THE FUNERAL OF MUSIC ... 7
Why do people sing who have no clue to the aesthetics of music? Why sing at all in public if performers, even famous ones, reputed to be masters of music, cannot touch, much less penetrate, the core of a note, its centre-point wherever it be and, thus, merely skim the surface of a succession of notes without identifying with any of them at any point in the rendition? This is termed in music 'besurapan' (to be off-tune) in a subtle way and it is a cardinal sin in classical music that cannot but invite censure. But who will do it? Where are the genuine connoisseurs who had a clue to what music is? Now it is name and fame of a frivolous kind that does the rounds while music has taken to flight. Where are the artistes anywhere close to Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, Abdul Karim Khan, Vishmadev Chattopadhyay, D.V. Paluskar, Sawai Gandharva, Sureshbabu Mane, Saraswatibai Rane and the like who sang to immaculate precision of note production and established a raga in all its colour and flavour without losing a tinge of it in pompous display of the little self marring the very spirit of the rendition? There are only a handful left today among the reputed exponents who can yet carry on the glorious tradition of Hindustani classical music forward. The rest of the stalwarts are simply caricatures of artistes despite popularity and self-portrayal as humble exponents of the art which, incidentally, is the standard norm for the egotist to assume.
Pretence is not performance. Unfortunately, few are born with an adequate musical sense or refinement of artistic sensibility to distinguish good art from bad art. It is the popular mandate that elects governments today and it is popular culture that dominates even the classical scene. What a contradiction in terms! Musicians are born with a special gift, not merely of talent but that of character as well. In the absence of either one of a high order, music will not flow and all that will surface will be a decadent version of the pristine stuff. Such is the order of the day as mass pretence goes on before the microphone and the ear, before the audience and one's own soul in the name of music. And to pass it on as genuine classical music to trainees is damaging the tradition beyond bounds. It is self-advertisement, self-promotion, self-portrayal all the way. Where remains the room for music to abide?
In the past to find a Guru (preceptor) was difficult for the rigid rules of gharana (house of music / school of music) and parampara (tradition) bound the musical world and segmented the overall body of classical music, narrowing its scope for development along broader channels. Each gharana zealously guarded its musical style and the bandishes (musical compositions) within its narrow confines. The result was the development of distinctive styles of gayaki (style of vocal rendition) and baaz (style of instrumental rendition) but all this was kept confined to one's own musical family strictly. There was no easy access for even a superbly talented musician like Ustad Allauddin Khan to the treasures of the Seniya gharana zealously guarded by its last representative, the beenkar, Ustad Wazir Khan, till his disciple's fortitude and calamitous circumstances for the Guru opened the floodgates of music for him.
Today, the scene is quite the reverse. There are Gurus galore and there are disciples by the multitude but music there is none. You know, why? Because the celebrity artistes, the so-called musical maestros of the day are mere caricatures of the past masters and are masquerading as melodic kings and queens while music is quietly shedding its last tears before bidding adieu for good. Hindustani classical music is in the unsafe hands of mediocre musicians of national and international repute who are killing it and setting up the pyre for its last rites to be performed. Was Aurangzeb right after all in banning music from his empire? Well, perhaps not, but soon such a state will obtain where Hindustani classical music, now an endangered art form, will be an extinct genre of music and future generations will merely take an academic interest in what was once the pulsating life of elite India.
Written by Sugata Bose
P.S. : Attached below are a few audio / video links from YouTube of glorious performances of some past and present masters that even today inspire hope of a resurrection of music :
Photo (source : internet) : Pandit D.V. Paluskar
Why do people sing who have no clue to the aesthetics of music? Why sing at all in public if performers, even famous ones, reputed to be masters of music, cannot touch, much less penetrate, the core of a note, its centre-point wherever it be and, thus, merely skim the surface of a succession of notes without identifying with any of them at any point in the rendition? This is termed in music 'besurapan' (to be off-tune) in a subtle way and it is a cardinal sin in classical music that cannot but invite censure. But who will do it? Where are the genuine connoisseurs who had a clue to what music is? Now it is name and fame of a frivolous kind that does the rounds while music has taken to flight. Where are the artistes anywhere close to Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, Abdul Karim Khan, Vishmadev Chattopadhyay, D.V. Paluskar, Sawai Gandharva, Sureshbabu Mane, Saraswatibai Rane and the like who sang to immaculate precision of note production and established a raga in all its colour and flavour without losing a tinge of it in pompous display of the little self marring the very spirit of the rendition? There are only a handful left today among the reputed exponents who can yet carry on the glorious tradition of Hindustani classical music forward. The rest of the stalwarts are simply caricatures of artistes despite popularity and self-portrayal as humble exponents of the art which, incidentally, is the standard norm for the egotist to assume.
Pretence is not performance. Unfortunately, few are born with an adequate musical sense or refinement of artistic sensibility to distinguish good art from bad art. It is the popular mandate that elects governments today and it is popular culture that dominates even the classical scene. What a contradiction in terms! Musicians are born with a special gift, not merely of talent but that of character as well. In the absence of either one of a high order, music will not flow and all that will surface will be a decadent version of the pristine stuff. Such is the order of the day as mass pretence goes on before the microphone and the ear, before the audience and one's own soul in the name of music. And to pass it on as genuine classical music to trainees is damaging the tradition beyond bounds. It is self-advertisement, self-promotion, self-portrayal all the way. Where remains the room for music to abide?
In the past to find a Guru (preceptor) was difficult for the rigid rules of gharana (house of music / school of music) and parampara (tradition) bound the musical world and segmented the overall body of classical music, narrowing its scope for development along broader channels. Each gharana zealously guarded its musical style and the bandishes (musical compositions) within its narrow confines. The result was the development of distinctive styles of gayaki (style of vocal rendition) and baaz (style of instrumental rendition) but all this was kept confined to one's own musical family strictly. There was no easy access for even a superbly talented musician like Ustad Allauddin Khan to the treasures of the Seniya gharana zealously guarded by its last representative, the beenkar, Ustad Wazir Khan, till his disciple's fortitude and calamitous circumstances for the Guru opened the floodgates of music for him.
Today, the scene is quite the reverse. There are Gurus galore and there are disciples by the multitude but music there is none. You know, why? Because the celebrity artistes, the so-called musical maestros of the day are mere caricatures of the past masters and are masquerading as melodic kings and queens while music is quietly shedding its last tears before bidding adieu for good. Hindustani classical music is in the unsafe hands of mediocre musicians of national and international repute who are killing it and setting up the pyre for its last rites to be performed. Was Aurangzeb right after all in banning music from his empire? Well, perhaps not, but soon such a state will obtain where Hindustani classical music, now an endangered art form, will be an extinct genre of music and future generations will merely take an academic interest in what was once the pulsating life of elite India.
Written by Sugata Bose
P.S. : Attached below are a few audio / video links from YouTube of glorious performances of some past and present masters that even today inspire hope of a resurrection of music :
Photo (source : internet) : Pandit D.V. Paluskar
No comments:
Post a Comment