NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Beehive book The Sound of Music Part 2 Important Question Answers Lesson 2
Class 9 English The Sound of Music Part 2 Question Answers – Looking for The Sound of Music Part 2 question answers (NCERT solutions) for CBSE Class 9 English Beehive Book Chapter 2? Look no further! Our comprehensive compilation of important questions will help you brush up on your subject knowledge. Practising Class 9 English question answers can significantly improve your performance in the exam. Our solutions provide a clear idea of how to write the answers effectively. Improve your chances of scoring high marks by exploring Chapter 2: The Sound of Music Part 2 now. The questions listed below are based on the latest CBSE exam pattern, wherein we have given NCERT solutions to the chapter’s extract based questions, multiple choice questions, short answer questions, and long answer questions.
Also, practising with different kinds of questions can help students learn new ways to solve problems that they may not have seen before. This can ultimately lead to a deeper understanding of the subject matter and better performance on exams.
- The Sound of Music Part 2 Extract Based Questions
- The Sound of Music Part 2 Multiple Choice Questions
- The Sound of Music Part 2 Short Answer Questions
- The Sound of Music Part 2 Long Answer questions
Class 9 English The Sound of Music Part 2 Question Answers Lesson 2 – Extract Based Questions
Extract-based questions are of the multiple-choice variety, and students must select the correct option for each question by carefully reading the passage.
A. Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow:
Few had thought that it would one day be revived. A barber of a family of professional musicians, who had access to the royal palace, decided to improve the tonal quality of the pungi. He chose a pipe with a natural hollow stem that was longer and broader than the pungi, and made seven holes on the body of the pipe.
Q1. What does ‘it’ refer to?
Ans. It refers to a reeded musical instrument called the pungi.
Q2. Why did ‘it’ need to be revived?
Ans. The pungi was forbidden in the royal residence by the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb because he thought its sound was loud and unpleasant. It had to be revived as a result.
Q3. Why was “it” likely of interest to the barber?
Ans. The barber came from a musically-inclined household. That is perhaps why he was drawn to the pungi, a reeded musical instrument.
Q4. Has ‘it’ been improved by him? Yes, but how?
Ans. Yes, he was successful in enhancing the pungi’s tonal quality. He used a reed or a pipe with a longer, wider natural hollow stem than the pungi. He punctured it seven times. It didn’t generate the shrill, unpleasant sound of the previous pungi when played; instead, it produced gentle, melodic melody.
B. Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow:
As the story goes, since it was first played in the Shah’s chambers and was played by a nai (barber), the instrument was named the ‘shehnai’. The sound of the shehnai began to be considered auspicious. And for this reason it is still played in temples and is an indispensable component of any North Indian wedding.
Q1. What is ‘it’ here?
Ans. It is shehnai – a musical instrument made with a hollow stem with seven holes in it.
Q2. How did ‘it’ get its name?
Ans. In the emperor’s rooms, the barber played the instrument. In Urdu, “Shah” means “emperor,” and “nai” means “barber.” The two terms were merged to create the name “shehnai,” which was an enhanced version of the word “pungi.”
Q3. Find a synonym of lucky from the extract.
Ans. auspicious
Q4. What does the instrument being played in the royal court represent?
Ans. This shows that the tonal quality fo shehnai was better than that of the pungi
C. Read the following extract and Ans. wer the questions that follow:
Till recently it was used only in temples and weddings. The credit for bringing this instrument onto the classical stage goes to Ustad Bismillah Khan. As a five-year old, Bismillah Khan played gilli-danda near a pond in the ancient estate of Dumraon in Bihar. He would regularly go to the nearby Bihariji temple to sing the Bhojpuri ‘Chaita’, at the end of which he would earn a big laddu weighing 1.25 kg, a prize given by the local Maharaja.
Q1. Which instrument is being referred to in the extract that was used in temples and at weddings?
Ans. The instrument is referred to in the extract is ‘shehnai’.
Q2. Why do you think that it was used only in temples and weddings?
Ans. Shehnai’s beautiful melodies were revered as lucky because of their beauty. Shehnai came to be played there since the temple is a sacred location and a wedding is a fortunate event.
Q3. Who was Ustad Bismillah Khan?
Ans. The well-known shehnai player Ustad Bismillah Khan made a substantial contribution to the shehnai’s advancement as an important musical instrument.
Q4. How was the shehnai introduced to the classical theatre by Bismillah Khan?
Ans. Because of the unique tunes he created, Bismillah Khan provided a huge service to the shehnai, which is now recognised as a classical music instrument.
D. Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow:
The flowing waters of the Ganga inspired him to improvise and invent raagas that were earlier considered to be beyond the range of the shehnai. At the age of 14, Bismillah accompanied his uncle to the Allahabad Music Conference. At the end of his recital, Ustad Faiyaz Khan patted the young boy’s back and said, “Work hard and you shall make it.” With the opening of the All India Radio in Lucknow in 1938 came Bismillah’s big break. He soon became an often-heard shehnai player on radio.
Q1. What inspired Ustad Bismillah Khan?
Ans. Ustad Bismillah Khan was inspired by the flowing waters of the Ganga.
Q2. What effect did he experience from the Ganges waters?
Ans. He was inspired to create such raagas which were thought to be beyond the range of the shehnai.
Q3. What did he do at the age of 14
Ans. At the age of 14, Bismillah accompanied his uncle to the Allahabad Music Conference.
Q4. What did Ustad Faiyaz Khan say to him?
Ans. At the end of his recital, Ustad Faiyaz Khan patted the young boy’s back and said, “Work hard and you shall make it.”
E. Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow:
When India gained independence on 15 August 1947, Bismillah Khan became the first Indian to greet the nation with his shehnai. He poured his heart out into Raag Kafi from the Red Fort to an audience which included Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, who later gave his famous ‘Tryst with Destiny’ speech.
Q1. Explain the expression: “He poured his heart out.”
Ans. The phrase implies that Bismillah Khan, a true patriot, was ecstatic at the announcement of India’s independence, and that this excitement is where the music played on the shehnai came from.
Q2. On which occasion did he play Raag Kafi for the audience?
Ans. He played Raag Kafi for the audience on the occasion of the independence of India on August 15, 1947.
Q3. Which instrument did he play upon on this occasion?
Ans. He played upon the shehnai, the music of which is considered auspicious in India.
Q4. Find a word from the passage which means the same as ‘renowned’.
Ans. Famous
Class 9 English Beehive The Sound of Music Part 2 Lesson 2 Multiple Choice Questions
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) are a type of objective assessment in which a person is asked to choose one or more correct answers from a list of available options. An MCQ presents a question along with several possible answers.
Q1. Bismillah Khan was also known as ___________.
- Khansaab
- Bismillahsaab
- Kingsaab
- Ustadsaab
Ans. A Khansaab
Q2. Which is India’s highest civilian award?
- the Padmashri
- the Padma Bhushan
- the Padma Vibhushan
- the Bharat Ratna
Ans. D the Bharat Ratna
Q3. Tahar Mosiquee Ustaad Bismillah Khan auditorium is situated in _____________.
- Montreal
- Osaka
- Teheran
- Behrin
Ans. C Teheran
Q4. Where is Lincoln Center Hall situated?
- UK
- the USA
- Canada
- France
Ans. B USA
Q5. Which of the following is Bismillah Khan’s composition?
- Dil ka khilona hai toot gaya
- Mere khuda mujhko na bhoolana
- Main Tere dar to aaya Noon
- Ye Dil ka taranaa hai
Ans. A Dil ka khilona hai toot gaya
Q6. On August 15, 1947, which Raag was played by Bismillah Khan from the Red Fort?
- Raag Malhaar
- Raag Deepak
- Raag Kafi
- Raag Megh
Ans. C Raag Kafi
Q7. Who was Ali Bux?
- Bismillah’s father
- Bismillah’s grandfather
- Bismillah’s maternal uncle
- Bismillah’s friend
Ans. C Bismillah’s maternal uncle
Q8. What was Bismillah Khan’s grandfather?
- a soldier
- an actor
- a courtier
- the shehnai Nawaz of the Bhojpur King’s court
Ans. D the shehnai Nawaz of the Bhojpur King’s court
Q9. Where did Bismillah Khan regularly go to sing Bhojpuri ‘Chaita’?
- Bihariji Temple
- Jama Masjid
- Rumpurva Temple
- Durga Temple
Ans. A Bihariji Temple
Q10. What credit is given to Ustad Bismillah Khan?
- inventing shehnai
- inventing pungi
- bring shehnai onto the classical stage
- none of these
Ans. C bring shehnai onto the classical stage
Q11. What was the source of inspiration for Bismillah?
- Red Fort
- Royal Palaces
- Ganga Ghats
- None
Ans. C Ganga Ghats
Q12. Which instrument has been improved and is called Shehnai?
- musical instrument
- mouth organ
- Guitar
- Pungi
Ans. D Pungi
Q13. Why was the event of Shehnai Playing on 15th August a historic one?
- Bismillah became popular
- people appreciated his performance
- it was Independence day
- All of the above
Ans. C it was Independence day
Q14. Why did Bismillah refuse to go to the U.S.A?
- because the Shehnai had no future there
- he didn’t like the place
- because of his love for Banaras and river Ganges
- All of the above
Ans. C because of his love for Banaras and river Ganges
Q15. Where was the Shehnai played traditionally?
- in temples
- in wedding ceremonies
- auspicious ceremonies
- All of the above
Class 9 English The Sound of Music Part 2 Short Question Answers (including questions from Previous Years Question Papers)
In this post we are also providing important short answer questions from Chapter 2 The Sound of Music Part 2 for CBSE Class 9 exam in the coming session.
Q1. Why did Aurangzeb forbid the pungi’s use?
Ans. Emperor Aurangzeb prohibited the playing of the pungi because he thought its harsh, shrill, and disagreeable sound made it a reeded noisemaker. He forbade its use at the court of the king.
Q2. Why did “pungi” come to be known as “reeded noisemakers”?
Ans. Loud, unpleasant, and disturbing music was produced by the pungi. Aurangzeb forbade the strident music in the royal residence because of it. It acquired the term “reeded noisemakers” because it was made of reeds and created loud noises.
Q3. How is a ‘shehnai’ different from a pungi?
Ans. A shehnai is a reeded instrument similar to a pungi, but it is wider and has a different sound. Instead of the loud, startling sound that a pungi makes, it makes soothing, lyrical noises because its stem is longer and wider than that of a pungi.
Q4. What form did the pungi take after being revived?
Ans. A barber who came from a family of talented musicians reintroduced the pungi after Aurangzeb forbade its use in the royal residence by drilling seven holes in a broader, longer hollow stem. The enhanced pungi created gentle, pleasing tones.
Q5. Where was the shehnai played traditionally? How did Bismillah Khan change it?
OR
How did Bismillah Khan bring the ‘shehnai’ onto the classical stage?
Ans. Shehnai is one of the nine instruments that make up the group known as naubat, and it was formerly played in the royal court. It was given a place among other classical instrumental music pieces by Bismillah Khan, who also made it an autonomous instrument.
Q6. Where did Bismillah Khan typically perform when he was five years old? Who gave him his award, and how?
Ans. When he was five years old, Bismillah Khan frequently sung the Bhojpuri ‘chaita’ in the Bihariji shrine in his home village of Dumraon, Bihar. He was awarded a large laddu, weighing 1.25 kg, by the local Maharaja as a prize at the conclusion of the song.
Q7. What does the feature “The Shehnai of Bismillah Khan” tell us about the paternal ancestors of Bismillah Khan?
OR
What kind of family did Bismillah Khan hail from?
Ans. From a musical family in Bihar came Bismillah Khan. Rasool Bux Khan, his grandpa, was a shehnai player in the Bhojpur king’s court. Numerous maternal and paternal uncles, as well as his father Paigambar Bux, were also “shehnai vaadaks” (players).
Q8. Who was Ali Bux? Where was he employed and what was his influence on Bismillah Khan?
Ans. Ali Bux, Bismillah Khan’s maternal uncle, might be viewed as his teacher and mentor. He was hired to play the shehnai in the Benaras Vishnu temple since he was a skilled shehnai player. Bismillah Khan began performing with him at a very young age and learned how to play the shehnai from him. The small youngster would sit and watch his uncle for hours before practising all day.
Q9. Where did Bismillah Khan play the shehnai on August 15, 1947? Why was the event historic?
Ans. On August 15, 1947, Bismillah Khan performed the shehnai at the Red Fort in New Delhi before Pandit Nehru’s speech. It was a historic occasion because on this day, India gained independence from the British. The first Indian to greet the country was Bismillah Khan, who did so while playing the melodic Raag Kafi on his shehnai and spoke from the heart.
Q10. In which country did Bismillah Khan travel for the first time? How did they honour him there?
Ans. During Bismillah Khan’s first voyage abroad, he visited Afghanistan, where King Zahir Shah was so moved by the maestro’s shehnai performance that he presented him with gifts of rare Persian carpets and other mementos.
Q11. Which films did Bismillah Khan provide music for? Why did he discontinue playing the shehnai for films?
Ans. With “Gunj Uthi Shehnai” by Vijay Bhatt, Bismillah Khan made his film debut. After that, he appeared in the Kannada movie “Samadhi Apanna”. Despite his great success, he left the film industry since his preferences did not mesh well with the glitz and artificiality of the industry.
Q12. How was the music of Bismillah Khan received and accepted internationally?
Ans. Bismillah Khan was the first Indian to be invited to sing at the prestigious Lincoln Central Hall in the United States because his music was so well-liked on a global scale. He took part in the Osaka Trade Fair, the Cannes Art Festival, and the Montreal World Exposition. A theatre in Teheran- Tahar Mosiquee Ustaad Bismillah Khan, bears his name.
Q13. How did India pay tribute to and honour Bismillah Khan, a legendary musician?
Ans. The three highest national honours bestowed to Bismillah Khan by India were the Padmashri, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Vibhushan. In 2001, he received the Bharat Rama, India’s highest civilian honour.
Q14. Why did Bismillah Khan desire to teach music to youngsters in India?
Ans. Bismillah Khan held Hindustani music in the highest respect as being the most representative of Indian music’s vast history. He wished for parents to keep their children connected to this grand tradition, which even Westerners found intriguing.
Q15. What proposition was made to him by one of Bismillah Khan’s students in the US? Why?
Ans. The famous maestro was sought after to lead a shehnai school in the US by a Bismillah Khan student who was also based there. By building temples akin to those in Benaras, India, he pledged to recreate the atmosphere of that country.
Class 9 The Sound of Music Part 2 Long Answer Questions Lesson 2
Q1. Write a note on the origin of the Shehnai.
Ans. Before the Kings and Nawabs, it is reported that a musical instrument called the pungi was played in palaces. However, Aurangzeb did not enjoy the pungi’s harsh and disagreeable sound. He consequently forbade the use of this instrument in his palace. There was a barber who came from a musical household. He had entry in to the palace.
He made a concerted effort to enhance the instrument’s tone qualities by selecting a pipe with a natural hollow stem that was wider and longer than the original pungi. On the instrument’s body, he cut seven holes. It generated an astounding sonorous tone when he played on it. In front of the king and his courtiers, the barber performed it. Everyone was awestruck. The apparatus was created by a “nai” (barber) in the Shah’s chamber, hence the name “Shehnai.”
Q2. What are the recurring themes of Bismillah Khan’s music and how did they originate?
Ans. When he was a child, Bismillah Khan travelled to Benaras. He learned the subtleties of the Shehnai from his maternal uncle here. The temple of Balaji and Mangala Maiya and the banks of the Ganga became the young apprentice’s favourite haunts where he could practise in solitude. Additionally, he worked out by the Ganges. Hours of uninterrupted practise time was spent there. His musical improvisations were inspired by the Ganga’s flowing waters. There, he created the ‘ragas’ that were previously thought to be outside the purview of Shehnai.
He was greatly impacted by the ambience of the shrine and the seclusion of the Ganga riverbanks. They also had an impact on the themes of his songs. The ethos of the temple was one of those themes. The bond between people based on the rhythm of a flowing river was the other theme. These became Bismillah Khan’s music’s recurrent themes.
Q3. Why is Benaras so important to Bismillah Khan?
Ans. Khansaab is a nickname given to Bismillah Khan. He has visited every country in the world. In every nation, he received honours. He has an amphitheatre named after him in Tehran. Despite visiting various cities, he still has a special affection for Benaras and Dumraon. He refers to them as the world’s most charming towns. He is particularly fascinated by Benaras because of the Ganga.
He used to play Shehnai alone on the Ganga’s banks when he was younger. He once received a request from a student in the USA to lead a Shehnai school there. He promised to construct comparable temples there in an effort to replicate the ambiance of Benaras. But the Ustad questioned whether he would also bring the Ganga river along. When in Mumbai, he once remarked, “I only think of Varanasi and the holy Ganga.”
Q4. Write a note on some of the most memorable performances of Ustad Bismillah Khan as described in the feature “The Shehnai of Bismillah Khan”.
Ans. Innumerable musical performances were given by Bismillah Khan during the course of his remarkable career, which lasted more than 80 years, but only a select number stand out as significant moments. For instance, his performance of the Bhojpuri ‘chaita’ at the Bihariji shrine when he was five showed the makings of the virtuoso he would become. The local ruler would give him a 1.25 kilogramme laddu as reward for each performance. He received praise from Ustad Faiyaz Khan at the age of 14 for his performance at the Allahabad Music Conference. When Bismillah Khan was given the opportunity to perform on the All India Radio, Lucknow, in 1938, it may have been the biggest break of his career.
The chance to welcome the nation’s Independence from the Red Fort’s ramparts on August 15, 1947, was equally wonderful. He received numerous honours and distinctions for his debut international performance in Afghanistan. He also had the opportunity to compose the music for two films: Srinivas’ Kannada feature “Samadhi Apanna” and Vijay Bhatt’s “Gunj Uthi Shehnai”. Following that, there were a number of important overseas performances, including those at the prestigious Lincoln Centre Hall (USA), World Exposition (Montreal), Cannes Art Festival, and Osaka Trade Fair.
Q5. Describe the life and character of Ustad Bismillah Khan with emphasis on values of his character you should imbibe.
Ans. Ustad Bismillah Khan excelled at playing the shehnai. In the state of Bihar, he was born in a hamlet. He came from a musically-inclined household. He elevated Shehnai to international renown as a musical instrument. The highest civilian honour bestowed upon him was the “Bharat Ratna” by the Indian government. A real patriot, he was.
When given multiple opportunities to relocate abroad, he never expressed an interest. Shehnai was very dear to Bismillah. He studied under his maternal uncle Ali Bux and worked diligently on the serene banks of the Ganga. For pupils, his life is inspirational. He imparts to them the idea that people should abandon prejudice. They ought to adopt morals from various religions.
Q6. “Music has no religion.” How did Bismillah Khan’s Shehnai prove it?
Ans. The voice of the soul is music. It serves as a source of inspiration for everyone and is eternal. A musician will never perform music for a specific religion. Muslim singer Bismillah Khan performed the role of Shehnai in temples. Benaras, a holy city, and the Ganga, a sacred river, held a special place in his heart. His primary source of inspiration was the Ganga and its flowing water. He was never able to imagine abandoning Benaras and the sacred Ganges.
He loved music ever since he was a young child. He began singing Bhojpuri Chaita at the Bihariji temple in Dumraon when he was five years old. A student from the USA once requested him to lead a Shehnai school there since his love of music was so profoundly impacted by Benaras and the Ganga. He pledged to replicate the temple and create the ambience of Benaras in the USA. However, Bismillah Khan would not concede that he could not transport the Ganga there.
Also See:
- The Sound of Music Part 2 Lesson Explanation, Summary
- The Sound of Music Part 2 MCQ Question Answers
- Class 9 English Lesson Explanation
- Class 9 English Beehive Chapter Wise word meaning
