Synonymous with the invention of the Mohan Veena, Vishwa Mohan Bhatt talks to Hyderabad Times about the invention, his Grammy Award, and Hyderabadi audiences.
You were the second Indian musician to win the Grammy Award. What quality of your piece Meeting by the River won you the award?
It was the Indian element of improvisation that appealed to the Western mind. Only 10 per cent of the piece is composed , fixed music, 90 per cent was spontaneous music involving improvising, combining and joining. Besides the album was not recorded in a studio but in a church as we wanted natural acoustics with no retakes or equalisation.
What inspired you to make your own instrument the Mohan Veena?
I was looking for a different kind of sound and also trying to incorporate the gaayaki style in the instrument. It was also my dream to bring together the sounds and techniques of different instruments like the Sitar, Veena and Sarod into one instrument. That's how the Mohan Veena came into being. And it has established itself as a concert instrument.
You have performed several times in Hyderabad. What draws you to the city?
I like to come to Hyderabad as I'm drawn to my roots. I'm originally a Rao from Telangana. About 250 years ago my forefathers migrated to Jaipur on the invitation of the Maharaja of Jaipur. Also I like the new transformed Hyderabad which has made strides in the field of IT and is now I think much cleaner!
What's been your experience of Hyderabadi audiences?
Audiences in Hyderabad are very serene, sophisticated and mature. They do not respond with loud clapping and standing ovations like in other metros. They are very attentive and composed and come to me personally to express their appreciation.
Any projects you working on and what can we look forward to at the performance tomorrow?
I've just cut an album with my son Saurabh who is a composer. It's a combination of both our compositions titled Celebrations of Love and the theme is romance. I have also done an untitled album on fusion with Glen Halls who is an excellent Jazz pianist. At the concert I will be doing Raaga Malhar, evocative of the rainy season. And apart from playing , I will also sing a bit to show that music germinates as a song before you play it on an instrument
You were the second Indian musician to win the Grammy Award. What quality of your piece Meeting by the River won you the award?
It was the Indian element of improvisation that appealed to the Western mind. Only 10 per cent of the piece is composed , fixed music, 90 per cent was spontaneous music involving improvising, combining and joining. Besides the album was not recorded in a studio but in a church as we wanted natural acoustics with no retakes or equalisation.
What inspired you to make your own instrument the Mohan Veena?
I was looking for a different kind of sound and also trying to incorporate the gaayaki style in the instrument. It was also my dream to bring together the sounds and techniques of different instruments like the Sitar, Veena and Sarod into one instrument. That's how the Mohan Veena came into being. And it has established itself as a concert instrument.
You have performed several times in Hyderabad. What draws you to the city?
I like to come to Hyderabad as I'm drawn to my roots. I'm originally a Rao from Telangana. About 250 years ago my forefathers migrated to Jaipur on the invitation of the Maharaja of Jaipur. Also I like the new transformed Hyderabad which has made strides in the field of IT and is now I think much cleaner!
What's been your experience of Hyderabadi audiences?
Audiences in Hyderabad are very serene, sophisticated and mature. They do not respond with loud clapping and standing ovations like in other metros. They are very attentive and composed and come to me personally to express their appreciation.
Any projects you working on and what can we look forward to at the performance tomorrow?
I've just cut an album with my son Saurabh who is a composer. It's a combination of both our compositions titled Celebrations of Love and the theme is romance. I have also done an untitled album on fusion with Glen Halls who is an excellent Jazz pianist. At the concert I will be doing Raaga Malhar, evocative of the rainy season. And apart from playing , I will also sing a bit to show that music germinates as a song before you play it on an instrument
Pt Vishwa Mohan Bhatt who’s performing in the city today is a Rao from Telangana
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