[Reader-list] Late Posyting: Blagandharva -music

[urmila bhirdikar]

I have mainly engaged with music again during this extended period. I
note two observations on the same.
1 It is a learning experience to see how singers divided the three
minutes (variable by a few seconds) into 'packaging' a complete
performance of an item often "imitating" each other. This is the other
side of the coin of the newly emerging discourse of forging a
differential identity-gharana. More importantly, the strict stylistic
features of gharana, in terms of the musical embellishments as well as
choice of genres are at once solidified and collapsed if we look at
the co-existence of the gramophone market and the concerts. (There are
of course instances where a popular item from a gramophone record is
demanded by concert audience, as in the case of Gauhar Jan, but there
is also an awareness of the lack of taste in such a demand). By the
40s, it seems that many singers negotiate a dual identity: singing
popular numbers regardless of the gharana's stylistic and generic
choices, and in concerts emulating and showcasing the gharana ideals.

2 On the other hand, looking at Balgandharva and Goharbai (not Gauhar
Jan), with their music at hand, there is another understanding of
individuality and imitation. Balgandharva's training and a lot of
compositions of his songs fall in the area of imitation: music
composition, until the arrival of Master Krishnarao was a case of
'tune selection'. Balgandharva's training depended much on repeating
the base tune/ bandish. Goharbai's records suggest how she imitated
Balgandharva's singing, through repetition. This does not deny
individual agency to their singing. My focus is on the perception of
this relation between imitation and individuality: how the public sees
an instance of self created music in Balgandharva's singing, and
considers Goharbai as at best derivative (only imitating). Further,
how this same 'imitation' was unacceptable in place of the "original',
even in the heat of arguments favouring the 'real' woman enacting
female roles for the sake of improved realism in theatre.

The clue comes from the musicians themselves, where the performance in
this (mass/market) public space is seen as losing the sight of the
music per se!

Regards
Urmila

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