The
variety of Bangla music ranges from Rabindra Sangeet to the Bengali band music of today.
It may be just a source of entertainment, or a means of keeping us connected with our
culture back home. It can bring pleasure to our lives and carry us through times of
stress. The new topic of Bangla Music is proposed in response to suggestions that we
should move on to a "new subject," and that many of our topics were
"serious." Over the next month we invite postings on the following issues:
- * the roots of Bangla music
- * the instruments characteristic of our
music
- * attempts to classify our music
- * the singers who appeal to us
- * the songs we like
- * how to select from the wide variety of
music available today
- * how to train for playing and singing
Bangla music
We welcome both "facts" and
"entertainment." We hope to keep the discussions light, simple, and easy to
read. Even lyrics to our songs are welcome. We also seek contributions which can be used
for building a database or an FAQ on our music and its musicians. We may perhaps create on
the internet a large source of information on Bangla music.
We do have lofty goals like fostering an
appreciation of Bangla music, and promoting an understanding of our culture. If we dont
succeed at that, we hope at least to make ourselves better able to select from the large
variety of music available today.
It is a pleasure for me to accept this
special role in this month's discussion topic. Needless to say, my own enthusiasm for our
music far exceeds my knowledge of the subject, or my talent for music. We do invite
responses from accomplished musicians, but it is also my belief that laymen should not be
prevented from participating in discussions on specialized topics. Frankly, all we ask of
those who wish to post on music, is that they share some enthusiasm for our music as well.
- Shahriar Khan,
Initiator, Topic of the Month (Alochona discussion forum) |
