Eminent Khayal vocalist and guru Pandit Tejpal Singh presents a simultaneous picture of satisfaction and distress. On the one hand, the bliss he derives from singing and the spiritual approach to music he imbibed from his guru, the late Ustad Amir Khan, keep him in a perpetual state of happiness. On the other, conditions in the field and current trends that contribute to a dilution of traditional values upset him. In his own practice, as well as in his writing and teaching and as an esteemed member of the musicians' fraternity, he attempts to preserve those values. Whatever the struggles, he says, he wishes to do nothing else but serve the cause of music, birth after birth. Excerpts from a conversation with the veteran, well known as the elder of the Singh Bandhu duo:
Music is a subject in schools and colleges. Does this help in propagation of the art?
Bura haal hai ! (It's a sorry state of affairs.) Because the music teacher is reduced to an entertainment master. As for universities, has any artiste emerged from a university? The only institution that produces artistes is the ITC Sangeet Research Academy. It is a real gurukul. There is a one-to-one equation between students and teachers. That is how you produce an artiste.
What about the role of All India Radio?
AIR has a young artistes' competition. I have been associated with it as a judge. Last year I went for the prize distribution. I said, what is the point of giving them a B grade? They will get a programme or two in a year. And after five years, chhutti , because the rule is that you then have to apply for upgrading. I told them, you should groom them for five years. In the old days the kings were patrons. Now the government is the king! I remember when we got B grade, we would get six programmes a year. One looked forward to it. It was an incentive to be on your toes. Plus, the broadcasts were live. There was a lot of grooming back then. There was Yuva Vani (for youth). You got two programmes a month. Getting a B grade on the radio was equivalent to cracking the IAS. When I got Top grade, I quit my job. One, I said this is my career. Secondly, I felt someone else deserved the job I was doing. Today Akashvani has gone to sleep.
On his current work
My books are doing well. There is also a project for the Ministry of Culture, in which I am trying to prove that Ustad Amir Khan's style is a separate gharana. I'm working as an advisor with the Sangeet Natak Akademi for their archives. I write sleeve notes too. Wherever I can, I contribute.
His students
From Gurgaon, Faridabad, Karnal…they keep coming even after they get work. The student who is my co-writer is also an associate professor at Janaki Devi College. Lots of my students are on the staff of All India Radio, as programme executives and assistant directors, etc. They still have faith in me. Two of my students — Naresh Malhotra and Brij Bhushan Goswami — have performed in the Radio Sangeet Sammelan. That's not an ordinary thing.
The need to teach old compositions
People are now neglecting the authentic compositions. Whatever your guru taught you, you are keeping to yourself and teaching only your own compositions! This is a great tragedy. The old compositions have such high value; they teach you how the raga is to be developed.
Music reviews in the print media
The values have gone. Every artiste can't be making no mistakes! When artistes get critical reviews, they get letters (to the editor) written (in their defence). They should be ashamed!
