerjee (right) and Saharan Rani (tanpura, left).
P.S. : Given below are some audio/video links of gats and bandishes played and sung by some of the musical maestros that will give you an indication of the sublime heights to which our classical music once reached :
https://www.youtube.com/
https://www.youtube.com/
https://www.youtube.com/
https://www.youtube.com/
https://www.youtube.com/
https://www.youtube.com/
https://www.youtube.com/
https://www.youtube.com/
https://www.youtube.com/
https://www.youtube.com/
https://www.youtube.com/
https://www.youtube.com/
https://www.youtube.com/
https://www.youtube.com/
https://www.youtube.com/
https://www.youtube.com/
https://www.youtube.com/
https://www.youtube.com/
https://www.youtube.com/
https://www.youtube.com/
https://www.youtube.com/
https://www.youtube.com/
https://www.youtube.com/
With the decline in classical culture following the obliteration of aristocracy and royalty, popular culture has been on the rise. As the masses have become empowered with the rights of democratic self-governance, their participation in the classical arts has inevitably brought about its precipitous decline in standards. These classical cultural traditions were earlier exclusively the domain of the elite in society, the upper echelons of refined tastes and sophisticated bearing who would brook no mediocrity of execution in the fine arts and always set the highest standards of excellence as the precondition for the life of a work of art.
With the advent of the Industrial Age the transition from imperial-feudal culture to popular democratic culture began but the effects of cultural decline were not quite apparent for a long time as democracy did not supplant overnight all feudal systems all over the world. Thus, the old-style feudal patronage to the fine arts continued in many places across the world even as the decline started in places where democracy first took roots.
Although, the title of this series of essays relates apparently to music in general but the thrust of my writing shall be on Indian music, especially Hindustani classical music. I proceed from here on in that line with references to allied subjects whenever made being only to establish the principal content of the text.
The decline in indigenous imperial power in India following the British conquest, the gaining of independence and the establishment of democracy gave power to the people who now took charge of the scene of Hindustani classical music. As this was earlier the exclusive privilege of the aristocracy and the masses had never any access to this refined art form, popular taste had never had the occasion to develop sufficiently into its critical knowledge and appreciation. Suddenly, the ballot changed it all and post the passing of the Anti-zamindari Act in the first decade after independence, the feudal lords and the royalty in India were economically crippled and their social prestige reduced to nought, although, local loyalty of erstwhile subjects for a while continued. These princely states used to be the regular patrons of the classical music and dance forms and with their demise, these traditions also faced extinction in the classical sense. Though, not quite. Now public enterprises came forward to sponsor programmes but the age-old Gurukul system of learning was now on the way out and this spelled the doom for classical music and dance.
To be continued...
Written by Sugata Bose
Photo : Baba Allauddin Khan (sarod, centre) at a concert performing, accompanied by Ustad Ali Akbar Khan (sarod, left) and Asheesh Khan (sarod, extreme right). Seated is Pandit Nikhil Banerjee (right) and Saharan Rani (tanpura, left).
P.S. : Given below are some audio/video links of gats and bandishes played and sung by some of the musical maestros that will give you an indication of the sublime heights to which our classical music once reached :
https://www.youtube.com/
https://www.youtube.com/
https://www.youtube.com/
https://www.youtube.com/
https://www.youtube.com/
https://www.youtube.com/
https://www.youtube.com/
https://www.youtube.com/
https://www.youtube.com/
https://www.youtube.com/
https://www.youtube.com/
https://www.youtube.com/
https://www.youtube.com/
https://www.youtube.com/
https://www.youtube.com/
https://www.youtube.com/
https://www.youtube.com/
https://www.youtube.com/
https://www.youtube.com/
https://www.youtube.com/
https://www.youtube.com/
https://www.youtube.com/
https://www.youtube.com/
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