The craft and the artist

The celebrated ghazal singer broke into explaining the beauty of poet’s imagination:

“Pyaar ka pehla, ishq ka doosra aur mohabbat ka tisara luvz adhura hota hai”

(The poet describes that first letter in pyaar, second letter in ishq and third letter in mohabbat are half characters)

“Iss liye hum aapko chahte hain, kyunki chahat ka har luvz pura hota hai”

(Instead, the poet chose to describe his love as whole, using the word chahat which has no half characters!)

The auditorium sprang with applause as the meaning steadily seeped into the consciousness of its audience. The poetry enveloped in Hindustani classical music made the evening riveting.

It was my third consecutive year of spending one musical evening with greatest artists from India’s rich musical heritage; each time it grows my curiosity, awe and reverence.

Here are some impressions from the craft that these artists display, that I find every day relevance.

Humility

Each of the artists had over 20 years of public life with great reputation, yet their demeanour to the audience is of great humility.

They understand that an audience in a concert-hall constitutes of music enthusiasts from the uninitiated to the evolved, hence the slow-medium rhythm or, tempo has occasional bursts that weaves together the diverse listeners to its core.

For a regular Indian music consumer wedded to popular music, the artists also serve occasional doses of their flavour just to keep the attention of their diverse audience in the rendition.

It has intrigued me how these noted musicians, singers who have earned so much appreciation, awards and have played before Heads of States and passed through very discerning senior musicians, come out with such grace and simplicity, and adapt to the pulse of the audience than stamp their excellence.

In professional and social life, we come across people of comparably modest achievements claiming bragging rights or, carrying know-it-all syndrome! I have personally felt a greater need for introspection as a clean-up exercise for our egos, as our own craft needs so much honing. 

Humour

In one of the concerts, the regulation did not permit taking children below the age of 8 as a live performance for over 2 hours may get arduous for them, besides potential interference to the musician’s performance.

There was no checking at the entrance, and before the artist realized the audience included few infants and some recent borns.

The artist, a Padma Vibhushan (India’s 2^nd highest civilian award) recipient, started his alap (introduction) and went on to complete his first raga. There were occasional interjection from a baby crying to another making sounds, much to the discomfort of their respective parents and those seated nearby. 

The artist paused before his second raga, and smiled at the audience.

“Tonight I am honored to play before such an enthusiastic audience. I know I have some tough competition from some talented infants, but I request their parents to take care of them so that their ragas do not land up in mine!”

The audience broke to thunderous applause and laughed their heart out.

The audience developed some empathy thanks to the artist, to not feel angered at the disturbance but respect that the errant parents were as connected to the music, as they were.

How often do we display such magnanimity in situations, where we may have followed or set the rules, and treated an errant with kindness, than hostility?

The artist was within his rights to inform the organizers and have these families removed from the concert-hall!

Improvisation

Your favorite music on any streaming or, stored music property will throw the same elements each time you listen to it.

A live performance is an artist’s canvas and a bond with their audience.

The composition starts with its known elements and gently wades through the rhythm or, taal. Unlike rock bands with fixed members, many co-musicians to the artist may not be part of their regular troupe, and the new members may be someone playing a different instrument, for example a previous rendition with a violinist, or sitar player may have got replaced with a mandolin player.

The improvisation with tempo, with a different instrument is then a work of art, and unspoken brilliance; it not only refreshes the listener, but also the artist and brings the new musicians in its fold, extending the richness of its heritage.

In our own lives, we tend to stick with what has worked well for us; to improvise or, increase the level of our output with a different variable, or person who may not bring likeable skills is a matter of great friction.

In a performance a renowned artist in his sixties, had a flute player in his twenties and gave a remarkable improvisation. 

Why do we have to hold on to our art; why not embrace a new perspective?

Leadership

Be it in the purist composition mode of the raga, or a high tempo improvisation I have always amazed at the great chemistry that binds the artist to his/her less known or, easily forgotten troupe. 

Almost all great performances have the lead artist creating a unique place for each co-musician in the raga, or vocal to flourish within the rhythm structures. 

Unmistakably, I have found the co-musicians in reverence, in comfort and most times smiling as they together build a magical experience for the audience, with the lead artist.

It is not uncommon to find some improvisations not going right, due to some co-musician who got bit derailed; to worsen it, some audiences are not kind and create distractions with sounds, occasional dancing and loud requests.

Not one performance has ever got hijacked or, fallen prey to such distractions or, minor failures; the lead artist with his smile, his deep roots in sadhana (disciplined and dedicated practice) and with generous humility takes the group along and navigates with grace.

It is not easy for any leader to operate in a difficult or hostile environment, or have underperforming team members in the face of stiff asks; it indeed is a time of great unrest.

Like in the live situation in the concert-hall, leadership is about staying focused on the craft, not hassled by few notes going wrong or, admonishing the errant musician. Many of them are at this level of perfection, learning from several performances that may have gone wrong and by treating the fellow musicians with empathy, thereby earning their smiles to some great composition.

The thank you note at the end of the performance, introducing each co-musician and sharing the pride seals the show.

The music of life

Music and poetry borrow from and give back to life. 

It is an exercise in great personal discovery, liberation, failure and improvisation.