Music is the supreme power, which can move the hearts and minds of men. Music is my dharam and I worship its soul. My prayer is to be reborn as an artiste so that in my next life too I can continue to devote myself to the service of music.
I express myself through the flute, the most ancient instrument in our tradition, the origin of dhwani or pure sound. The flute and the shankh (conch) are both gifts of God, and both require sustained breath to evoke the beauty of their utterance. Through the centuries and all over the country the flute has been played in various shapes and forms. Its haunting notes have echoed through mountains and valleys, forests and flowers and across rivers. Lord Krishna touched the flute with his sweetness and held the gopis spellbound with its magic.
And yet as an instrument it is difficult to master and calls for great dedication. The control of breath and the capacity to sustain it are very important and demand a lot of practice. To bring out the essence of the music, I must breathe from deep within me into the flute. When my breath meets the sound of the flute, and the two become one, I feel the sublime force of God and of music.
Alap and jod. Vilambit in roopaktall and drut in ektall. This is an early morning raga. The awakening of a new day gives me a feeling of awe and worship. To me the unmistakable use of both the madhyams and the komal risabh is an expression of that worship. If a blind man said that he had not ever seen the dawn, I would play him this raga as a musical experience of the first rays of the sun.
Alap and jod. Vilambit in jhaptaal and drut in teentaal. Bhoopali is steeped in the essence of the devotional mood. I like it very much for two reasons- firstly, it has a counterpart in Karnatic music, Raga Mohanam, and secondly because of its folk music tilt. The notes of the raga- Sa Re Ga Pa Dha Sa- are beautifully woven to create the mood of Bhakti or devotion.
Both these ragas present a musical challenge. Especially in the flute, the notes have to be very well positioned to create the mood.
For the first time ever a series presenting great masters of Indian classical music, both Hindustani and Karnatic, in the ragas of their choice. Giving their own unique expression to a matchless variety of melodic moods through ragas and kritis which they have specially selected for this series. And which are brought to you as original digital recordings for your listening pleasure.
Maestro’s Choice. A rare collection of great moments from the living legends our musical heritage.
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