Faiyaz can play again in city

VADODARA, Nov 3: You've heard of them, now you can actually hear them. M S University has uncovered a treasure-trove of old spool tapes o...

VADODARA, Nov 3: You8217;ve heard of them, now you can actually hear them. M S University has uncovered a treasure-trove of old spool tapes of Faiyaz Khan, V D Paluskar and Rabindranath Tagore, and now intends to transfer them on to hard discs. And maybe, eventually, make it available for the listening pleasure of the general public.

8220;It8217;s an amazing collection; it8217;s difficult to get these recordings now8221;, says Vice-Chancellor Anil Kane. The 300-odd tapes were tucked away in an obscure corner of the Faculty of Performing Arts for almost 35 years.

8220;Since many people are interested in them, and since we have the funds, we decided to use the money to preserve the treasure8221;, he adds.

When Kane talks of the 8220;treasure8221;, he is also referring to several musical instruments gathering dust at the Performing Arts faculty for half-a-century. Among them are a tanpura used by Faiyaz Khan, a 100-year-old rudraveena, a rare vichitra-veena, a snake-shaped trumpet, a variety of flutes and a set of tablas used by Khan8217;s accompanist.

Not surprisingly, none of these are in impeccable condition. But MSU is gearing up to deal with that. 8220;We have already sought expert opinion on how to transfer these recordings to hard discs8221;, says Kane. 8220;With great difficulty, we8217;ve also found a machine where these spool tapes can be played.8221;

Narendra Shrimali and Performing Arts dean D Bhonsle 8212; two of the many experts consulted in the project 8212; have also identified a shop that can make the instruments usable. 8220;They can never be played in a three-hour show, but they can be repaired so that they can be used for demonstrations and the like8221;, says Bhonsle.

Kane also has plans to repair some old cupboards and set up a museum of the turn-of-the-century instruments.

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For once, the university does not apprehend the plans going haywire for want of money: The revival project is being funded by the campus diversity programme. Besides, if anyone8217;s interested, Kane says MSU is ready to part with the copyright to the old recordings. 8220;But we8217;ll keep the master copy8221;, he adds.

Along with MSU officials, city musicians are upbeat about the project. 8220;It8217;s a good decision8221;, applauds sitarist Arvind Dighe. 8220;But I8217;d think the instruments would be good only for display.8221;

Says vocalist R C Mehta, 8220;The tapes will help us know our traditions better. Though the finer nuances may have been lost irretrievably, technology can help the artist fraternity benefit immensely through the tapes.8221;