Classicalness to Massicalness - The Hindustani Classical Music

  

 This blog post is a continuation of the thought process that was initiated in Dec 2018 through the blog : Classicalness Vs Massicalness - A story of Hindustani Classical Music 

 

The Hindustani classical music is like a flowing river, constantly changing its form from the Dhrupad ,to Khayal of Amir Khusroo to Modern day Khayal of Gharanas to Current mix of Khayal and light classical blend. This transformation is ongoing for ages and the audience is the determining factor that decides the further growth and transformation !
We all connoisseurs are just spectators and unbiased witness to this change and transformation ! 

The transformation of classicalness to massicalness was a forced transformation necessitated by the loss patronage by princely states of India, due to their fall after Indian Independence. In order to popularize music among larger population and gain patronage, festivals like Sawai Gandharva Mahotsav in 1950s , musicians  initiated  "marketing" tricks to attract more audience and patrons for the Hindustani Classical Music ! Most of these Classical Music festivals in India were started by musicians themselves to make Classical Music more "accessible" and "popular" among general masses. This was the first step in diluting or transforming the Classical form to a form that would be more appealing to mass audience. My earlier post on Classicalness to Massicalness in this regard is here.

The real problem is that .. classical music is not for masses , it is for chosen few. One cannot make it "popular" .. people (audience) have to get mature , learned , patient and experience life as such (hence even get older) to appreciate the "Bhaav" or "Ras" aspect of it. The technicalities are taught in schools and gurukuls by teachers and gurus simply to make the student / disciple , attain the ability to learn classical music in his/her own way. It will and has never made a true performer. A classical music performer truly starts "performing" at age of around 35-40 if he has had good training for previous 10-20 years !

The patronage to true Classical music is by a select class ; mature and rich enough to appreciate the depth, dedication, nuance and philosophy of the performing artist. The "Classical Music Festival" music is one where a performer tries to gain popularity among "masses" , many a times by diluting the classicalness with light music , bhajans , songs etc .. This marketing has definitely helped in gaining popularity ,patronage and  acceptance of the "classical" music among masses. In due course of time , this "popularization" might help in making certain percentage of these masses being attracted to the true classical form of music. 

The true classical music form is now performed more in the  "Chamber music" or "Chote-khani mahfils", where a classical performer presents more of the classical side than the massical side of his / her talim. I compare this to the two forms of cricket "Test Match Cricket" and the 20-20 version of the game. Both with their own forms and even complementing to the game as a whole. The "Classical Music Festival" type music could be compared to the ODI form of cricket ! A compromise between the two extremes ! 

Classical music is like a river that transforms every decade and generation over years. We are in a delicate phase of time where we are fortunate to enjoy the true maestros, the budding new talent, rebels as well as true traditionalists.

Bageshree encroachment

Raag Bageshree is a very pleasing raag of Kafi thaat, very popular among almost all gharanas and maesteros. This raag , however has extended its limits over period of time , trespassing , encroaching upon the territory of others.  It is a classic example of how the artistic freedom of performing a raag has gone too far, stretching the limits of a raag ... "rules of a raag" are amended over a period of time to accomodate almost everything that is sung in that matrix or around !
So much so that when one starts  looking at raags like Gorakh Kalyan , Narayani, Nayaki Kanada , some versions of Durga and Malgunji , one is struck at the fact that Bageshree has almost overshadowed these distinct raags by including their kernel into itself over a period of time !

Looking at Raag Bageshree, one is amazed at the way "rules" of Raagdaari sangeet are so twisted and turned in order to accomodate everything that maestroes do or simply to include every modification under one popular umbrella !!
Officially and originally , Raag Bageshree was supposed to be Audav-Shadav raag ( 5 notes in ascending and 6 in descending ). However , due to artistic freedom of maesteros, over period of time, it  was upgraded to two more versions
Version 1 ( Standard Original ) : Audav-Shadav - R and P are varjit in ascending, P in descending
Version 2 Audav-Sampoorn: R and P are varjit in ascending
Version 3 Sampoorn-Sampoorn:  All the swaras are present

The problem is clearly noticed when labeling a rendion to Gorakh Kalyan , Bageshree or Narayani. This is especially true when one hears younger singers who are performing one without the knowledge of other two! More so in case of Instrumentalists than the vocalists (where bandishes almost define raag)

I would not be surprised if someone starts calling this matrix as "Bageshree ragaang" or "Bageshree Thaat" in future ! Popularity among connoisseurs and performers could be the reason for this unhindered Bageshree encroachment !

Raagdaari, Khyaal and Bandishes : Part 1

One of the most glaring misconception about Indian or Hindustani Classical Music stems from its nomenclature. In Indian languages, classical music is referred to as "Shastriya" (शास्त्रिय संगीत) that literally translates to "Scientific" music. There lies the root cause of the misconceptions .. a misnomer as Scientific (shastriya) instead of being called "Abhijaat" (अभिजात) that correctly translates to "Classical" in real sense. This has previously been referred to in my earlier blog post here.
One more issue is that, classical music is not for masses. The music of masses is generally rhythm based, with a catchy melody, called folk , pop or in India the typical "Bollywood" music. These types of light musical compositions may have their  root of tunes and rhythm in the classical music, but they need to be referred to as light music or popular music (pop). This fact has to be understood very clearly before any discussion on Indian or Hindustani classical music.

There is a general trend in India, of mentioning that song "xyz" from film "pqr" is based on some "abc" raag. This kind of over simplification has corrupted the beauty of classical music. A song is NEVER based on a raag. The most one can really say is that a song "xyz" is based on a tune or melody (धून ) that is used in a particular bandish of "abc" raag ... Nothing beyond that !
To further clarify , a raag has many dimensions and hence , many bandishes are composed to various melodies/tunes (धून) and rhythmic patterns (ताल) to elaborate and express that particular raag.

In this era of Whatsapp, one often finds posts of amateur fans of classical music, making lists of songs in particular raag etc... and that is fine for a student of music to recognize common musical patterns in the song and raag. It is a great way of learning music from what is known to the unknown. It does help in consolidating the key phrases of the raag that occur in the popular music and in associating to a particular named raag. 

Coming back to the point of discussion : Raagdaari is a way of elaborating and expressing a raag through Khyaal. Which in turn uses a Bandish, set in a particular tune/melody (धून) and rhythmic pattern (ताल) to express one or more of the multiple facets of a particular raag.
A raag is simply a set of rules for using the set of notes. Expression of raag is called raagdaari. Often an analogy is given for raagdaari sangit to painting on a canvas.
The frame of the canvas is like the set of rules of the particular raag. Set of Colours , brushes and their strokes are tools for elaborating that particular bandish, over the canvas of the raag. This mode of expression is called raagdaari. This live "process of painting" is enjoyed by the painter(s) and the audience.
One important reason for the "classical" ness of the Indian Classical Music is this lively interaction between audience and performers that induces spontaneous improvisations. The other critical part of raagdaari , in Khyaal form, is the poetry of the bandish used in elaborating a raag. These words of poetry set to a specific melody (धून ), rhythmic patterns, tempo and modulations of sound, go beyond the literal meaning of the words of those lyrics of bandish, conveying a philosophy/thought / image ,that makes the listener "think" (ख्याल ) and enjoy the beauty of music, often fantasizing and philosophical pondering of situations in worldly living, opening up the mind for a blissful experience to the connoisseurs. 
Hence Khyaal or Khayal gayaki of raagdaari , is intense , broader and illuminates mind of listeners through a "thought" that leaves for broader imagination and thinking , often philosophical in nature in tune with the subtle "Bhaav" or "Ras" of the raag !

Here is a related post on Khyaal/Khayal .. a poetic tweet.