This page provides complete NCERT solutions for Class 9 English Beehive Chapter 2 — The Sound of Music. The chapter is divided into two parts: Part I: Evelyn Glennie Listens to Sound without Hearing It and Part II: The Shehnai of Bismillah Khan. Both parts celebrate extraordinary musicians who, against great odds, brought the joy of music to the world. These solutions are prepared for students of Class 9 under the ASSEB (Assam State Board of Secondary Education) syllabus and are also useful for CBSE students following the NCERT Beehive textbook.
Summary
Part I: Evelyn Glennie Listens to Sound without Hearing It
Part I is the inspiring story of Evelyn Glennie, a world-famous percussionist who is profoundly deaf. Born in Scotland, Evelyn began losing her hearing at the age of eight due to nerve damage. By the time she was eleven, her deafness was confirmed by doctors who advised her to attend a school for the deaf and give up any hope of a musical career. However, Evelyn refused to let her disability define her future.
A percussionist named Ron Forbes recognised her extraordinary sensitivity to sound vibrations. He encouraged her to feel music through her body rather than hear it through her ears. He tuned two drums to different notes and asked her to sense the vibrations rather than listen to them. This was a turning point in Evelyn’s life. She discovered she could feel higher-pitched sounds in her upper body and lower-pitched sounds below her waist. She learned to feel vibrations through the floor with her bare feet, through the mallets in her hands, and through her entire body against the instruments she played.
Evelyn went on to study at the prestigious Royal Academy of Music in London, where she was not yet seventeen years old. She performed brilliantly and graduated with the highest honours. She became one of the most celebrated solo percussionists in the world, giving over a hundred concerts a year across the globe. She also gave free concerts in prisons and hospitals, and regularly held workshops for young musicians. Evelyn Glennie’s story is a powerful example of how passion, determination, and inner strength can overcome any obstacle.
Part II: The Shehnai of Bismillah Khan
Part II tells the story of the legendary shehnai maestro Ustad Bismillah Khan and how he elevated the shehnai from a folk and temple instrument to a revered classical instrument performed on the world’s grandest stages. The shehnai itself evolved from the pungi, a reeded noisemaker that was banned from the royal court of Emperor Aurangzeb because of its shrill, unpleasant sound. A barber in the family of Shah Nath devised a better instrument by using a wider pipe with seven holes, producing a softer and more melodious sound — this was the shehnai. The name “shehnai” is believed to mean “auspicious” or “the flute of the Shah.”
Bismillah Khan was born in Dumraon in Bihar in 1916. He came from a family of professional court musicians. He moved to Benaras (Varanasi) with his maternal uncle, Ali Bux, who played the shehnai at the Vishnu temple. Young Bismillah spent hours practising by the banks of the Ganga River, which he held sacred throughout his life. He is said to have been inspired by the natural music of the flowing river, and the Ganga remained a spiritual anchor for him all his life.
His big break came in 1938 when All India Radio opened its Lucknow station. His performances on radio brought him national recognition. His greatest moment came on 15 August 1947, when he played the shehnai at the Red Fort in Delhi as India celebrated its first Independence Day, in the presence of Mahatma Gandhi and Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. Bismillah Khan went on to perform across the world — in Afghanistan, the United States, Canada, Europe, and Japan — yet he always longed to return to Benaras and the Ganga. He declined invitations to settle abroad and refused to start a shehnai school in the USA because he could not bear to leave his beloved Benaras. He was awarded India’s highest civilian honour, the Bharat Ratna, in 2001. He passed away in 2006, leaving behind a rich musical legacy.
Thinking about the Text — Part I: Evelyn Glennie
I. Answer these questions in a few words or a couple of sentences each.
Q1. How old was Evelyn when she went to the Royal Academy of Music?
Answer: Evelyn was not yet seventeen years old when she went to the Royal Academy of Music in London.
Q2. When was her deafness first noticed? When was it confirmed?
Answer: Evelyn’s deafness was first noticed when she was around eight years old, as a result of gradual nerve damage. It was confirmed by doctors when she was eleven years old.
II. Answer each of these questions in a short paragraph (about 30–40 words).
Q1. Who helped her to continue with music? What did he do and say?
Answer: Percussionist Ron Forbes helped Evelyn continue with music. He tuned two drums to different notes and asked her not to listen through her ears but to sense the vibrations some other way. He encouraged her to feel music through her entire body, which opened a new world of music for her.
Q2. Name the various places and causes for which Evelyn performs.
Answer: Evelyn performs over a hundred concerts a year around the world. She performs at prestigious concert halls globally. She also gives free concerts in prisons and hospitals, and conducts educational workshops for young and aspiring musicians, dedicating her talent to causes that uplift others.
III. Answer the question in two or three paragraphs (about 100–150 words).
Q1. How does Evelyn hear music?
Answer: Evelyn Glennie is profoundly deaf, yet she has an extraordinary ability to perceive music through her body. After Ron Forbes encouraged her to feel vibrations rather than hear them, she discovered that she could sense sound through different parts of her body. She feels higher-pitched sounds from the waist upward and lower-pitched sounds below the waist.
When she plays the xylophone, she can feel the vibrations travel up the mallets into her fingertips. She removes her shoes while performing on a wooden platform so that the vibrations can pass up through her legs and into her body. She can feel sounds in her cheekbones, her hair, and her skin.
She describes music as flowing “through every part of her body.” By developing this extraordinary sensitivity to vibrations, Evelyn transcended her deafness and became one of the world’s greatest percussionists. Her story shows that music can be felt with the whole body, not just heard with the ears.
Thinking about the Text — Part II: The Shehnai of Bismillah Khan
I. Tick the right answer.
Q1. The (shehnai/pungi) was a ‘reeded noisemaker’.
Answer: The pungi was a ‘reeded noisemaker’.
Q2. (A barber/A king/Bismillah Khan) transformed the pungi into a shehnai.
Answer: A barber transformed the pungi into a shehnai.
Q3. Bismillah Khan’s paternal ancestors were (barbers/professional musicians/soldiers).
Answer: Bismillah Khan’s paternal ancestors were professional musicians.
Q4. Bismillah Khan learnt to play the shehnai from (Ali Bux/his mother/his father).
Answer: Bismillah Khan learnt to play the shehnai from Ali Bux (his maternal uncle).
Q5. Bismillah Khan’s first trip abroad was to (Afghanistan/U.S.A./Canada).
Answer: Bismillah Khan’s first trip abroad was to Afghanistan.
II. Find the words in the text which show Bismillah Khan’s feelings about the items listed below.
| Item | Positive | Negative | Neutral |
|---|---|---|---|
| Teaching children music | ✓ | ||
| The film world | ✓ | ||
| Migrating to the U.S.A. | ✓ | ||
| Playing at the temple | ✓ | ||
| The Bharat Ratna award | ✓ | ||
| The banks of the Ganga | ✓ | ||
| Leaving Benaras | ✓ |
III. Answer these questions in 30–40 words.
Q1. Why did Aurangzeb ban the playing of the pungi?
Answer: Emperor Aurangzeb banned the pungi because it produced a shrill, unpleasant sound that was considered a nuisance. He could not tolerate its harsh tones and therefore banished it from the royal court.
Q2. How is a shehnai different from a pungi?
Answer: Unlike the pungi, which was a small instrument with a shrill sound, the shehnai is longer and broader with seven holes on its body. It produces a softer, more melodious sound. The shehnai is thus an improved and refined version of the pungi.
Q3. Where was the shehnai played traditionally? How did Bismillah Khan change this?
Answer: Traditionally, the shehnai was played at weddings, temples, and auspicious occasions. Bismillah Khan elevated it to the concert stage and gave it the status of a classical instrument. He brought the shehnai into prestigious concert halls across India and the world.
Q4. When and how did Bismillah Khan get his big break?
Answer: Bismillah Khan’s big break came in 1938 when All India Radio opened its Lucknow station. He began performing regularly on radio, which brought him national fame. His performance at the Red Fort on India’s first Independence Day, 15 August 1947, made him a legend.
Q5. Where did Bismillah Khan play the shehnai on the day India became independent? Why was the event historic?
Answer: On 15 August 1947, Bismillah Khan played the shehnai at the Red Fort in Delhi. The event was historic because it was India’s first Independence Day. He performed in the presence of Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru, greeting a free India with the music of the shehnai.
Q6. Why did Bismillah Khan refuse to start a shehnai school in the U.S.A.?
Answer: Bismillah Khan refused because he could not imagine living away from India, particularly from Benaras and the holy Ganga. He told his student that he would be willing to set up the school only if someone could bring the Ganga to the USA — which was, of course, impossible. His love for his homeland was absolute.
Q7. Find at least two instances in the text which tell you that Bismillah Khan loved India and Benaras.
Answer: Two clear instances are: (i) Whenever he was abroad, Bismillah Khan always longed to come back to India. He said, “I want Hindustan.” (ii) He refused to shift to Pakistan during Partition, saying he could never leave Benaras. He also refused to settle in the USA because he could not leave the Ganga and Benaras behind.
Thinking about Language
I. Complete the following sentences using the to-infinitive form of the verbs in the box.
- The school sports team hopes to win the match.
- We all want to succeed in life.
- They advised the hearing-impaired child’s mother to consult a specialist doctor.
- The authorities permitted us to construct the building.
- A musician decided to open a school for children.
II. From the text on Bismillah Khan, find the words that match these definitions.
| Definition | Word/Phrase | Paragraph |
|---|---|---|
| The home of a royal person | royal residence | 1 |
| The state of being alone | solitude | 5 |
| An absolutely necessary part | indispensable | 2 |
| To do something not done before | invent / devised | 5 |
| Without much effort | effortlessly | 13 |
| Quickly and in large quantities | thick and fast | 9 |
Additional Questions and Answers
Short Answer Questions
Q1. What is the name of the chapter and the two parts it covers?
Answer: The chapter is titled “The Sound of Music.” It is divided into two parts — Part I covers the life of Scottish percussionist Evelyn Glennie who is profoundly deaf, and Part II covers the life of Indian shehnai maestro Ustad Bismillah Khan.
Q2. Who is Evelyn Glennie and why is she famous?
Answer: Evelyn Glennie is a world-famous Scottish percussionist who is profoundly deaf. She is famous for her extraordinary ability to feel music through body vibrations instead of hearing it through her ears. She performs over a hundred concerts a year around the world despite her disability.
Q3. What did the doctors advise Evelyn after confirming her deafness?
Answer: After confirming Evelyn’s deafness, the doctors advised her to get a hearing aid and attend a school for the deaf. They suggested she give up her dreams of a musical career. However, Evelyn refused to accept this advice and continued to pursue music with determination.
Q4. What was the pungi and why was it banned?
Answer: The pungi was a traditional reeded wind instrument that produced a shrill, harsh, and unpleasant sound. Emperor Aurangzeb found its sound disagreeable and banned it from being played in the royal court. It was considered a noisemaker rather than a musical instrument.
Q5. How did the shehnai get its name?
Answer: The word “shehnai” is believed to be derived from two words meaning “auspicious” or “the flute of the Shah (king).” It is considered a sacred and auspicious instrument in Indian culture, often associated with religious ceremonies and joyful occasions.
Q6. Where and with whom did Bismillah Khan grow up in Benaras?
Answer: Bismillah Khan grew up in Benaras with his maternal uncle, Ali Bux, who was the shehnai player at the Vishnu temple. Bismillah would accompany his uncle to the temple and spent hours practising on the banks of the holy Ganga River.
Q7. What role did the Ganga River play in Bismillah Khan’s music?
Answer: The Ganga River was a deep spiritual and creative source of inspiration for Bismillah Khan. He practised for hours on its banks, and the sound of the flowing river influenced his music. The Ganga and Benaras were so dear to him that he refused to permanently leave them even for life abroad.
Q8. What award did Bismillah Khan receive and when?
Answer: Bismillah Khan was awarded the Bharat Ratna — India’s highest civilian honour — in the year 2001. He was deeply humbled by the award and continued to live a simple life in Benaras until his death in 2006.
Q9. How did Evelyn perform at the Royal Academy of Music?
Answer: Evelyn performed brilliantly at the Royal Academy of Music. Despite being profoundly deaf, she graduated with the highest honours. The academy’s professors and fellow students were amazed by her extraordinary talent and her ability to feel and interpret music through vibrations.
Q10. What is the common theme connecting both parts of the chapter?
Answer: The common theme is the power of music and the triumph of the human spirit. Both Evelyn Glennie and Bismillah Khan overcame enormous challenges — disability in Evelyn’s case, and social and traditional limitations in Bismillah’s case — to achieve musical greatness through passion, dedication, and perseverance.
Long Answer Questions
Q1. Write a character sketch of Evelyn Glennie based on the chapter.
Answer: Evelyn Glennie is a remarkable human being whose life is a testament to courage, determination, and the limitless power of the human spirit. Born in Scotland, she faced the devastating challenge of losing her hearing in childhood due to nerve damage. By the age of eleven, she was confirmed profoundly deaf. Where most people would have abandoned their dreams, Evelyn chose to fight.
With the guidance of percussionist Ron Forbes, she learned to “hear” music through her body — sensing vibrations through her skin, bones, and feet. She developed an extraordinary ability to feel different pitches in different parts of her body. This unique sensitivity made her not just a musician, but an exceptional one. She was admitted to the Royal Academy of Music before she was seventeen and graduated with the highest honours.
Evelyn is not only a gifted performer but also a compassionate human being. She gives free concerts in prisons and hospitals, and holds workshops to inspire young musicians. She performs over a hundred concerts a year across the world. Her life teaches us that passion, inner strength, and a refusal to accept defeat can turn the greatest adversity into the greatest achievement.
Q2. How did Bismillah Khan elevate the status of the shehnai in Indian classical music?
Answer: Before Bismillah Khan, the shehnai was primarily a folk instrument played at weddings, temples, and auspicious ceremonies. It had never been considered a serious classical instrument worthy of concert stages. Bismillah Khan single-handedly changed this perception through his extraordinary mastery and dedication.
He spent years in rigorous practice on the banks of the Ganga in Benaras, refining his technique under the guidance of his uncle Ali Bux. When All India Radio launched its Lucknow station in 1938, his performances on radio brought the shehnai’s beautiful sound to a vast national audience for the first time. His fame grew steadily.
The defining moment came on 15 August 1947, when he played the shehnai at the Red Fort in Delhi as India celebrated its independence. From then on, the shehnai was associated with the nation’s most sacred and historic occasions. Bismillah Khan took the shehnai to concert halls in Afghanistan, Europe, the United States, Canada, and Japan. Through his artistry, dedication, and the sheer beauty of his music, Bismillah Khan transformed the shehnai from a ceremonial instrument into a jewel of Indian classical music.
Q3. What values do the lives of Evelyn Glennie and Bismillah Khan teach us?
Answer: The lives of both Evelyn Glennie and Bismillah Khan teach us several important values. First and foremost, both lives demonstrate perseverance. Evelyn did not let deafness stop her from becoming a world-class musician. Bismillah Khan practised for decades with single-minded dedication before achieving fame.
Their lives also teach us the value of passion. Both musicians were driven by an all-consuming love for music that no obstacle could diminish. Evelyn found a way to feel music even when she could not hear it. Bismillah Khan practised by the Ganga every day, treating music as a form of devotion.
Additionally, Bismillah Khan’s life teaches us patriotism and rootedness. Despite global fame and offers to settle abroad, he remained deeply attached to India, Benaras, and the Ganga. Evelyn’s life teaches us generosity of spirit — she used her gift to serve others through free concerts for the disadvantaged. Together, these two lives show that greatness in art and greatness in character go hand in hand.
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
Q1. Where was Evelyn Glennie born?
Answer: (b) Scotland
Q2. At what age was Evelyn’s deafness first noticed?
Answer: (c) Eight
Q3. Who encouraged Evelyn to feel music through body vibrations?
Answer: (c) Ron Forbes
Q4. The shehnai evolved from which instrument?
Answer: (b) Pungi
Q5. Who banned the pungi from the royal court?
Answer: (c) Aurangzeb
Q6. Bismillah Khan learnt the shehnai from whom?
Answer: (b) Ali Bux
Q7. On which historic occasion did Bismillah Khan play the shehnai at the Red Fort?
Answer: (b) Independence Day 1947
Q8. What was the highest civilian honour awarded to Bismillah Khan?
Answer: (c) Bharat Ratna
Q9. Bismillah Khan refused to settle in the USA because:
Answer: (c) He could not leave Benaras and the Ganga
Q10. Evelyn Glennie graduated from the Royal Academy of Music with:
Answer: (c) The highest honours