A bouquet of writings on melody

HYDERABAD:  “Without music, life would be a mistake,” said German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche. And even though World Music Day is over,  there are several books on music and musicians which can be read anytime. It’s rhythm in words. Read on:

Master on Masters
Celebrated musician and master of sarod, Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, has penned this poignant book about the lives and times of some of the great names that have made Indian classical music what it is today. He knew these icons of music personally, that’s how the anecdotes seem so refreshing in the collection. He profiled 12 noted musicians of the country - Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, Amir Khan, Begum Akhtar, Alla Rakha, Kesarbai Kerkar, Kumar Gandharva, MS Subbulakshmi, Bhimsen Joshi, Bismillah Khan, Ravi Shankar, Vilayat Khan and Kishan Maharaj. The reader can enjoy reading about different gharanas blended with a pinch of humour and a dash of warmth.

‘Lata Mangeshkar... in her own voice by Nasreen Munni Kabir’
Since 1949, the melodious voice of Lata Mangeshkar swooned the cinema world with the Mahal song aayega aanewala establishing her identity as an exceptional talent. For more than six decades this Bharat Ratna awardee has maintained her positioned as the numero uno in the tinsel town. She has recorded more songs than anyone else in the world. The book ‘Lata Mangeshkar…in her own voice’, is a series of wonderful conversations between Lata Mangeshkar and London-based Indian author and filmmaker Nasreen Munni Kabir.

Beethoven: The Man and the Artist
One of the greatest musicians in the world Ludwig van Beethoven lost his hearing abilities at the age of 44 which put an embargo on his performing in public. But the German composer continued creating musical compositions. The snippets in the book are compiled from his diaries and letters weaving the narrative around his views on philosophy, life, art, education and the music of his time. It was translated into English by the late Henry Edward Krehbiel, a well-known American music critic.

‘Shiv Kumar Sharma: The Man & His Music’
The book traverses through the times when the santoor maestro Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma first started out as a young man learning Indian classical music. His tutor was his guru and father, Uma Dutt Sharma. The book doesn’t just have the text but rare photographs of the musician as well. The Padma Vibhushan awardee’s life has been documented in this collection by author Ina Puri, who has been associated with the visual and performing arts, writing and curating exhibitions in India and abroad for more than two decades. There are two essays in the book written by Pandit Vijay Kichlu, a seasoned musician and an old friend of Shiv Kumar Sharma.

— Saima Afreen    saima@newindianexpress .com   @Sfreen