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Padmashri Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, who has lent music to the recent
7 Khoon Maaf, talks of classical music and the Mohan Veena in times of
Munni badnam and more…
VERY few Indian music maestros have elicited equal admiration in India and abroad the way legendary Mohan Veena maestro Padmashri Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt has. Owing allegiance to the Maihar gharana of Hindustani classical music and the foremost disciple of Sitar wizard Padma Vibhushan Pandit Ravi Shankar, he represents the seventh generation of the 300-year-old rich musical family legacy of Jaipur. Having been honoured with the Grammy, the world’s highest music award, in 1994, the Bharat Jyoti Samman, New York, in 1999 and a host of other prestigious awards, Pandit Vishwa Mohan rose like a colossus on the international music scene.
Known for blending Indian classical music with the modern genres, he has displayed exceptional musical brilliance in solo concerts at prestigious national and international festivals and has collaborated with western artistes like Jerry Douglas, Bela Fleck, Harry Manx and others, as also Rajasthani folk musicians, the Langas and Mangiyars. In Chandigarh recently for concerts on the invitation of Spic-Macay, an NGO committed to the propagation of Indian classical music and culture, he shared his views on the contemporary music scene. Excerpts from an interview: None of the earlier legends or even your revered guru, Pandit Ravi Shankar, ever felt the need for major modifications in the sitar. So, how did the Mohan Veena come about? Right from my childhood, I
had been always inclined to innovations and inventions to achieve
perfection, as perceived by my inquisitive mind. My mother taught me
vocal music and later I learnt the tabla, violin and sitar, but finally
settled for the Mohan Veena. You never know, I may subject it to more
modifications. I had successfully attempted to incorporate the salient
features of the sarod, sitar, sarangi and veena in the Mohan Veena,
capable of producing the meend, gamak, ghaseet for embellishment
of the gayaki ang. Likewise, my disciple son, Salil Bhatt, has
invented the Satvik Veena, a As a globetrotting maestro, how do you perceive the contemporary music scene that is producing scores like Munni badnam compared to the golden era of Bharat Muni and Tansen’s melodies? Music, in all its manifestations, all along remains a progressive and dynamic art with an aesthetic appeal and beauty. Though the Hindustani or Carnatic classical streams have an ageless appeal, and were in sync with the serenity of the earlier eras, change is inevitable in all spheres. Hence, today’s Munni or Sheela, too, have a compelling charm for many. Any music in perfect sur, laya, taal and with pleasant lyrics must be relished. I, too, have played for Bollywood films like Lagaan, 7 Khoon Maaf and Ishqiya, to name a few. I love to work with the indefatigable A. R. Rahman, as we both share the passion for innovation in music and not compromising on quality. I am otherwise open to fusion so that the splendour of our rich musical heritage can continue to rule. Why do film and pop music have more takers than our rich classical music? Since ages, classical music has been practised by an esoteric group of people and its appreciation is woefully lacking among the general audience. Much of the awakening and spread of classical music has now come through performances and the advancement in technology. Music must be taught as a compulsory subject for its increasing importance in non-musical contexts such as therapy, stress removal, as an aid for better concentration in studies etc. Those at the helm of affairs must ensure that there are at least a few TV channels exclusively for beaming classical or regional folk music, just as there are channels devoted to wildlife and animals, too. However, youngsters are getting inclined towards the classical genre and credit for this goes to Spic-Macay and other such organisations. Does a thin audience irk you? Yes. But it is not the mere numbers that count. Even a huge audience, especially at free concerts, can be blissfully ignorant of the virtues of classical music and lack the sensibility to appreciate it. Don’t you feel that another Padma award is overdue for a maestro of your stature? Creative musicians never hanker after awards. The recognition and appreciation of my contribution to music by my admirers the world over is my real award and achievement. Any performance abroad in the near future? I landed in Chandigarh
straight from Sydney, after my performance at the Opera House, a
musician’s dream destiantion. I am excited about my four-month-long
forthcoming tour abroad along with folk artistes from Rajasthan, the
Langas and Mangiyars.
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