April 03, 2016
What is soulful music and how does it happen?
Many young and not-so-young musicians have asked me these questions. I have also pondered over these and many other related questions. What I am going to tell you is from personal experience without intending to hurt anybody nor professing that this is the final answer. Soulful music happens. It is not made or sung by a musician. Remember my concept of the absent performer? The performer of such soulful music is only a medium. He is not conscious that he is ” making/singing” soulful music! To be a medium......
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January 08, 2016
Vagaries of Health and the Music in You
Health and music of a Sadhak. Like everybody else,the musician too is susceptible to the vagaries of health and age. Both take a toll on him. But do they affect his music in terms of...
December 02, 2015
Ragas and Masters of Yore
My father-guru narrated this story to me and I would like to share with you for whatever worth it is . Once,it seems,Alladiya khansaheb,was singing an anavat raga in a Mehefil ( a raga he...
September 20, 2015
Ragaswaras
Like characters in a play coming in their particular costume, ragaswaras come in the costumes meant for them in a particular raga. There are no seven swaras or even twenty two shrutis in Hindustani classical...
September 20, 2015
The Absent Performer
The musician should be a worshipper of ragaswaras and laya. He should beseech each and every ragaswaras to bless him with their true splendour. In really great music, as in all great art, the musician...
September 20, 2015
What brings tears to the eyes of listeners in music?
It is not just the pathos in the voice of a musician that brings tears to the eyes of the listeners. It is the involvement of the artist in the very act of singing that...
September 20, 2015
A Sadhak on an endless endeavour
September 20, 2015
In pursuit of new meanings
September 20, 2015
Music is wisdom, not knowledge
September 19, 2015
Aching for Gouri…
What happens when one has a great musician for a father and teacher? One, no doubt, walks in the footsteps of the grand tradition, but also learns to go beyond. Rajshekhar Mansur, son of the...