A bit of a beat

Musician Mathura Shrestha claims he has invented a beat that would astound even Beethovan and Mozart. Do we have a musical genius in our midst?

by ADHEEP SHRISH POKHAREL

FROM ISSUE # 180 (December 2010) | IN THIS ISSUE
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ANUP PRAKASH

Mathura Shrestha recently made it into the Guiness Book of World Records. His claim to fame: composing the shortest musical beat. He was recognized by India's Limca Book of Records in its 20th edition in 2009 under the title of 'shortest music bar composed'. He is the first Nepali musician to be mentioned in these books. 

"Not even the most respectable musicians like Beethoven and Mozart have created such a composition before," he says proudly.
So what is this shortest music thing then? While a regular song is composed in 2/4, 3/4, 4/4, 6/8, 7/8, 12/8 time and 70 bars, Mathura Shrestha used 11/4 time and 19 bars to compose the first of its kind composition entitled Aankha Bhitra Lukai Sake.

This two minute and thirty-five seconds long song took him more than six years (1998-2005) of heavy research and experimentation to compose. He named his composition BishamTaal (tune).

His record-holding composition is definitely different to what you might have heard before. The beats are shorter and the tempo is much faster. The time frame between the words is short and the words sound like they are being broken into their syllables while sung. So instead of your usual Aankha bhitra lukai sake, what you hear is an emphasis on individual syllable Aan-kha bhi-tra lu-kai sa-ke.

Forty-year-old Shrestha, who hails from Benighat in Dhading district, started singing at an early age and has mastered instruments like the guitar, piano, and the tabla. To mark the Guinness World Records Day in Kathmandu last month, he played a piano using his nose.

Shrestha takes a lot of pride in having done something considered  impossible in the history of music. "When I consulted some of Nepal's finest musicians like ShilaBahadurMoktan, they thought I was being unreasonable," says Mathura.

PRAKASH MATHEMA

As an eccentric outsider, Shrestha expresses discontent with the current Nepali music scene, "It's purely commercial as there is nothing original about the emerging artists. Their songs barely last three months. The older songs were based on the 'adhunik' melody and you still hear people humming them," he says, advising young artists to pursue their passion only through proper education.

Shrestha produced, sold and distributed his first, and only album so far Mero Bhawana (My Feelings) under his own label. He is a puritan when it comes to his profession, so he says he chose to do most of the work himself with the sponsorship and support of a few media companies. "The problem with record companies is that they give preference to their logos over the artist's composition. It does not matter which artist, it's all the same. Why would I want that?" he asks.

Through the mention of his creation in the two record-holding books, Shrestha believes that his musical contribution has brought Nepal into the limelight of the global music scene. "Music is a language of the world and I have done something that has never been done before. It is a unique creation and every Nepali in the world should be proud of it," he says, paving the way for musicians all over the world to now compose music on the shortest bar possible.

Shrestha has been granted copyright on his material by the government of Nepal. "I wanted to protect my work, even though I know copyrights are often violated here," he says.

The Limca Book of Records has opened doors for Shrestha to work in India. "I have been getting offers from many musicians in India and Nepal. Respecting my skills and talents, one of Bollywood's reputed digital film maker Lokesh Todi intends to introduce my name to Bollywood industry through a short film," says Mathura. If he does, he will have to live up to his words by composing something that will be determined successful besides its commercial value, whatever the other determinant factor might be.

Apart from the unusual compositions, Shrestha uses his musical creativity for therapeutic purposes to help people with depression, anxiety, stress and irritation. "Melodies have the power to heal certain problems," says Mathura who provides this kind of therapy part-time. He listens to the patients' history first then chooses the music that suits their 'mastiska'. When questioned if it really works, Shrestha is quick to point out that it is not a treatment, but a way to relax one's brain muscles which helps in reducing the problems.

Determined to discover more novelty in music, Mathura Shrestha aims to become a global Nepali legend. But before reaching that stage, his compositions await the judgments of many music lovers at home.  

www.mathurashrestha.com.np