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One
World Flutes. |
Profile - Pandit Ronu
Majumdar. India's Ace Flautist. |
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 High Notes of a Flautist.
Scene One: A little boy runs along he bathing ghats of Varanasi,
bidding goodbye to his chums as his father waits impatiently for him.
The family is leaving the city for Bombay in search of a better life
and to escape from the hardship of a difficult existence.
Scene Two: The boy, now in his late teens, walks 12 kilometers every
other day to his guru's house to learn the flute. A sincere disciple,
has guru pats his head, encouraging him and telling him to persevere.
The long walk home dons not hurt him one bit.
Scene Three: With a string of awards, many albums of fusion music with
leading names in the world of classical music, a musical score for the
celebrated Hollywood film, Primary Colours, and a Grammy nomination,
the boy who is now a man, folds his hands as he accepts tile ovation
for being a worthy successor to Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia.
Ronu Majumdar's life reads likes taut script. Not merely a story of
a small-town lad making it big but a series of struggles and finally,
the sweet smell of success. |
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| "I treasure every moment of my musical quest — right from the days
my father initiated me into classical music till this moment". His
father, a struggling musician in Varanasi in the seventies, migrated
to Mumbai for better professional prospects. Ronu remembers those
tough initial years but still says struggle is very important for
artist. |
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| Two of Ronu's latest albums, In Search of Life by Universal
and Mysticism On Woodwinds by Magnasound are making waves. The
first is a jugalbandi with Swiss pianist Christian Seiffert. It
incorporates the pure melody of classical Indian ragas with structured
western music rendered with remarkable finesse on the piano. The
second is a solo recording of the morning raga series where he plays
the languorous 'Nat Bhairavi'. |
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| For a classical instrumentalist, Ronu Majumdar is quite avant garde
without consciously meaning to be so. He is not unduly worried by the
criticisms of puritans who frown on classical pundits dabbling in
popular music. |
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| "I think a classical musician is better equipped to elevate the
standards of popular music. Of course, this in no way means lowering
standards of classical rendition. Do you know that Pandit Hari Prasad
Chaurasia played the flute in the film, Hero No. 1? Does it
take away from his greatness? The true artist is devoted his music and
not to it’s context". |
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He has himself played the flute in Gulzar's award-winning film
Maachis
in which, perhaps for the very first time, a flautist's contribution
in the film music is actually credited in the titles. |
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The music of the big Hollywood hit, Primary Colours just
happened, according to him. Ry Cooder, the Grammy winner guitarist and
John Hassels on the trumpet actually recorded the 'Wide Sky'
composition in a church in Santa Barbra. It was a part of the album
Facinoma. Ry Cooder liked it so much that he used it in Primary
Colours for which he was composing the music. |
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Though involved in fusion music, Ronu has never ignored his classical
heritage and often plays at music festivals and concerts in India.
'There are two things I want to emphasize. Fusion music is not about
mish-mashing two traditions but enhancing the beauty by complementing
each other. Thus fusion is not a style or fad wherein a gimmick is
given respectability but it is bridge that serves to bring together
musical traditions'. |
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| The other thing Ronu loves is his deep-felt joy when he plays for
audiences in India. Whether it is the Harivallabh Sangeet Sammelan,
small baithaks or mega concerts or an invocatory recital at the
Sankat Mochan temple in Varanasi, Ronu is an eager participant. |
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| "The response in India is amazing," he says and adds, "One of my
main concerns is to roach out to the masses to banish 'bad music', the
sort of 'promoted music' that is being dished out in the name of
popular entertainment. That's why I fully endorse the entry of
classical artists into the mainstream music world. Ultimately it will
help the cause of classical music and also enrich the mainstream". |
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| Dismissing suggestions of classical music doyens frowning on the
likes of Shubha Mudgal's forays on MTV, he feels it is a good Thing.
"Even her classical concerts attract more crowds now. How can anyone
say it detracts?" |
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| The years of toil seem to have steeled his resolve and he speaks
strongly for more corporate involvement in promotion of good music.
"Music is not a one-day cricket match but, for a fraction of the money
spent on cricket, a world of good can be achieved". |
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Home for Ronu - Ji is now often a hotel room: he has been
living off a suitcase with all his traveling and concert tours. |
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| However when he is home in his Mumbai flat, he is also a cook at
times. |
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| Just back from a six-week whistle-stop tour of the UK and the USA,
he has a busy schedule ahead promoting his new albums. Yet Ronu
Majumdar wears the fatigue and also his success, rather lightly. |
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| Or, as he says, "I am still the little boy running along the ghats
of Benaras". |
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Courtesy of The Saturday Statesman. 16, September 2000. Reproduced here for educational purposes only. |
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Flute - Charmer in Hollywood. |
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Bansuri and the bansuri wallah has always enthralled not only
the gopiyas, but the Indians the world over. It doesn't come as a
surprise to know that Hollywood to succumbed to the mesmerizing
strains of the flute. The mesmeriser behind the flute being none other
than Pandit Ronu Majumdar whose compositions added to the spectrum of
Primary Colours. |
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| He is not new to world of film music. Having worked with the likes
of Rahu1 Dev Burman, from his 1981 super hit, Love Story to another
1993 musical extravaganza, 1942 - A Love Story. During the period,
Pandit Ronu Majumdar got to embellish and infuse life, into many of
the compositions of Panchamda, with his soulful rendering of the wind
instrument like the 'flute'. |
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| The busy recording schedule and other
assignments did not desist him from accompanying some of the world
renowned artistes, the likes of Pandit Ravi Shankar and others for
their 'live concerts' in India and abroad. Which, in turn, enabled him
to carve a niche for himself. That of an artiste capable of producing
notes and beautifying a composition meant for films, where in the
whole essence of the song has to be brought out within a short span,
or playing live in jugalbandis and excelling with some of the top
virtuosos of Hindustani classical music. But, today, Ronu Majumdar is
a elated man. The reason? All for this and much more. Ronu Majumdar
has also got to perform and record with the American legend of the
guitar, Ry Cooder and trumpet wizard, Jon Hassell. The album of such
a great fusion of music, titled, Facinoma, was released
worldwide by Water Lily Acoustics of Santa Barbara, U.S.A. And top it
all, a major portion of the album Wide Sky, which contains four
compositions by Ronuda, has been used for Primary Colours, a
Hollywood production directed by Mike Nichols. And the interesting
aspect of the film is that it depicts the life and times of Bill
Clinton, the President of America. |
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Comfortably sitting in his music
room and putting us at ease, Ronuda speaks with a child-like
enthusiasm. It's not as if this is his first tryst with fame and
glory, but it is the kind of response and the acknowledgment from a
recording company, based faraway, that has gladdened. his heart. The
kind of professionalism speaks volumes about the working style of
companies of such magnitude. "I was stunned and could not believe the
news, when I heard it for the first time. But, look at the fax that
they have sent to me," he states with the copy of the matter in his
hands. |
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But the saga of Ronuda's success has his family which has
deep-rooted connection with music. Born in the city of Benaras, which
is known for its share of music, musician and place of piety, Ronuda
had his initial tutoring under his father, Dr. Bhanu Majumdar, who
himself was a senior disciple of Pandit Pannalal Ghosh. The whole
atmosphere at home and the whole culture of Benaras had it’s impact on
the young Ronuda. And of course, there were other elements like the
coaching by renowned players like Pandit Vijay Raghav Rao, and his
tutelage under Pandit Laxman Prasad Jaipurwale, who taught him the
intricacies and finer aspects of vocal renditions. All these factors
have contributed to the growth of the artist in him. |
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And at the age
of seventeen he got to perform and excel in a performance at the All
India Radio. Till that period, he continued his daily riyaaz as
well as imbibing better aspects from some of the stalwarts of the
Hindustani music world, in him, directly or indirect way. But it was
festival that was unique in concept, Flute Festival, Venu Nath Samaroh,
in the year 1991, where he got to perform in front of some of the
bigwigs of the wind instrument, Pandit Hari Prasad Chaurasia, Pandit
Vijay Raghav Rao, Pandit Murudeshwar and Pandit Raghunath Seth. The
whole event comes alive in front of us, when he re-lives the whole
event - the initial jitters before the performance and finally the
performance-in graphic detail. It was this that got him a very good
response, and which finally took him places. |
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His
association with Pandit Vishwamohan Bhatt, for the album Song of
Nature, got him his first brush with fame on the international
level. The album was nominated for the Grammy Award in the year 1996.
He was also a part of the grand tours and concerts with Pandit
Ravi Shankar at prestigious music festivals like Live in Kremlin
or Uday Shankar Festival or at Asiad Festival. Not
to be missed his association with Panditji in Albums like Passages,
Chants of India or Anti Drug Concert and recordings are
proof of that fruitful association with Panditji. |
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His involvement and rigorous riyaaz and most importantly,
chilla katna [a grueling form of riyaaz for forty days] in
the nascent days has added the finer nuances to his skills. |
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He is not only comfortable in jugalbandis with the stalwarts of
the Hindustani classical music, but can also create fusion music with
the bigwigs of Western music with ease. "Fusion is not just a blending
of two music, but is a perfect meeting of two cultures, musically. And
this is possible if you have ear for the music of the world,"
he elucidates. |
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Pandit Ronu Majumdar has many plans and ideas to promote Indian
music amongst our youngsters. He feels while our music is being
appreciated by the lovers of music all over the world why not here. He
was associated with the Organizations like SPIC MACAY, which believes
in spreading music through the guru shishya parampara. |
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And his live performances are also a step in that direction of
spreading the sweet fragrance of Indian music all over the place.
"Music is not meant to be kept to ourselves," he explains. And that is
the reason he is heading for a world tour to major American cities in
the month of September. |
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We believe you Pandit Ronu Majumdar. The worldwide
recognition is proof to that talent. |
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| Courtesy CINEMA. August 27, 1999.
Reproduced here for educational purposes only. |
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