The aura of a superstar
CHANDIGARH : His tall, lean frame, a crop of curly salt and pepper hair, his handsome looks and the fact that Shiv Kumar Sharma has composed some tilting romantic music for successful.... films all this
surrounded him with an aura of a
superstar.
The rush for autographs after the lec-dem organised by the Chandigarh chapter of
SPICMACAY at the PGI auditorium was handled patiently by the artiste.
The last of the three-day series, the performance was in the true sense of the word a lec-dem. For those who had gone to listen to the concert returned somwhat disappointed. But Shiv more than compensated with his chatty, yet highly informative presentation. Tracing the history of classical music from the Vedic chants, he talked about the development of stringed instrmnents which started from the bow and arrow to the evolvement of the 'veena" and then to the 100 stringed 'shat tantri veena' or the santoor. He spoke about similar instruments in the West like the harp.
Gearing his talk more for
students and appreciators of
music, he explained the difference
between Indian and Western music
saying that Indian music was
deeply linked to bhakti and it grew
on a person. Western music, on the
other hand, had an instant quality
to it, coupled with speed and
virtuosity. A classical Indian music
performer of India was a creati0e
artiste whose artistic capability
depended on his ability to
improvise within the granunar of
classical music.
Each Indian raga had a
particular 'rasa' to it, and to
appreciate ragas it was not
important to understand its particular notes, but to experience the flavour. "Appreciation does not need the knowledge of technicalities," he said.
A successful music composer of
film music, Shiv Kumar Sharma dis-
closed the secret of his success. Film
music is "situational', free from the
restriction of the grammar of classical music. He elaborated by explaining the process of composing music for the song of the film - Silsila. With the location being Amsterdam, the content of music was derived
from the folk songs of Jammu Kashmir and Himachal and the scenic background being hilly and verdant, he gave a western touch by blending the folk with orchestral music.
In the demonstration bit he stressed on the 'alaap-, which, he said, gave 'a song picture of the raga and the mod of the raga'. The three parts of the "alaap' were the opening notes without the tabla, which is the 'alaap", followed by "jor alaap', and the crescendo called 'jhaala alaap". He performed a short "alaap' in the raga Puriya Dhanashri and then followed two compositions in the same twilight raga, in jhaptaal (a rhythmic cycle of 10 beats) and teentaal (a rhythmic cycle of 16 beats) which he played in 'madhya laya' 'drut laya'
and 'ati dr-ut laya'. He was accompanied by Fazal Qureshi, younger brother of tabla maestro Zakir Husain. He gave ample opportunity to the young tabla player and their 'sangat' whipped up a lively mood, remniscent of a jazz concert.
A long and lively question-answer session followed, more questions being asked by the not-so-young. A somewhat disappointed Shiv Kumar concluded by answering a philosophical question wherein he expressed deep commitment to music. Music is meditation, 'swar sadhana' is 'Ishwar' and every music, be it kirtan, shabad, or even choral music, has 'swara' and that mastery of 'swara' is unity with the Godhead'.
Dr. Kanwar Mohan accompanied him on the tanpoora.
By Alka Pande
©COPYRIGHT 1997 Shivkumar Sharma Associates