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SARGAM, MARCH 2005 THE PRESIDENT SPEAKS HIS MIND KUDOS TO TEAM SWARA SAMPADA If there is one thing that impressed everyone about what we achieved on February 16, 2005, at Kalidas, when all of us were thrilled with our performances, and surprised as much, it was how Team Swara Sampada worked. If you remember two years back, when Swara Sampada was a new born baby, I had said: ‘ This is my Lagaan Team.’ It appeared a doubtful winner, but this was my best bet on a dark horse, and I was certain we would win in the end. And, boy, did you guys gallop! Each one put his/ her best foot forward, in spite of the earlier misgivings, and the result was as astonishing as reassuring. For now, the critics, both from within your self as well as without, will be silenced by the uproar of achievement, and victory. It is at such times I want to remind you that the task is far from done. We have reached just one oasis of comfort on a long journey forward, and we will achieve, and overcome, many odds, if we stick to the basics and remain together. The basics will always remain the furtherance of music as the central uniting force amongst us all, and the ability to have ‘Shraddha’ and ‘Saburi’, that is, infinite faith and the necessary patience to back it. There are many more milestones to be crossed, many more bridges to be built, many more peaks to be conquered. Let’s not rest on our laurels, or become complacent, for both are the poisons of success. Let us look ahead as a united force to face the challenges which, if handled maturely, promise rewards all the way through. So, stay tuned to each other, learn to sacrifice short-term interests for long-term goals, and remember to ask yourself of every urge that motivates you to do something in music, “Is this something which only benefits me, or the group which has given so much to me?’ And, of course, the office bearers must equally note not to sacrifice the interests of the musical advancement of its individual members, for musical growth and friendly companionship are our mantras of success from now on. Even if the heart be filled with pride, let’s keep our feet firmly on ground, dear Swara Sampadites. Dr Ajai R Singh 22 March 2005
Music and Governance We all of course know that music originated with nature, and the melodic sounds that nature hums around us is the source of so much that is sublime in music. We also know that the oldest musical text known is the Sama Veda, which is a collection of hymns to the Gods of Nature. Nature and religion have traditionally supplied the main motive force for music. Similarly, love and poetry have as well become its sustaining forces in the later years. Most music today is based either on nature, devotion or love, with poetry playing a significant role at every step. But music and governance? What has music got to do with governance? At first the idea seemed farfetched even to me. But this is what the great sage from China, Confucius, propounds. Surprised? Well, let’s see what he says: Confucius (551-479 BC) assigned an important place to music in the service of a well-ordered universe. He saw music and governance as reflecting one another and believed that only the superior man who can understand music is equipped to govern. Music, he thought, reveals character through the six emotions that it can portray: sorrow, satisfaction, joy, anger, piety, love. According to Confucius, great music is in harmony with the universe, restoring order to the physical world through that harmony. Music, as a true mirror of character, makes pretense or deception impossible.* How can music serve to bring about a well-ordered universe? Music, by its very nature, can serve to bring about peace, and order, within one’s self. (Soothing music does it obviously, but even arousing music tends to give us an outlet for our passions, and thus helps in their resolution.). In so doing it supplies us the motive force to go bring about order elsewhere too, including the world surrounding us. If more and more people bring about such order in their internal, and external, lives, the chaos and disorder around has a greater chance of resolving. So listen to soothing music yourself, and let your environment hear it too. How does it help governance? Since music is a mirror of character, it reveals what sort of a person you are within. What sort of music appeals to you is a reasonable way of understanding what sort of a person you are. It cannot allow you to deceive, or pretend, for it reveals what you are, whatever you may say otherwise. If we can understand what motivates us, we can also understand what should motivate us, and make necessary changes. If we can understand what music moves our rulers, we can understand what motivates them, and therefore know what to expect from them. A ruler like Aurangzeb, for example, who hated music, could be expected to be ruthless with his opponents. A ruler who enjoys cabarets numbers mainly is likely to make his subjects dance to his tune and strip them of their values. A ruler who listens to patriotic numbers mainly is likely to be devoted to his country but runs the risk of being fanatically devoted too. A ruler who loves soft numbers is likely to have a soft core, in spite of the hard image he may cultivate. And so on and so forth. So you can get a reasonable idea of what to expect from a ruler if you know what sort of music moves him. Why is the man who understands music superior, and fit to govern? That’s because, music reveals the six emotions that are the basis of character: sorrow, satisfaction, joy, anger, piety and love. A person who has music in him has the chance of also having these emotions. And, having it himself, he has a greater chance of understanding what arouses these emotions in others. What makes others sad, what makes them satisfied, what brings about joy, what causes them to be angry, what makes them pious, and what motivates them to love. If a ruler, or leader, understands what arouses these emotions in his subjects, and what arouses them in himself too, he has indeed understood the essence of good governance. And music, properly understood, offers him the best chance of experiencing these emotions within himself, and understanding it in others. Hence it makes sense to agree with Confucius when he says music and governance go together, and only such a person as has music in him is equipped to govern. In this connection, let me remind you of a
sentence in The Oath of Swara Sampadites : Music is the common binding force amongst
us all. It is the lifeline of our fraternity. We shall think ten times before trusting a man who has no music in him. What applies to others applies equally to rulers, and leaders too. Be wary of those who have no music in them, or have an aversion for it, or have a fascination for the crass or vulgar kind. You will save yourself a lot of hassles in life. Dr Ajai Singh Sargam May 2005 Music, Artists and the Reckless Life In the last issue of Sargam, I had mentioned one could get a reasonable idea of the type of person another is by knowing the type of music he/she likes. Those who like romantic music are likely to be romantic people, those who like sentimental music are likely to be sentimental guys, those who like light numbers are likely to be light-hearted individuals etc. What I mean here is their predisposition to certain types of music is a window to their personality. Of course there are moments when we all like only sad music, when the mood is such. Or we all want only happy fun filled songs, when we want the good cheer to prevail. I am not talking of situation based likes and dislikes. I am talking of predispositions. Left to ourselves, what sort of music we predominantly like. That can give a reasonable idea of what sort of persons we are. Hence I had suggested that we know the type of music our leaders like, for that gives us an idea what sort of people they are, and what to expect of them. I had also suggested we beware of those who have no music in them for they are unlikely to be friendly people, even if they profess to be so. In this article, I wish to tackle another issue, something that comes to the notice of those who come in intimate contact with the creative in the field. A number of these lead erratic lives, are prone to emotional disturbances, enter into reckless relationships, are dependent on alcohol or drugs, and in general make a mess of their lives, and those of their near and dear ones. Why is it so? If music, indeed, is so ennobling, why does it lead to such behaviour in its adherents? There can be multiple reasons for this. Some of them are: 1. Since they are genetically endowed with musical qualities, the other attributes may be lacking, and thus their ability to cope with life’s demands may be poor, thus forcing them into dependence on drugs, alcohol etc., or into reckless behaviour which is a manifestation of this same inability to cope with life. 2. Since they are exposed to music and arts alone, they do not have a chance to develop other abilities needed to take the rough and tumble of real life, and therefore succumb under pressures. 3. Since they are attractive individuals because of their art, a number of people are magnetically drawn to them, and thus the artistic are exposed to pulls and pressures that the ordinary are never exposed to. Such exposure may start very early in life, when most others are in school/college and under the constant supervision of their parents/guardians. Hence, they may tumble from one reckless relationship into another, even without knowing what the whole thing is supposed to mean. The romantic ideas that their art has exposed them to, the songs and lyrics, have all made them tuned to expect the beauty of romance and ecstasy without realizing that the other party is in it not for some idealised romantic notion of a relationship, but to enjoy a good time with a celebrity. 4.They are exposed to others in the field who are already reckless, and may consider that to be the norm in their field, to be accepted and forwarded, rather than resisted or rejected. It’s something like the peer pressure or community attitude that influences so much of what we do. 5. They are exposed to strongly charismatic personalities all through life, and are therefore attracted to them. Thus they get exposed to individuals that ordinary individuals only dream of. Hence they are more prone to entering into multiple relationships, often recklessly so, and experience the ecstasy of union as much as the agony of parting, and deceit, and double-crossing, and that too very early in life. This can become the norm for them, and they hence continue to lead such lives themselves. The analysis can continue, but we shall rest it at present here. What is the bottom line for you who are interested in music but not in leading a reckless life? The bottom line is to take the art without taking the life style. Enjoy the product without going into details of its manufacture. Like the musician not because of but in spite of his shortcomings. Be smart enough to separate the art from the artist, and take the former while ignoring the latter. For those who are aspiring musicians, or artists, who have the extra ordinary ability bestowed on them by nature, you may do well to i) develop the emotional maturity to face the rough and tumble that creative life involves by being first of all aware of the problems and developing a value system which helps you cope with it with the minimum of hassles; ii) have some emotionally strong individuals as friends/guardians (who will not take advantage of you), and trust their counsel; iii) learn to separate their work/art from their life, like all professionals do. Do not bring your profession into your life. iv) know the limits to which they will go, and no further, howsoever tempting the offer. In other words, have a firm value-system in place. In the long run, it is these that will help sustain the storm and turbulence that a creative life necessarily involves. Those who have survived in the creative fields, music included, have some such coping mechanism put in place, either by themselves, or by guardian angels, or by circumstances themselves. The rest, well, they succumb to the wiles of a creative life, and become one more example to perpetuate our notion that the artistic are people who necessarily lead reckless lives. The examples of those who survive, and blossom, and should become exemplars to the rest need to be highlighted so that the connection many have considered invariable-between creativity and recklessness- can indeed be seriously challenged. In any case, after all this serious discussion, please do not for a moment think of forsaking music. If anything, love it more so, for it is the product of creative minds, and that is a rare commodity indeed. And life, in any case, has taught you to be smart enough to know how much to take from where, and to hide your criticisms well enough to be able to praise the better to get the best for yourself! Dr Ajai R. Singh 19 May 2005
Classical training for light music I find an interesting argument doing the rounds in music circles. When asked if you have undergone training in classical music, some people have a ready reply: ‘What about Kishore Kumar and O.P. Nayyar? They had no formal training in classical music. See the beauty with which they did their music. Who says classical training is necessary for light music?’ Well, let me tell you if you have the caliber and pratibha of a Kishore Kumar or an O.P.Nayyar, you don’t need to read me. Maybe I should come and take a lesson or two from you. For all the rest, it may make more sense to listen to what I have to say here. There are grades of difficult songs, but we can roughly classify them into three categories: 1.Easy,
2. Difficult , and 3. Very Difficult. This classification is from the point of singing, and has nothing to do with the worth or ability of the singer rendering it.
Songs like ‘Mera joota hai japani’, ‘Kisiki muskurahaton pe ho nisar,’ can be classified in the Easy category. In fact a number of Mukesh numbers sung for Raj Kapoor were like that. They were meant to be, for the master film-maker wanted simple heart touching melodies for his films which would appeal to the common man’s emotions. Here, even if you have no classical training whatsoever, only a basic understanding of sur, tala and laya, you can enjoy a number of such melodies all through life without bothering about anything else. So many light, foot tapping numbers of this type keep on getting produced from earlier times till today, and no classical base is necessary to enjoy singing them.
Songs
like those sung by Rafi for Naushad like ‘Suhani raat dhal chuki,’ of Lata sung for Madan Mohan like ‘Yoon
hasraton ke daagh’ , or even the Melodies of Khayyam like, ‘Who subaha kabhi to ayegi’ will come in this
category. Even Talat Mehmood’s most popular songs like ‘Jalte hain jiske liye,’ or ‘Tasveer banata
hoon’, also fall here. In this case classical training is not obligatory, but facilitates the voice flexibility that
the grinding undergone by a classical training brings about. So it will help you for sure, but you may do without it if you carry out serious riyaz
of light music.
In this
category come songs like ‘Ayega anewala’ of Lata, ‘Dekhi zamane ki yari’ of Rafi, most songs of Manna
Dey with a classical base like ‘Bhay bhanjana’, non-filmi songs of Jagjit Singh like ‘Koi paas aya sawere
sawere’, of Mehdi Hasan like ‘Konpalen phir phoot aayin’, and the difficult Ghulam Ali numbers like,‘Hungama
hai kyun barpa’, and some songs of Talat like ‘Tasveer teri dil mera behla na sakegi’, or ‘Beraham aasman’. These songs cannot be faithfully rendered without a classical base, howsoever hard you try. If your dream is to sing such numbers, (or even songs rendered in films by classical maestros like ‘Ketaki gulab juhi champaka bana phoole’), go and take refuge under the feet of a guru who will chisel and fashion your voice to make it capable of such rendition. He may or may not teach you to sing such songs (most probably, he will not), but he will help you get such control over sur that is the essence of high quality singing Any effort in this direction, properly guided, will reap rich rewards. Any attempt to prove me wrong may just be so much effort gone down the drain. I would hardly recommend you do that to your self, at least not in the field of music, and definitely not since you are in Swara Sampada. Dr Ajai R Singh 16 June 2005
Sargam, July 2005 GURU
Dhyanmoolam gururmoorti. Poojamoolam gurirpadam. Mantramoolam gururvakyam. Moksamoolam gururkripa. The guru’s appearance is the essence of attention.
Just looking at him makes our heart sing and dance with joy. His appearance itself should arouse such noble thoughts in a
true sadhaka. What is the essence of worship? The feet of the guru.
The feet of the guru symbolizes our humility, our ability to subjugate our ego, without which no real knowledge can ever be
imbibed. Which is the greatest mantra? The words of
the guru. If only you can find someone whose words are such, and develop the ability to trust him, you are on the way to enlightenment. What is the greatest moksa, the greatest liberation?
The kripa, or grace, of your guru. Without his blessings, try as you might, you will always flounder. You will try
your level best, but peace of mind and success, which comes with a sense of fulfillment, will always elude you. The guru, more than anything else, is your own true
self reflected. The more you evolve, the more you benefit from a guru. The more you flounder, the more you have missed his
essential teachings. There is a guru sitting deep within each one of you
too. Who speaks to you sometimes in low whispers, sometimes very loudly. He guides you at every step, though you resist listening
to his voice many many times. Who is he? He is your inner voice, your conscience. Listen to
that inner guru. He will never fail you. He will allow you to enjoy the fruits of your success. It is one thing to be successful,
it is quite another to enjoy its fruits. Build your life on a solid foundation of values. Do
not compromise with them under any circumstances. This is what your inner guru will tell you. Care to listen? Dr Ajai R Singh 22 July 2005 ................................................................................................... Sargam Sept 2005
Rasa and Music Rasa means juice or extract. It is the essence of a fruit. We take apple juice or mango juice (aam
ka rasa). Similarly, in the performing arts there are certain feeling states or rasas conveyed. In music too, which
is one of the prominent performing arts, we think of rasa, the essence of the feeling or emotion conveyed by a song
or a composition. That is the rasa or predominant emotive tone of the song. But for that we must know which are the
nine recognized Rasas. They are: Rasa
Emotional
Effect
Some later authorities have also added Bhakti rasa
(devotion) to these Nava-rasas of Bharata’s Natyashastra, and probably to good reason, although it often
goes along with Shanta rasa. Many Hindi film songs have these rasas as their predominant
effect, and it is a good topic of personal research for you to categorise the songs you sing, like, or hear into those conveying
the rasas mentioned above. For example, let us take a few of them here: 1.Aapke haseen ruhk pe aaj naya noor hai obviously conveys Sringara rasa. 2.Qasmein wade pyar wafa sab baten hain baton ka kya conveys Karuna and Jugupsa
rasas. 3.Yeh desh hai veer jawanon ka,albelon ka, mastanon
ka conveys Veer rasa. 4. Ye kaun chitrakar hai, ye kaun chitrakar conveys Vismaya,
Shanta and Bhakti rasas. 5. Yeh mahalon yeh takhton yeh tajon ki duniya conveys Karuna, Jugupsa and Roudra
rasas ( Raudra, especially in the jala do ise phoonk dalo yeh duniya). 6. Ek chatur naar kar ke singar conveys Hasya
and Sringar rasas. 7. Ai malik tere bande hum conveys Shanta
and Bhakti rasas. 8. Aurat nein janam diya mardon ka, mardon nein unhe bazaar
diya conveys Bibhatsa, Jugupsa
and Karuna rasas. I have analysed a few of the well-known songs for you so
you can embark on your own self-study and analysis. Amongst other things, it will also help you concentrate on the meaning
of a song, and help you emote the song better. Both qualities essential in anyone aspiring to be a good singer, which I am
sure you intend to be. All the very best. Dr Ajai R. Singh ............................................................... Sargam Oct 2005
What the Profession of Music Involves
The incident I am about to describe happened three decades ago. But it is as fresh in my
memory as yesterday. The year was 1975. The happy, exhausting but carefree days of youth in a medical college.
We were to organize a two-day cultural fest at Shanmukhananda Hall. And mind you, the hall was as big as it is today. As we
were busy short-listing the names of musical luminaries, excited committee members were suggesting some big names. Someone
suggested Hemant Kumar, and he was enthusiastically accepted. Another suggested Manna Dey, and again yes said the group. I
remember I suggested Talat Mehmood, and again there was a roar of approval. Someone knew the star Rajesh Khanna, and he too
was enthusiastically approved. And all these greats graced the occasion. While all these deliberations were on, the Asst Prof of Orthopaedics I think it was, who
wanted to suggest something. He said he knew a couple that sang very well. They were making waves on the ghazal scene, and
were very well appreciated in five star hotels where they regularly performed. He wanted us to give them just 15-20 mins.
He promised they would come gratis. He also promised we would never regret calling them. While we were allotting so
much time to all these greats, why could we not allot a small 15 min slot to him? I distinctly remember we, in a bored manner, asking him who they were. And after hearing
their names, we politely refused. How could we vitiate a programme of the greats by calling some hotel singers, howsoever
talented they may be according to someone? And so what if they came gratis? We would collect the funds and pay. But
no adulteration of the programme would be tolerated. The singers the kind professor had in mind were Jagjit and Chitra Singh. Silly, But True
You can say how silly of us to do so. And in retrospect, I would strongly agree. I do sometimes
laugh at the stupid and funny way we booted the kind professor’s suggestion out. He was almost pleading for the names
to be included! And while I myself sometimes feel surprised as to how we took such a decision, what I wish to draw your attention
to is something different. And that is neither silly nor funny. Do not, even for a moment, think we were the only silly people who took such a decision.
So many such silly organizers were busy taking such decisions. So many rejections the great singers must have faced before
they made their mark. It does not help to blame organizers either. They want established names. They want tickets
to sell. They want celebrities. Why should they go by sheer talent when the ticket buyer does not? The bottom line is that for a singer to survive, and make it to the top, it is not enough
to be good. So many are. It is most important to persist. Which most are not. And remain absolutely committed to the field.
To believe in one’s talent, which should be there of course. To create a niche for oneself, by not being a follower
or a copier. And to keep at it. On and on and on. Not to think of alternatives at all. To live, or die, being a singer. And
give it ones best shot, not crying or ranting over one’s fate. And if one does not succeed, well so be it. It was not
for want of effort. It is rarely that one becomes a celebrity singer otherwise. Dame luck may smile, true. But
she chooses the most persistent suitor. The Lesson: Keep Pegging at It
The lesson for anyone who wants to make a mark in the field is clearly to keep pegging at
it, while chiseling and honing his talent. And no giving up, and no letting go. Else the profession of music will not open its doors to you. It’s better to be a connoisseur or part time music enthusiast otherwise, as we all
are. However, music as a full time profession is a totally different ball game. In the stupidity we did lies a lesson for all potential singers. And also for those who
only wish, but do not have the mental aptitude, or reserves, to persist. In case you know of someone who wants to pursue music as a career, and make it to the top,
do tell him what it involves. And if you are one of those who is struggling to become one, do know. Know what? If the great Jagjit Singh could have been refused, why do you think you won’t? You
got to succeed not because of, but in spite of, such roadblocks. If this lesson is well learnt, our stupidity committed then has indeed served a good purpose
now. Dr Ajai Singh .................................................................................................. Sargam Nov 2005 Why Attend Music Concerts?
We all enjoy listening to a cassette, a CD or watching a
TV programme of music. But none of these can match the joy and experience of a live performance. As you get ready, the anticipation adds to the excitement,
as does the travel and the company, if that is congenial. And the ambience of a good venue, a proper sound system, a harmonious
musical accompaniment, and a well decorated stage. All these add to the charm of the performance. The greatest joy of course
is of being face to face with the performer himself. His presence, his aura, his charisma envelops the listener in a warm
embrace if he is a good performer. You can feel him singing as though only for you. The communion that a good singer establishes
with you is spontaneous and instantaneous. It’s as though one soul is in intimate conversation with another. All great
performers will give this feeling of intimate bonding to you as a listener. That is why, even if you have heard a great singer
so many times over the radio, TV or cassette player, you still enjoy him performing before you live. The same songs, the same
raga assumes a different form as it unfolds before you. It’s as though the singer pours the innermost secrets
of his heart deep into yours. And even if you are quenched for the time being, your heart keeps thirsting for more. This is applicable to the greats not only in classical,
semi-classical or melody-based songs. It is equally applicable to pop songs, and so called dhamal numbers too. The
ones, which move you live are the ones, you seek in cassettes as well as in future live performances. That is why live pop
performances also are a great hit. Why am I writing about this here? One, because I want you
to experience this magic as a listener. The festive season is here. From this month onwards, there will be a number of festivals
of music all over the city. And I would request you to attend as many of them as you can. Second, if you attend them, see
if the singer establishes such a communion with you. But first go with the mental preparation to allow yourself to experience
it. Third, try and bring in that divine element in your performance too. It will only come when music becomes a prayer for
you, and you sing through your lips but with your innermost being. And while a communion with your audience
is mandatory, seek the innermost being of the singer to communicate with. Then your soul will sing directly to your audiences’
soul. And they will become only a means to establish communion between your individual soul and the divine all pervading soul
we call God. Try it. Dr Ajai R. Singh
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