An interesting interview with Shivkumar Sharma - "I didn't want a 9 to 5 job!"

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From The Financial Express dated Jun 24, 2007:

http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=168032

I didn’t want a 9-to-5 job

Pandit Shivkumar Sharma on classical music, composing for films and his experiments with the santoor
 
The connoisseurs proclaimed he was a great musician stuck with the wrong instrument. It took him over a decade, but Shivkumar Sharma proved them wrong. Now the same people say Sharma shouldn’t think of playing any other instrument; that the 100-string santoor is just right for him. Ironically, he began his training in music as a singer and tabla player, but he took to the santoor at the behest of his father and guru, Uma Dutt Sharma. It soon became his mission in life to accord concert status to the santoor, which till then was languishing as an accompanying instrument for Sufiana mausiki in Kashmir. And along this long, arduous, yet musical journey, Sharma released several albums, composed music for films, was conferred the Padma Vibhushan and acquired millions of fans. Just back from a concert tour of South Africa, the maestro took time out to speak with Priya Kanungo. Some excerpts:

What changes did you make in the santoor to give it its present sound?

When I played my first major concert in Mumbai in 1955, I was criticised severely. I was told the santoor isn’t an instrument for playing Hindustani classical music. The critics were right. The instrument didn’t have range, couldn’t play all ragas as it couldn’t sustain notes, and its tonal quality wasn’t right. It became my life’s dream then to reinvent the santoor as a solo instrument. Music became my full-time activity and I was clear I didn’t want a nine-to-five job. So I bought a Grundig tape recorder from a friend and would constantly record my various experiments on the instrument. Every time I made a change that I liked, I would try it out in my next concert and gauge the audience reaction. I was determined to give the santoor its own unique sound, not resemble the tonal quality of a sitar or a sarod. This process of experimentation lasted around 12 years, and now the santoor is recognised as a solo classical music instrument.

While being a Hindustani classical musician, you also worked in films as a composer. How did that happen?

Filmmaker V Shantaram’s daughter, Madhura, (who is now married to the famed vocalist Pandit Jasraj) heard me at my first concert in Mumbai. She told me to meet her father who was then making the film Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baaje. He asked me to work on the background score for the film and was happy with what I did. For his next film he wanted me to be the music director. But I refused, as it was my dream to be the first ever classical santoor player. So I went back to Jammu for my music training and to complete my studies. It was only in 1980, after establishing the santoor internationally as a solo instrument that I chose to work in films once again. This time it was under Yash Chopra’s banner and the film was Silsila. Hariprasad Chaurasia and I teamed up for this and many other films after that. Hum dono ki achchi tuning hai. After Silisila, we worked in films like Faasle, Vijay, Chandni and Lamhe. Darr is the last film I’ve done. And now, the Films Division is working on a documentary film on me and my music.

You have the distinction of being a well-known classical musician and a successful composer for films. How did you manage that?

You know, most classical musicians scoff at working on film music, saying it is too easy. I think it is extremely difficult and requires a particular bent of mind. You can’t be trained as a music composer. You have to be born as one. This is distinct from classical music where you learn from a guru, you practice what you learn and then present it on stage. In films, you have to understand the situation you are composing the score for , work with lyricists and have a working knowledge of various instruments. However, now I prefer to concentrate on my performances. I can’t make music to please a director.

How is today’s film music different from what it was earlier?

Earlier, the emphasis was on melody and poetry. Film directors like Raj Kapoor, Bimal Roy and others had a great sense of both. Today’s film directors think in English, so where will you find good Hindi poetry in films?

What about today’s classical music?

These days media visibility is far greater than music content. But a lot many young people are attending classical music concerts now than earlier.

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I NEED TO A LARGE AND TRUSTY HISTORY OF SHATATANTRY OR SANTOOR(SAID SOURCE)

I WANT :
1) A GOOD HISTORY IN ENGLISH LANGUEG
2) CONECTION OF SANTOOR(SHATATANTRY VEENA) TO MITH OF INDIA AND KASHMIR.IT IS VERY VERY IMPORTANT FOR ME(MITH AND CYMBOL)
help me dear
thanks

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You can find a brief history of santoor on santoor.com web site.  In essence, santoor is an ancient instrument, native to the valley of Kashmir and its name is derived from the term "Shata Tantri Veena", meaning hundred stringed lute.  "Veena" is the common term the denotes all stringed Indian instruments, though in recent times it is associated more closely with the South Indian instrument.

Prior to Shivkumar Sharma, santoor was limited in its use - it was used as an accompanying instrument.  Shivkumar Sharma, with his lifetime dedication, made several structural changes to the instrument and improved its tonal quality and evolved a playing technique through which classical Indian ragas could be played.  This journey was hard and when he publicly performed for the first time in 1955 (at the age of 17), he evoked a lot of criticism.  But he was steadfast in his dedication and continued his research and experiment and by late 60s achieved his goal.  In the past two decades, santoor has become a part and parcel of Indian classical music and no major musical event is complete without a santoor recital.

On the spiritual side, santoor produces sounds that are very soothing and elevating.  Shivkumar Sharma's music is used by doctors and spiritual seekers to attain concentration and make an inward journey.  His mastery of tabla adds another dimension to his santoor playing -- santoor's uniqueness is that it has melody and rhythm built into it!

Best way to appreciate santoor is to actually listen to Shivkumar Sharma's recordings!  You will find most of his recordings in major music stores around the world, and also on digital channels like iTunes, Amazon etc.

Hope this is helpful.