Facing a barrage of highbrow criticism from classical masters, Tagore averred Music shall not bear choining by the shackles of Somswati not even f the shoe/des ore mode out of the strings of her own lyre! In his musical journey, Tagore initially used pure classical ragas to express his characteristic individuality in the word-content and idea- content and established that music is not merely an elaboration of raga, but an inter-weaving of melody with words of the highest literary and spiritual quality. Similar to Wagner’s Lieders, Tagore made his music express everything it is capable of when united with exquisite poetic and dramatic Literature. Having broken completely from older conceptions, according to which music had been a mere playground for melodies for the strong-lunged singers with scant attention paid to lyrics, Tagore like the German poet-composer- intended music to interpret the poetry. Like Wagnerin Europe, Tagore gave the world of Indian music a new and perfect form of dramatic content. In Valmiki Pratibha and Kaal Mrigaya, two of his eadiest music experimentations, Tagore used from church-music staccato, appropriate to energetic passages to express exhilaration, resolution and confidence slurred intervals for gentler feelings and slow largo and adagio for depressing emotions like grief or serene portrayals of reverence. With such eclectic upbringing, Tagore blossomed into a virtuoso composer when he was barely 14 and continued till death. His early musical exposure was thoroughly diverse not merely to the visiting classical maestros like Maula Box and Jadu Bhatta, but to servants reciting the epics, Kishori Chatteijee narrating the Dasharathi folksaga, Srikontho Babu singing Vaishnavite lyrics and the eldest brother Owijendranath holding forth on both Kalidasa’s Meghadootam and own Swapnaprayan. The seeds germinated from the musical ambience at home in Jorasanko Thakurbari where music of all genres had a halcyon day. That this was no empty boast, time has proven with the continued, unwavering popularity of his music even after over six decades of his passing away. In his own estimation, whether or not some of his creative efforts would survive the ravages of time, music was one arena where he knew he would dei destiny to perpetuate his legacy as bequeathed to his countrymen. While music was only one of those areas illumined by his incandescent vision, he was confident of the blessings of the muse.
The towering persona of Rabindranath Tagore had explored a multitude of disciplines in his lifetime: spanning eight decades.