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7/15/2006 - While My Sitar Gently Weeps: My Studies in the 17-fret Tradition by Richard D. Connerney

ICWA RDC SOUTH ASIA Richard Connerney Phillips Talbot Fellow studying influence impact religion Indian society letters Since Institute Current World Affairs Crane Rogers Foundation providedlong fellowships enableoutstanding young professionalsto outside United States write about international areas issues An exempt operating foundation endowedby Charles R Crane Institute supported bycontributions minded individuals foundations TRUSTEES Bryn Barnard Joseph Battat Carole Beaulieu Mary Lynne Bird Sharon F Doorasamy Peter Geithner Gary Hartshorn Pramila Jayapal Cheng Li Steven Butler Dasa Obereigner David Z Robinson Carol Rose John Spencer Edmund Sutton HONORARY TRUSTEES David Elliot David Hapgood Pat M Holt Edwin S Munger Richard H Nolte Albert Ravenholt Phillips Talbot While My Sitar Gently Weeps My Studies Tradition By Richard D Connerney July All I about music people really James Baldwin Sonny Blues W James Baldwin wrote about about Hindustani Classical music Westerners anything about genre usually dismiss bohemian craze This partly accident history Ravi Shankar famous sitar maestro first brought attention mainstream America played Woodstock Beatle George Harrison study instrument thereafter This created popular association between Indian classical music worst aspects 1960s counter culture Even today Americans consider sitar musical accompaniment LSD Our associations Hindustani music unfair however Indian classical music tradition bound demanding discipline governed complex systems melody rhythm requiring lifetime study master I first began sitar I nineteen continued sporadically fifteen years I still novice Although digital dexterity easily impresses untrained America I nothing special India where aspiring musicians often begin That I passionate amateur pretensions playing professionally publicly For playing sitar private aesthetic adventure In chaos living India hours I devote music sometimes hours Although I occasionally entertain annoy guests informal recital I mostly content strum instrument alone privacy study Playing sitar requires understanding melodic modes called ragas Neither scale ragas accurately defined acoustic patterns govern musician composition improvisation Each proper season proper traditionally played should evoke certain feeling Some ragas convey feeling peace tirasa others feelings devotion bhaktirasa still others erotic shringararasa heroic emotions virarasa Ragas magical effect Some ragas others excite still others instill profound sense melancholy Playing certain ragas opening attic window fresh spring Others chilly November Some sophisticated evening ragas dazzle sweeping phrasing intricate hooks On other certain ragas listener feeling having heart broken A ragas sound melodic structures twisted initially sound poison Rag Purvi East Raga these Traditionally played sunset flattened second sharpened fourth flattened sixth pathetic sound mosquito Mus prayer sounds sounding Strangely point Rag Purvi convoluted progression decide cannot listen misshapen piece music sitar wrings extraordinary bittersweet elixir tortured tones distilled regrets entire world mourning another Sibte Hassan When I moved Lucknow I hoped teacher quickly begin study music again Unfortunately Most reputable teachers Lucknow gharana tradition moved either Delhi Calcutta Lucknow school classical music Bhatkhande School When I visited however seemed unsure foreigner Luckily friend introduced Sibte Hassan sitar player Lucknow Over months I visited Sibte regularly progress playing More importantly I learned about tradition sitar music rarely West Sibte Hassan lives alleyway Meera Bazaar depressed across river apartment During first lesson I tried follow played I could I difficult follow until I realized Sibte Hasan Khan maestro Senia Gharana Meera Bazaar In picture sitar frets He explained thatthe considered sitar fewer frets He explained gharana tradition habitually removes several frets enhance notes Not tradition sometimes called tradition alter number position frets tuned strings different notes The differences there Formerly I learned teachers schooled tradition Ravi Shankar learned similar Sibte Senia Gh arana takes different stylistic approach music He found playing cluttered unnecessary grace notes fancy digital acrobatics His tradition explained prefers clear simple development melodic lines without extraneous finger hammering zamazama warbling gayak chords chikari In Sania Gharana closer traditional Drupad style medieval music which Hindustani sical music developed Much Indian classical music fantastically ornate listener almost infinite tangle notes In contradistinction baroque style Sibte tradition offers something esoteric norous style which infinite variety single unadorned appreciated fullest extent where listener purposely perplexed melodic smoke mirror tricks Strangely I found Sibte style difficult style I first learned Previously complexity times masked flaws technique In Senia Gharana sparse style however I could I played something incorrectly mistake clearly audible Under Sibte tutelage I progress Sibte corrected certain habits I picked playing alone America years For example change The convention removing certain frets apparently century innovation Today members Senia Gharana still frets RDC I which caused rible agony first because fingers develop calluses Sitar strings different piano handling requires index middle finger rendered insensible This painful process When I complained Sibte cigarette grabbed He placed glowing cigarette fingers until I intense burning nsation Here fingers cigarette every nothing The cigarette trick helped began toughen The problem typing while I build calluses makes almost impossible without The traditional method learning sitar start fixed compositions improvisational riffs adhere strict rhythmic melodic framework Improvisation Hindustani classical music similar playing riffs certain types requires technical understanding momentary inspiration I adept enough memorizing Sibte positions wrote notebook I found difficult however improvise while played tabla drums I could either something melodically inter esting which I I could follow playing ething pathetically simplistic Doing beyond To I hired tabla player accompany He young Rai Baraeli playing drums since years I experience limited ability meant could basic rhythms bored Sibte slack began accompanying tabla himself Slowly I progress Starting shorter rhythmic cycles rupak I slowly gained ability rhythm rules Sibte taught With speed increased leaps bounds By applying constant pressure strings keeping loose could swing altering angle finger picking I phrases faster I could before One houseguest noticed wfound dexterity Proud myself I improvised Asian approximation The Devil Went Down Georgia The Devil bowed I And golden sitar ground Johnny Although Sibte married children rarely family They Bombay lives bachelor Predictably usually state complete disorder often unshaven disheveled I arrived He socialite either When I invited editor ICWA rector Peter Martin Sibte disappeared without trace Neither interest money I months unsure In short Sibte genuinely interests other music He religion playing either Sibte small picture Saraswati Hindu goddess learning music sitar I asked about pointing Muslim Finding sitar almost difficult learning Most sitars stores virtually useless except display pieces dealers asmuch professional quality instrument Luckily Sibte knows location workshop MuhammadAlam Khan master sitar maker Out eight workshop alleys Lucknow Muhammad associate Zafar Khan pictured notch products discount prices Here Zafar drill attach bridge tanpura stringed instrument create background drone vocal performances worship Hindu deities forbidden In there Muslims Hindus replied He expected equivalent commitment music Our lessons intended usually After session hands often aching I could manage other Sibte would continue anyway oblivious discomfort One variation would insist start playing before I chance object Traditionally relationship between Guru student shishya laden rituals responsibilities Upon tioning student expected touch earlobes respect He expected touch meeting string around wrist indicating bound exclusively teacher As foreigner I spared these formalities touching people gives willies As however I could understand whelming feeling respect students their gurus It appreciation their expertise music Play Sibte seemed sometimes remarkable effect ability When I sitting under guidance I complex variations comparative When I alone however hands seemed stiffen I could manage simple pieces Perhaps matter confidence desire please teacher sometimes almost presence alone enough usual confusion world musical mastery Sibte plays All India Radio several nights He toured Australia Singapore central Asian republics Uzbekistan Kirghistan He In classical music however Lucknow center Hindustani music sitar music particular These eclipsed other cities maestros moved Delhi When I visited All India Radio studio Lucknow I Sibte masters traditions little known outside India making weekly performances radio modest wages Much written about recent changes Indian classical music Some complain traditional methods instruction which learned gharanafor entire given fusion between gharanas between Hindustani classical music world music In today Indian music scene young musicians focus marketing promotion practice showing respect their tradition Pandit Ravi Shankar recently griped about young Indian musicians India Today saying A young taken lessons wants From point however school stars Pandit Shankar inadvertently responsible current crisis Indian classical music which centuries musical traditions disappearing In West handful names Shankar Villayat Khan Ali Akbar Khan Nikhil Banerjee monopolized market With India Western listener often artificially narrow stylistic variety Hindustani Classical music Recordings tradition almost impossible America Many other gharanas predicament To emerge shadow stars Ravi Shankar young artists peddle novelty extravagant hybrid styles True masters traditional gharanas Sibte wards state eking living state sponsored radio programs It dedication discipline defines younger artists India today opportunity The problem perhaps while number classical musicians grown manifold decade number classical venues risen correspondingly If Baldwin people hearing music recording industry India Today Striking New Note S Sahaya Ranjit Ibid Institute Fellows chosen basis character previous experience promise They young professionals funded spenda minimum years carrying signed programs study writing outsidethe United States The Fellows required report their findings experiences fromthe field month They write subject formally informally The result unique reporting analy periodic assessment internationalevents issues ICWALetters ISSN1083 arepublishedbytheInstituteofCurrent World Affairs Inc exempt operating foundation incorporated New York State offices located West Wheelock Street Hanover NH 03755 The letters provided charge members ICWA available libraries professional researchers subscription Phone E Mail valley Fax Web address Executive Director Steven Butler Program Assistant Publications Manager Ellen Kozak Institute Current World Affairs The Crane Rogers Foundation The Infor mation contained publication reprinted republished without express written consent Institute Current World Affairs