Prabhupada and Classical Music

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Dear Devotees,

 

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

 

I am participating in a discussion about classical music, which started with

two senior devotee friends of mine, both leaders of ISKCON. One of them

wrote the following:

 

>1.Srila Prabhupada personally liked Indian classical music. I was once with

>Srila Prabhupada in Mayapur when he complained that the shenai music had

>stopped in the morning.

 

>2. In India, the majority of the classical music, including the music Srila

>Prabhupada used to listen to, was made by Muslins that eat meat among other

>habits. I have to say that the music Srila Prabhupada used to listen to

>was music created and performed by such people.

 

Please share your knowledge with me about what Srila Prabhupada wanted and

did not want us to listen to?

 

In the specific context, the western classical music is being referred to:

 

>About Vivaldi, we know for sure that he was a very serious Catholic and a

>composer of genial music. At the same time, in one of his biographies it

>is suggested that he had relations with a young girl. The age of the girl

>should not shock us, since the Bhagavatam talks about king Cyavana who got

>married to a girl who was four or five times younger. Of course, Vivaldi

>did not get married, but, the age of the girl in itself is not a great

>scandal to still the cradle.

 

My comment on this was: "I am not so convinced that music from this type of

person is the kind of music we should be listening to or advertising on a

public devotional forum that we enjoy it. Artists of classical music are no

exempt from sinful life. Let's plan with caution, analyzing the risks and

benefits of introducing anything new."

 

Your comments and references will be greatly appreciated.

 

Hope this finds you well.

 

 

Your servant,

 

Lilananda dasa