Instrumental Music...less preference in india???

Just two days back, there was an article in THE HINDU about this. It is music in chennai and mos of the halls ar wpcked to only vocal music.

WHy instumentalist dont get much importance. When it comes to classical music, i think it is important that one understznds the song or even know the lyrics to relate and feel the music or sing along. In instuemntal, i guess if one does not the know the song apriori , it may be diff to hold his/her attentionf or long.

It depends on the instument and artist also.
For example, veena is a very tough instrument and one would see very rare veena concerts . Flute , mandolin and violin are better received.

I think, instumental has to be more encouraged and ore people should opt to learn it for this to get accepted

I love instrumental stuff. Especially Carnatic instrumental. Somehow Carnatic vocal doesn’t appeal to me, perhaps it’s cos I consider it elitist, with lyrics typically in some non-local language.

I like percussion, and you can imagine how difficult it is to find carnatic percussion tracks :). It’s easier to find mandolin, or even guitar, but they’re also not quite enough ;).

I feel instrumental tears away all kinds of pretensions in music. It’s just the raw basic form which you receive. The cycles and rhythms and variances are (for me) easier to appreciate in their nakedness.

That’s not to say I don’t like vocal :). Just that I can’t appreciate carnatic vocal as much as carnatic instrumental.

It could also be the cost factor.. 15 years back when I was trying to learn the Mridhangam, none of my 20 class mates owned one.. it was around 1500 rupees worth.. so when you cannot own one, and if you have to go to the teacher’s house to practise it, your interest starts waning slowly… but the condition is getting better in India now-a-days…well Harsha even now I cannot own a Piano..

I am not expert in analysis..but according to me this could be the reasons:

1. It depends on what form of music audience listen everyday…mostly they are songs…mostly audience use to what they ‘show’ on channels…So bottomline is Instrumental music is NOT visible as songs…

2. Listening to instrumental music need some kind of Listening sense…Which need time…which is the most expensive aspect…Nobody has time to get their heads into ‘understanding’ music….

3, Songs are popular than instrumental music becuase song has ‘LYRICS’...so if people doen’t understand MUSIC from a song…they like the RHYMING part of the song….which they can reproduce from their voices…instrumental music is not ‘CHANTABLE’ as it doent have lyrics….very few can remember the melody without lyrics…

4. There is no much alertness of a organising Instrumental Music Shows in India…apart from few Music Maestros very few get chances to perform in front of audience…and they get publicities through local news papers and NO Electronic media….So ‘Out of sight out of mind’ principle causing Instrumental music to become less popular….

etc. etc. to be Continued….