Music has always inspired human kind. The sweet symphonies and deep voices have been the cause of spiritual uplifting, from time to time new instruments of music were invented to calm the nerves, to get carried away and travel to a serene world. Modern times are very confusing, every thing is fast paced.
Somehow subcontinents music has evolved a lot. We see a lot of fusion of western instruments in the local music but why? Why is it so important to add western instruments in the local form of music?
Indian and Pakistani musicians, who are trained traditionally, focus on the voice and its variations, the suur and taal. They practice for years to grab hold of these variations. The western musicians know that music and the instruments if used in the finest of manners are invincible tools of entertainment.
The western musicians know this fact very well and direct all their efforts to maximise the quality of the instruments used in making some music. They do not rely completely on music alone, their singing is also important. But most of the times, its just the music that touches the heart.
Most of the elite have a different taste for music. They like opera and other classic music which is not much liked by the lower classes. Same is true today as western music has somehow become a symbol of status, the taste of the elite of this part of the world.
We know our older generations are more into traditional music like ghazals, qawalies and simple musical songs involving soft instruments like tabla, sataar, flute, etc. But they are being replaced by the drums, guitar etc.
FAYEZA ANUM
Lahore
