Music and You

[navneeth]

What is your connection to classical music, or music in general. Are you a professional musician, or did you learn music in your early days/ currently learning, or do you just listen to music for it's own sake?

As for me, I attended a class (which was part of a "school for music") to learn the violin in the south Indian classical style(commonly termed Carnatic). I wasn't really interested, though; I never was musically inclined/talented like many members of my family. A couple of years into it, the classes shifted to a location that was quite far away for me to attend after school hours.

So what's your story?

If you're a pro/am/student, please mention your specialisation in a post.

Thanks!

[Catmando]

Great post Navneeth!

For me, I just listen to music. Although I would seriously love to learn how to play a musical instrument someday. My dream would be to learn to play the piano.

I'd be interested in hearing some Carnatic music! I wonder if beethoven.com would play such music, or are they restricted to Western Classical?

[hal 9000]

I am an amateur composer of cinematically styled pieces and popular music. I have virtually no formal music training (6 months of private guitar lessons in high school and 3 music electives in college: Music Appreciation and History of Music I & II). What I know (which is very little ) I taught myself for the most part. But I've always loved music in its many forms (with certain genre exceptions) and thoroughly enjoy writing, playing, and listening. Classical is my main genre now. Always finding and learning new things there, so I doubt I'll ever grow tired of it.

[bignaf]

As most people here know I'm a composition student. But I also listen to music for it's own sake. in fact, the only reason I compose is so that I'll be able to listen to more music. so I write music I really want to hear.
I'm somewhat interested in carnatic music (I'm more interested in North Indian music). it would be cool in B.com plays it, but if they do, I'll use that as a precedent to play loads of other non-western Classical music, in which I'm quite well veresed. but they probably lack the CDs. but if they call themeselves "the world's classical radio station" they probably are morally obliged to play those musics.

[navneeth]

I'm somewhat interested in carnatic music (I'm more interested in North Indian music).

That's great. Do you have any favourites, be it artistes or instruments?

I know that a lot of the top south Indian musicians perform extensively in North America and pretty much all over the world these days, especially around the time of the famous "Music Season" of Madras. Of course, during that period they don't usually move out.

[OperaTenor]

You'll just have to guess at what I do.

[barfle]

You'll just have to guess at what I do.

Play the alto?

Me, I play records and the radio.

[navneeth]

You'll just have to guess at what I do.

Play the alto?

Me, I play records and the radio.

I was expecting that.

[bignaf]

You'll just have to guess at what I do.

uhhh... you play Gender Wayang?

[shostakovich]

The only Indian musician I'm familiar with is Ravi Shankar. How is he classed?
Shos

[Bones]

I'm particularly fond of the music of Shivkumar Sharma.

[bignaf]

Ravi Shankar is Northern, and it his he and sitar ragas that I'm very interested in. I don't have favorites in Carnatic music, I don't know enough. I have stuff by Papanasan Sivan and by Polaiyur Doraismi Ayyar.

[bignaf]

i didn't mention that beside composing I can also more or less play piano, and I can (less) play Gender Wayang, and I am trying to throat sing in the Tuvan style.

[DavidS]

The only Indian musician I'm familiar with is Ravi Shankar. How is he classed?
Shos

I know & love a great Indian conductor: Zubin Mehta.

[OperaTenor]

I can't even pronounce Gender Wayang, much less play it.

[navneeth]

I'm particularly fond of the music of Shivkumar Sharma.

The santoor is a wonderful instrument. It has a very relaxing effect.

[navneeth]

I can't even pronounce Gender Wayang, much less play it.

I hadn't heard of such an instrument before it was mentioned here.

[bignaf]

The only Indian musician I'm familiar with is Ravi Shankar. How is he classed?
Shos

I know & love a great Indian conductor: Zubin Mehta.

he's Indian and a musician, but not an Indian musician. he's a western musician who happens to be indian.

[bignaf]

Gender is a Balinese metalophone. gender Wayang is a group of 4 of them playing for the Shadowplay puppet show. Each musician has two mallets and they play contrapunctal interlocking music.

[navneeth]

Gender is a Balinese metalophone. gender Wayang is a group of 4 of them playing for the Shadowplay puppet show. Each musician has two mallets and they play contrapunctal interlocking music.

I was going through the Wikipedia article just before reading this.

Seriously, does OT know how to play it, or were you just pulling our legs?