YAA ALI MADAD!
This is my first attempt to put forth my thoughts and queries, about a subject to which I have been giving a lot of thought of late, before this forum.
I have been a keen student of music of different kinds, and though I must say that my knowledge of music is minimal, I believe I have a good understanding of the various elements that make good music.
Though my interest in music is not restricted to a particular kind, yet as time has elapsed, I have begun to take deep interest in the study of Indian classical music, and as I have had by default the soul of a percussionist, I took up the study of the tablaa, rather passionately.
Slowly, I began to understand the wondeful construction of Ginans and the aesthetic aspects of their recitation in terms of the different ragas and taals on which these have been constructed.
Since then I have started keenly studying by myself these facets of our Ginans, and have been trying to read up studies conducted into the same by scholars and other enthusiasts. I continue to study music with an aim to finally be able to recite Ginans in a way they are supposed to be recited so that they may sound as soothing to the ear as to the soul.
Please do send me your thoughts,opinions, information and references .
YAA ALI MADAD
[/img][/code][/quote][/b]
STUDY OF THE MUSICAL ASPECT OF OUR GINANS
Ginans - Ragas and Music
You have raised a very important issue. Ragas play an important part in the aesthetic and artistic merit of the Ginans. Ginans recited with gusto and correct raga do have the ability to influence the soul and cause happiness. I remember as a child, I used to enjoy listening to well recited Ginans even though I barely knew their meanings. Now that I know what they mean I sometimes feel ecstatic when listening to them. On the other hand, a Ginan recited poorly with no feelings nor having been understood by the reciter himself, creates a very dead or stale environment. You are eagerly waiting for it to end!
At the very least we need to create awareness of this important facet of our tradition. There is a great deal of information about Ragas in the book Ismaili Hymns From South Asia: An Introduction To the Ginans by Christopher Shackle and Zawahir Moir.
There has also been a related discussion in this Forum about Ginans under: Why Ginan's with music were banned.
At the very least we need to create awareness of this important facet of our tradition. There is a great deal of information about Ragas in the book Ismaili Hymns From South Asia: An Introduction To the Ginans by Christopher Shackle and Zawahir Moir.
There has also been a related discussion in this Forum about Ginans under: Why Ginan's with music were banned.
Last edited by kmaherali on Sat Jan 29, 2005 11:50 am, edited 1 time in total.
Rumi on Music
The following are some anecdotes from the life of Rumi on music.
Rumi's favorite flute player, Hamza, happened to die. Rumi sent some dervishes with grave-clothes to prepare the body. He himself came later to the house. As he entered the room, he spoke to Hamza, "Dear friend, get up!" And immediately Hamza sat up saying, "I'm here!" He reached for his flute, and for three days and nights sweet music came from that house. When Rumi left, life went from the corpse again, and he was buried.
Rumi said, "A secret is hidden in the rythms of music. If I revealed it, it would upset the world." One afternoon a musician was playing the violin and Rumi was listening with great pleasure. A friend entered and said, "Stop this. They are announcing the afternoon prayer." "No," said Rumi. "This is also the afternoon prayer. Both talk to God. He wants the one externally for his service and the other for his love and knowledge."
There was a hunchbacked tambourine player among Rumi's musicians. One night he was unusually ecstatic in his playing, bent over though he was. Jelaluddin himself felt transported. He went to the man and stroked his back. The tambourine player sat up straight, healed. When he returned home in this new posture, though, his wife refused to let him in the door, until companions testified to what had happened. The couple lived together for many years afterward.
Source: Poetry Interspersed with Stories of Rumi and Shams translated by Johne Moyne and Coleman Barks
Rumi's favorite flute player, Hamza, happened to die. Rumi sent some dervishes with grave-clothes to prepare the body. He himself came later to the house. As he entered the room, he spoke to Hamza, "Dear friend, get up!" And immediately Hamza sat up saying, "I'm here!" He reached for his flute, and for three days and nights sweet music came from that house. When Rumi left, life went from the corpse again, and he was buried.
Rumi said, "A secret is hidden in the rythms of music. If I revealed it, it would upset the world." One afternoon a musician was playing the violin and Rumi was listening with great pleasure. A friend entered and said, "Stop this. They are announcing the afternoon prayer." "No," said Rumi. "This is also the afternoon prayer. Both talk to God. He wants the one externally for his service and the other for his love and knowledge."
There was a hunchbacked tambourine player among Rumi's musicians. One night he was unusually ecstatic in his playing, bent over though he was. Jelaluddin himself felt transported. He went to the man and stroked his back. The tambourine player sat up straight, healed. When he returned home in this new posture, though, his wife refused to let him in the door, until companions testified to what had happened. The couple lived together for many years afterward.
Source: Poetry Interspersed with Stories of Rumi and Shams translated by Johne Moyne and Coleman Barks