Embodying the confluence of tradition and innovation in music, Shri Ravi Shankar Prasanna is a distinguished Indian Classical Musician, hailing from the legendary musicians of Benaras Gharana. He grew up in the ambiance where music came naturally to him at a very young age. He was initiated into Hindustani Classical Music by his father, late Pt. Raghunath Prasanna (awarded with Kendriya Sangeet Natak Academy) and also had the fortune of getting tutored under late Ustad Mohammed Ali Khan and late Pt. Satyadev Panwar. It is the meticulous training of these eminent maestros that has groomed his musical talent to mastery.
Marked by the polished tonal grace, rhythmic elegance, depth as well as lucidity of expression, his sublime rendering is a result of rigorous practice and refinement under his father's guidance. Having imbibed the subtleties of rendition par excellence, Shri Ravi Shankar Prasanna has not only learnt from the illustrious musicians of preeminent tradition but also added his own creativity and finesse through painstaking practice, assiduous assimilation and erudite presentation. Owing to his masterful blowing technique, he has further expanded the expressive possibilities of playing flute and is also a remarkable violin player.
For his outstanding contribution to classical music, Shri Ravi Shankar Prasanna has been conferred with the prestigious Surmani Award and won scholarship from Sahitya Kala Parishad. He has also won All India Music Competition organized by Akashwani, and since then he has been performing in All India Radio, Akashwani & Doordarshan. He has been dedicatedly serving All India Radio for the past twenty five years as an 'A' Grade artiste. In addition to this, Shri Ravi Shankar Prasanna has given enthralling performances around the globe, covering the countries like North Korea, China (Indian Council of Cultural Relations), Thailand and Russia, to name a few.
This book acts as a perfect guide that offers a definite framework to learn Indian classical music, that also falls in line with my previous volume- 'Indian Classical Music: An Audio-Visual Guide Here you have the continuum of similar methods and exercises to do ample practice and sharpen your skills in music as you had with the earlier version. Since this book is written in sequence, it is recommended that every sincere learner looking to become adept in Indian Classical Music must also read and practice the lessons given in the first book to gain in-depth understanding and firm command over the ragas, taans, bandishes, and alaaps. All in all, both these books and the ones releasing in succession are not to be shelved after one read but instead be treated as the trusted comrades and go-to reference guides to learn, recollect, practice and master the fundamentals and finer nuances of the great Indian Classical Music, imperative to gain finesse over this art form and give expression to your creative zest.
The system proposed here, identical to that of the earlier book, endeavours to prepare the learner systematically to perform music. The numerous taans, sargams with traditional bandishes are played out along with notations of the same for the case of understanding. The taans once mastered with the laya, will enable the learner to improvise by making different combinations of the note clusters. This will help the learner to get moving on this journey of Indian classical music faster, thus enabling the blooming of musical imagination with ease. This book is meant for the purpose of shortening the long-time taken to understand and perform classical music.
Indian classical music is known to be unpopular for being a rigorous learning, spanning over several decades. By practising the methods outlaid in this book, one is sure to gain great confidence, as more than anything else it is a book emphasising the role of practice. The only taal used here is the sixteen beat teen taal. It is also known as the adi taal. A perfect command over it enables the learner to perform other taals comfortably, be it any. Hence, it is obligatory that one starts practicing with teen taal to get acquainted with the rhythmic patterns early. Alaap here is given at the end of the ragas. This has also been the traditional and time-tested practise of learning, since it involves command over individual notes and their gliding journey into and with one another. All of my students dedicated to learn and improvise upon their training of the great Hindustani Classical Music have followed the same approach to gain creative prowess over this magnificent and the most reverential form of art.
I firmly hope and believe that this endeavour will act as a foundation course, facilitating picking up Indian classical music deftly. However, it is imperative to remember that just blindly following the book will not make you an artist in the fullest sense of the term. You have to be intellectually engrossed in the book to understand the underlying suggestion it carries, for it attempts to outlay the very core of practical engagement methods with Indian classical music. Thus, keep in mind that you have to follow this book meticulously, and at the same time grow out of it in due time. Only once you grow confident with practice and are able to develop an innate style of your own, the purpose of the book will thus, finally be achieved. Essentially, it is about making you learn the method of gaining mastery over the raga system which represents Indian classical music, much faster. And so, you are provided with an assisting lessons accessible through the QR code enclosed with the book to practice along the set taans, alaaps and bandishes whose notations are duly registered. All in all, it is an all-encompassing effort to acquaint you with the true essence of Indian classical music.
One must remember, music does not merely pop up out of any book. It emanates as a result of a long drawn practice, precise memory and one's own musical imagination, yielding on the spot creations. This book therefore, does not even meekly attempt to question or replace that tradition. It is created to solely facilitate the learning process, making music a little more accessible and faster to pick up, keeping away all inhibitions of entering into the field of Indian classical music. At best, this book encapsulates a sincere wish and a humble request on my part to all avid learners out there to pursue music with sheer honesty, allowing your creative zest to manifest into tangible music; to become better and better with more and more practice.
I earnestly wish all the novices in the pursuit of learning Indian classical music, a resounding and unequivocal success.
Book's Contents and Sample Pages
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