The Sound of Music | Part-I

The Sound of Music -Summary

It sheds light on the life of Evelyn Glennie, a renowned multi-percussionist from Scotland, and the challenges she faced in her journey to becoming a successful musician. Despite being completely deaf, Evelyn possesses a unique ability to experience music through her body rather than relying on her hearing. While she lost her hearing at the age of eleven, it did not dampen her determination to pursue music. At school, Evelyn’s talent for the xylophone caught the attention of percussionist Ron Forbes, who encouraged her to feel the music rather than hear it. From there, Evelyn’s musical journey soared to new heights. Her audition at the Royal Academy of Music earned her one of the highest scores in the history of the institution. She has received numerous awards and recognition for her exceptional performances on an international stage, including the distinguished “Soloist of the Year Award” from the Royal Philharmonic Society in 1991. Evelyn’s inspiring story serves as a beacon of hope for individuals with disabilities, and her unwavering determination continues to motivate those around her while enchanting audiences worldwide.

The Sound of Music -Hindi Summary

यह स्कॉटलैंड की प्रसिद्ध मल्टी-पर्कशनिस्ट एवलिन ग्लेनी के जीवन और एक सफल संगीतकार बनने की उनकी यात्रा में उनके सामने आने वाली चुनौतियों पर प्रकाश डालती है। पूरी तरह से बहरी होने के बावजूद, एवलिन के पास अपनी सुनने की क्षमता पर निर्भर रहने के बजाय अपने शरीर के माध्यम से संगीत का अनुभव करने की एक अद्वितीय क्षमता है।

हालाँकि ग्यारह साल की उम्र में उन्होंने अपनी सुनने की शक्ति खो दी, लेकिन इससे संगीत को आगे बढ़ाने के उनके दृढ़ संकल्प में कोई कमी नहीं आई। स्कूल में, जाइलोफोन के प्रति एवलिन की प्रतिभा ने तालवादक रॉन फोर्ब्स का ध्यान आकर्षित किया, जिन्होंने उसे संगीत सुनने के बजाय उसे महसूस करने के लिए प्रोत्साहित किया। वहां से एवलिन की संगीत यात्रा नई ऊंचाइयों तक पहुंच गई। रॉयल संगीत अकादमी में उनके ऑडिशन ने उन्हें संस्थान के इतिहास में सर्वोच्च अंकों में से एक अर्जित किया।

उन्हें अंतर्राष्ट्रीय मंच पर उनके असाधारण प्रदर्शन के लिए कई पुरस्कार और मान्यता मिली है, जिसमें 1991 में रॉयल फिलहारमोनिक सोसाइटी से प्रतिष्ठित “सोलोइस्ट ऑफ द ईयर अवार्ड” भी शामिल है। एवलिन की प्रेरणादायक कहानी विकलांग व्यक्तियों और उनके लिए आशा की किरण के रूप में काम करती है। अटूट दृढ़ संकल्प दुनिया भर के दर्शकों को मंत्रमुग्ध करते हुए अपने आस-पास के लोगों को प्रेरित करना जारी रखता है।

The Sound of Music -Assamese Summary

স্কটলেণ্ডৰ এগৰাকী বিখ্যাত মাল্টি-পাৰ্কাচনিষ্ট ইভেলিন গ্লেনিৰ জীৱন আৰু এগৰাকী সফল সংগীতজ্ঞ হোৱাৰ যাত্ৰাত তেওঁ সন্মুখীন হোৱা প্ৰত্যাহ্বানসমূহৰ ওপৰত পোহৰ পেলোৱা হৈছে। সম্পূৰ্ণ বধিৰ হোৱাৰ পিছতো ইভেলিনৰ শ্ৰৱণ ক্ষমতাৰ ওপৰত নিৰ্ভৰ নকৰি নিজৰ শৰীৰৰ জৰিয়তে সংগীতৰ অভিজ্ঞতা লাভ কৰাৰ এক অনন্য ক্ষমতা আছে।

এঘাৰ বছৰ বয়সত তাইৰ শ্ৰৱণ ক্ষমতা হেৰুৱাই পেলালে যদিও ই তাইৰ সংগীতৰ পিছত লগা দৃঢ়তাক ম্লান কৰা নাছিল। স্কুলত ইভেলিনৰ জাইলোফোনৰ প্ৰতিভাই পাৰ্কাচনিষ্ট ৰন ফৰ্বছৰ দৃষ্টি আকৰ্ষণ কৰিছিল, যিয়ে তাইক সংগীত শুনাতকৈ অনুভৱ কৰিবলৈ উৎসাহিত কৰিছিল। তাৰ পৰাই ইভেলিনৰ সংগীত যাত্ৰা নতুন উচ্চতালৈ উৰি গ’ল।

ৰয়েল একাডেমী অৱ মিউজিকত তেওঁৰ অডিচনে তেওঁক প্ৰতিষ্ঠানটোৰ ইতিহাসৰ অন্যতম সৰ্বোচ্চ নম্বৰ লাভ কৰে। ১৯৯১ চনত ৰয়েল ফিলহাৰ্মনিক ছ’চাইটিৰ পৰা বিশিষ্ট “বছৰৰ এককবাদ্যযন্ত্ৰবাদক”কে ধৰি আন্তঃৰাষ্ট্ৰীয় মঞ্চত কৰা ব্যতিক্ৰমী অভিনয়ৰ বাবে তেওঁ অসংখ্য বঁটা আৰু স্বীকৃতি লাভ কৰিছে অটল দৃঢ়তাই তেওঁৰ চৌপাশৰ লোকসকলক প্ৰেৰণা যোগাই থকাৰ লগতে বিশ্বজুৰি দৰ্শকক মোহিত কৰি ৰাখিছে।

WORD MEANINGS

Percussionist: a musician who plays percussion instruments such as drums, cymbals, or xylophones.

Extraordinary: something that is exceptional or unusual, beyond the ordinary.

Potential: the possibility or likelihood of developing into something in the future.

Vibrations: a rapid back-and-forth movement or oscillation of an object or a medium, producing sound waves.

Hone: to refine or perfect something, typically a skill or talent.

Accolades: praise or awards for achievement.

Differently-abled: a term used to refer to individuals with disabilities or who have different abilities than the norm.

Dedication: the quality of being committed to a task or purpose.

Inspiration: something or someone that motivates or stimulates creativity or action.

Determination: the quality of being firm in one\’s resolve or purpose, persistent and unyielding.

Q1. Which country does Evelyn Glennie belong to?

Ans: Evelyn Glennie belongs to Scotland.

 

Q2. At what age was Evelyn’s deafness permanently confirmed by a specialist?

Ans: Her profound deafness was confirmed at the age of eleven due to gradual nerve damage.

 

Q3. Who was the master percussionist who identified and supported Evelyn’s musical talent?

Ans: Master percussionist Ron Forbes identified and supported her talent when others discouraged her.

 

Q4. Which prestigious award did Evelyn receive from the Royal Philharmonic Society in 1991?

Ans: She received the prestigious “Soloist of the Year Award” in 1991.

 

Q5. What basic advice did Ron Forbes give to Evelyn regarding music?

Ans: He advised her not to listen through her ears but to try and feel the music and vibrations through her body.

Textual Question and Answers

Q1. Why did Aurangzeb ban the playing of the pungi?

 

Ans:- Aurangzeb had banned the playing of the pungi because it had a shrill unpleasant sound.

Q2.  How is a shehnai different from a pungi?

 

Ans:- The shehnai is made from a broader and longer pipe which has a natural hollow stem as compared to the pungi. Moreover, it has a very pleasant sound as opposed to the pungi which produces a shrill sound.

Q3. Where was the shehnai traditionally played? How did Bismillah Khan change this?

 

Ans:- Traditionally shehnai was played in temples and at weddings.

Bismillah Khan changed this by bringing the shehnai onto the classical stage.

Q4. When and how did Bismillah Khan get his big break?

 

Ans:- Bismillah Khan got his first break with the opening of the All India Radio in Lucknow in the year 1938. For he started playing there regularly and soon became a well-known and often heard shehnai player on radio.

Q5.Where did Bismillah Khan play the shehnai on 15th August 1947? Why was the event historic?

 

Ans:- Bismillah Khan played the shehnai from atop the Red Fort on 15th August.The event was historic because this was the day when India gained independence and his recital was followed by Jawaharlal Nehru’s famous ‘Tryst with Destiny’ speech.

Q6. Why did Bismillah Khan refuse to start a shehnai school in the U.S.A.?

Ans:- Bismillah Khan refused to start a shehnai school in the U.S.A. because he could not bear the thought of being away from India and his beloved Ganga.

Q7. How old was Evelyn when she went to the Royal Academy of Music?

Ans:Evelyn was seventeen years old when she got admission in the Royal Academy of Music, London. She was nervous as she boarded the train from Scotland as she lived on farms in the countryside and was not exposed to the life in cities. Evelyn was excited as she was about to begin her career in music which was her aim in life.

 

Q8. When was her deafness first noticed? When was it confirmed?

Ans:When Evelyn was eight years old, her mother, Isabelle Glennie noticed that Evelyn did not respond to her name being called out at the piano class. Evelyn’s loss of hearing was gradual and for some time she was able to hide her impairment from her teachers and friends. By the time she turned eleven, her marks deteriorated, and her parents took her to a doctor. Then, it was discovered that Evelyn was profoundly deaf.

 

Q9. Who helped her to continue with music? What did he do and say?

Ans:Evelyn was discouraged by her teachers but master – percussionist Ron

Forbes spotted her talent and potential. He guided Evelyn to feel music some

other way rather than hearing it. He got two large drums and turned them to

different notes. When he played the drums, Evelyn reacted to the distinct notes

 

differently. She realized that she could feel the higher notes produced by one of

the drums through the upper part of her body, above the waist and the lower notes of the other drum through the lower part of her body, below the waist.

This worked well for Evelyn and gradually, she found that she could sense

different sounds and vibrations through different parts of her body.

 

Q10. Name the various places and causes for which Evelyn performs.

Ans:Evelyn made her first tour at the age of sixteen, when she performed with a

youth orchestra. She toured the United Kingdom and after that tour she decided that she would make a career in music. She has made her name in the field of music. Evelyn is a popular musician with a busy international schedule. Apart from the regular concerts, she also does charity and performs for hospitals and prisons. Evelyn also holds classes for young musicians.

 

Broad/ Long  questions in two or three paragraphs (100–150 words).

Q12.How does Evelyn hear music?

Ans:Evelyn Glennie was passionate about music but unfortunately, she lost her

sense of hearing by the age of eleven. She wanted to learn playing the xylophone but was discouraged by her teachers. They opined that as she could not hear, she could not learn music. Master percussionist Ron Forbes spotted Evelyn’s potential. He guided her to feel music some other way than to hear it through her ears. He trained her by tuning two large drums to different notes.Evelyn realized that she could sense different sounds and vibrations through different parts of her body. She could feel the higher notes produced by one of the drums through the upper part of her body, above the waist and the lower notes of the other drum through the lower part of her body, below the waist.

This experiment worked well for Evelyn and she responded to the finer sounds

of music too.Evelyn can feel music penetrate her body through various parts – cheeks, hair,skin, etc. When she plays the xylophone, she feels the sound move from the sticks into her fingertips. When the drums are played, she can feel the echo of the drum beats through her body. Evelyn removes her footwear as she performs on a wooden floor so that she can feel the vibrations produced by different instruments pass through her feet up her legs. Thus, Evelyn has sensitized her body to music.

13.Describe Bismillah Khan’s familial connection with music. (3 marks)

Ans:Bismillah Khan was born into a family of musicians. His grandfather Rasool

Bux Khan played the shehnai at the court of the king of Bhojpur. His father,

Paigambar Bux and his paternal as well as maternal uncles were shehnai

players. Bismillah Khan got the inspiration to play shehnai from his maternal

uncle Ali Bux at Benaras. He saw him playing the shehnai and was fascinated

by it. At the age of five, he started playing it.

14.Describe the character of Ustad Bismillah Khan. (5 marks)

Ans:Ustad Bismillah Khan has been portrayed as a great musician, a devout patriot, and a liberal human being. He has been one of the most eminent musicians of India, a shehnai master of great national and international fame.

Ali Bux, his maternal uncle, perfected him in music. Shehnai was brought to the classical stage by Ustad Bismillah Khan. He practiced for hours and worked.

Extract-Based Questions

“Evelyn’s loss of hearing had been gradual. Her mother remembers noticing something was wrong when the eight-year-old Evelyn was waiting to play the piano.”

 

(i) How did Evelyn lose her sense of hearing?

Ans: Evelyn lost her hearing gradually over a long period of time due to internal nerve damage.

 

(ii) At what age did her mother first notice her hearing problem?

Ans: Her mother first noticed her hearing problem when Evelyn was eight years old.

 

(iii) What instrument was Evelyn waiting to play when the incident occurred?

Ans: She was waiting to play the piano when she did not respond to her name being called.

 

(iv) What did Evelyn do for some time after her early hearing loss?

Ans: She managed to hide her growing deafness from her close friends and school teachers.

 

(v) Give a word from the passage that means ‘happening slowly over a period’.

Ans: The word is “gradual”.

 

Short Answer Questions (2-3 Marks)

 

Q1. How does Evelyn feel the music of the xylophone?

Ans: Evelyn feels the music of the xylophone through a clear pattern of physical sensations.She does not listen through her ears but relies on hard work and focus.She can feel the sound vibrations passing up the sticks directly into her fingertips.Her unshakable determination allows her to sense the musical notes deep within her body.

 

Q2. Why does Evelyn perform barefoot on wooden platforms during concerts?

Ans: She performs barefoot on wooden platforms due to a specific physical technique.She removes her footwear so she does not try to listen through her ears.This allows the sound vibrations to pass directly through her bare feet and up her legs.It is a result of her continuous hard work to feel music through her entire body.

 

Q3. Apart from regular concert venues, where else does Evelyn perform?

Ans: Evelyn uses her musical talent to serve society through a set pattern of locations.She gives completely free concerts in prisons and hospitals.She holds special, dedicated classes for young musicians to inspire them.She uses her unshakable determination to show that disabled children can achieve any goal.

 

Q4. What historic milestone did Evelyn achieve at the Royal Academy of Music?

Ans: Evelyn created history at the institution through absolute dedication.She gave an audition for the prestigious Royal Academy of Music when she was seventeen.Through her hard work, she scored one of the highest marks in the history of the academy.She proved that unshakable determination can overcome any physical limitation.

 

Q5. What message does Evelyn’s life give to differently-abled individuals?

Ans: Her life provides a deeply motivational and clear pattern of hope.It proves that physical limitations cannot stop you if you know your goals.It teaches students that unshakable determination and hard work lead to ultimate success.It shows that if you know where you are going, you will definitely get there.

 

Long & Value-Based Questions (5 Marks)

 

Q1. Describe the method Ron Forbes used to help Evelyn feel sound vibrations.

Ans: Master percussionist Ron Forbes discovered Evelyn’s hidden potential when other teachers completely discouraged her. He told her not to listen through her ears but to try and feel the music and vibrations through other parts of her body.

 

To train her, he took two large drums and tuned them to entirely different musical notes. Evelyn suddenly realized a clear physical pattern: she could feel the higher notes from one drum in her upper body above the waist, and she could feel the lower frequencies from the other drum in her lower body below the waist.

 

Forbes repeated this exercise frequently. Through this systematic training, Evelyn learned to open her mind and body to catch musical frequencies. It was her unshakable determination and intense hard work that turned her entire physical frame into a highly sensitive receiver of sound.

 

Q2. Draw a character sketch of Evelyn Glennie highlighting her key values.

Ans: Evelyn Glennie stands as a legendary symbol of unshakable determination, immense humility, and extreme hard work. When faced with profound deafness at the age of eleven, she completely refused to give up or look at herself as a helpless victim.

 

Her core strength lies in her unique technique: she does not listen through her ears but learns to feel the music and vibrations through her body. Whether it is feeling the notes in her upper and lower body, or catching xylophone sounds through her fingertips, her body acts as an instrument.

 

Despite achieving massive global fame and scoring the highest marks at the Royal Academy of Music, she remains a deeply grounded human being. She dedicates her time to social causes, performing regularly in prisons and hospitals, proving that a kind heart is her greatest quality.

 

Q3. “If you work hard and know where you are going, you will get there.” Elaborate with reference to Evelyn.

Ans: This famous quote perfectly matches the extraordinary life and career of Evelyn Glennie. After losing her hearing completely, she did not abandon her goals. She knew she wanted to build a career in music, and she achieved it through absolute focus.

 

With the guidance of Ron Forbes, she stopped trying to listen through her ears. Instead, she directed her hard work toward learning how to feel the music and vibrations through her physical self. She practiced for hours until her upper and lower body could instantly register different acoustic notes.

 

Because she had a clear destination and unshakable determination, she topped the Royal Academy of Music and became a world-renowned multi-percussionist. Her journey clearly teaches students that clear goals and continuous effort will always lead to ultimate success.

 

Q4. Explain how Evelyn’s body became a musical instrument itself.

Ans: Since deep nerve damage meant her ears could no longer process sound waves, Evelyn had to find an alternate path. She achieved this by training her physical body to respond directly to environmental rhythms.

 

She stopped attempting to listen through her ears and began to systematically feel the music and vibrations instead. When playing the xylophone, she felt the notes pass up the sticks into her fingertips. When performing on stage, she went barefoot so the vibrations could travel through the floor into her feet and legs.

 

Furthermore, different frequencies were split between her upper body and lower body. Music penetrated her skin, her cheeks, and even her hair. Through constant hard work and unshakable determination, she turned her skin and mind into a living, breathing musical instrument.

 

Q5. Why does the author call Evelyn a fountain of inspiration for the disabled?

Ans: The author describes Evelyn as a bright beacon of hope because she achieved what seemed completely impossible for a profoundly deaf individual. She entered a creative field that is totally dependent on hearing and rose to the very top.

 

Differently-abled individuals look at her grand international awards and realize that their own physical challenges cannot stop them. Her life path clearly demonstrates that if you use unshakable determination and hard work, you can conquer any obstacle in life.

 

By shifting her focus from trying to listen through her ears to learning how to feel the vibrations through her upper and lower body, she changed how the world views disability. She proved to everyone that the human spirit is far more powerful than any physical impairment.