Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Coimbatore
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kochi
Ring me a raga
|
If clothes define who you are, so does your mobile ring tone. Care for classical contours?
|
Indian classical music became global long before the economy became globalShiv Kumar Sharma
It was hailed as a historic moment in the history of Indian classical music. Telephone giant Airtel and music label Music Today launched a new ring tone service based on Indian classical music the other day. Rajas of the raga world, Pandit Hari Prasad Chaurasia and Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma, were present to lend support and play a short concert each. It almost seemed as if the announcement was as significant as the invention of the radio or the gramophone disc.
The music maestros, though, had a point when they appreciated the very fact that Airtel was helping classical music "reach out" to the public at large by making available to mobile phone users ring tones based on ragas of Indian music. Pandit Hari Prasad recalled how the first time he approached HMV for a recording, he was greeted with, "Do you want us to go bankrupt?" Today, the situation has come full circle, with companies lining up at his and other musicians' doorsteps to cut albums, and even associating classical music with the fashionable world of ring tones.
Saying, "I am very happy that my flute and Shiv Kumar Sharmaji's santoor will contribute to these ring tones," he admitted that he had not actually heard the proposed ring tones.
"They are yet to do it. Wait and see, after they work on them and improve them, bada anand aayega," he smiled, miming holding a phone to his ear with an air of bliss. "Even unwelcome news will become palatable," he quipped.
Only tuning!
Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma, with whom the flute maestro has had a long partnership both on the classical front and in music for Hindi films like Silsila, Chandini and others, was in sync with contemporary lingo, as he pointed out, "Indian classical music became global long before the economy became global." He also remarked how listening to Indian classical ragas even for a few minutes brought "peace, tranquillity and relaxation."
Even though both the leading musicians were all encouragement for the step taken by Airtel and Music Today, they seemed keenly aware they were performing before a crowd largely unused to classical renderings. After announcing he was going to play the raga Bhoopali, Pandit Hari Prasad, who was accompanied by Vijay Ghate on the tabla and his own disciple Suni Avachat on the flute, took a few moments to start the recital while the instrumentalists tuned up.
The maestro quickly added, "This is not the raga, it is only tuning."
The classical ring tones, of course will only be a choice alongside "Tera Suroor" or "Dus Bahane". Incidentally some of these songs did pop up on people's mobiles as the large press contingent and other invitees received calls during the launch event at Maurya Sheraton's Kamal Mahal.
ANJANA RAJAN
Printer friendly
page
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Coimbatore
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kochi
|
