🎶 The Sound of Music – Part I& II

Part I: Evelyn Glennie

🌸 Thinking About the Text

❓ Q1. When was Evelyn’s deafness first noticed? When was it confirmed?

✨ Evelyn’s deafness was first noticed at the age of eight, when her progress in school slowed and teachers discovered her hearing problems. It was confirmed at the age of eleven, when doctors diagnosed gradual nerve damage leading to complete deafness.

❓ Q2. Who helped her to continue with music? What did he say?

✨ Percussionist Ron Forbes noticed Evelyn’s potential. He encouraged her to feel music through vibrations rather than hearing. He told her, “Don’t listen through your ears, try to feel it some other way.” This advice changed her life forever.

❓ Q3. How did Evelyn hear music despite being deaf?

✨ Evelyn removed her shoes and felt vibrations through her feet. She sensed higher notes through her upper body and lower notes through her legs. The wood of xylophones, drums, and other instruments spoke to her through vibrations.

❓ Q4. What does Evelyn say about music?

✨ Evelyn says, “Music flows through every part of my body. It tingles in my skin, my cheekbones, even in my hair.” For her, music is not heard—it is felt as a living, flowing experience inside her.

❓ Q5. How was Evelyn’s experience at the Royal Academy of Music, London?

✨ Evelyn performed with a full orchestra at the Royal Academy of Music and scored the highest marks in history. She toured internationally, giving concerts, and soon became one of the most sought-after solo percussionists in the world.

❓ Q6. How does Evelyn’s story inspire others?

✨ Evelyn proved that disability cannot stop determination. Despite being profoundly deaf, she became a world-famous musician. Her life inspires millions to believe that “where there is a will, there is a way.” She became a beacon of hope.

❓ Q7. How does Evelyn sense music in different parts of her body?

✨ She feels vibrations in her feet when barefoot on a wooden platform, in her waist and legs through drums, in her fingertips and hair through other instruments. Her whole body becomes like a sensitive resonating chamber.

❓ Q8. What were Evelyn’s achievements in music?

✨ Evelyn gave solo performances all over the world, mastered more than a thousand percussion instruments, and earned awards such as the Royal Philharmonic Society’s prestigious Soloist of the Year Award (1991). She inspired both musicians and common people.

❓ Q9. How did Evelyn help others through her music?

✨ Evelyn gave free concerts in prisons and hospitals, motivating people in pain. She also worked with children and young musicians. Her message was that music belongs to everyone, regardless of disability or hardship.

❓ Q10. What lesson do we learn from Evelyn’s life?

✨ Evelyn’s life teaches that faith, hard work, and determination can overcome any barrier. She proved that even silence can create the most beautiful music if one dares to believe and never gives up.

🌈 Extra Value-Based Questions

❓ Q11. What qualities of Evelyn Glennie make her successful?

✨ Courage, perseverance, discipline, and positive attitude. She turned her disability into strength by learning to sense vibrations, which helped her become one of the greatest percussionists in the world.

❓ Q12. Why is Evelyn called an “inspiration for the handicapped”?

✨ She showed that physical limitations cannot block talent. She became a world-class musician despite deafness, giving confidence to countless disabled people that they too can achieve their dreams.

🎨 Word Meanings (Colourful Notes)

🎵 Percussionist – a musician who plays instruments like drums, tabla, xylophone.

🎵 Orchestra – a large group of musicians playing together.

🎵 Resonance – echoing vibrations of sound.

🎵 Aspiration – strong desire to achieve something.

🎵 Inspiration – a motivating force that encourages others.

📘 Lessons from the Chapter

1. 🌟 Disability cannot stop true passion.
2. 🌟 Hard work and determination bring success.
3. 🌟 Music is a universal language beyond hearing.
4. 🌟 Courage can inspire millions.
5. 🌟 Never give up on your dreams.

🌺 EXTRA 20 SHORT QUESTION-ANSWERS

1. Q: Who is Evelyn Glennie?
   A: A world-famous Scottish percussionist.
2. Q: What was Evelyn’s disability?
   A: She became deaf by the age of 11.
3. Q: Who spotted her potential in music?
   A: Ron Forbes, her percussion teacher.
4. Q: What instrument does she play?
   A: She plays percussion instruments (like drums, xylophone).
5. Q: How did her parents react at first?
   A: They were discouraged but later supported her strongly.
6. Q: What was her dream?
   A: To become a professional musician.
7. Q: How did she train her body?
   A: By feeling vibrations in her skin, feet, and hair.
8. Q: At what age did she lose her hearing fully?
   A: By the age of eleven.
9. Q: Who said “Don’t listen through your ears”?
   A: Ron Forbes.
10. Q: How does she describe music?
    A: As flowing through her whole body.
11. Q: Where did she perform for prisoners?
    A: In prisons of the United Kingdom.
12. Q: What quality made her world-famous?
    A: Her determination and talent.
13. Q: Who was impressed by her sensitivity to vibrations?
    A: Her teachers at the Royal Academy.
14. Q: Which award did Evelyn receive?
    A: She received the Royal Philharmonic Society’s Soloist of the Year Award (1991).
15. Q: How does Evelyn feel about music?
    A: It is her life and passion.
16. Q: How does she inspire us?
    A: By showing that disability is no barrier.
17. Q: What was her nationality?
    A: Scottish.
18. Q: Why was she nervous before joining the Royal Academy?
    A: Because she was young and deaf.
19. Q: How long did she practise daily?
    A: For hours, training her body to feel vibrations.
20. Q: What message does her life give?
    A: With courage and hard work, we can overcome any difficulty.

🎶 The Shehnai of Bismillah Khan – Beehive (Pages 20–28)

🌟 Thinking about the Text – Short Questions (10)

❓Q1: Why was pungi banned by Emperor Aurangzeb?

✨ A1: The pungi produced a shrill, unpleasant sound. Emperor Aurangzeb considered it unsuitable for performance in his royal court and therefore banned its playing as it lacked sweetness and melody.

❓Q2: Who revived and improved the pungi into the shehnai?

✨ A2: A barber from a family of professional musicians redesigned the pungi, making a hollow stem with holes. This improved version produced soft and melodious sounds, later called the shehnai.

❓Q3: Why is it called ‘shehnai’?

✨ A3: The instrument was first played in the court of a Shah (king) and invented by a nai (barber). Combining both words, it came to be known as the ‘shehnai’.

❓Q4: How was the shehnai different from the pungi?

✨ A4: The shehnai produced a soft, melodious, and pleasing sound compared to the shrill and harsh tone of the pungi. Its music was suitable for temples, weddings, and auspicious occasions.

❓Q5: Where is shehnai traditionally played?

✨ A5: The shehnai is traditionally played in temples, at weddings, and on other auspicious occasions across North India. It is considered a symbol of good fortune and positivity.

❓Q6: What was Bismillah Khan’s family background?

✨ A6: Bismillah Khan was born in 1916 into a family of professional musicians. His ancestors were shehnai players in the princely courts of Bihar. His father, grandfather, and other relatives also played the shehnai.

❓Q7: How did young Bismillah spend his childhood in Benaras?

✨ A7: Young Bismillah would visit temples and the Ganga ghats, practising the shehnai for hours. He played in solitude, inspired by the flowing river and divine surroundings, which enriched his music deeply.

❓Q8: When and where did Bismillah Khan get his big break?

✨ A8: Bismillah Khan got his big break in 1938 when All India Radio was opened in Lucknow. His shehnai performance on radio made him famous across India and earned him widespread recognition.

❓Q9: Which historic occasion did Bismillah Khan perform at in 1947?

✨ A9: On 15 August 1947, Bismillah Khan played the shehnai from the Red Fort in Delhi during India’s independence celebrations. Pandit Nehru delivered his ‘Tryst with Destiny’ speech on the same day.

❓Q10: What honours were bestowed upon Bismillah Khan?

✨ A10: Bismillah Khan was awarded India’s highest civilian honours including the Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, Padma Vibhushan, and the Bharat Ratna in recognition of his musical contributions.

🌟 Thinking about the Text – Long Questions (10)

❓Q11: Describe how Bismillah Khan transformed the shehnai into a classical instrument.

✨ A11: Bismillah Khan gave the shehnai a unique dimension by blending traditional folk tunes with classical ragas. He elevated it from a temple-and-wedding instrument to the concert stage, proving its richness in Hindustani classical music.

❓Q12: How did the Ganga and Benaras inspire Bismillah Khan’s music?

✨ A12: Practising by the Ganga ghats, Bismillah Khan absorbed the spiritual atmosphere of Benaras. The flowing river, temple bells, and divine environment deeply inspired his music, making it soulful and rooted in tradition.

❓Q13: What was Bismillah Khan’s role in popularising the shehnai internationally?

✨ A13: Bismillah Khan performed in prestigious international venues such as the Lincoln Centre (USA), and at the World Exposition (Montreal), Cannes Art Festival, and Osaka Trade Fair, spreading Indian classical music globally.

❓Q14: Which films featured Bismillah Khan’s shehnai?

✨ A14: Bismillah Khan’s shehnai music was featured in the films ‘Goonj Uthi Shehnai’ (1959). His music added depth to cinema, though he remained more devoted to pure classical performances than films.

❓Q15: What was Bismillah Khan’s view on partition?

✨ A15: Bismillah Khan disliked the idea of partition. Though he travelled worldwide, he loved India deeply. He refused to settle in Pakistan and always called Benaras and Dumraon his true homes.

❓Q16: How did Bismillah Khan remain humble despite fame?

✨ A16: Despite international recognition and awards, Bismillah Khan lived a simple life. He was deeply devoted to his art and never ran after wealth. His humility won people’s love and respect.

❓Q17: What message does Bismillah Khan’s life give us about dedication?

✨ A17: Bismillah Khan’s life shows that dedication, discipline, and passion can elevate even a simple instrument to greatness. His devotion to the shehnai made him a symbol of perseverance and cultural pride.

❓Q18: Why is Bismillah Khan called a symbol of India’s composite culture?

✨ A18: A devout Muslim, Bismillah Khan spent much of his life in Hindu temples and on the Ganga ghats. His life reflected harmony between faiths, symbolising India’s unity in diversity.

❓Q19: What was special about Bismillah Khan’s performance on 15 August 1947?

✨ A19: His shehnai performance at the Red Fort became historic, marking India’s independence. It symbolised cultural pride, with his music preceding Nehru’s iconic ‘Tryst with Destiny’ speech to the nation.

❓Q20: How did Bismillah Khan’s awards and recognition reflect his contribution?

✨ A20: Awards like the Bharat Ratna, Padma Vibhushan, and international acclaim reflected Bismillah Khan’s role in giving the shehnai global respect. They honoured his devotion and lifelong contribution to music.

📘 Beehive – NCERT Book Questions (Pages 20–28, Solved)

❓Q21 (Page 26): Why did Aurangzeb ban the playing of the pungi?

✨ A21: Aurangzeb banned the pungi because of its shrill and unpleasant sound. It was considered unsuitable for court music and lacked melodious quality, leading the emperor to prohibit its use in his royal court.

❓Q22 (Page 26): How is a shehnai different from a pungi?

✨ A22: The shehnai is longer, broader, and made with a hollow stem and holes. Unlike the harsh pungi, it produces a melodious, soft, and pleasant sound suited for auspicious occasions and classical music performances.

❓Q23 (Page 27): Where was the shehnai traditionally played? How did Bismillah Khan change this?

✨ A23: Traditionally played in temples, weddings, and festive ceremonies, the shehnai was limited to auspicious occasions. Bismillah Khan introduced it to classical concerts, elevating it to a respected instrument in Hindustani classical music.

❓Q24 (Page 27): When and how did Bismillah Khan get his big break?

✨ A24: Bismillah Khan’s big break came in 1938 with All India Radio in Lucknow. His regular broadcasts popularised the shehnai nationwide, making him a household name and earning him immense recognition.

❓Q25 (Page 28): Where did Bismillah Khan play the shehnai on 15 August 1947? Why was the event historic?

✨ A25: On 15 August 1947, Bismillah Khan played at the Red Fort in Delhi during India’s independence celebration. It was historic as his music marked freedom’s dawn, before Nehru’s famous speech.

❓Q26 (Page 28): Why did Bismillah Khan refuse to settle abroad?

✨ A26: Despite many offers, Bismillah Khan refused to settle abroad. His deep love for Benaras, the Ganga, and his homeland kept him rooted. He said he could never leave India’s soil and spirit.

❓Q27 (Page 28): How did Bismillah Khan’s life embody India’s cultural unity?

✨ A27: As a Muslim who played in Hindu temples and revered the Ganga, Bismillah Khan symbolised India’s composite culture. His life reflected harmony, respect for diversity, and devotion to art beyond religion.