The Sound of Music
Part I: Evelyn Glennie Listens to Sound Without Hearing It
By Deborah Cowley
Page 20 – Comprehension Check
Q1. How old was Evelyn when she went to the Royal Academy of Music?
She was seventeen years old.
Q2. When was her deafness first noticed? When was it confirmed?
Her deafness was first noticed at the age of eight and confirmed at eleven.
Page 24 – Thinking about the Text
Q1. Evelyn Glennie’s loss of hearing had been gradual. How did it affect her life?
It made her feel isolated and discouraged in the beginning. Teachers and friends doubted her abilities, but Evelyn refused to give up and pursued music with determination.
Q2. When was Evelyn’s deafness confirmed? How did her parents react?
It was confirmed when she was eleven. Her parents were heartbroken but supportive, encouraging her to follow her passion.
Q3. Who helped her to continue with music? What did he do and say?
Percussionist Ron Forbes helped her. He taught her to feel music through different parts of her body, especially vibrations, instead of hearing through ears.
Q4. Name the various places and causes for which Evelyn performs.
She performs internationally in concerts and gives free performances in prisons and hospitals, inspiring millions.
Q5. How does Evelyn hear music?
She senses vibrations through her body: her skin, cheekbones, and hair. She feels the notes, making her experience music in a unique way.
Part II: The Shehnai of Bismillah Khan
Page 25 – Comprehension Check
Q1. How old was Bismillah Khan when he performed at the All India Radio?
He was about fourteen years old.
Q2. When was the All India Radio in Lucknow set up?
It was set up in 1938.
Q3. When did Bismillah Khan get his big break?
In 1938, when the All India Radio started, his Shehnai performance became a regular feature.
Q4. Where did Bismillah Khan play the Shehnai on 15 August 1947? Why was the event historic?
He played at the Red Fort, Delhi, on India’s first Independence Day. It was historic because the nation was celebrating its freedom.
Page 27 – Thinking about the Text
Q1. Why did Aurangzeb ban the playing of the pungi?
Because it produced a shrill, unpleasant sound.
Q2. How is a Shehnai different from a pungi?
The Shehnai has a longer, broader pipe with a natural hollow stem and seven holes, producing a melodious sound.
Q3. Where was the Shehnai traditionally played? How did Bismillah Khan change this?
Traditionally played in temples and weddings. Bismillah Khan brought it onto the classical stage, giving it prestige.
Q4. When and how did Bismillah Khan get his big break?
In 1938, when All India Radio Lucknow began broadcasting his Shehnai performances.
Q5. Where did Bismillah Khan play on 15 August 1947? Why was the event historic?
At the Red Fort, Delhi, in the presence of Jawaharlal Nehru, as India celebrated Independence.
Q6. Why did Bismillah Khan refuse to start a Shehnai school in the USA?
He loved India deeply and could never live away from the River Ganga and his beloved Benaras.
Q7. Find at least two instances in the text which tell you Bismillah Khan loves India and Benaras.
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He refused offers to settle abroad, saying he could not live away from the River Ganga.
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He believed music’s soul resided in the temples of Benaras.
Extra Questions – The Sound of Music
Short Answer (2–3 lines)
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How did Evelyn Glennie become a symbol of courage? → By overcoming deafness and excelling as an international percussionist.
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Why is Bismillah Khan called the ‘Shehnai maestro’? → Because he elevated the Shehnai to a respected position in classical music.
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What qualities do both Evelyn and Bismillah Khan share? → Determination, discipline, humility, and dedication to their art.
Long Answer
Q. What do we learn from the lives of Evelyn Glennie and Bismillah Khan?
Both Evelyn and Bismillah Khan inspire us with their passion and perseverance. Evelyn, though deaf, mastered music by sensing vibrations, proving that disability cannot limit talent. She became a global performer and inspired millions. Bismillah Khan, born in Benaras, revolutionised the Shehnai, making it a respected classical instrument. He performed at India’s Independence and won the Bharat Ratna. Both represent the power of hard work, humility, and dedication. Their lives teach us that true success lies in passion, discipline, and love for one’s art.
Summary – The Sound of Music
Part I: Evelyn Glennie – Evelyn, a Scottish girl, became deaf by the age of eleven. Despite her handicap, she pursued music with determination. With the guidance of percussionist Ron Forbes, she learned to sense music through vibrations in her body. At seventeen, she entered the Royal Academy of Music, London, and topped her class. She went on to become an internationally renowned percussionist, performing across the world and inspiring countless people.
Part II: Bismillah Khan – The Shehnai, once considered a folk instrument, gained prestige through Bismillah Khan. Born in 1916 in Dumraon, Bihar, he grew up in Benaras, practicing for hours at the temple. His breakthrough came in 1938 with All India Radio Lucknow. He performed at the Red Fort on 15 August 1947, marking Independence. He travelled worldwide but refused to settle abroad, deeply attached to the Ganga and Benaras. He was honoured with the Bharat Ratna.
The lesson highlights determination, discipline, and love for tradition. Evelyn and Bismillah Khan, though from different worlds, became global icons of music, proving that passion can overcome all barriers.
Biography – Evelyn Glennie
Evelyn Glennie (b. 1965) is a world-famous Scottish percussionist who achieved greatness despite being profoundly deaf. Born on 19 July 1965 in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, she began losing her hearing by age eight and became almost completely deaf at eleven.
Her passion for music remained strong. With guidance from percussionist Ron Forbes, she learned to feel vibrations through her body instead of hearing through her ears. This unique approach allowed her to sense pitch and rhythm.
At seventeen, Evelyn entered the Royal Academy of Music in London, becoming its first deaf student. She graduated with top honours and began an international career. She has performed with leading orchestras worldwide and released several albums.
Evelyn’s achievements extend beyond music. She campaigns for awareness about disability, proving that physical challenges cannot limit talent. She was made a Dame of the British Empire in 2007 for services to music.
Her story is a symbol of courage, resilience, and the limitless power of human will.
Biography – Bismillah Khan
Ustad Bismillah Khan (1916–2006) was India’s legendary Shehnai maestro, celebrated for elevating the folk instrument to classical status.
He was born on 21 March 1916 in Dumraon, Bihar, into a family of traditional musicians. As a child, he moved to Benaras, where he practised Shehnai for hours at the Vishwanath temple on the banks of the Ganga.
His talent blossomed early. In 1938, his big break came when All India Radio Lucknow began broadcasting his Shehnai recitals. He gained national fame. On 15 August 1947, he played the Shehnai at the Red Fort, in the presence of Prime Minister Nehru, marking India’s independence.
Bismillah Khan travelled worldwide, performing in the USA, Iran, Japan, and other countries, spreading Indian classical music. Despite fame, he remained humble and deeply attached to India, especially Benaras and the Ganga. He refused offers to settle abroad.
Honoured with Padma Vibhushan and the Bharat Ratna, Bismillah Khan remains an icon of dedication, simplicity, and patriotism.
He passed away on 21 August 2006, mourned nationwide. His music lives on as a symbol of India’s rich cultural heritage.
Word Count: ~402
Poem 2 – Wind
By Subramania Bharati
Page 31 – Thinking about the Poem
Q1. What are the things the wind does in the first stanza?
It breaks shutters, scatters papers, throws down books, and tears pages.
Q2. Have you seen anybody winnow grain at home or in a paddy field? What is the word in your language for winnowing? What do people use for winnowing? (Give the words in your language, if you know them.)
Yes, winnowing is done to separate grain from chaff. In Hindi it is called pichkna or oran. Traditionally, a supa(winnowing basket) is used.
Q3. What does the poet say the wind god winnows?
He winnows and separates the weak from the strong, breaking the weak and supporting the strong.
Q4. What should we do to make friends with the wind?
We should build strong houses, train our bodies, and strengthen our hearts and wills.
Q5. What do the last four lines of the poem mean to you?
The wind symbolises challenges. If we are strong, we can face difficulties with courage, and they will support us in our growth.
Q6. How does the poet speak to the wind — in anger or with humour? You must also have seen or heard of the wind “god.” Explain what you understand by the expression ‘wind god winnows.’
He speaks half-angrily, half-humorously. The ‘wind god winnows’ means the wind tests people, separating the weak (who break) from the strong (who withstand).
Q7. What should we do to survive the wind’s force?
We must make ourselves strong in body and spirit, build resilience, and accept difficulties as part of life.
Extra Questions – Wind
Short Answer
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What does the wind symbolise? → The wind symbolises life’s challenges and hardships.
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Why does the poet ask the wind to come softly? → Because strong wind causes destruction and suffering.
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How does the wind help the strong? → It supports and strengthens those who are resilient.
Long Answer
Q. How does Bharati use wind as a metaphor for life?
The poet personifies wind as a powerful force that destroys the weak but strengthens the strong. Just as wind breaks weak houses and crumbles fragile things, life’s difficulties overwhelm the weak in spirit. However, those who are disciplined, strong, and courageous find the wind to be a friend. It helps them grow stronger, testing their resilience. The poem is a lesson in courage: hardships are unavoidable, but instead of fearing them, we should prepare ourselves to face them.
Summary of Wind
Subramania Bharati’s poem Wind portrays the destructive and constructive aspects of wind. In the beginning, the poet describes its violent power: breaking shutters, scattering papers, and tearing books. He speaks to the wind half-angrily, half-humorously, asking it to come softly.
The poet then compares wind to a god who winnows, separating the weak from the strong. Weak people and structures are destroyed, while strong ones survive. This symbolises life — hardships break the weak-hearted, but strengthen the courageous.
In the end, the poet advises us to be strong in body and mind, to make our homes firm, and to develop resilient hearts. By doing this, we can make friends with the wind, which will then support us.
The poem is both a description of nature’s power and a metaphor for life’s challenges. It encourages discipline, strength, and courage in the face of adversity.
Biography – Subramania Bharati
Subramania Bharati (1882–1921), popularly known as Bharathiyar, was a Tamil poet, freedom fighter, and social reformer, remembered as one of India’s greatest nationalist voices.
Born on 11 December 1882 in Ettayapuram, Tamil Nadu, he displayed poetic talent at a young age. At 11, he was given the title “Bharati” (blessed by Goddess Saraswati).
Bharati was deeply involved in India’s independence struggle. He worked as a journalist and editor in nationalist newspapers like India and Bala Bharata, spreading the message of freedom, equality, and social reform. His writings condemned colonial rule and inspired patriotic fervour.
As a poet, Bharati blended classical Tamil with modern themes. His poems expressed love for freedom, women’s emancipation, equality of castes, and unity among people. He was one of the earliest to call for the liberation of women and criticised social evils like caste discrimination.
His poetry collection includes patriotic songs like Vande Mataram (Tamil version), Achamillai Achamillai, and poems dedicated to nature and spirituality, including Wind. His works are celebrated for their energy, simplicity, and emotional power.
Because of his political activism, Bharati was often harassed by the British and lived in exile in Pondicherry. He died young, on 11 September 1921, at just 39, but left behind a powerful legacy.
Today, Bharati is remembered as Mahakavi (Great Poet) and a pioneer of modern Tamil poetry. His songs continue to inspire freedom, courage, and social justice.