Aldous Huxley on Music

[kvchellappa]

"After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music."

[cacm]

Actually ALMOST ALL GREAT MUSICIANS HAVE SAID THE SILENCES THRU' PAUSES IS WHAT MUSIC IS. These include PMI, MMI, LGJ. It would be interesting if you can pursue this not only with respect to Carnatic Music but other systems too...VKV

[KNV1955]

After attending concert you should turn blank. Slowly the beautiful kritis rendered will start playing in your mind & you will find it very difficult to come out of it the whole night.

[kvchellappa]

Can sowkhyam be from that rendering where the aspect of silence is judiciously integrated?

[cacm]

Can sowkhyam be from that rendering where the aspect of silence is judiciously integrated?

MY RESPONSE: YES. MDR, MMI, MSS , LGJ & PMI WERE EXPERTS AT IT TOO! I have discussed with all of the above except M.S. this subject & PMI WAS ESPECIALLY GREAT AT IT BUT HE COULD NOT EXPLAIN HIS NIAGARA FALLS LEVEL OUTPOURING& EXPLOSION AFTER HIS SILENCE! VKV

[hnbhagavan]

Sri MDR used the power of silence in his music.Generally those pauses used to be very sensitive and there used to be absolute silence.Some of the favorite
songs were Giripai in sahana,Tulasee bilva in Kedaragowla.These songs are rarely heard these days.Among the list mentioned,the power of silent pauses were fully put to use by Sri MDR.Sri PMI has accompanied him several times.But in one of the interviews given by Sri PMI,he held the view that Sri MDR wasted his talent by adhering to lower pitch.This may be open to debate as Sri MDR succeeded in his own way and had dedicated audience.
Today there is no one who can capture MDR style of singing.

[munirao2001]

I am reproducing my posting on 'Silence and Pause':

"Silence and Pause in Indian Classical Music
Postby munirao2001 » 04 Dec 2010 08:30

I have been reading, observing and listening to the various discussions on the role of Silence in Music, Indian Classical Music, in specific. The discussions are mostly inspired by western points of view and applying them to Indian Classical Music.
Silence and Pauses are two aspects in Indian Classical Music. They are distinct and different.
The Performing musicians are creative artists. During the performance(s), they get creative moments and ideas for communication and presentation. To offer, communicate and present a creative idea based sangati or sanchara, they need to stop the flow and start afresh. This process of momentary stop or gap(correctly) in the flow, is pause. It is not Silence. Fortunately, rarely, the creative artist comes up with excellent ideas and its presentation. Unfortunately, in reality, no new, afresh and excellent ideas and its presentation happens. Expectation and excitement is aroused and ends with ordinary sangati or sanchara, serving only the committed rasikas of the artist, who get the feeling of fresh and new experience, with the deliberate and conscious indulgence by the performer.

The Silence happens when the performing artist is drawn creatively sub-conscious and totally inward and in perfection, reaches pinnacles of pure and sublime Nada and its effects, all pervading and all consuming. The pervasiveness and consumption, is realized only after the real creative moments, performance and delivery. The moments, when both the performer and the rasika are in the state of suspended animation caused by the beuty(stunningly) is verily, the Silence! The awareness and its impact and benefits, happen after the Silence is over.

The pauses serve the limited purpose of arresting the attention or even testing the preparedness or patience of the rasika. But, Silence, a very rare phenomenon, is truly blissful moment(s)."

munirao2001

[munirao2001]

KVChellappa Sir,

On 'Sowkhyam', Sowkhyam in Karnataka Music listening experience, it is the sense of pleasure in sahithya bhaavam and sangita bhaavam being mutually complimentary, in unity and kaalapramana is in natural visradhi, free from power infusion resulting in perfect auditory experience in good measure. Also it is well established when the performers and rasikas are partaking this pleasure, together.
Does 'Silence' contribute to 'Sowkhyam'? Firmly, No. 'Silence' is not auditory response or experience but, a sense of mind-Chitta, intellect, in pure conscious, becoming aware only after moments of such rarest or rare nadothpathi and naadanubhuthi, by both the performer and the rasika the enormity of the beauty and its energizing experience. The difference between the 'Sowkhyam' and 'Silence' is the difference between 'Aha' moments of being with the pleasure, rest in inner conscious, moving away from outer conscious and "AH" moment, in pure conscious, beyond pleasure, invigorating experience.

munirao2001