1 post tagged “ravishankar”
What's your favorite music for a Sunday morning?
Submitted by Nick.
Ah, Sunday morning. A lazy time of the weekend, when the sundry activities of a Saturday have been performed, when half the weekend is gone, yet the other half beckons you to its open possibilities; when the weekend paper calls for attention in the midst of your morning chai; when a half-written mail begs to send itself; or a half full (half empty?) trash can asks to be emptied; when the business of living calls clamors for attention, yet the mind seeks a solace, away from it all...
In short, a Sunday morning is perfect for reflection and anticipation.
At such times, I often wander to a soothing fill of comfortable classic jazz of Brubeck or Coltrane.
On an overcast, slightly cold day such as today, and when I'm more mellow, I tend to seek out the more mellow music - something that evokes subtlety and quietness. Something that shuts out the noise of the occasional traffic. At such times, I remember the music I heard back at my parents' - hindustani classical. To be fair, we listened to it almost seven days a week, not just on Sundays. Yet, the moment of reflection is best suited to a quiet morning that only a Sunday brings.
Today, I'm listening to the bamboo flute of Pt. Hari Prasad Chaurasia.
Not the tinny timber of a metal flute, his humble bamboo flute is as pure to nature as it gets. Combined with the beats of the tabla, first slow and sombre, then fast and upbeat, the classical numbers always send me back in time of carefree insouciance. A morning raaga (composition) or a dhun (tune) is perfect for a lazy Sunday morning.
As many people may already know, Indian classical music theory divides the day in eight 3-hour prahar [my friend Shefaly rightly points that prahar is an 'hour' of activity], with music suitable for each prahar. Music for each prahar is supposed to evoke the spirit of that particular time of the day. Thus, a loud, cantankerous music would be most ill-suited for a morning, when it is time for quiet contemplation. Romantic music is best suited to evenings and late nights.
Another favorite of mine is the mix of sitar and sarod, a jugalbandi between Pt. Ravi Shankar and Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, two of the greatest players in their field. This particular morning, I'm listening to Raaga Palas Kafi and Raaga Bilakshan Todi. The first piece start slowly, almost like in a trance, taking its time to develop and set the stage. The second enchanting piece starts similarly, but sounds more melodious and happy to me. Then both the instruments jump in, as in a conversation, a tête - à - tête that occurs between two friends who have met to chat over chai. To listen to the conversation is to forget the day..
I shall leave other music for some other day, but for today, this is it for me.
Cheers!
