So here i am, back after a very long time..
I was just thinking the other day about the kind of music prevalent among the youth now-a-days..It is definitely rock.. Well..even i listen 2 rock, can relate to it. I enjoy listening 2 English songs, head-banging on metal, jumping up and down on pop and really appreciate the sound of drums..
But shouldn't we first appreciate the form of music that originally belongs to us? I know ppl who don't want to listen to bollywood music just coz its Indian!I mean some the new songs [read himesh] get on my nerves too..but the songs belonging to olden-golden era? and classical music? instrumentals?...when someone insults them, my blood boils....
I am not asking all Indians to put their feet down and stop listening to the kind of music that appeals to you..but v need to even appreciate the form that is actually ours..if u don't understand the beauty of it, it doesn't become less beautiful to me..
But then why am i being sucha _____ and insisting that people not insult Indian music? well..its all part of being Indian...isn't it?
4 comments:
Nice thoughts, I must say. I reflect on this a lot. Being a music aficionado, I often wonder what makes people (including myself) like music. And over a lot of thought, I have come to some conclusions:
1) Many people like music because it's something contemporary, something they can relate to during discussions with friends. This is what makes bollywood music so popular in India (even though most of it is nothing but piles of crap, and most of the rare gems turn out to be stolen from somewhere. But I don't blame people for liking it, they have been forced to listen to it for ages. They didn't have anything else). The social nature of music is the reason why some people fake that they like a particular genre, even if they don't.
2) A lot of people can relate to the energy conveyed by the piece of music, and respond automatically. I'm talking about the power the music holds over your bodily rhythms.
3) Relatively few people like music because of what it is: A form of expression. It is a powerful way to convey emotions, feelings and messages. I'm not talking about lyrics here. I'm talking about music. If your music is sincere, people will automatically discover the emotion and the intent behind it. If they can relate to the that, they like the music. Music has the power of making people take a journey, while not even moving a muscle; It has the power to evoke emotions which only rare circumstances can normally induce.
4) Lastly, very few people appreciate music because it is an art form. They don't expect it to make sense or have a direction. They see human endeavor behind the composition. They can relate to some parts of it.
Now about your question: Why is the urban youth listening to rock (or hip hop) instead of appreciating our own "Culture", the efforts and hard work put in by countless Classical Indian Musicians all around the country?
Well, I have listened to classical Indian music and think that your observance has the following reasons:
1) Classical Indian Music is not a popular art form. It hasn't been marketed properly (Even if it had been, it would've had the drawback of being too complex). No one wants to discuss the complex ragas and their construction, if they have simple (and most of the time stupid) tunes to listen to.
2) You cannot feel a continuous burst of energy emanating from this genre. It comes in short bursts, if any. No one, except those deeply into traditional Dance an relate their bodily rhythms to this.
3) Speaking about people who like music because it can convey emotions and stir something deep within you (that includes me), I am still puzzled why many people belonging to this category still alienate themselves from their own music. This is the music that inspired Western Music. In fact, if you hear bands like Opeth, you can clearly see that Western music is tending towards Indian music (in complexity and in composition). It's sad that these people can't relate to our own music. Probably the biggest cause of this is poor marketing and the inherent complexity of the music. It's very difficult to relate to it. It has a plethora of strict rules to adhere to. That makes it sound monotonous to a lot of people.
4) Lastly, those who appreciate music as an art form appreciate Classical Indian Music too. But there aren't many of these around, are they?
I like Classical Indian music because it is a powerful means of expression, not because I'm an Indian.
I find our influence in all the strong genres of the world. That makes it special.
Thanks for your comments on my page.
Whoops! I did comment a lot! This should have been a blog post itself. I've been dying to write on this topic and your article provided fuel for it. :D
No, the writer in you isn't dead, not at all. The very fact that you checked your blog, found my comment and replied is proof. It seems that the writer is hibernating.
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