The Performance

 

In music, Mandd Sobhann proposed –

1. To base itself on the solid foundation of Konkani folk melodies and rhythms,
2. To  incorporate a sizeable doze of Indian music,
3. To assert its uniqueness, also draw from Western music (melodies, rhythms and harmony).

Mandd Sobhann opted for the sitting posture, Indian costume (kurta-kameez), non-electronic instruments such as the tabla, flute, violin, saxophone and the acoustic guitar were its mainstay.

In short, a Mandd Sobhann presentation is very much similar to a ‘Ghazal’ performance in form and content. And therefore, it also gave rise to the conception (mis-conception) of music of the ‘classes’ versus the music of the ‘masses’. Needless to say that Mandd Sobhann never reaped the benefits of popular music but certainly acquired the respect and status of classical music.

Mandd Sobhann revolutionized Konkani music. Mandd Sobhann proposed a style in Konkani music, that was unheard of before - a beautiful blend of Konkani folk, Indian and Western music. The qualitative lyrical contents of the songs (written by poets of various regions and dialects), the high-standard of the musical compositions, the non-electronic instruments backing the song without drowning the song in noise - all enhanced the appeal of the songs. As the opening song – “Mandd Sobhann mhunnlyar kitem?” suggests, “Ami manddar chyar boddam, mukar tumi maha zannam, amcho moag gho’ddat ten’na, tim Mandd Sobhannam”. The secret of Mandd Sobhann’s success is the rapport that it creates between the audience and the performer.

It also went beyond the existing barriers of regions, religions and dialects. Also, because the music was a combination of Konkani folk, Indian and western music; unlike other styles of Konkani music, Mandd Sobhann had a broader appeal, beyond small communities and regions. It will not be an exaggeration to say that Mandd Sobhann enriched Konkani music by adding a new genre to the Konkani musical repertoire. 

As on date (December 31, 2015), 184 performances of Mandd Sobhann musical experiment, have been presented.