Friends,
The dictionary defines bliss as ‘a state of happiness, oblivious of everything around us”. When we were young (much younger than today) we tended to experience bliss in all sorts of activities around us.
My forays into music can only be termed as providential but we have very little time today to understand why I call it providential.
Friends, non-academic pursuits- euphemistically called extra curricular activities in our school days – enrich our lives in general, especially when they border on creativity.
My musical journey has been rather long – almost 60 plus years but I don’t claim to have achieved anything spectacular enough in music.
It is safe to assume that in India, music is a part of our life whether we listen to it consciously or otherwise. The lullaby, the mandatory school songs, recitable poems, later on- films songs, and perhaps the more abstract (boring to most) classical music were all a part of our life as we grew up.
So all of us had a varying degree of tastes developed over the years for music that enriched our souls.
What sets music apart is that it is always around us in some form or other – don’t’ you agree?
The oft-heard comment that “I like music but don’t understand it” is self-defeating in itself.
“I want to understand the nuances of music in order to enjoy it!” Can anything be more absurd?
It is like saying “I must be an ornithologist to enjoy the lovely flight of a bird.”
Well, relax.
I don’t know of any Ustad or Pandit or a Master Western musician / composer who has ever claimed that “he understands music fully”. The Pandits and Ustads of Indian Classical music honestly believe that one life is too short to do that.
So? Let us give a hard knock to our brain and try to first like and enjoy the kind of music that lulls you in a state of happiness, oblivious of everything around you.
Here is a piece of music I created to mark the special occasion of Golden Jubilee of the graduation of our class of 1969 from the hallowed precincts of Indian Institute of Technology – Bombay.
It is nothing spectacular; just straight from the heart.
Musically yours,
Rajen Naik
I was lucky to be a part of your program,once again I enjoyed ur Pratham Tarang recital .
Banu
Your presence enlivened the stage
Rajen,
It was a great idea to post this on your blog page. It will have a larger “audience”. The recording is quite good by my standards. Hats off to the Tabla accompanist, Vijay Kangutkar too.
Thanks Arun. If nothing else at least it might serve as a remembrance. Appreciate your thoughts.
Very soothing music Rajendra.Loved hearing it in GJRU, and again now in this blog post
Thanks Sitapathi. I tried to create something that was appropriate for the occasion.
Very peaceful music played with emotions to bring back memories ! Love your music kaka
Thanks Trishna. Almost 90 % of what I played was improvisation