Renaissance

Since time immemorial,patrons from all over the globe have been enthralled by the swaras and ragas that Hindustani classical music has to offer.

Since time immemorial,patrons from all over the globe have been enthralled by the swaras and ragas that Hindustani classical music has to offer. The rich tradition that has been passed from generation to generation with grace and refinement stands testament to the proud legacy of the maestros gone by. The inheritors of this legacy,big names in themselves,talk about this classic journey.

And while it has often been said that the younger generation is no longer inclined towards the Indian classical music scene and that even the general interest in the field is dropping,Pushkar Lele,a young classical singer himself,begs to differ. He says,I think that classical music was never mass-ical. Like other great works of art may it be sculpture,painting or literature classical music too is meant for connoisseurs. Would a layman understand the beauty of a Picasso? Or Shakespeare? Its the same with classical music. He believes that the number of people studying this form of music is the same even today and the only reason as to why its not as popular as before is because the media of today is more intent on broadcasting things that sell.

About the fizzling out of the art form,Sanjeev Abhyankar is another household name when it comes to classical music. He says,Classical music will survive as long as art and music circles will stay alive. So,I can say without doubt that it will continue to be heard because the music circles work hard to take this art to people and to create interest in it. It can be equated to Sanskrit words – if someone has not heard them,or doesnt know their subtlety then that does not reflect badly on the language. It still remains beautiful. Abhyankar,who has performed in more 150 cities in India,says that he will continue to do so in the future till there is an audience to listen to him.

Classical music,like all other art forms,has adapted itself to suit the sensibilities of the singers as well as the audiences. About this trend Rahul Deshpande – the young classical music genius, says, Its true that the face of classical music has been changing over the years. Our listeners sometimes compel us to modify the style of presentation. Earlier,one classical performance used to continue for as long as six to eight hours. This has now come down to about two to three hours. We,as singers learn to adapt just as our music has,before us. About the thinning walls between the numerous Gharanas of Hindustani Classical music he adds, The Gharana style is a beautiful way of learning. As the boundaries between them blur,it gives a singer more flexibility to create his own style of singing by borrowing elements from other Gharanas but the minus point is that if a young student is introduced to all types in his formative years then he could end up with too much on his platter.

Shounak Abhisheki,a renowned classical maestro,has a different take on the issue altogether. He says,The essential nature of classical music hasnt changed at all. However,with the advent of technology sound projection has undergone major changes. On the musical renaissance of todays times he says,Im positive about the growth of Indian classical music. Today,the media provides exposure to classical events,which has resulted in classical singing being accepted widely as a choice for profession as well as passion.

Classical music is undergoing a change of thoughts and ideas,to keep up with the changing times,feel the flagbearers of the art form

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