One image that will linger in the mind long after one of the remaining teams hold the 2010 football world cup aloft next sunday, will be that of Uruguay's prolific striker Luiz Suarez, gleefully sitting on the shoulders of one of his colleagues, being paraded around the ground after his team's infamous quarterfinal victory, call it escape if you will, against Ghana. The once mighty South Americans had had just won a hard fought penalty shootout against the lone African team in the competition, after being outplayed on the field for most of the game in regular and extra time.
Of course this was not an ordinary victory by penalties. Almost everyone who watched the match would agree that Ghana was defrauded of victory. Luis Suarez's hand went where it had no right to go to block what would have been a sure goal, right on the goal line. The misdemenour is magnified by the fact that this was the last shot of the game, and Ghana would have directly hurtled into the semi finals, an unprecedented achievement for the African team, had it gone in.
****
In sport, as in real life, cheats come in two forms. Most of them, they just manage to evade the system. They take advantage of the fact that the law has only so many eyes and ears, and that loopholes abound for them to exploit. They're bad enough! But not as bad as the ones who make a mockery of the laws that exist to keep them in check. The ones that look the system in the eye to say that it couldnt thwart their purpose if it wanted to. Uruguay's national hero Luis Suarez happens to be one of them.
He was promptly red carded. That was as much as the existing laws could do to him. So much the pity. He will miss Uruguay's semi final match up. But that can hardly be a trade-off, considering that there wouldnt have been a semi final to miss, if he hadnt acted. Ghana was awarded a penalty kick to compensate for what was the surest of goals, which they missed. The match went into penalty shoot out, and Uruguay won a game they could not have won if they played by the rules.
But of course not everyone sees it as a crime. Take Uruguay's coach Oscar Tabárez for instance. He had the most outrageous argument. "We abide by what the referee did. It could have been a mistake. Yes, he stuck his hand out, but it's not cheating. What else do you want? Is Suárez also to blame for Ghana missing the penalty? We try to be dignified, and if we lose a match, we look for the reasons for it. You shouldn't look to third parties." A-ha. So now the victims should just blame themselves. For not knowing to cheat, or for lack of opportunities to do so?
The culprit himself was much less modest. Luis Suarez now claims the rights to the 'hand of god' goal, reminiscent of that famous goal punched in by Diego Maradona in the 1986 world cup against England. He went on to own up for the incident, saying "There was no alternative but for me to do that, and when they missed the penalty, I thought: it is a miracle and we are alive in the tournament." So thats it; when all legal options expire, Take the not legal one!
Of course, the Uruguayans have a precedent too many in this world cup. Beginning with the 'hand of fraud' goal from someone who has so far been revered as one of the greatest footballers of our times, Thierry Henry, when he handled the ball, twice, before scoring the goal that helped France qualify for the world cup, breaking the hearts of a smart Irish team. Over the last two weeks, several other teams have benefitted from oversight by referees.
****
They say that all is fair in war. Sport is in a way war, only a war in which not everything is fair. It is war palyed to rules. And it is those rules that dignify sport, that elevate the imagination of sport lovers, and which let people look at the back pages of newspapers with a brighter smile and not the that glare over the gory details of real wars that litter the pages before, stories of blood and suffering.
Last week, sitting on a discussion panel for one of our news channels, sports commentator Harsha Bhogle agonised that today a certain amount of cheating is taken for granted in sport.
Its all a part of the game, the tough ones argue. As if sport was never a place for the not so tough! But then, how long can the line between whats fair and whats not be allowed to be blurred, for sport to retain its respect, one wonders.
Will Ghana's defeat be the final straw that forces the FIFA to sit down and rethink how rigidly its laws are to be implemented by spirit, and not just by the book? How long will it be before FIFA allows referees to be assisted by technology so that they can overcome understandable human errors? And most importantly, how long before FIFA finds a way of adequately punishing the ones who blatantly violate rules?
Ghana, footballing minnows, surely do not have to strike a penalty to claim a goal that was theirs by right. No, It really does not matter that Ghana had a chance to redeem themselves with the penalty. The moment had passed. Neither is it a valid argument that perhaps Ghana did not deserve to be in the semi's, what with the precious few goals their front-line managed to score in open play all the way to the quarters (which translates into, Ghana could have scored in the 120 minutes before the incident). What matters is that they will be going home, with almost everyone convinced that they were robbed of the chance to make history. What matters is that the legendary olympic motto of 'Faster, Higher, Stronger' can be circumvented, and still games can be won.
In the semi finals of the 2003 cricket world cup, Australian vice captain Adam Gilchrist did something unheard untill then. Early in the match, when he had nicked the ball to a Sri Lankan fielder, he declared himself out and walked back to the pavillion, even though the umpire had not seen the contact between bat and ball. It was heralded as a new era of self censorship that would help clean up sport. But the idea didn't really catch up. Even Gilchrist subsequently stopped 'walking'.
Self censorship just won't work. But that shouldn't stop sporting authorities from stepping in and righting gross wrongs. And righting means righting adequately. Else, the whole purpose of sport would be defeated. God Forbid!
July 18, 2010
June 27, 2010
A French Betrayal
On Tuesday before the world cup match against South Africa, French defender William Gallas sang the La Marseilles with gusto. 'Come children of the fatherland, our day of glory has arrived', he sang. Over the next ninety minutes on the pitch, he looked as if he couldn’t care less. In the days leading up to the match, he was one of the fabulous five that led the player revolt against coach Raymond Domenech.
Of the others, Frank Ribery was a shadow of his Bayern Munich self that commands an annual salary of ten million euros. Thierry Henry was struggling to find a place for himself on the scorecard in the little time he got on the field. Nikolas Anelka, France's enfant terrible, was banned for dissent, and the leader of the revolt, and captain of the team, Patrik Evra wasn't even allowed on the field. These five, also happen to be France's best set of players currently. Hardly the formula to win a tournament, wouldn't you think?
But the pity was not to see them struggle in vain to stamp their authority on the pitch. The pity was to see them look as it didn't matter whether they did, in what will perhaps be the last big stage for many of them. Sad it was that they gave up on winning well before their ninety minutes of play were done. Disgusting it was to see them forget that even if not for themselves, they owed it to the French fans and to football in general, to not take the chance to wear the national jersey at the highest stage lightly.
And to think that a lot of us mentioned France among possible winners barely two weeks ago. But a top billing takes you only so far. Being favourites is not the same as winning. Ultimately its something from within that brings the cup to the lip. Like Vince Lombardi, that legendary American rugby coach used to tell his wards, 'winning is not everything, the will to win is everything'.
Roger Federer is at his menacing best when he is a set down. He rarely loses an important match in straight sets. Brazil has never failed to qualify for the second round in a world cup for 44 years. If they did, they'd probably be massacred back home, you never know. The only tournament the Australian cricket team has lost in recent years is the T20 world cups, a format they still don’t seem to have adjusted to.
But for France, faced with the prospect of yet another humiliating exit, they looked more disoriented than ever. The sight of Djibrael Cisse, shaking his head and walking away from the scene of Joann Djorkoff's red card, shaking his head would exemplify the emotion that a football pitch would be the last place most of the team would rather be that day.
France was a team that always belied reputations. They followed up their 3rd placed finish in the 1986 Mexico world cup with no shows in the next two editions. They failed to qualify in spite of having all time greats like Eric Cantona and Papin in their ranks. In 1998, when they returned to the world cup finals, they took home the crown. Four years later, another first round exit, and humiliation, playing with a team that was too overage for modern day sport. Then in 2006, France made the finals, losing to Italy only in a penalty shootout. And finally, now in 2010, another ignominous defeat.
Is it just inconsistency, or is there more? You can't put the blame on 'out of form' players. Olympique Lyon, French domestic champions had a heady run in the European Champions League last season, reaching the semi final in May with a squad that makes up almost half the numbers of the national squad. And in any case, they were against South Africa, which boasts of not more than one one world class player.
It couldnt be bad coaching either. It was the same coach that took them all the way to the finals last time around. It was surely not the austerity drive back home. The French team has had one of the best facilities among all the teams in South Africa this month.
Discipline is something champions seem to be born with. Well, actually, Discipline is just what separates the champions from the 'insanely talented but perennial under achievers'. Discipline is the difference between Pele, with his 3 world cup titles and over a thousand goals, and Diego Maradona, whose accomplishments cannot hold a candle to the extent of his genius. Discipline is what brings Italy consistently to football glory, in spite of never being a fancied contender.
And a ludicrous lack of discipline is what did France in, with players taking up the cudgels against their own coach, even refusing to turn up for training. Nikolas Anelka might have been right, but that doesn’t justify his behaviour.
If the French are still confused about how to tackle a coach they can’t adjust with, they only need to look across the Atlantic. Diego Maradona might have been the most reviled of coaches last year, notwithstanding his footballing prowess. But over the last few months, both coach and team stepped down from their pedestals, tried to understand each other, and worked for the common good. Today Argentina is the most convincing of the 32 teams playing, if not the only one.
But even discipline can't make up for the lack of inspiration. And for France, they lost when they decided that everything was going against them this time, and they wouldn’t win anyway. But look through the annals of sport, and you will find legendary stories of teams and individuals who fought to the finish just because they couldn’t accept defeat, and eventually won. Again,’ like Lombardi said, It isn’t about winning. It’s about aching to win!
Of the others, Frank Ribery was a shadow of his Bayern Munich self that commands an annual salary of ten million euros. Thierry Henry was struggling to find a place for himself on the scorecard in the little time he got on the field. Nikolas Anelka, France's enfant terrible, was banned for dissent, and the leader of the revolt, and captain of the team, Patrik Evra wasn't even allowed on the field. These five, also happen to be France's best set of players currently. Hardly the formula to win a tournament, wouldn't you think?
But the pity was not to see them struggle in vain to stamp their authority on the pitch. The pity was to see them look as it didn't matter whether they did, in what will perhaps be the last big stage for many of them. Sad it was that they gave up on winning well before their ninety minutes of play were done. Disgusting it was to see them forget that even if not for themselves, they owed it to the French fans and to football in general, to not take the chance to wear the national jersey at the highest stage lightly.
And to think that a lot of us mentioned France among possible winners barely two weeks ago. But a top billing takes you only so far. Being favourites is not the same as winning. Ultimately its something from within that brings the cup to the lip. Like Vince Lombardi, that legendary American rugby coach used to tell his wards, 'winning is not everything, the will to win is everything'.
Roger Federer is at his menacing best when he is a set down. He rarely loses an important match in straight sets. Brazil has never failed to qualify for the second round in a world cup for 44 years. If they did, they'd probably be massacred back home, you never know. The only tournament the Australian cricket team has lost in recent years is the T20 world cups, a format they still don’t seem to have adjusted to.
But for France, faced with the prospect of yet another humiliating exit, they looked more disoriented than ever. The sight of Djibrael Cisse, shaking his head and walking away from the scene of Joann Djorkoff's red card, shaking his head would exemplify the emotion that a football pitch would be the last place most of the team would rather be that day.
France was a team that always belied reputations. They followed up their 3rd placed finish in the 1986 Mexico world cup with no shows in the next two editions. They failed to qualify in spite of having all time greats like Eric Cantona and Papin in their ranks. In 1998, when they returned to the world cup finals, they took home the crown. Four years later, another first round exit, and humiliation, playing with a team that was too overage for modern day sport. Then in 2006, France made the finals, losing to Italy only in a penalty shootout. And finally, now in 2010, another ignominous defeat.
Is it just inconsistency, or is there more? You can't put the blame on 'out of form' players. Olympique Lyon, French domestic champions had a heady run in the European Champions League last season, reaching the semi final in May with a squad that makes up almost half the numbers of the national squad. And in any case, they were against South Africa, which boasts of not more than one one world class player.
It couldnt be bad coaching either. It was the same coach that took them all the way to the finals last time around. It was surely not the austerity drive back home. The French team has had one of the best facilities among all the teams in South Africa this month.
Discipline is something champions seem to be born with. Well, actually, Discipline is just what separates the champions from the 'insanely talented but perennial under achievers'. Discipline is the difference between Pele, with his 3 world cup titles and over a thousand goals, and Diego Maradona, whose accomplishments cannot hold a candle to the extent of his genius. Discipline is what brings Italy consistently to football glory, in spite of never being a fancied contender.
And a ludicrous lack of discipline is what did France in, with players taking up the cudgels against their own coach, even refusing to turn up for training. Nikolas Anelka might have been right, but that doesn’t justify his behaviour.
If the French are still confused about how to tackle a coach they can’t adjust with, they only need to look across the Atlantic. Diego Maradona might have been the most reviled of coaches last year, notwithstanding his footballing prowess. But over the last few months, both coach and team stepped down from their pedestals, tried to understand each other, and worked for the common good. Today Argentina is the most convincing of the 32 teams playing, if not the only one.
But even discipline can't make up for the lack of inspiration. And for France, they lost when they decided that everything was going against them this time, and they wouldn’t win anyway. But look through the annals of sport, and you will find legendary stories of teams and individuals who fought to the finish just because they couldn’t accept defeat, and eventually won. Again,’ like Lombardi said, It isn’t about winning. It’s about aching to win!
March 21, 2010
Rating The Yuan
Four years ago, US senator Charles E Schumer made a trip to China to persuade lawmakers there to allow their currency, the Renminbi, popularly known as the Yuan, to fluctuate according to the market. China yielded, and in the next two years, it appreciated fifteen percent against the dollar. That time around, he had warned China of a tariff of 27.5% on Chinese imports until China adjusted the value of its currency.
Fast forward two years. In the height of the financial crisis in July 2008, with the dollar losing value, China again pegged the Yuan to the dollar to prevent its exporters from losing out on conversion. For perspective, China has a 4:1 export import ratio with the US, and singularly contributes to over 40% of its total trade deficit of around $43 billion.
Schumer is now pushing legislation that would designate China as a currency manipulator, with punitive measures to follow. In his words, “They simply want to increase their economic power and we will do whatever it takes to do that. And the only way to change them is by forcing them to change”
But he was just echoing popular sentiment. Nobel Laureate Paul Krugman called for a 25% tax on Chinese imports to America saying “never before in history has a nation followed this drastic a mercantilist policy”. The New York Times, in an editorial this week, called on other countries, such as India and Korea, also affected by China's exhange rate regime, to pressurise the country to let the Yuan to appreciate. This is based on the logic that a weak Yuan making exports of these countries uncompetitive, by allowing Chinese exporters to sell at lower dollar prices as they were getting a higher price out of conversion. (India, on its part, has chosen to remain largely silent on the issue)
But the US is severely affected, or atleast it claims to be. The reasoning is worth paying attention to. America’s trade deficit with China (the excess of its imports over its exports to China, in dollars) stands close to $20 billion. If you apply the appreciation of the currency of another country that has a similar exports to GDP ration, lets say Korea, (the Korean Won has appreciated by 23% in the one year leading upto January 2010 - the period for which we have the latest available trade figures) to the Yuan, it can be said to be undervalued by at least twenty percent. Apply this to the deficit and you’ll find that it could have been lesser by $4 billion (20% of $20 bn), a whopping 10% of America’s total deficit.
But not everyone seems to buy the argument. For example, some bloggers wonder why, in that case, one should not assume that China might also not allow free capital account convertibility. If that were to happen, they argue, the demand for dollars in China from people looking to park some of their assets abroad would actually depreciate the Yuan. James McGregor a senior counselor at Apco Worldwide had yet another point when he spoke to Bloomberg last week saying, “it (the argument) is nicely packaged to solve America's trade deficit problem, but talking decontrol it will only make China reluctant to make a change”.
And that leaves us with yet another argument. Would any purpose be served by cajoling China every other day? With its lately acquired status as an economic powerhouse that weathered the financial crisis, China is in no mood to bow, or atleast be seen as bowing, to international pressure. And here’s the catch. With commodity prices soaring, the country may be able to provide respite to importers by making the Yuan more valuable. So it might actually be in China's interest to appreciate the Yuan now.
Fast forward two years. In the height of the financial crisis in July 2008, with the dollar losing value, China again pegged the Yuan to the dollar to prevent its exporters from losing out on conversion. For perspective, China has a 4:1 export import ratio with the US, and singularly contributes to over 40% of its total trade deficit of around $43 billion.
Schumer is now pushing legislation that would designate China as a currency manipulator, with punitive measures to follow. In his words, “They simply want to increase their economic power and we will do whatever it takes to do that. And the only way to change them is by forcing them to change”
But he was just echoing popular sentiment. Nobel Laureate Paul Krugman called for a 25% tax on Chinese imports to America saying “never before in history has a nation followed this drastic a mercantilist policy”. The New York Times, in an editorial this week, called on other countries, such as India and Korea, also affected by China's exhange rate regime, to pressurise the country to let the Yuan to appreciate. This is based on the logic that a weak Yuan making exports of these countries uncompetitive, by allowing Chinese exporters to sell at lower dollar prices as they were getting a higher price out of conversion. (India, on its part, has chosen to remain largely silent on the issue)
But the US is severely affected, or atleast it claims to be. The reasoning is worth paying attention to. America’s trade deficit with China (the excess of its imports over its exports to China, in dollars) stands close to $20 billion. If you apply the appreciation of the currency of another country that has a similar exports to GDP ration, lets say Korea, (the Korean Won has appreciated by 23% in the one year leading upto January 2010 - the period for which we have the latest available trade figures) to the Yuan, it can be said to be undervalued by at least twenty percent. Apply this to the deficit and you’ll find that it could have been lesser by $4 billion (20% of $20 bn), a whopping 10% of America’s total deficit.
But not everyone seems to buy the argument. For example, some bloggers wonder why, in that case, one should not assume that China might also not allow free capital account convertibility. If that were to happen, they argue, the demand for dollars in China from people looking to park some of their assets abroad would actually depreciate the Yuan. James McGregor a senior counselor at Apco Worldwide had yet another point when he spoke to Bloomberg last week saying, “it (the argument) is nicely packaged to solve America's trade deficit problem, but talking decontrol it will only make China reluctant to make a change”.
And that leaves us with yet another argument. Would any purpose be served by cajoling China every other day? With its lately acquired status as an economic powerhouse that weathered the financial crisis, China is in no mood to bow, or atleast be seen as bowing, to international pressure. And here’s the catch. With commodity prices soaring, the country may be able to provide respite to importers by making the Yuan more valuable. So it might actually be in China's interest to appreciate the Yuan now.
January 5, 2010
In The Mood For Carols
For a country traditionally known for its brain power and whiz kids, and where almost all talk of appreciation of cultural heritage remains nostalgic rhetoric, it is perhaps natural that we Indians are satisfied with, why even applaud, a work of mediocrity branded as art! And so it comes as a pleasant surprise when someone comes along and shows themselves to be capable of matching the best in the world, and that at a form of art that evolved in and was mastered by the west.
To count the Paranjoti Academy Chorus as among the best in the country would not be an exaggeration. The choir has thrilled audiences with a repertoire that cuts across genres for over fifty years. The choir boasts ten international tours and several competitive prizes.
In a Christmas season that even took them to the Rashtrapati Bhavan to herald yuletide for the President of India, they also performed a series of four concerts in the churches of Mumbai. I attended three, and would gladly have gone for more had they obliged.
The concerts were by themselves an assortion of musical genres, a mixture of the some of the best pieces from Medieval Western classical to Indian melodies and European traditionals to modern day carols, any day guaranteed to perk up your senses. The concerts began with the choristers taking the stage in a candlelit procession, singing Silent Night (in itself a rarity – Silent Night is traditionally a closing song)
There are some choral pieces that readily evoke mental images of the Kings College Choir or the Vienna Boys Choir simply because it is almost inconceivable that anyone else could fill you with the same awe on performing them. It gives credence to the reputation of this Indian choir that not only did they attempt ‘O Magnum Mysterium’ & Cantata Domino’, but that their rendition could compare with the best in the world after, but of course, allowing for the shortcomings in live performances.
But the best moments of the concerts were the two Indian songs they performed, ‘Madhura Madhura’ in Marathi & a lullaby in Hindi, aptly titled ‘So Jaa Re’. Indian choral music might be one of the most under-rated if not unheard of traditions of music. Reminds me of the Tamilian composer Cooling Raja, absurd name though, who made some of the most beautiful Christmas music that ever greeted the ear. And don’t even get me started on Malayalam music.
There cannot be Christmas singing without the East European traditionals. Again a distinct stamp of beauty, the carols follow in the rich tradition of the all time greats. The choir did one German (that evergreen ode to the christmas tree, ‘O Tannenbaum’) & two Austrian pieces, plus a couple of Spanish numbers, each of them as pleasant as the other, but with its own unique touch.
But for all the talk of tradition, you cannot miss out on the music that audiences readily connect to. And quite rightly, the best cheers were reserved for the lively rendering of popular carols ‘Deck the Hall’ & ‘The Little Drummer Boy’, Not to mention two contemporary carols by William Dawson, one them which even had tinges of what you could pass of as rap music. (Okay, fancy a bunch a fifteen men singing rap, and you’ll realize why I didn’t call it rap per se). And then there were the congregational hymns, where the whole church joined in singing some of the most popular carols – That was an experience to cherish, a token of appreciation for an evening of splendid music.
The concerts finally closed with two of perhaps the most sought after songs in choral tradition. ‘For Unto Us A Child Is Born’ & finally the majestic ‘Hallelujah’ chorus (which still gives me Goosebumps every time I hear it, never mind that Iv heard it hundreds of times) from George Frideric Handel’s magnum opus ‘Messiah’. Admittedly, the quality of these two renditions failed to match the lofty standards the choir had signed for with its performance earlier in the day, but that is perhaps just nitpicking over an otherwise wonderful evening.
Somehow western choral music, even for its popularity among select pockets of music fans, remains an exclusive genre, even derided by Hindusthani experts as singing in ‘mostly false voice’. But what shouldn’t miss is the collective harmony produced when a multitude of trained voices combine to produce a soulful performance, like the Paranjoti Choir did this Christmas, that cannot be replicated in any other form of music. Whether you agree or not, the next time you rush to a music store to grab a recording of the Choir Of The Kings College, or The Mormon Tabernacle Choir, maybe you should bother to find out when this choir is performing right in your city. It will be worth it, I can guarantee you!
To count the Paranjoti Academy Chorus as among the best in the country would not be an exaggeration. The choir has thrilled audiences with a repertoire that cuts across genres for over fifty years. The choir boasts ten international tours and several competitive prizes.
In a Christmas season that even took them to the Rashtrapati Bhavan to herald yuletide for the President of India, they also performed a series of four concerts in the churches of Mumbai. I attended three, and would gladly have gone for more had they obliged.
The concerts were by themselves an assortion of musical genres, a mixture of the some of the best pieces from Medieval Western classical to Indian melodies and European traditionals to modern day carols, any day guaranteed to perk up your senses. The concerts began with the choristers taking the stage in a candlelit procession, singing Silent Night (in itself a rarity – Silent Night is traditionally a closing song)
There are some choral pieces that readily evoke mental images of the Kings College Choir or the Vienna Boys Choir simply because it is almost inconceivable that anyone else could fill you with the same awe on performing them. It gives credence to the reputation of this Indian choir that not only did they attempt ‘O Magnum Mysterium’ & Cantata Domino’, but that their rendition could compare with the best in the world after, but of course, allowing for the shortcomings in live performances.
But the best moments of the concerts were the two Indian songs they performed, ‘Madhura Madhura’ in Marathi & a lullaby in Hindi, aptly titled ‘So Jaa Re’. Indian choral music might be one of the most under-rated if not unheard of traditions of music. Reminds me of the Tamilian composer Cooling Raja, absurd name though, who made some of the most beautiful Christmas music that ever greeted the ear. And don’t even get me started on Malayalam music.
There cannot be Christmas singing without the East European traditionals. Again a distinct stamp of beauty, the carols follow in the rich tradition of the all time greats. The choir did one German (that evergreen ode to the christmas tree, ‘O Tannenbaum’) & two Austrian pieces, plus a couple of Spanish numbers, each of them as pleasant as the other, but with its own unique touch.
But for all the talk of tradition, you cannot miss out on the music that audiences readily connect to. And quite rightly, the best cheers were reserved for the lively rendering of popular carols ‘Deck the Hall’ & ‘The Little Drummer Boy’, Not to mention two contemporary carols by William Dawson, one them which even had tinges of what you could pass of as rap music. (Okay, fancy a bunch a fifteen men singing rap, and you’ll realize why I didn’t call it rap per se). And then there were the congregational hymns, where the whole church joined in singing some of the most popular carols – That was an experience to cherish, a token of appreciation for an evening of splendid music.
The concerts finally closed with two of perhaps the most sought after songs in choral tradition. ‘For Unto Us A Child Is Born’ & finally the majestic ‘Hallelujah’ chorus (which still gives me Goosebumps every time I hear it, never mind that Iv heard it hundreds of times) from George Frideric Handel’s magnum opus ‘Messiah’. Admittedly, the quality of these two renditions failed to match the lofty standards the choir had signed for with its performance earlier in the day, but that is perhaps just nitpicking over an otherwise wonderful evening.
Somehow western choral music, even for its popularity among select pockets of music fans, remains an exclusive genre, even derided by Hindusthani experts as singing in ‘mostly false voice’. But what shouldn’t miss is the collective harmony produced when a multitude of trained voices combine to produce a soulful performance, like the Paranjoti Choir did this Christmas, that cannot be replicated in any other form of music. Whether you agree or not, the next time you rush to a music store to grab a recording of the Choir Of The Kings College, or The Mormon Tabernacle Choir, maybe you should bother to find out when this choir is performing right in your city. It will be worth it, I can guarantee you!
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