April 6, 2016

  • Watching the Music Being Made

    She sat barefoot, cross-legged, cushioned
    The sitar resting on her upturned sole
    The music vibrated from, around, and through her
    The shifting pitch, and harmonics became breath
    The tambura drone hypnotizes
    The rhythm of the tabla mesmerizes
    And she closes her eyes and smiles
    As the music like incense rises

    This is for the NPM Scavenger Hunt prompt #14 - A poem with words borrowed from another language. This last Saturday night we went to concert. Our good friends are members of The Asian Indian Classical Music Society of Michiana and they insisted we come with them to a concert of Indian classical music that featured Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt playing the Mohan Veena and his sister Vidushi Manju Mehta playing the Sitar. They were both accompanied by Hindol Majumdar on the Tabla. Now I'm not an expert but this was a big deal. I didn't know what to expect. Vidushi Manju Mehta played first alone and them with the tabla.

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    I was enthralled. It was heavenly. Her sitar was a deep and glossy red color with a raised pattern of flowers on the top. It really was gorgeous. I didn't realize but she played for an hour and then with the Tabla player for another hour! Time was suspended! Then the star took the stage. Everyone had been waiting for Vishwa Mohan Bhatt.

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    After a few minutes of preparation and adjusting of microphones, he looked out and announced that it was the smallest audience he had ever played for. There were probably less than 40 people in attendance and several of the students left after the sitar performance. He played an instrument of his own making - a regular guitar that he modified to have 3 melody strings and 4 drone strings coming off the peghead. Then he added 12 sympathetic strings coming from the neck of the instrument and running under the other strings. It is played with a metal slide. He had great stage presence and performed some pieces that everyone seemed to recognize (except for Sparky and me). Although he was very good I have to say I was most taken with the sitar. I think he was disappointed in the turn out and unlike other concerts (according to my friends) was over by 9:45 PM. So he only played for a little over a half hour. I was able to get a few photographs but the lights were down in the audience and the spotlights on stage made it difficult to get a really good photo. My friends brought their copy of V.M. Bhatt's Grammy Award winning CD for him to autograph.

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    Later this month will be another concert - Classical music played on the sarod with tabla and also a bansuri which I think is a flute. Anyway we are considering going since it was a very fun evening!

Comments (14)

  • That had to be interesting for many reasons. Loved your poem---classy.

    • Thanks Frank! I was going to try to write a sevenling poem but it slipped away and this is what I had left!

  • I see you in mind , levitating and vibrating under the effect sounds of sitar! :)
    It was a great concert.
    Love
    Michel

  • Oh I wish I was there Val. I started playing sitar when I was in grade school. Gave up for a few years when I went to medical school. But am doing that again. It's a little difficult now, my fingers are not as supple and have some irregularities in the joints. But I continue. I am sure you both had a terrific time.

    • It was one of the most exciting and meditative experiences. Of all the instruments there the sitar was by far the best. Although the tabla player kept things interesting. I was trying to see how he was able to create so many different tones with just 2 drums.... I would love to hear you play!

  • I love sitar music! What an interesting concert!

    • I had only heard snippets of sitar - usually as background for other music. To hear a sitar solo was wonderful!

  • I don't know that I have ever heard sitar music. It sounds like a wonderful memorable evening.

    • The sitar is beautiful. It has an otherworldly sound of harmony and melody and rhythm all emanating from one instrument...

  • I love live concerts, from classical to rock, and a variety in between. I am sorry the performer was disappointed in the turn out, but glad that all who did go were able to experience it. Had I lived up there, I would have gladly gone as well.

  • I would have most certainly been in attendance, for the entire concert. Indian instruments gave us music in the first place, so you were fortunate to have had such virtuosos perform.

    • It really was excellent and a real shame that they didn't promote the concert better. I will be spreading the word to my friends as it was magical.

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