The Sound of Music Part- 1 and Part-2 Qusetions and Asnwers.

 Evelyn Glennie listen to sound without hearing it (Part-1)

 

(1) How old was Evelyn Glennie when she went to the Royal Academy of Music?

Ans. Evelyn was seventeen years old when she went to the Royal Academy of Music.

(2) Why Evelyn was nervous?

Ans. Evelyn was nervous because she was too young and it was her first day at the prestigious Royal Academy of Music in London.

(3) What was the physical disability of Evelyn? 

Ans. Evelyn was profoundly deaf.

(4) When was her deafness first noticed? When was it confirmed ?

Ans. Her deafness was noticed by her mother when she was eight years old. Her name was being announced but she was not moving from her place. Moreover, she was eleven and once her headmistress requested her mother because her marks had been decreasing in exams and it was confirmed about her deafness.

(5) As a result, what happened to Evelyn's nerve ?

Ans. Her hearing was severely impaired because of her gradual nerve damage.

(6) What did Evelyn decide one day and how did she pursue her interest in music?

Ans. Evelyn decided not to give up and to lead a normal life. One day she watched a girl playing xylophone and from that moment she pursued her interest in music.

(7) Who helped her to continue with music? What did he do and say?

Ans. Percussionist Ron Forbes helped her to continue with music. He gave her two drums of different notes and said, “Don’t listen through your ears, try to sense it some other way. This encouragement was given by Ron Forbes.

(8) How did Evelyn discover that she could sense the different notes?

Ans. With the help of Forbes she realized that she could feel the higher drum from the waist up and the lower one from the waist down. So, this way she discovered her sense of different notes.

(9) Name the various places and causes for which Evelyn performs. 

Ans. Evelyn always liked to give her performance. He had a tour to the United Kingdom with a youth orchestra. Apart from the regular concerts he also gave free concerts in prisons and hospitals. She also gave high priority to classes for young musician. Ann Richlin said, “She is a shining inspiration for deaf children.

(10) How does Evelyn hear music? (100-150 words)

 Ans. Deborah Cpwley gave a truly inspirational character to us. Evelyn heard music by sensing the notes in different parts of her body. Ron Forbes was a guarding for her because he told her to turn two drums and sense the sound without using her ears from that moment Evelyn realized that she could feel the higher drum from the waist down. She could sense certain notes of music in different parts of her body. On a wooden platform she used to remove her shoes so that the vibration passes through her bare feet and up her legs. She said about music, “It is in my every parts of my body. This shows that how much she loved music and her eagerness to listen the music and gave her best. So, at the end we can say that music is her life and he has done everything to get in her life. 

 

 

 

 

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The Shehnai of Bismillah Khan (Part-2)

 

Questions and Answers

(1) Why did Aurangzeb ban the playing of ‘Pungi’? 

 Ans. Aurangzeb banned the playing of ‘Pungi’ because it had a shrill unpleasant sound. 

(2) How is Shehnai different from ‘Pungi’?

Ans. Shehnai is different from ‘Pungi’ as shehnai is made of a pipe with a natural hollow stem that is broder and longer than the ‘pungi’. When we play Shehnai it produces melodious sound while ‘Pungi’ produces unpleasant sound. Generally, snake charmer uses this instrument ‘Pungi.'

(3) Where was the shehnai played traditionally? How did Bismillah Khan change this?

Ans. Traditionally, the shehnai played on the auspicious day like weddings functions and in temple. The shehnai was part of the naubat or traditional ensemble. However, Bismillah Khan brought it by brining on the classical stage.

(4) When and how Bismillah Khan get his big break?

Ans. It was a long journey of Bismillah Khan about getting his first break in classical music.  At the age of 14 he went with his uncle to the Allahabad Music Conference. At the end of conference, Ustad Faiyaz Khan patted his back and said, ‘‘Work hard and you shall make it.'' He got a big break with the opening of the All India Radio in Lucknow in 1938. Then he soon became an often- heard shehnai player on Radio.

(5) Where did Bismillah Khan play the shehnai on 15 August 1947? Why was the event historic?

Ans. On the 15th August 1947, Bismillah Khan played the Shehnai from the Red Fort and he became the first Indian to greet the nation with his Shehnai. The event was historic because he played his music with Raag Kafi and greeted all the people of India including two great names, Mahatma Gandhi and Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru.

(6) Why did Bismillah Khan refuse to start a shehnai school in the U.S.A?

Ans. Bismillah Khan was very much fond of Benaras and Dumraon and cultural of India as well. He was not ready to leave it at any coast. Once his student told him to start a shehnai school in U.S.A. and promised him to recreate the atmosphere of Benaras but Bismillah refused by telling him.

(7) Find at least two instances in the text which tell you that Bismillah Khan loves India and Benaras.

Ans. Bismillah Khan was very much connected with the culture and tradition of India, particularly Benaras and Dumraon. In his initial years, the temple of Balaji and the river Ganga became his favourite places where he could practise in peace and solitude. 

Moreover, once his student told him to start a shehnai school in USA but he refused to establish the school.

So, these two instances show that Bismillah Khan loves India and Benaras.