Music

15 Nov 2016 

How long and how many past greats can we go on celebrating? Is not life about the present, renewal and freshness? Will art be alive only on past glory? Are we in self-contradiction when we celebrate the old greats tenaciously and also complain that the new ones are languishing but for one or two whose success is attributed to craze rather than worth?

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Johannes Bronkhorst (An Indologist)

The most prominent and perhaps the only universal context of music is that of religion, Music is used everywhere to communicate with, glorify and/or serve the divinities within any particular culture.

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Heard in an interview, Sri Semmnagudi mentioning how two juniors wrote to him harshly about his continuing to sing – which, they alleged, affected their career. That was not a valid complaint, he said. He is right. It is not like cricket where just some sixteen players are selected for the playing eleven and it constricts the chances for players. It is not as though only a certain number of singers are allowed to sing. One may think of mega events spread over two or three weeks and the choice is limited in scope, but someone who is worthy will not be left out.

It is not correct to find fault with singers who draw large crowds or the audience that flock their concerts. Art is free for choosing for a profession or patronage. It cannot grow by some rationing, retirement or socialistic principles.

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Monday, November 10, 2014

Art is expression of an idea. The idea has to be consistent. It has to have a theme and a structure. Take a play for instance. It has had a structure, whether eastern or western. It has acts subdivided into scenes. The number of acts and scenes in it differ based on the plot. Normally, by the time we arrive at the middle, the problem and the attendant circumstances are well delineated. It proceeds to a conclusion, happy or tragic. In Hamlet, we have the problem of a foul play. Hamlet suspects it, by the sudden death of his father and the hasty marriage of his mother with his uncle. The ghost appears and confirms his suspicion, but Hamlet is not yet sure. He devises a play- the thing where he will catch the king- to be enacted to test the veracity of the ghost version. That is in Act III. That is the climax and then follows the sequel leading to the tragedy. Any play has followed a similar structure. The later day dramatists have followed the structure as well. They did not dig into what it was before the structure. Leaving aside art, even biologically, we have come a long way from protozoa. We do not wish to go back to protozoa, even if it were possible. We do not go back to tuft and punchagaccham, as these waned with the advent of the British only. In CM itself, we do not discard the violin because it was not there before Dikshitar.

The structure in CM is conveniently ascribed to Ariyakkudi, but I have read that Ariyakkudi only formaised a crystallising convention. Things were veering round to it. Like the thematic development of a play, the format starts with warm up, climaxes with a main item, goes to a RTP if there is time and audience interest, and then ends on lighter pieces with a mangalam as auspicious beginning and end are part of the culture that has given birth to CM. This was not arbitrary, but organic, something like laws of nature or philosophy proceeding from the experience of phenomena. It is satisfying the musical quest. The artists have been at home with it, old and new alike. The audience savours it. It is unthinkable that all of them have been sheep. That it was not there before is like shunning the mike, which did not catch on. It is not the age of a thing, but its utility that concerns the musically inclined.

From my post in rasikas.org about change in Carnatic Music:

Mind wearies of routine and looks to leap. Tradition cries a halt and classicism looks the other way.

What we oppose normally is a wholesale change, that hammers a thing past recognition. We do not like to see a belle turned to a hag in a jiffy.

But, all living things change subtly over time, and when one analyses it, the change over time is drastic, like they say some ragas have changed. But, the change has been within the limits of classicism.

I have heard both TMK and Sanjay say that a new expression of the art, without aberration of the grammar, is happening with all creative artists. BMK referred to Bani in evidence of this. With all his maverick ways, TMK has not done anything out of tune with the classical style of CM. In fact, he is one of the authentic torch bearers of this genre of music. I was listening to Narmada's Ecstasy (courtesy Parivadini) today. What an apt title! She has stuck to the essence of whatever she played or sang (she sings so melodiously). Such artists have a talent that is waiting to burst forth. The art form is sure of its being intact with them even as they try something new or traverse uncharted territory. They do not create something new per se but do something new in the existing form, that has stamp of creativity. Varadarajan talked of Sanjay as 'a creative artist'; yet, Sanjay is strictly a traditionalist, reminding one of Somu or MDR at times. Abhishek is another artist of such creativity.

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3/4/14

Music is a medium of communication. It is a language by itself and has its own grammar. It has to appeal to the heart. Classical music has a tradition built over the years by maestros. It is evolved and bot set in heaven. It has the quality of endurance and scope for enrichment. Endurance part corresponds to tradition and enrichment part corresponds to innovation. That which warps it is not innovation or enrichment.

Now, the taste for classical music is cultivated or comes culturally (e.g. it runs in families; it has been more popular in Thanjavur area), it is not something that one takes to like to light music.

Curiously, we have two diametrically opposite views about bhakti, one that it enhances bhava, another that it vitiates aesthetics. There are some who feel that it offends atheists.

I read in a book titled "Absorption" that music is intrinsically spiritual. I feel so. When a person sings putting her soul into it ('her' purposely), we realise our soul which otherwise lies dormant. That is spirituality. I heard Dr. Narmada sing a song on Allah and it touched the soul, though I am not a Muslim.

Music has to appeal to the knowledgeable as well as to an average listener who does not care to appreciate technical points. It is not a question of majority or minority. The carnatic public are sufficiently discerning and endowed with an aesthetic sense, otherwise they will not be drawn to it.

Let us listen without predisposition or precondition and enjoy what is good. We will not go to listen to an artist's performance if it does not satisfy us. The artist is free to choose his style and content in order to give vent to his creative impulses.

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Music is not natural. It is a human creation and a wonderful one. You have sweet sounds like the cooing of a cuckoo, but it does not elaborate into a raga or harmony.  There are stones that resemble the swaras when struck, but the striking is by a human effort and a single swara produces no music. Belief that music is a hindrance to spirituality is perhaps born of this ‘human’ origin of music, but is certainly not valid. In music as in any earnest pursuit, one can attain spiritual experience.

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July 28, 2016 ·

All that supports life is sacred.

Music suppors life. Music is in the air which is vital for life.

Music gives shape to the crooked, meaning to babble and purpose to what appears random.

Music is a magnet that brings to order the scattered iron filings of thoughts in a field of divinity. It is an elixir that tones the muscles, purifies the blood and invigorates life. It is the unseen string that holds together the pearls of individuals in a beautiful ornament. It lifts one from the nagging concerns of passing strife to a union with god that is pure bliss.

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Raga and rain

A musician said that he did not believe that singing a raga could produce rain. The answer, while reasonable, was based on wrong premise. He quoted a scientist that belief must be based on evidence.

Another scientist has said, ‘Do not believe any experiment unless a theory can back it up’. The spirit of science is that something must be experienced and explainable.

If, for argument’s sake, someone does an experiment and a raga produces rain, it is not enough. Even replicability is not enough. Astrology fails to qualify as science on the same basis.

Even agnostics concede that lack of proof does not invalidate belief, one should be aware of it (Cf. Somerset Maugham in Summing Up).

We lead life not on evidence, reason and proof, but on hope, trust and faith.

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Friday, December 18, 2015

CM and Bhakthi

The question is whether CM is intertwined with bhakthi and whether if bhakthi is removed, it will lose its flavour. Of course, we are not going to get a clear-cut answer.

Ever since I heard that bhakthi is not required in CM, (At the extreme, it was said that even the composers were more music-minded than bhakthi-minded) I have been rolling it in my mind. I would like to blurt out here my thoughts that I have been jotting since then. It is not cogently argued.

As the annals of India suggest, religion has been imbedded in all walks of life. There is hardly an activity which is not impregnated with belief. Right or wrong, that is India’s flavour. Paradoxical as it may appear, Bengalis who have supported Marxism vociferously celebrate Durga Puja with undiminished fervor. Vivekananda said that religion is the live wire of India. Anything that is Indian is connected with god in a direct or indirect way. I do not know whether it is changing, but it will take a long while for the change to percolate if it is happening.

Music has developed alongside religion. We talk of raga swarupa, form for what may be abstract, and raga devata, something mysterious for what is susceptible to auditory sense and magnetizing to the mind. The trinity and those before or after them were rooted in bhakti unless they had a secret inner self known only to the secularist.

Even in the secular song thunbam nerkaiyil, the underlying idea of a dependence, a longing, produces a spiritual feeling akin to the pangs felt by gopis or the innate affinity of the jiva for brahman.

Music is one of those moments of experience where we sense a unity forgetting the ‘reality’ of life and its nagging concerns. Even as we listen to the pranks of Krishna, the dance of Siva or the compassion of a divine mother, we get beyond the idol and story to the wholeness of life, its verve and charm.

Bhakthi is when there is truth in heart, says Bharathi. Bhakthi is wisdom in action, says Rajaji. Bhakthi is consciousness of Brahman in us , says Sankara. Bhakthi is not just a meek surrender to an unknown, but a passionate longing for truth. It may manifest in manifold ways but music is perhaps the most expressive as suggested by the preponderance of lyrical poetry steeped in bhakthi.

Bhakti is mindful engagement with what one is doing. In puja and prayer, it has for focus a deity or god. In patriotism, it has the idea of a nation as the focus. God is the name for the driving spirit of the universe. It is undeniable that there is such a force, but non-believers ascribe it to nature or mechanical forces. Believers see a conscious mind behind the universe.

Even in the music of those who are apathetic to bhakthi (not my judgement, but the way the singers see themselves) sing with so much passion taking great pains to adhere to what has been considered the limits of a given raga, but letting creativity take over, that it generates that feeling we call bhakthi, though they may not believe in it.

Hamlet sees the passionate acting of the role of one Hecuba by an actor and he soliloquises, ‘Who is Hecuba to him or he to Hecuba?’ in regretting that he has not acted with due conviction in the theme of revenge. The actor is not transformed to the role he is performing, but acting requires that he come close to it during that role play. If a composer has meaning and if that meaning has bhakthi, the artist will be true to his job in emoting that bhakthi while rendering it even if his belief differs. That will be honesty – acting the role as a musician.

In the book ‘Absorption’ (about the functioning of the mind, attention, consciousness), Johannes Bronkhorst, the author, opines, “..the most prominent and perhaps the only universal context of music is that of religion: music is used everywhere to communicate with, glorify and/or serve the divinities within any particular culture.”

Bhakthi animates CM like life animates physical body as it were.

Both religion (as different from spirituality) and music (as different from the property of sound) in their concretised form are human creations. If they have cohabited, even if not solemnized in marriage, there may be no need to separate them forcefully.

Religion is like CM, requiring exposure, initiation and interest. Neither is essential for life, but with it one feels life is worthier. Spirituality is when one is in what one is doing. In music, we see it when MS sings; she becomes what she sings.

The lyrics of CM are predominantly connected with religion and CM has become associated with religion in this way.

Somehow I feel CM is saturated in bhakthi and a few including the latest SK want to take it away from it (I read again his interview posted in another thread as a recall). But, he does not go hammer and tongs about it.

I simply feel that we need not be apologetic why CM is so much into bhakthi or Brahmin-centric. We must of course share it out if there is a demand, and even those with bhakthi would like to do it.

Whether, we talk science or vedanta, we deal with a world of appearance and the 'reality' is elusive to our naked senses, appliances or intellect. To think that bhakthi alone is irrational or a burden seems to be as prejudiced as that not believing in god is a sin.

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Wednesday, May 06, 2015

Unwanted music

It is by now settled that a bus or car must have an audio(-video) system. The government buses (Volvo) also have caught on. So, we have music form inside a bus and from outside from the cars. Once, while boarding a bus, I asked why the fare was higher and the conductor said that the bus had video system fitted. I told him that I would pay extra if he did not play it. Of course, I did not expect the offer to be accepted.

In Madurai, the bank doctor was a connoisseur of Carnatic music. I asked him whether he had a stereo system in the car. He flinched and said, ‘That is vulgar ostentation of wealth.’ While he liked classical music, he did not carry it with him.

Lest I am caught being an offender, I will honourably confess that at home, I play music not only for myself but for others too. I do not like to plug my ears god intended to be open. In fact, against my wish, my daughter presented me a Walkman long back, but I had little use for it, as I neither walked nor liked an intrusion in my ear.

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Does a musician sing to please?

I started to hear a talk. The issue posted by the speaker was, ‘We artists tend to become arrogant thinking we make the audience happy. Does the artist try to make the audience happy?’ I was not patient to listen further and turned off, but my mind turned on the issue. Whatever I write below is not in response to the speaker’s views as I did not listen to it.

Does a singer sing to make the audience happy? He sings because he knows to sing and the audience comes because they want to hear the music. Certainly, neither the singer nor the audience unite to turn the other off. Happiness is a frame of mind in which we go to a performance. I expect to return in the same frame of my mind at least. The normal human tendency is to seek happiness and there seems nothing amiss in it. A singer does not present himself to tickle the audience, but to share his musical experience. There is nothing wrong if he makes the audience happy or feels happy himself that he has achieved it. The best I read about happiness is that you are happy when you make others happy.

That is not to say that the musician is out to make the audience happy. His job is to sing and in singing, the effect of happiness may be produced. He cannot do anything else to make the audience happy. A joke here and there is not an issue.

Does that success (making the audience happy) make an artist arrogant? My take is that arrogance is an attitude that sticks out like a sore thumb from some congenital disorder that has not been tamed by upbringing, education and true humility (Paramacharya comes to mind). The musical accomplishment is only an outlet and not the cause.

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Re: Is this not to be the motto of all singers?

27 Nov 2015

I am placing here a compendium of my musings over time:

What should one sing? What is the role of audience?

Of the three forms of art, music, dance and drama, the latter two go with a plan. I have not seen anyone send a chit to the play group asking for their choice of play or any piece of choice to a dancer. The issue is only in relation to music.

But, it is not about listeners’ choice, but about the pieces that would be sung. Should a singer plan his performance as to what ragas and numbers he will sing and should he consult his team if any piece was new? What is playing to the gallery?

PMI narrated how ARI was practising one song for a long time, but did not sing it in any concert. PMI asked ARI and he said, ‘I am yet to perfect it.’ Sanjay mentions in the interview that he remembers the wordings because of repeated practice. Of course, we have now almost every artist using some memory aid even for old songs. To me, it appears a distraction and a notch lower in the rendering.

PSN said that SSI used to sing a hundred times better off the stage. Not that he held something in reserve, but thought that he should not experiment on stage.

Is the stage one for experiment? Is the audience there to judge the virtuosity and genius of an artist like an experts panel? Are they not there to enjoy 2-3 hours of music that makes them feel served what they came for?

In a concert, OST stopped after an applause for some nice singing and explained the special thing he did and prefaced it with, ‘I do not know how many of you understood.’ I did not, and my gut feeling is that a majority of listeners sailed in the same boat. In a concert (MMU), a rasika raised the point that though he attends the concerts and enjoys them, he is not able to make out the raga, etc. Vijay Siva said that it was no issue so long he is able to enjoy the music. If it were, there would be near empty hall.

The entire music is not extempore. Can we sit through a CM concert if it has only alapana and swaras? I read a connoisseur write here that a standalone alapana does not go well with his taste.

All through my academic days and official life, it has been dinned into my head how planning is needed for effect. Art is creative, but a singer is not a painter or a sculptor. Classical music has journeyed in a special route and it is not something different you can do every day. That is what purism is about. A singer, to my mind, does not produce on the stage something he is himself experiencing for the first time, but a fresh expression of his experience, something that may be a revelation to himself or even a let-down. But, his purpose cannot be audience-neutral. He cannot afford to ignore the audience once he decides to take the stage.

A relevant question is if an artist has to satisfy an audience, which one in the audience he has to aim at. That is as much an art as music and does come by observation and experience. That cannot come in the way of satisfying an audience overall. Satisfying an audience is the purpose of a performance and is not a dilution of the art.

Sudha said, ‘I will sing to an empty hall, but not lower the standard. Maybe I will sing more number of lighter pieces where the audience may require it.’ It is here, the singer holds her head high and does not play to the gallery.

I will be aghast if someone said that MMI played to the gallery because he sang what the audience wished to hear.

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23/9/2011

I asked a music teacher whether, if we change the suddha madhyamam in a notation for Sankarabharanam song, it will become Kalyani, and he said yes.

Recently, Rama Varma was explaining that the distinction between the two ragas is more than in madhyamam. For Sankarabharanam, the swaras start from the previous swara whereas for Kalyani, they border on the next swara.

The scheme of CM is more complex than explained by 12 swarasthanams and arohana and avarohana.

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July 13, 2014

குடியும் பாட்டும்

19/12/2007

'குடிகாரர்கள் நல்ல சங்கீத வித்வான்களாக இருந்திருக்கிறார்கள்' என்றேன்.

'அப்படியா' என்றார் நண்பர்.

'அரியக்குடி, செம்மங்குடி, குன்னக்குடி கேட்டதில்லையா' என்றேன்.

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23/12/2017

Art and Performance

Art is expression of a compelling idea through some symbolism that draws on imagination of the artist and the admirer. It is voluntary and unstoppable, not guided by an algorithm and a program. Learning is involved, but is not on all fours with a literacy drive.

Art as a means of income or as a profession is perhaps the creation of economics. Art was patronized by the aristocracy and royalty for the most part and in Carnatic music such elitist patronage seems to be crucial even now.

Art as a performance is intended perhaps to spread its appeal as much as to support the artists. Will art survive if the support system collapses? Perhaps not. The human need for art will overcome the economic hurdle. We have had poor artists who have given the most valuable treasures in art. The concern about languishing performance opportunities as an economic proposition is perhaps more about art as an industry of employment.

A rasika may be defined as a connoisseur for the purpose of the discussion here. We may call the others as listeners. They have some hang of the music, but do not know the niceties.

Now, who really supports the art constructively?

An artist who does not care for numbers will ache for a rasika. A performer will look for numbers too, but if he is more into the art than the following, he will stick to his calling and the purity of the art he has espoused.

Can we meaningfully address the concert goers whom they should listen to? Can we admonish if they favour one artist or a few artists while a majority face sparse attendance despite their art being pristine?

A rasika will become a better rasika if he keeps his ears open to a wide choice. That is true of any field, isn’t it? Russell says that one’s interests must be varied to be able to be happy. Even in studies, it helps one to understand better if he approaches a subject from different angles. I have seen how good gurus advise their disciples to listen to other patantharams and renditions while sticking to what is being taught. Over the years, a good artist imbibes the best from everywhere and evolves a style of his own. There is nothing new in that a rasika also should pursue his interest listening to several artists.

If still a few rasikas flock to some performers, they know what they are doing. It does not mean that they are narrow in their taste or that the performers in question do not deserve the patronage.

That does not rule out blind following. The listeners may plump for some superficiality as it happens even in the more popular entertainment avenues. It will be wrong to conclude however that the followers of an artist lack rasikatva or that the artists in question are not sticking to the purity of the art.

We have indeed had some who mixed film music with CM or present it like light music. That is a different issue. Not that it is a sin, but the art form is compromised and it rankles.

While the art will survive and grow without the economics associated with presentation, the performance system will suffer, but that is market economics and art does not have its own rules no matter how sacred the art, conceding that some art form is sacred.

Any criticism why people do not spread out to many concerts evenly or why they throng the halls featuring a few artists or why non-vocal music has less appeal, is valid purposelessly.

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December 26, 2018 at 8:13 AM ·

An artist as an artist must create more than speak. His art will speak, or should.

An artist may also be a politician, in which case he must not mix up the two. Art will suffer if an artist contaminates art with social and political issues. Art has many ways of finding expression. Even within music there is variety, Carnatic Music being a minuscule part of it.

Art and spirituality go together. Spirituality is being present in what you are and what you are doing, it is not about a deity or worship.

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Music and Meaning

I get rebellious thoughts and an urge to express them. I do not know what the term is for this pathological condition.

Does meaning enhance the music?

At times, I am left with the feeling that I am better off not knowing the meaning. Even Vishnusahasranamam which is majestic and gives me thrill while chanting sonorously or listening to the chaste rendering by MS, loses its gloss when I turn my mind to meaning of some of the terms. I read a comment that Vedas are pristine for the sound rather than the meaning. The meaning looks irrelevant in today’s mindset, but the sound seems to be relevant in my way of approaching it.

The mood of abject surrender song after song does not leave the mind robust. It is not really true that we are suffering all the time and helpless. We would not live if it were true. There may be unfortunate exceptions, but life has a mixture of opposites, not one-sided imbalance. Nor is life a hot potato that must be dropped, that we should get rid of it the soonest. Nor is a wistful longing for a time no one is sure it existed a tonic to shape the mind for facing the present. It is good if such a sentiment and mood is by way of exception rather than the rule. Songs of love (even in relation to Krishna’s amorousness and naughtiness), and even philosophical songs like Sadasiva Brahmendra’s are more rejuvenating. Songs of confidence, courage and valour, (Bharathi). or humour which is rare in Carnatic music, are uplifting. But, that is, if we care for the meaning.

It looks to me that listening to music not bothering about meaning is a pleasant experience if the music is good. That is not to deny the experience of those that feel enriched by meaning. That happens by choice and training, not automatically. I do admire many rasikas who know the music by its roots, the meaning of the songs in several languages and how the meaning and music mesh and produce a zooming effect. Possibly, sour-grapism is the cause of my condition.

I read this after writing the above piece and bow my head to the great lady:

“Pattammal’s reverence for sahitya was legendary. ‘The great composers poured their hearts out in their words, so sacred that to mispronounce is to blaspheme,’ she would say. ‘After all Tyagaraja composed Eti janma not to show off his Varali but to pour out his bhakti.’ Her greatest ire was reserved for those who mangled the text, which sometimes resulted in a travesty of the meaning. She was particular that sangatis should not interrupt the flow of words, but highlight their meaning.”

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My musical journey

I must kill in the very beginning any expectation that what follows will have anything to justify the bombastic heading. It is like any newspaper headline which need not have any relation to the news.

I was born in a village and grew up there till ten. The village was not electrified till, safely, about five or six years after I left for studies in Madras. There was no question of radio for listening to even film songs. There would be some singing during independence day at school. Some girls would sing ‘thayin manikkodi paareer’, or some such song. Honestly, it did not strike me that it was music even if it was. Another good opportunity was koothu of which I was an avid fan. But, I was more interested in the costume and the story of Mahabharata which I knew in bits and pieces then. Koothu had plenty of songs with a harmonium box which will be droning all through, but I did not learn anything from it.

When I was put in a school in Madras, there was no shocking change, there was no electricity in the house in Mint Street where I lived with my uncle and aunt. Film songs must have been around and a lot of music must have been there, but I was too prosaic. I thought that film songs were bad, or to believe so was to gain brownie points with my orthodox guardians. At school, someone would recite every morning some sloka or seyyul, a devotional hymn, but that passed off as a chore.

However, I was exposed to some devotional music of MS now and then. There again, it was the religious fervour that took hold of the mind as an anodyne for the sense of insecurity.

It was when I graduated and was employed, I turned to some music when my uncle could afford a radio. Still, it was not anything serious. After I joined the bank as a probationary officer, there was some quantum shift and music appeared a humanly possible and desirable hobby. I had some sense of living and a need for something like music.

In Erode where I joined the bank as a probationary officer, there was a music series where Santhanam, Chembai, MLV, etc. sang. I went to attend those concerts. There were a few aficionados in the branch, who knew better what was sung. I had an interest, but not an abiding one. In Calicut, getting good food was a challenge and music did not come to mind. In Bangalore, I had good chance in Seshadripuram. I listened to a few concerts. In Madurai, I bought a tape recorder and started buying cassettes of devotional and Carnatic music. My knowledge grew by and by. I could make out one or two ragas.

I had funny ideas to start with: * I thought that I could get to know music from books. I bought Thyagaraja Krithis by Parthasarathi, Krithi Mani Malai volumes 3 and 4, Swathi Thirunal Krithis Part 1, Keertana Malai Parts 3 and 4. I have now advanced to using Kaccheri Kaiyedu for knowing ragas!  I avoid instrumental music as Kaiyedu does not help! From the fact that instrumental music attracts less people generally, I draw comfort that I am in good company.* I was confused between the swara letters and swarasthanas. I would imagine that if the swara ‘pa’ is absent in a raga, the letter ‘pa’ should not occur in the lyric, but that did not agree with reality and I thought that the swaras were arbitrary. I still do not understand why a particular song can be sung in one raga and not another. * I thought that all Telugu lyrics were from Thyagaraja, Samskrtam ones from Dikshithar and Tamizh ones from Sivan.

In Madras, I joined Krishna Gana Sabha and Karthik Fine Arts and attended the programmes. I also tried to learn Vina. I found that I had problem with both sruthi and layam. I married and a friend asked about my Vina lessons. I told him, ‘I now play only second fiddle.’ However, I continued to listen to CM regularly live or on the air. The crowning moment was my attending MS concert in Tiruvaiyaru (1977 or 1978) and listening to it once more on the TV.

Now I am obsessed with CM, I enjoy it and write a few lines occasionally about my emotional response to the music. I have a flair for the music, but no talent or acumen, no gnana in the least. I am so uncomfortable when someone describes me as knowledgeable. But, these things are part of life.

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Listening to a programme, I got these ideas.

Gamakam in Carnatic music is rather erotic! It teases the next swara. For example in Mohanam, the ‘ga’ oscillated touches ‘ma’. In Kalyani also the gamakam takes ‘ga’ to the border of suddha madhyamam, though Kalyani has only pratimadhyamam legitimately. In Sankarabharanam though, where ‘ma’ is the legitimate partner of ‘ga’, ‘ga’ does not go near ‘ma’ but is straight. A virtuoso of Hindustani music commented that what is peculiar to CM is that it goes up to not only the next swara, but even the one beyond. That is to say, it flirts not only with the neighbour (permitted by the saying ‘love thy neighbour’) but also neighbour’s neighbour. I am not sure if there is scriptural sanction for it.

So, folks, carnaic music is tanatalising. Hope you are tempted by the seductress. There are a number of talented musicians and do not miss the fun.

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My non-musical musings

I hope no musician reads as I am going to expose all my ignorance of music here.

Carnatic music, many hold, is a source music that one who masters it can take to any genre just like that. One musician (a once-musician as some call him) differed and pooh-poohed the idea. The point is contested. I feel that it is not the nature of music that imparts proficiency across genres, but the calibre of an individual. Many struggle with CM itself. Many from other genres also come to grip with CM with felicity. If the claim is indeed right, we must see a rush for learning CM from all quarters. The reality is that there is hardly any demand even from across the Vindhyas.

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Bhavan’s journal (Nov 15, 2016)

Excerpts

Many researchers speculate that music and language arose side by side, since all languages have some type of ‘song’, either tones or intonation. Others suggest that music may have preceded language, or that music may, indeed, have been the first language.

..song originated separately, and several times, within a variety of species. There is song among whales and dolphins, among songbirds, and even crickets!

..stirring quality of their (gibbons’) songs is brought out in a Chinese poem.

These emotion-evoking gibbon calls are being studied by scientists since it is thought that they may be linked to the evolution of human song.

..Nigel Osborne..believes that aalaap with which an Indian classical music performance begins, represents a very ancient form of communication between human beings which existed even before language.   .. After the aalaap, he says, the note structure becomes slowly more sophisticated till it reaches a high level of abstraction and design which is both intellectual and emotional. The sequence of an Indian performance appears to trace in a nutshell, the journey of human music from origin to culmination.

..Yehudi Menuhin also commented on the possible origin of music in ancient India.

..Alaine Danielou wrote, ‘A skilled Indian classical musician can lead the audience to  depth and intensity of feeling undreamt of in other musical systems’.

Arrian: ‘No nation is fonder of singing and dancing than the Indian’.

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Carnatic music and popularity

Normally people complain that there is not enough audience for CM concerts. That is understandable. It does not attract that big an audience even when offered free, sometimes with some refreshment also.

But, something inscrutable happens. There are some who question when large audience shows up for a concert. One connoisseur dismisses the very concept of popularity for a CM artiste. Tastes differ and so the idea of popularity is meaningless. Another exhorts the audience to ration their presence among various artistes and not swarm over just a few. More fundamentally, the classicism of the artiste is decried. The artiste is branded as populist and as doing things that are taboo. What is worse, the standard and quality of the audience that attend such concerts is also adversely commented upon.

There are in fact instances where the artistes dilute the standards to reach a wider audience, but that cannot be applied to any artiste just based on a mass turnout.

Good classical music can attract a large audience. It need neither be a chance occurrence, nor a marketing success.

I think that it is a matter for celebration not disparagement if an artiste presents a Carnatic concert to the delight of a bursting audience. We must yearn for more such artistes.

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21st Jan 2020

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SANJAY

Much erudite and aesthetic write-up has appeared on the phenomenon called Sanjay. Yet, as a crude rasika as I imbibe his nectarine music day in and day out, these thoughts churn in my mind as they haunt me in bed.

Does he sing with abandon? Yes, he does. But it is abandon of a disciplined man, not of a daydreamer. Once a rasika asked MS whether she sings ‘mei maranthu’ (forgetting the self) and she replied, ‘A rasika can listen ‘mei maranthu’, but if a singer does it, ‘kalebaram aayidum’ (it will be disaster). Sanjay said in an interview (a classic one – see http://arunk.freepgs.com/tmp/sanjay_interview.pdf), ‘When I sing Thodi, I sing in the full knowledge that it is Thodi.’ He is conscious and thoughtful as to what he sings. Sri T V Gopalakrishnan, an iconic star in CM firmament today, says that Sanjay puts his thought every minute that he sings.

Sanjay does not invoke any god for his singing. All gods are safe. He works hard by his own admission and as evidenced from the spectacular result that is palpable. Nothing comes by chance. But he is ever ready to acknowledge the teachers, inspirations and encouragements from his peers and the audience which is always his second home. Nor does he attach to spirituality a special place in music (see the above article). As I see it, his music is spiritual because it is true to the grammar of the genre and moves the rasikas to that ecstasy the gopikas found in their union with Krishna, as imagined by bhagavatas. Spirituality pervades life in whatever we do and music is no exception, nor unique. I take that as the import of what he says.

He is professional in every aspect. He is alive to technology and precepts and concepts of modern management. He keeps his interests diverse covering other forms of art and also outside the field of art. That, I feel, must keep him fresh with new ideas. In work also, they say that a break recharges you. I think that he should share his knowhow, deftly customized from generally available fund of knowledge, with business managers, esp. start-ups. It will be a great idea if IIMs make a case study and present the findings in their institutes.

The lyrics in hiding (in thousands) are scared that Sanjay will bring them under public gaze. He takes them out and presents them as time-worn pieces like a craftsman takes a rough diamond, cuts and polishes and makes them dazzle.

The ragas dance to his tune as they like his cuisine of swaras (phrases) or cocktail of spirits (bhava). One leaves a concert thinking that one has seen all that a raga has to offer, to be only fooled as next time more of the raga reveals itself under the majestic command of the consummate artiste.

Youngsters flock to his concert for the valuable experience that leaves one freshly charged for whatever one is doing. Not only rasikas, musicians too. Bharat Sundar, whom a rasika predicted to be the next generation Sanjay, shows signs of his influence including the white costume! Prasanna Venkataraman described him as role model. Venkat Nagarajan at times reminds of Sanjay. Saketharaman mentioned him as an inspiration in an interview by Pramod Kumar.

Sanjay is simple and affable. Look at this comment by Venu Sundar: “When we had celebrated my dad CHITTI @ MANIKODI 100 years at BHARATHI home @ Triplicane in 2010 Sanjay and his wife graced occasion over just an SMS! Sanjay is gentleman to the core.”

Sanjay’s speeches, judiciously rationed, are juicy too. He is forthright, to the point and insightful, with telling humour.

A great gift to Carnatic music.

May he live long and add more glory to music and himself.

(His music is available prolifically in youtube including innumerable live concerts.)

*

January 16 at 9:09 PM ·

It was perhaps 1974.

I was at a concert of MS. Towards the end she sang a brief alapana of madhyamavathi. I ventured to a friend, ‘Maybe she will sing Vinayakuni.’ He demurred, ‘Will she sing it in the end?’ At that time there was no revolutionary musician who will choose vatapi ganapathim for finale. But, I knew that vinayakuni was addressed to Kamakshi, not Vinayaka. I had the Kamakshi suprabhatam record where the last of the four songs is vinayakuni with a moving neraval at anatha rakshaki. It turned out to be vinayukuni also that day.

*

Criticism of Art and Literature is an art. Any work taken for criticism must be standard. It is pointless to take up a substandard work for criticism.

Criticism is critical appreciation, not finding fault, not looking at a work from one’s expectation but from the effect it produces. Its purpose is not to support or run down the creator. It is different from review which may be banal and not worth a deep look. Criticism enhances the joy in appreciating the creation. Shakespearean criticism is a case in point.

The entire book ‘The Story of Philosophy’ by Will Durant can be taken to be criticism of philosophy in parts. Will Durant briefly recapitulates the salient points of the philosopher and points out the questions it leaves unanswered or raises afresh.

The book on Leonardo da Vinci by Walter Isaacson contains beautiful criticism of his works. (Pl see Appendix 1 for a sample). I also have glanced through a book on Rembrandt’s paintings. (Pl see Appendix 2).

A friend sent me a masterpiece in painting of the Mughal times. The critical observations are on the margin. https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/04/02/arts/design/shah-jahan-chitarman.html

 

A good critic should eschew aspects that are outside of art and language that is bitter and satirical. One should not be eager to showcase one’s narrative skill, but stick to the aesthetic points.

Appendix 1

“Mona Lisa:

Never in a painting have motion and emotion, the paired touchstones of Leonardo’s art, been so intertwined. .. So the world’s most famous smile is inherently and fundamentally elusive, and therein lies Leonardo’s ultimate realization about human nature. His expertise was in depicting the outer manifestation of inner emotions. But here in Mona Lisa he shows something of more importance that we can never fully know true emotion from outer manifestations... Her portrait is a profound expression of our human connections, both to our inner selves and to our universe. .. And what about all of the scholars and critics over the years who despaired that Leonardo squandered too much time immersed in studying optics and anatomy, and the patterns of the cosmos? The Mona Lisa answers them with a smile.”

Appendix 2

Good Samaritan by Rembrandt

Though the scene of the story is laid in Palestine it is the sort of incident which one can imagine taking place in any country or period of time. So it seems perfectly proper that Rembrandt, in representing the subject, should show us an old Dutch scene. The etching illustrates that moment when the Good Samaritan arrives at the inn, followed by the wounded traveler mounted on his horse.

The building is a quaint piece of architecture with arched doors and windows. That it was built with an eye to possible attacks from thieves and outlaws, we may see from the small windows and thick walls of masonry, which make it look like a miniature fortress.

This is a lonely spot, and inns are few and far between. The plaster is cracking and peeling from the surface, and the whole appearance of the place does not betoken great thrift on the part of the owners. On the present occasion, during the working hours of the day, doors and windows are open after the hospitable manner of an inn.

The host stands in the doorway, greeting the strangers, and the Good Samaritan is explaining the situation to him. In the meantime the inn servants have come forward: the hostler's boy holds the horse by the bridle, while a man lifts off the wounded traveler.

https://www.rembrandtpaintings.com/the-good-samaritan.jsp

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Non-musical Musings on Music

Criticism

One pervasive influence of economics is perhaps ambidexterity – nothing is said without bringing ‘on the other hand’. Even exam questions are framed to list ‘for’ and against’. Almost any writing is considered incomplete if some negatives are not mentioned. The exception must be hagiography where there is unabashed praise of the protagonist, whose flaws are also converted to sterling qualities.

In criticism of art, which delivers aesthetic enjoyment that is not compressible in words, the purpose cannot be a technical evaluation of the elements that are harnessed to create something. A baby is not an aggregate of the chemical elements and physical forces. A creation in art is not the colours or notes or parts put together in an assembly line in a factory. It has a liveliness and non-verbal communication, beyond semantics and syntax. Criticism fails if it tries to describe a shoddy job needlessly elevating it to a centre stage or confuses slips or character of certain elements, which may not really mar the creation. Sometimes people mishear and attribute a flaw in the rendition. In a song someone pointed out wrong swara used by the singer, but the singer with whom I took up confirmed that he did not err. I believe the singer. In another concert a learned listener commented in the chat column that the singer used a phrase in Ritigowla which was not allowed, but there was no deviation from the raga swarupa as far as I could make out. Such fixation comes in the way of enjoying a creation.

Once a remark on the singer not knowing a raga of a tukkada hurt the singer. If the singer has sung the piece well, what does it matter if she did not know the raga? After all, for some of the lighter pieces, there may be no clearly defined raga.

Once a critic who writes in print media criticized adversely the music of Abhishek Raghuram. Smt. Gayathri Girish, who attends the concerts of other artistes (I wish more artistes did so), refuted the points made by the ‘knwledgeable’ critic in her blog.

Some quotes:

I read this recently:

I.Pavlov: “Artists grasp life as a single whole, totally, completely, a living reality, without any fractionating, without any separating; others – thinkers – just fractionate it, thereby sort of killing it, making of it some tentative skeleton, and only then they, as it were, reassemble its parts and attempts to revive it somehow, an endeavor in which they fail completely.”

RaGa sisters quoted this Aesop’s fable about facing criticism:

https://www.bartleby.com/17/1/62.html

From Sanjay’s blog:

“Here is an interesting take on criticism by the writer Bernard Malamud in an interview given to the Paris Review in 1975.

‘I dislike particularly those critics who preach their aesthetic or ideological doctrines at you. What’s important to them is not what the writer has done but how it fits, or doesn’t fit, the thesis they want to develop.’

This can also be seen in Carnatic music where the ‘knowledgeable’ are always keen to try and impose their value systems on the musician. Sometimes the reaction to the music is so determined by the already existing assumption that has been made on how or what should be performed. Every generation of artists keep throwing up the odd rebel who shatter these existing notions and make the ‘knowledgeable’ redefine their expectations. Then the new generation of artistes will suffer from not conforming to this recently formed set of values and so it goes on and on.”

Some points I read in Sruti are interesting.

On being prompted Apporva Krishna asked Sandeep Ramachandran, a question: “How would you plan to spread Carnatic music among the masses?” Sandeep replies, “I think it most important for us to be true to music, to be proud of our art form and pursue it with vigour. The beauty of each musician is to be committed and dedicated to the art form. This will help in attracting recognition from all.”

(That is the best an artist can do to keep art alive and make it reach an audience. Criticism should also endeavour to further this thought.)

Sri V Ramnarayan writes in Sruti: “So much complexity in terms of laya intricacies or challenging ragam tanam pallvais is on offer that even Sangita Kalanidhis will find it difficult to offer expert comments on many of these concerts.” He concludes, “Every rasika is a potential critic, broadcasting to the world even as a concert is in progress. All he or she needs is a smart phone.

Elsewhere while offering his impressions on a ‘fabulous’ concert, he writes, “ ..  I did not take any notes at the concert.”

I read Kalki telling his reporter not to take a jotting book, but listen to the concert and write a review on what stayed in his mind. I read that Subbudu would write his review from memory only. Russell said that one should read a book with a view to knowing, not to criticise. Likewise, one should attend a concert with a view to enjoying the experience, not to write a review. A review must be a spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings’ of the concert recollected when all the ‘sound and fury’ have ceased, like any worthwhile music is a spontaneous flow of an aesthetic urge. 

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19 Aug 2016

Much of literary criticism is about the experience or the ambiguities (e.g. is Hamlet mad?), not about what the author has not done or how he could have done it better. It does point to inconsistencies and seeks to find explanation, but the author’s decision is unalterable.

Sanjay remarked about music criticism being varied, often not on the performance but on the ideas of the critic.

Is there a lakshana for criticism of a live performance? Has it to be defining the performance (what it should have been) or point to its anchor (what of it contributed to its appeal)? A poor choice of criticism is not worth discussing. To deserve criticism, a performance must commend itself. We can dismiss it otherwise as not worth our time at least over and above what we have already allotted by attending it.

A performance worth a word may have often deviations from the standard it set for itself. That happens for a variety of reasons, including maybe even the artist’s momentary casualness. The overall appeal discounts such lapses. The point is, should they be publicly recorded or shared with the artist as Sri Mahadevan (Sri MKR’s father) would do, as I read?

Subbudu brought an extra ‘kick’ in his reviews. There are those that relish it and those that treat it as rubbish. Some sort of comedy is part of a drama (film) however flimsy. Is it required? Does it add to the value of the art?

We have among the rasikas some very knowledgeable, balanced and interesting critics, superior to the paid ones who get the call from the press for whatever reason. Hope they find it worth their thought to add substance to this discussion, raised by me as an ‘outsider’.

https://rasayanakarnatic.wordpress.com/artcriticism-and-appreciation/

*

Some observations on the ‘expert’ comments on music performance.

1.     Once, I saw a comment that a bright young singer sang a wrong swara. I referred to the singer who checked and confirmed that he sang correctly.

2.     A rasika found fault with the swaras sung by a good singer in the Ritigowla raga; his prayoga was appropriate for Sriranjani, not correct in Ritigowla, it was said, but I did not get any Sriranjani flavour.

3.     A disciple of SSI who used to accompany him found fault with Mrs. S Sowmya about a particular sanchara and she replied quoting authorities and a clip from SSI’s own singing to justify her usage.

4.     A reviewer tore to pieces the performance of a creative artist, and a frontline musician wrote that she heard the concert and that there was nothing amiss in the classicism of the singer.

5.     From a FB post: Subbudu wrote that SSI was making mistakes in ragas. According to him Reetigaula did not admit of the D N S prayoga. Semmangudi said, “D N S prayoga can occur in Reetigaula, but only once.’ Semmangudi then proceeded to sing a bit of the raga with the D N S prayoga.

There are many like this. Many people who make comments do so with inadequate knowledge, but posing to be in the know.

*

Non-musical musings on music

Art and Artist

Often we create a duality unnecessarily. I cannot imagine art without a performer or creator. When we praise an artist, it is not his person that we are in awe of, but his creation. It is an aberration when people focus on the appearance or dress or ornaments of an artist. An artist comes to our notice through her art. She sometimes becomes a fixation when she holds us spell bound.

Is an artist greater than art?

Is a scientist greater than science?

Is a doctor greater than medical science?

Is a dramatist greater than drama?

These are rhetorical questions.

For that matter, total nonsense is greater than raul!

Knowledge accumulates at a furious pace in any field and it is beyond a single human being’s capacity to master it.

As far as I know, no artist claims to know or have mastered all. Even an artist who felt that Thyagaraja was wrong in composing some songs and that meaning was incidental in his compositions (that is his view which in all probability would have been ignored by Thyagaraja) said when asked whether he was learning HM, ‘I have to learn a lot in CM itself.’

Some artists may perhaps feel that they are on top of the world, but not that they are greater than the art.

*

Is an artist bigger than art?

There are no two ways about it. Art represents the combined treasure of many artists over a long period of time and it is impossible for any individual to have all that treasure in his possession. This idea of how an individual has severe limitations and that humility marks accomplishment is found in several pithy sayings:

स्वाध्यायान्-मा प्रमदः

विद्या ददाति विनयं (Kanchi Paramacharya, Sri Ramana and Albert Einstein are real life examples that come to mind.)

Pride goes on horseback, but returns on foot.

கற்றது கைம்மண்ணளவென்று உற்ற கலைமடந்தை ஓதுகிறாள்.

Sometimes one lapses into an abstract idea of art as though it can exist without performers, like one believes soul exists without body. That will be a flaw. Vedas attained a textual status with Vediyars having dwindled, and Kanchi Acharya took steps for Vedic learning and chanting to revive. Art esp. music cannot be some documents and audios. We need performers in a parampara as is happening thankfully.

There will appear individuals that think a world of themselves. We have to pray like Jesus, ‘Forgive them for they know not what they do'. We must leave them severely alone lest they get puffed up more.

*

I raised this issue before.

If in film songs, pure CM sangatis are used, why can’t they be used in a concert? Charulatha Mani says that in several songs the phrases used are typically CM stuff. In early years, film music was mostly in CM. some like /maname kanamum maravate’ have passed on to CM repertoire. Why then is there resentment for using such sangatis in concerts? If it does not dilute the purity of CM, which is necessary to preserve the CM legacy, is it not a good way to connect with the audience and expect more to take to CM listening?

The provocation for resurrecting the issue was this in Sruti magazine of Feb 2020: “.. he showed enough shades of classical film songs such as Marythamalai mamaniye, Apoorva ragam (raga Mahati) – perhaps a way to help the audience connect with the ragas!’

Interestingly in the same issue, I read, “She (Mahati Kannan) toudhed upon the various influences in the choreography, such as that of a Hindi film song that inspired a thillana in raga Harini, and using Thai music in Pavai Nonbu.”

*

The accompanists have a great role to play in a vocal concert. They must enhance the performance. In my view, the accompanists have a more challenging role because it is more difficult to follow another’s idea than to pilot your own.

“To play in a supportive manner so as to embellish and enhance the other artistes requires a very different demeanour and thought process from playing solo. It necessitates tempering one’s own urges, concentrating on the other artistes and going with their flow, not one’s own. “ Sri L Ramakrishnan, a sought-after violinist.

The seating position has been conceived keeping in mind the important enhancer role to which the accompanist must face the artist to latch on to improvisations.

When the accompanist sits next to the singer pursuant a perverse idea, I see that they turn to see the singer. This may cause neck pain more than the ego-pain of not facing the audience. Aesthetism, not egalitarianism, is the guiding principle to music.

Call them co-artists or what you will, the ideas for the concert flow from the main artist. Otherwise it will be like our legislatures.

Let there be contribution to the growth of the music, not silly changes.

*

Pakka Vadyam

I have some silly doubts and am raising them audaciously.

Is the expression right or prejudiced?

Are all the artists on stage equal in the way the music is conceived and presented? Is it a medley where each presents his manodharma?

I heard in grapevine that a front-ranking violinist played differently from MMI and MMI pointed out that it was supposed to be pakka vadyam. TMK in his music appreciation CD points out how the violinist playing a phrase different from what he essayed is an aberration.

Is it not more challenging for the violinist to follow the manodharma of the vocalist extemporaneously than for him to launch into his own manodharma?

Is not some unity expected in a performance? Who decides that unity?

If seating sorts out equality issue, will it not be required that they sit in the centre by turns?

Do the accompanists (or co-artists) feel more at ease because they face the audience? Does it boost their performance? Have they been feeling deprived by the traditional seating?

Should the percussionist decide what tala the singer should choose?

*

In a guided listening to yesteryear stalwarts, the prominent musician who gave masterly comments on what was going on, mentioned that they promoted music, not themselves. My mind went over it.

His uncle narrated in an interview this incident. When he got a job offer in line with his qualification and he was in a dilemma whether to take the job or pursue music as a career, his father advised him, ‘You must plump for musical career either if you have a consuming passion or if that is the only avenue to earn the livelihood. Neither is the case, so take up the job.’ He did take up the job though his musical talent was no less. Stalwarts like SSI and GNB discouraged their children from taking to music as a profession because of the vagaries involved. TMK narrated an incident. A violinist visited SSI when he heard his son singing and commended his singing to SSI. SSI remarked, ‘You say that I sing well and you also say that my son sings well.’ The point is that those scions did have musical ability. Sense of insecurity in the profession stood in the way of their taking up music full time.

Many prominent musicians of today took their own time to take to music fully, and still some have their feet in two vocations.

We have seen how many artists suffered with chinavirus spreading.

Idealism like ‘art for art’s sake’, ‘art is greater than the artist’ and ‘an artist must care for the art rather than for himself’ come after securing a strong hold on income. Rare instances will be there as exceptions.

An artist commits no sin if he tries to promote himself through his music which confines to classicism and aesthetic appreciation. Most artists of the day do it one way or another and it does not vitiate the scene.

*

Palghat Sri Ram Prasad in an interview:

Palghat Sri Mani Iyer’s integrity: When he was in deathbed and did not have normal consciousness, he told his son of the advance he has taken for a few concerts and asked him to return it.

His talent: A luminary said of him, ‘Even if he had not taken to mrdangam, but set up a tea shop, it would have been the best tea shop.’

Ariyakkudi started addressing PMI in plural and PMI requested him to continue addressing him in singular as he was 20 or so years younger, But Ariyakkudi said, ‘எண்சாண் உடம்புக்கு சிரசே பிரதானம்.’ (For the body that measures eight spans brain is the most important.)’

*

What is good about HM is the sruti suddham and minimal gamaka. They revel in pure notes - in establishing that. I heard that a musician feels great when he touches the note exactly. Palghat Raghu said the same about the beat. A drummer's joy is getting the beat perfect. One HM singer mentioned about the gamaka - you extend the note not only to the next svara, but to the one after that. TMK said that the G in Nayaki goes all the way from R to M. MBMK's music does not appeal to those who appreciate the Thanjavur bani because there is less gamaka and also he makes one guess what raga he is singing.  Because of excessive gamakas, CM singers seem to miss sruti as my son says that most of them blur the notes. He can make out the notes when someone sings.

Another aspect of HM is that sahityam has a minimal role. I feel that too many words cut into melody. I read that DKP found OVK songs not suited to CM (I am not sure of what exactly she said.) Your and Rajagopalan's bete'noire. SSI said 'Sahityam sollaama sollanum. Adikkaraa madiri sollak koodaathu. People look for melody more.' I find that sensible. Even in Tamizh songs I do not make out everything, nor do I seem to care. Only the pallavi and neraval lines stay in mind.

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Music miscellany

Todd M. Comb: “Why Carnatic Music? I value Carnatic Music for the effectiveness with which it can build positive mental discipline. It helps me to focus and organise my thoughts, and it helps to eliminate negative mental habits.”

Shoba Narayan in The Hindu: "All music originated in the sacred, no matter what religion. Listen to Gregorian or Mozarabic chants with your eyes closed and they will remind you of a temple in Haridwar. Listen to Baroque Jewish music from a Portuguese synagogue, available on YouTube, and it will take you back to a church in Goa. Listen to Islamic Anasheeds or Sufi music and you will feel the pull of a mosque and also that of a Buddhist monastery. The chants and singing all sound similar. When people say that music is universal, this is what they mean."

*

Todi

Todi is perhaps the first raga I fell in love with. Yes, I am a polygamist in the world of ragas!

I heard Todi being sung by many singers recently. I do not complain. Many singers, barring a few who project themselves as egalitarian, mention Todi as their favourite raga. One prominent singer said, ‘Todi and Bhairavi are my staple diet.’ Mrs. Shubhasree Thanikachalam asked the singers to name their favourite ragam and embargoed Todi. Sriranjani Santhanagopalan, while responding, began with, ‘Of course Todi would have been my choice.’ That is to establish that I am not eccentric.

Why Todi?

Impressionistically, I got these thoughts.

It is unique to CM. You do not have an equivalent in, say, HM. Gamakas define the raga. Priya sisters said, ‘There is no Todi without gamakam.’ Mr. O S Thyagarajan sang the plain notes of Todi (all komal) to demonstrate that it does not sound like Todi. Sriram Parasuram mentioned in a lec-dem how a particular sangathi had so many ‘ga’s. He also said that it cannot be fitted into HM without altering the grammar of HM.

‘On that note’ by Sanjay is as popular as his concerts. His latest but one on Todi was too short an episode for so unique a raga, I thought. But, Sanjay packs in his pithy talk pregnant messages.

His guru pointed out to him after a concert how he took liberty at the higher octave while he did well in the lower octave in singing a Todi krithi. ‘You did well in the lower octave but when you reached the upper sa .., well, you are popular and you have a niche audience you have to take care of.’ The guru said what he had to but tacitly and with finesse. Sanjay on his part is disarmingly candid, not a regular trait of a performing artist.

Hear a Todi song – English meaning is given for the song along the singing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLe6KWCDoB8

*

*

M.S. Subbulakshmi

14 Jul 2016

(English translation by KVC)

From Sri Pasupathy’s blog

http://s-pasupathy.blogspot.in/2013/01/13.html

1968 is when MS got SangItha KalAnidhi award. The same year in Anandavikatan (22nd Dec issue) an article appeared.

Excerpts:

A queen for music

T T Krishnamachary

A friend of mine invited me to a concert saying, ‘This evening a girl sings in Soundarya Mahal. Come, let us go there.’ I accompanied him. A young slim girl was singing on the dais. There was a lustre in her face. Her sonorous voice attracted me greatly. I told my friend. ‘Not bad. The young girl sings well. Good voice.’ My friend said, ‘Wonderful voice. There are the famous Enadi Sisters. The elder of the two had a wonderful voice. This girl’s voice is still better.’

This was in 1932. Yes, it was the first concert of MS that I heard.

I did not listen to her after that. She was making waves in the music world. Everywhere the talk used to be ‘MS, MS.’ I heard that in between she entered film world and acted. I did not see any film. At that time some people would tell me that MS has the impact of GNB style in her music.

It was in 1953 that the concert of MS enthralled me. I remember the date also vividly. It was 25th January. I went to the wedding in TMS Mani’s house. They took me to the first row and made sit next to Rajagopalacharyar, who was then CM. He told me, ‘She was singing well earlier, but there is now some change.’

However, I felt that the concert that day was quite good. It occurred to me that she had attained maturity. I told him my opinion, ‘What you say is not right. Now only, there is maturity in her music. She sings with bhava.’

 

That was very true. She had then training under Semmangudi. She had good grounding. After that, I had occasion to listen to her music often. She used to visit Delhi often. Sometimes she would stay in my house. I would listen to her music then. I would tell her in jest, ‘Stand for election. You will win riding on your popularity.’

Only music is the world of MS. She has no other thoughts. She is ever engrossed in it. The speciality of her music is constant improvement. She has the good sense to learn from the greats. She is quick at the uptake and has sadhakam. God has blessed her with a good voice. She has honed that voice by practice and harnessed it well. I would say that to my knowledge, no one else has such a sweet voice. Those that listen to her continuously would appreciate readily her step by step improvement of musical knowledge.

Recently I attended a concert. She sang alapana in Chakravakam and followed it up with ‘sugunmau leka’. It is a tricky raga. If one swerves anywhere it will land in sowrashtram. The way she sung it that day proved that she has reserved a place among the great vidwans.

Foreigners have listened to her songs and enjoyed it. I cannot say how far they would have appreciated it. But, her voice would have mesmerised them. Jawaharlal described her as ‘A queen for music.’ That is wholly true.

It is in the fitness of things that the Music Academy honours her this year, the one who has taken up all the good from the elders with humility and attained the quality of vidwat.

(Courtesy; Vikatan)

 

*

 

Re: MS Understood: essay in Caravan magazine by TM Krishna.

12 Oct 2015

Two comments on the article from a member of the last class in Srinathk's post:

There is reference to sadness in the post (also made by Gopal G in his speech, the two are close by the way and know MS better than I do). Maybe there was sadness. Even Gowri R mentions how MS missed her 'poranthaathu manusha'. There could be reasons for sadness, but whether that should be touched upon, I do not know. Incidentally, happiness may not be a legitimate purpose of human life (this of course is philosophical and opinions will diverge). I always felt so and found good authority to support it.

"Leo Rosten:

I cannot believe that the purpose of life is to be happy. I think the purpose of life is to be useful, to be responsible, to be compassionate. It is, above all, to matter, to count, to stand for something, to have made some difference that you have lived at all."

MS comes through shining in glory by this definition.

If she was indeed sad, her greatness looms pretty large as it never showed up in her relationship, reaction or music.

The second point is the conclusion that she is remembered, and it was so manipulated, for lighter pieces. I wonder whether this is a justifiable conclusion. I enjoy her singing all compositions. Even in UN, where her music must have been exotic as CVN mentions, she sang predominantly the heavier pieces. The number of her albums on traditional CM must be more than merely devotional. I do not know about the sales.

As for her classicism, MLV herself has written an article, and the contemporary greats have praised her truly.

*

22 Oct 2015 08:05

Is it the story of MS that she was converted from a devadasi to a Brahmin? Is it that she relinquished the abandon of a devadasi singer that would have made her a true artist? Is it that she was caught in the cocoon of Brahminical conservatism from the cracks in the walls of which her musical genius could only gleam through, but not shine forth? Is it that by singing lighter pieces and giving a large number of devotional lyrics her true Carnatic music forte was blunted? Is it true that being made to sing Sankarabharanam repeatedly, her music was stifled? Did she not sing other ragas with as much mastery and fairly often? If Semmangudi was identified with KHP, does it mean that his musical genius was confined to it? Is it that the ignoramuses adulated her slavishly while the aesthetes had a poor view of her credential as a classical musician? Is it that the praise of Chembai, Sambasiva Iyer, Palghat Mani Iyer, and so many other greats was all stage managed or said merely for public consumption? If SSI said that her tanam singing was the best among women singers, or Musiri and SSI congratulated her after a varnam in Begada, is it all fictitious, and no one really acknowledged her in this area? Is it that Brahminism is a spoiler of the creative environment to music and that without that environment CM would have occupied the world stage? Is it that MS was totally dominated upon (which wife does not have a complaint) and that she was a reluctant victim? Then, why did she advocate a similar role to women in her interview? Was it also said in duress? Was it universal that her singing would be disrupted to sing a thukkada to satisfy a bigwig?

Those who lap up all these arguments pay a rich tribute to the oratory of TMK. His ideology of opposition to the ARI format (tukkadas being given prominence), Brahminism and the CM being a prisoner of Brahmins, runs right through the article cleverly and infectiously like space invades the universe.

It is well written, cleverly written, drawing effortlessly on his command of language, brilliance of mind and mastery of music, but the stance from which it is written does justice neither to MS nor to truth.

I would have appreciated if he had written an honest piece on the merits of her music and where it fell short.

*

MS Understood: essay in Caravan magazine by TM Krishna.

Post by cacm » 23 Oct 2015

Dear K.V.C.,

I admire your PATIENCE & PERSISTANCE IN BRINGING OUT SUBJECTS OF IMPORTANCE TO BE DISCUSSED SO TRUTH COMES OUT. REGS, VKV

*

MS Understood: essay in Caravan magazine by TM Krishna.

24 Oct 2015

A few impressions of Sri TS from a distance:

I attended a concert of Smt. MS in MA long ago. Sri TS spoke. He announced that Smt. MS was going on a concert tour of the far east. He added (uncharacteristically?) ‘poovudan serntha nArum maNam peRuvathu pola nAnum pokiren.’ That is the man who ruthlessly overpowered MS!

 

In Ponniyin Pudalvan, I read Sri TS having said, ‘I have a picture of MS in Kalki office not because she is my wife, but since she has contributed to its capital.’ That is the man who ruthlessly overpowered MS!

I happened to read an interview of MS where at one stage, Sri TS intervenes to say, ‘Her success and fame are not due to me, but her merit.’ That is the man who ruthlessly overpowered MS!

He ensured that his daughter provided vocal support to MS rather than embark on a musical career by herself. That is the man who ruthlessly overpowered MS!

He arranged top class accompanists for MS by astute judgment and shrewd efforts. He was ruthless if an accompanist goofed up, I read in one article. That is the man who ruthlessly overpowered MS!

As a naïve person amenable to being sentimental, I wonder if any other husband devoted his whole life for his wife’s career as Sri TS did.

*

Re: MS Understood: essay in Caravan magazine by TM Krishna.

Post by Ramasubramanian M.K » 02 Nov 2015

KV.Chellappa apropo your post of the 26th October "refuting" the innuendos against TS Mama, kudos to you.

If MS amma had heard you in person expressing the sentiments that you eloquently posted, this is what she would have said:

Chellappa Sir (I take it it is your real name!!),UNGAL VAIKKU SAKKARAI PODANUM.

 

 

REVIEWS

Sanjay at Nadasurabhi

Sanjay sang with his usual team and Guruprasanna on kanjira for Nadasurabhi.

The threatened rain held back thankfully, but the promised music shower poured delectably.

It was start on the dot, credit to the organisers who put music ahead of empty talk, and Sanjay who is a stickler. Time management is his forte, whether when he is by himself (how do I know? His personality and musical virtuosity are the pointers) or when with an audience, or about the order, intensity, and mix of rendering.

 

He started with an ata tala varnam in what Mudaliar would describe as Sanju Kambodhi. Words could not be captured by my partial ears, but did not seem to matter. (Talam name courtesy my wife).

He then rendered a measured Kari kalabha mukham in Saveri with a round of swaras for kari kalabha. Sa ri kari kalabha still resonates in the ears.

Sri Parvathi Parameswara came to bles next in Sri. I had not heard it before.

He sang alapana and krithi Kanden Kanden (but not Seethaiyai) and the raga is at the back of my mind and when someone reveals it, I would know.

Entha vedu Kondhu Raghava flowed in beautiful kala pramanam not like bullet train or passenger train. It was mesmerizing with mind-boggling variations of neraval at chintha theercchuda. Swaras were sung briefly.

Then came a majestic, moving Bhairavi. With Sanjay all guesses are likely to go awry – ‘bulb’ as Mudaliyar characterizes the surprise. Thaye ezhaipal was the song chosen and he did full justice to the raga and its pathos. Neraval was at ennaatha ennamellaam.. followed by swaras and thani.

The way the percussion duo supported Sanjay was an object lesson to anyone who wants to enhance the effect of the mood a singer wants to create. Even some seniors can learn. The thani was a veritable treat and engaged the audience. It came midway and that does not permit someone to leave!

Sanjay brought a lullaby-like filler Anandavalli in Nilambari by Swathi Thirunal. Yes, Rama Varma and Amritha Venkatesh were in the first row. The piece was a pure bliss.

That the violin accompaniment was excellent goes without saying.

I was not lucky to be able to continue longer and left at this as he was starting on RTP.

*

Sanjay@Bangalore Ranjani Fine Arts Feb 11, 2018

Intha paraka and Kanthimathi were ordinary by Sanjay standards. I could not get out of my mind SSI singing Inthaparaka.

From the first note of Thodi, it was a superb event and in fact, he was in a great mood and would have continued but for the fact that it was a 'samsara' concert (another event to follow). In fact, a lady was trying perhaps to signal to him to close from the side. He looked at her and sang two more pieces, the last two that were so enthralling. Not to tease the lady more, he sang pavamana. But the speaker did not show any hurry as he went on and on. A little bit of anticlimax, but the audience was still in the mood of the concert and did not bother about him, I think.

 

RTP in a scalar raga, I do not know what text book says about it, but Sanjay scaled great heights and made it classical.

Atreya excelled in Tani which the other members of the team appreciated explicitly.

In Bhimplas, Sanjay showed extra creativity and predictably continued with the MS song, second only to MS.

Apart from a rarely heard kriti in Todi, there was no surprise in raga or kriti. That was unpredictable!

*

Sanjay at Nadasurabhi

It was a downpour. Last year it was wet weather when Sanjay sang and the attendance was thinner. This year it was overflowing. Sanjay justified it.

Learned reviews must appear soon, but it is irresistible to share the ‘high’ soottodu soodaa.

As usual, it was business on the dot. In no other concert, I have seen such total absence of fuss with the preliminaries. There was no call for more sharp, less volume, feedback inadequate and so on. In no concert of Sanjay such problems are seen.

It was a new varnam (new for me) in Ahiri, a raga that is normally heard towards the end. It was sung briskly. The last beat of Mrdangam for the song must have been just over when one heard Swaminatha paripalaya. GNB might have popularized it, but SS has taken it to a different world with mesmerizing swaras.

Bilahari alapana was followed by Inthakannanadamemi. SS was perhaps immodest. He seemed to be describing the concert.

Kalyani alapana followed. It was rather short, but the way he swung between the lower and upper ocataves looked like a frolicsome child going up and down the stairs enticingly. To add to the limitless Ananda, SS now offered Kallu sakkarai with a broad smile perhaps sensing the surprise of choice of krithi. It was left with no embellishments.

Then came thodi. Stalwarts of yesteryears used to take these two ragas, that are quite different from each other, in succession. ‘Kadakikkan’ was the song. SS pleaded in neraval with Ambal so movingly. The raga was dancing with each rasika like Krishna with each gopi. The essay stopped with neraval.

Then came Dharini Telisu, another krithi on Ambal. Here the swara sanchara was a renewed Deepavali. He forgot ban on Chinese crackers by fanatics! The myriad ways he brought the raga in innumerable patterns was Sanjay stuff. There was never a moment one felt it was kanakku. The raga was delivered whole and sweet at every phrase. A fantastic thani followed. Luckily, the auditorium was strong to withstand it. The applause at the end looked like another thani.

A gentle Chetasri followed.

Then SS launched into Shanmukhapriya. He went from one climax to another. The energy he put into it drained me, but not SS. Thanam was another marvel. Predictably, it was Saravana Bhava enum thitu mandiram for pallavi. This is Skanda sashti week. He sang RM, sahana, ?. Bageswari – HM artists might have been put to shame the way he sang this. Trikalam (I do not know how many times) was done. He then went on to complete the song. There was a flash of SSI.

Somu showed up in a few places.

A Purandaradasa krithi followed and I left after that reluctantly.

I find no one giving the well-proportioned and high quality concert that Sanjay does. That is my problem.

*

Suryaprakash

27 Sep 2016

Rasikas.org has been a great forum in the cause of music and one of the many forces that count in fostering a niche art. The greatest patrons are of course the sabhas in the absence of royal patrons.

It is great that several musicians are members here and contribute.

Thinking of patrons, Sri S.Nageswaran has been doing great service, organising concerts in his house and throwing it open to rasikas. Such concerts are precious as usually knowledgeable rasikas assemble for the event and I am sure the artists cherish it. The concerts are subsequently uploaded taking it to a wider net of ardent rasikas. This is invaluable service.

The concert of Sri Suryaprakash that kept a full-house audience regaled in the Sobha Tulip hall with a pleasing swimming pool outside and some table tennis in the next room, was one such occasion got up by Sri Nageswaran. Sri Nageswaran’s family of three generations were in the audience.

Sri Suryaprakash is an unassuming artist who connects with the fellow artists and rasikas readily and cheerfully. The concert was a sumptuous feast.

It was nice to see Sow. Aishwarya squat in the front and enjoy the concert visibly, keeping the beat. That reminds me of Nick’s comment about Amritha Murali attending the concerts of other artists. As an aside, it will be nice if senior artists attend the concerts of younger ones whenever they get time.

What a way to spend an evening in a divine atmosphere in terms of not only the songs that are soaked in bhakti (forget secularism, bhakthi is a distilled contribution and aesthetic culmination in music in Indian context), but also the involvement of rasikas all of whom have the unifying interest in CM without any reservation.

*

BANGALURU RASIKAS MEET ON 25.06.2016

Dr. S.Nageswaran’s (SN) call for rasikas meet drew RSachi (RS) and me to his hospitable home.

RS kept the meeting ticking pulsatingly with his fluent contribution to almost anything under the sun, be it music, mythology, history, spirituality, horticulture, venture capital or health.

He led the discussion by pointing out to the passion of SN for gardening. SN took us round the spacious and convenient flat atop the skyscraper, and showed each balcony being made into a mini Lal Bagh.

RS also mentioned how SN has been an ardent patron of CM, having invited many artists to perform in his house (home rather), and sharing with several of them the precious recordings to aid in their learning.

 

We were joined by SN's first son, Balaji, his wife and two young daughters who have been top notch in the way they conducted themselves. The young girls were called upon to sing. They obliged readily and beautifully. They sang Sriranjani, Thodi, Hindolam and Mohana Kalyani. RS remarked that their teacher must be singing for dance as many items were dance items. He was forthright in giving them advice on improving upon their practice. He mentioned how Ri in Mohana Kalyani should be sung, that being a jiva swara. The girls were in for some surprise. RS quizzed them what the favourite raga of their grandfather was. Not having read rasikas.org posts, nor expecting a quiz, they had to be helped on with clues.

Balaji brought three what looked like some children’s toy pipe. It was then revealed that it is called kazoo and that by vocalising through it, a nagaswaram like effect can be worked out. Father and daughters demonstrated it. Balaji appears to be a chip of the old block, with music written into his DNA. RS was busy on his mobile. I thought he was recording. He lifted his head and announced, ‘I have ordered a kazoo on Amazon’. It was amazing. He believes that if something has to be done it has to be done immediately, a philosophy different from what I have been used to, ‘If something cannot wait, it is not important.’

Lunch followed. RS had to regale us even while eating. He narrated a joke (anecdote). Hitchcock met Shaw who was a vegetarian. He remarked, ‘You seem to suggest that Britain is under famine.’ Shaw retorted, ‘You seem to suggest its cause.’ The topicality of the joke can be appreciated when you look at my picture.

We parted after about three hours of an interesting meeting. As we were in the lift, RS said in admiration, ‘It is a well meshed family. Rarely, you find three generations converging in one genre of music seamlessly.’ That was the secret of why the meeting was special even if modest in attendance.

*

January 19 at 9:52 PM ·

Nadasurabhi programme

Palghat Ramprasad is a musician connoisseurs of Carnatic music must not miss. He does his grandfather (Palghat Sri Mani Iyer) and his father proud. He has a voice that straddles the three sthayis in comfort, with mandara sthayi being stressed in most of his essays. His manodharmam is home-brewed, does not carry falvours from other makes. His patantharam is solid. There is a majestic gait that is enticingly rhythmic and the percussion accompanists are thrilled to play with added vigour.

He seems to have settled for white for concert appearance and the team was in white or neat white. Sri Nishanth Chandran was on violin, Sri V Krishna on mrdangam and Sri G Guruprasanna on Kanjira.

A brief sketch of chitharanjani was followed by Nadatanumanisam. It was perhaps a statement. The concert would be soaked in melodious nada throughout. It is unique in many ways. Perhaps it is the only lyric in this tune. As against Thyagaraja’s favourite language and deity, thus is in Samskrtam on Siva. His grandfather brought in medangam a nadam which won over the performers, connoisseurs, critics and laymen. It is a definition of music. Sound can emanate only from vibration of bodies or matter (tanu), but once revealed it becomes a spiritual experience. Ramprasad gave a good account of the song.

Then came ‘Deva deva kalayami’, a number which cannot but bring SSI to mind. Ramprasad sang in his patantharam and did neraval at the usual jataruka. The final round from mandarasthayi to tarasthayi was lilting and progressing in a gripping way with the accompanists chorusing in. The crescendo got a well deserved appalause from the full house of a small hall, on a day which was distracting with a cricket match in the local stadium and another concert in a bigger hall. The song, second in order, took about 25 minutes the passage of which was hardly noticed. I remembered Chembai singing Vatapi for about 45 minutes as the first song.

Chandrajyothi alapana was followed by a Punrandaradasa Krithi.

He sang ongi ulakalantha in Arabhi, not minding that Margazhi has ended 3 days ago. It was a stately rendition with swaras in neengaatha selvam. He sang swaras for all songs, I think, and does it with aplomb.

Murahara nandana (Saranga or Hamir Kalyani) and Padvainee in Salaka Bhairavi were sung in quick succession before he started on Purvikalyani alapana in all its glory.

Only this morning I listened to Sikkil Gurucharan explainging the distinction between Gamanasrama (melakartha ragam), Gamakakriya and Purvikalyani, the two being janya ragas. That passed through me like x-ray through flesh. Possibly, the raga was gamakakriya as the krithi chosen was Meenakshi me mudam dehi of Dikshithar, who, they say breathed his last listening to it. Devi releases the devotees from the leash of Yama (pasamochani). Neraval, another elaborate and exquisite one, was at the regular malayadhwaja..

The violin followed the vocal closely right through.

As is my wont, I crossed over from treasury bench to opposition bench in the middle and staged the walkout.

The concert put energy into me carrying me back home free from hassles.

*

January 17 at 11:04 AM ·

 as though it was getti melam.

Darbar entered royally next reminding me of Yesudas in Sindhubhairavi film. Madurai Mani Iyer and GNB also came to mind. Swara volleys embellished the song at characteristic brisk pace. I think that it was in sarva laghu (I do not know what it means! Sarva kashtam). Sri Jayachandra Rao finished it with a short and consummate thirmanam, supported by Sri Udupa.

The next raga foxed me. It looked like Aberi, but turned out to be Kalyanavasantham. Nadaloludai, the archetypal song in the raga, was presented beautifully. MLV and Maharajapuram Santhanam have specialised this. Two rounds of swaras after neraval at ‘Harihara..’ ended the song.

Khamas alapana followed by Madaada regaled the audience next.

The piece de resistance was Kanada essayed in sufficient length to bring its nuances and repeated by violinist for almost equal length of time. The time tested Sukhi evvaro was sung with sparkling swaras at the pallavi. Tani followed as I proceeded home.

I liked his kalapramanam.

The songs centred around melas,21, 22, 28 thus far.

Vittal Rangan enhanced the standard of the concert several notches above. Sri Jayachandra Rao on mrdangam was an asset too as also Sri Giridhar Udupa on ghatam.

It seems that the white uniform is in vogue.

A senior next to me, maybe an octogenarian, asked me in between some snacks he was munching (eatables and beverages not allowed, said a notice on both wall panels) who his guru is. He commented, ‘He sings well.’ I said, ‘Very well.’

Very well, there is no further yarn to spin.

*

January 13 at 9:51 PM ·

Heard a scintillating concert by Sriranjani Santhanagopalan.

She sang familiar songs, sort of. As she delineated Thodi to start with, e.g., Era naapai suggested itself. So also Mayamma when she gave a detailed essay of Ahiri. But, she dished them out with a freshness that swept you off your feet. I was looking for Kambodhi because today it is the turn of Karavaikal pin senru. She stared the alapana at tharasthayi as though she wold sing Sriraghuvaraprameya. Her father said in one TV show that many Kambodhi krithis start at mandarasthayi, Sriraghuvaraprameya being different. I had to give this clarification lest someone thinks that I know such niceties. Coming back to Karavaikal, I am looking for the sort of lilting start Smt. MLV gives, with no luck so far. Sriranjani's Kambodhi was heavenly and Smt. Neela mami who came before the curtain parted was enjoying sitting just in front of her. Evari mada was the krithi and swaras at the usual bhkataparadheena without neraval. It was electrifying swaraprasthara. Patri Satish Kumar and Anirudh Atreya lifted the concert to a different level. The team hit it off so well. Swaminatha paripalaya in nattai, Varalakshmi in Anandabhairavi, Mamava karunayaa in Shanmukhapriya were the other krithis I heard in sheer joy. I left after the main.

*

Music

07 Oct 2018

Anything that flows will change its course. A river for instance.

Music is a flow and will change its course over time. It may not be possible to keep it in a fixed form.

Music is created by musicians, not by critics and commentators. A musician’s creation will survive the critic’s comments.

Creation is blind to others and proceeds bursting the barriers. It has the urge to manifest in some new form from the old stuff.

What matters is whether it is chitha-ranjani!

< 

Sometimes we get carried away by new-fangled words or a new usage of a word, as it happens in language when initially we tend to use newly learnt words rather inappositely (like this word itself, which I picked up quite long ago).

Mind wearies of routine and looks to leap. Tradition cries a halt and classicism looks the other way.

What we oppose normally is a wholesale change, that hammers a thing past recognition. We do not like to see a belle turned to a hag in a jiffy.

But, all living things change subtly over time, and when one analyses it, the change over time is drastic, like they say some ragas have changed. But, the change has been within the limits of classicism.

I have heard both TMK and Sanjay say that a new expression of the art, without aberration of the grammar, is happening with all creative artists. BMK referred to Bani in evidence of this. With all his maverick ways, TMK has not done anything out of tune with the classical style of CM. In fact, he is one of the authentic torch bearers of this genre of music. I was listening to Narmada's Ecstasy (courtesy Parivadini) today. What an apt title! She has stuck to the essence of whatever she played or sang (she sings so melodiously). Such artists have a talent that is waiting to burst forth. The art form is sure of its being intact with them even as they try something new or traverse uncharted territory. They do not create something new per se but do something new in the existing form, that has stamp of creativity. Varadarajan talked of Sanjay as 'a creative artist'; yet, Sanjay is strictly a traditionalist, reminding one of Somu or MDR at times. Abhishek is another artist of such creativity.

Reinvention is a strong word, but a churning is going on and good music is resulting.

I know I have said more than I understand, but I could not get over my impetuosity.

*

17 Oct 2018

Reading about limitations of improvisation, contrarian thoughts sprung in my mind.

I feel the stronger as I think further that the artist has an urge to express an idea and his creative impulse does not care for critics or constraints. TMK is perhaps right. An artist does not care for the audience either. (That is different from disrespecting the audience.) It was interesting to read in the post on TSB Sastri that janaranjakam is not offering what the audience wants, but offering what the artist has to offer in a way that reaches the audience.

I posted about brain and improvisation, where it is stated: ‘It liberates musicians from inhibitions, letting them play around with new images and combinations.’

Commenting on a lakshana for a raga, Rangaramanuja Iyengar says, ‘Lakshya does not obey the lakshana.’

It is highly arbitrary to talk of what the composer intended. That will be a secret to which only a creative artist will have the clue.

It is a happy augury for C .M. that we have a few artists who have the mettle and confidence to create and engage the audience. So many new things would not have been possible if everyone stuck to the beaten track.

*

10 Jan 2018

Formalism in Carnatic music

We had a very enlightening discussion on embellishments, though in a thread that was to discuss a specific concert.

“In music, ornaments or embellishments are musical flourishes—typically, added notes—that are not essential to carry the overall line of the melody (or harmony), but serve instead to decorate or "ornament" that line (or harmony), provide added interest and variety, and give the performer the opportunity to add expressiveness to a song or piece.” Wikipedia.

The point that was discussed at length is whether the formal structure of a composition, which perhaps took shape in a moment of inspiration with not just the words but the raga essay as well, can be altered or added to. The protagonist was unyielding for some or good reason. The other side of the argument, not necessarily antagonist, nudged to a compromise that was not reached.

The bhava of a composition is not for tinkering. We have heard many instances of how the music, meaning and bhava are well aligned. For example, in Teliyaleru Rama, the successive sangathis convey the deepening anguish of the composer in not getting the required grace to turn his mind to unwavering devotion. In Ksheera sagara sayana, the sangathis change for ksheerasagara, but not for sayana because Thyagaraja does not intend to disturb the lord in sayana. Examples are aplenty.

To digress, but with a purpose, we read delightful criticism on Shakespeare’s plays like whether Hamlet was mad or not. (No, I am not coming to whether we are mad discussing this). I read a comment that Shakespeare wrote for the stage, not for literary criticism. Many of the points made by the critics may not have been even subconsciously in Shakespeare’s mind. The same thing we see in interpreting our own epics. The exponents add several points sometimes at divergence with what they said in an earlier interpretation. One exponent said candidly, “All of us add ‘podi’, but those that do standing add more ‘podi’”, having a dig at Harikatha. It is anybody’s guess whether the author really had such ideas in his mind when he wrote.

A doubt arises in my cynical mind whether the composers really had such ideas like what the interpreters say with conviction. We have no reliable record of their lives, not even actual period of their life in some case. It is all hearsay and hagiography. There is no document to establish that they in fact had a rigid stand as to how a number must be sung even within a given raga. The notations clealy call for splitting a word often defacing its meaning, and that does not quite lend to the view that a unity between word, meaning, music and bhava was achieved right through. That is not to say that their intention was not to achieve the unity. Bharathi says that of all composers Thyagaraja achieved that unity more and hence his compositions are special. But, I take it that music is the first thing and the rest fall in step.

We read many comments how music is greater than an individual to rein in ‘fans’. Is it then possible that the great composers would have put a premium on the formal structure of their composition above music? If a creative addition is possible, would they have frowned? If they would have, would they be great? We cannot turn around and say that some X is above music. We cannot say that they have captured the best of all times.

We cannot say that for the particular song, the structure is sacrosanct. A point may be adduced to support the view I take as unjustified. If different sangathis were possible for the same song, the composer would not have composed so many pieces in one raga. That is not how we tend. Even in writing, we try to express ourselves in a variety of ways to make it interesting. It is a spontaneous flow not predetermined mostly. Also, the major ragas have infinite scope and a composer gets inspiration and brings out a new dimension in a new krithi. It is also in a different mood and bhava. I am not disputing that.

The stalwarts of previous generation have added sangathis to the krithis of the trinity. They were all convinced of the piety and divinity of Thyagaraja. They would not have added if they considered it a sin, unlike the few ‘upstarts’ now who would do it for the heck of it!

Is this strict rule that for all time a line must be sung the same way only for trinity or for all composers, or only for vaggeyakkaras (those who have tuned their own lyrics)? How can reasonably anyone learn the authentic version of all such compositions and adhere to it, while still practicing music?

The point whether a new sangathi is fitting into the song has to be judged in individual cases by a collegium of artists (not like that on judges selection) and not by any one individual, or on the basis of an arbitrary fiat that it is inviolable.

Change only sustains life. Anything rigid perishes. Pliability enables viability. Art is spontaneous and unrestricted by formalism of any type. A performance has constraints, but art has to be free from injunctions. It is not art if it is fickle and operates as a terminator gene. Creativity knows the contours within which it blossoms.

I have a radical view. The eagerness to be history-conscious and cling to the past is against nature. Nature takes the essentials and moves on. Forgetfulness is a precious gift of nature. It is necessary to have sustained interest in life. To remember or cull out with great labour what fades out is a crushing burden on the limited capacity of mind for ordered thinking and creative impulse. There has been criticism in this forum that the reading of SSP by TMK was faulty. Let that which goes go. It will bring new life and new creativity. Classicism will survive by tradition that renews itself rather than that which stagnates around a few pieces of a creation of one time. We matter more than those that lived before. Art lives through us and those that succeed us, more than by those that have gone before. There is no merit in the point that art lives independent of its practitioners. Where does it live?

To some at least carnatic music is music basically and other dimensions are optional. CM is ultra-elitist and the task today seems to be to preserve it from dilution of the musical aspect. If the other aspects also are to be preserved like it has to be sung the same way for a thousand years, I wonder whether such a constrained art will survive. It has not survived even two hundred years, if the criticism is valid that the composer's kalpita has been vitiated.

Yesudas said that Carnatic music will not die. VVS quoted SSI saying that Carnatic music has the basic strength to survive. If a Thyagaraja was born to put it in limelight and blaze a new trail, why may not others in future? There is no need to feel that he is the last prophet of Carnatic music. What Krishna said of his appearance in relation to dharma may be extrapolated to Carnatic music also.

Let new sangathis come and stay or perish on merit and aesthetic appeal.

*

17 Feb 2016

(I have the advantage of ignorance to raise such issues. I posted here instead of in the lounge as it may be technical)

What is natural? In a way, everything is a transformation of something. Nothing is created out of thin air (leaving out god who has not registered in rasikas.org). So everything is come out of that which existed anyway. That may be a strand of pure advaita. That will shut out the very distinction between natural and man-made, but common understanding does not seem to tend that way.

The very idea of sound is not invention. Sound was there at least along with life. Music is a play of sound.

Do the swaras occur naturally? A swara is a particular way of producing sound and seems to be man-made. Man has not made the sound itself, but carved out a special sound by his ingenuity. Different people in different parts of the world have done it and as it is amenable to a scientific dissection, areas of agreement or deviation could be pinpointed. The discovered differences in pitches were not naturally occurring as far as my mind could grasp, but have been within the laws that nature seems to obey. We can argue how far the swaras are natural. In any case, given the basic swaras, how they develop into various genres of music is mind-boggling.

Raga is one of the alleys into which the swaras have been shepherded by human mind. Is it still natural or a locus of human fancy?

*

17 Feb 2016

I thought man by his ingenuity understood the basics of sound and constructed in its idiom the scales and different systems of music. It is natural in that it is in terms of the underlying science of sound, but man-made in the sense the systems so formed are not some 'mystical' phenomena tapped by human mind.

 

25 Feb 2016

Gravity was a fact long before man knew about it. Is music similar? Sound is different, though music is a play on sound. Some notes might have existed (cuckko's for example) outside of human creation, but did raga, tune, harmony exist outside human mind? Were they not the products of collective human mind over a long period? What is understanding? If someone can sing, he knows it. He may not be aware of jargon or may not participate in rasikas.org, but his practical knowledge of the music he creates is for real. How can we say that understanding came later?

 

02 Mar 2016

I read the following in Theory of Muisc (American) and it is interesting:

"Sounds are contained in all noises of nature, such as the wind blowing through the trees or in the roaring of the waterfall or of waves, but although the sound rises and falls in pitch, it is not music, for each tone has no definite pitch, neither does it bear a previously determined relation to the tones preceding or succeeding it. The tones which are gathered together to constitute any musical form are selected from a definite series whose individual tones progress in pitch by well defined degrees. This series is called a scale. The name is derived from the Latin word scala, a staircase, in recognition of the analogy existing between the progressing series of tones and the ascending steps of stairs. The Germans further express the comparison by using the name Tonleiter, a ladder of musical sounds, and the French employ the one word, echelle, to designate both scale and ladder.

This arranging of musical tones into a definite series has always been done by all races possessing music. Helmholz attributes it to a psychological reason similar to the natural feeling which has led to the rhythmical division in poetry. In other words, it is due to that inherent quality of rhythm whose reason lies beyond man's explanation but which is present in everything. It is within the realm of aesthetics. A constant factor in the problem of this science of the beautiful is to discover what it is in things that makes them beautiful or ugly, sublime or ludicrous. The explanation is ever receding and incomplete, universal laws of aesthetics cannot be established, for beyond a certain point training loses its power and each man becomes an authority unto himself, individuals having vastly different tastes.

The degrees of progression in the scale are not the same among the various races, but have differed with the epoch, the civilization, the tastes and the natural surroundings of the people. There are now in existence scales so different from our own that much training and familiarity are necessary before the beauties of their intervals can be appreciated by an alien ear.

.....

There are three points in which all scales agree. They are the octave, the fourth and the fifth. Scales of different civilisations and localities may contain any number of intermediate tones, but all agree in having established the natural relationship between the tones which are separated by the interval to which we refer as an octave, a name derived from the Latin word octo, meaning eight and used in this connection because the interval has been divided by eight tones, termed the degrees of the scale. The intervals between the other intermediate steps may be of various magnitudes, but the octave, fourth and fifth are always recognized."

Twain was so correct when he said:

The modern day man does not have the fascination for the rainbow, the savage had, simply because he knows how it is made.

He has lost, as much as he has gained, by prying into that matter

*

17 Feb 2015

In CM, what happened has been gradual change, even ragas have changed, I read. But, change is not the same as disruption, nor gradual change and branching into a style of one's own a revolution. What ARI did was capturing a change in mood in a format to reflect it. He had an idea and put it into action. But, TMK has only tried to turn it upside down. He has not introduced something that is a change in the sense it has added to the idea of presenting CM. He is a great singer and his music attracts listeners, but it is the quality of his music, not the order or lack of it. People still feel, 'OK we can stand it'. I do not think there is any welcome for it. Even his disciples know better to stick to the format. I have not seen any aesthetics or improvement in it. You do not start with an idea to overturn something if you are bringing a new idea. The new idea must have some substance, some consideration for the audience and a gentle handle to it. I find all these missing. Change will take place continuously and without it, there will be no life. That may not need emphasis. The point to consider is what the change is, how it is organic and how it takes CM forward.

 

18 Feb 2015

A rasika must have some taste as the word implies, but he does not decide the quality of the fare. We cannot equate a rasika with the artist and prescribe the same yardstick to the rasika as the artist. For example, an artist cannot prescribe that alapana is self-complete and the rasika must enjoy it and his lack of enjoyment is due to conditioning of mind. I can only remember how mothers used to force down castor oil in their children’s mouth in the hope it was good (a discontinued administration). The artist owes more to the rasika than the other way.

The concert or musical offering platform is not a laboratory. It is not the place to go with gay abandon on one’s mind track. The greats of yester years cared for the audience and presented well-rehearsed items. PSN has said that SSI used to sing better outside a concert. It was not that he held something in reserve, but as he himself said he observed a sense of proportion and restraint.

It cannot be the argument, as some imply, that since TMK’s music is authentic, his views on music must be all right. If he needs a whole book to make one understand the reasonableness of his views, it must be complicated and beyond an ordinary person. It cannot be said that no one other than TMK has an aesthetic idea of what makes music and what expression of it is creative.

As to conditioning of mind, I wonder why CM is not popular if it does not require conditioning and cultivation of taste. Music is universal, but a particular genre requires some conditioning perhaps.

Germane to the topic is Sri VKV’s query: What is on offer? TMK himself says he is not offering any alternative (I do not and I cannot, he said in a reply).

Even an intelligent child throws up petulant outbursts and tantrums.

 

19 Feb 2015

I used to attend TMK’s concerts and follow his programmes. I would write to him and he would invariably reply until I got bitterly critical of his views outside music.

After hearing his concert in 2009 (it was still called concert then), I wrote to him exuberantly:

“The format was novel. Choice of varnam as piece de resistance was of course unexpected. Your explaining why you chose it was apt. I was

thinking that people would flock to hear you sing even if you sing the song backwards.

However, such deviations from the concert format introduced by the universally acclaimed Sri Ramanuja Iyengar, which has stood the test of time, should be one-off, I feel. This is not to criticise or question the creativity of an artist, which will anyway transcend the commonplace sentiments. I know that what you do is well-thought out and you present it not just because it is manoranjakam to you, but since you have read the pulse of the audience and make it janaranjakam.”

He explained about singing varnam in the middle, that the full scope and content of a varnam was not explored when sung first, when the audience was still arriving, dusting the seats and settling down. He added, ‘I felt like doing it and did it.’ I was satisfied particularly with the second reason.

In one reply, he said, ‘I am just trying to sing carnatic music.’ It was touching.

In reply to a query on purists, he said, ‘I think of myself also as a purist.’

All this is authentic. No one has questioned his preeminence in CM singing or his pursuing his musical ideas. There has been no bashing of his musical genius.

But, by and by he started expressing strident views, giving scant respect for audience sensitivity, and attacking belief systems with what I would call bigotry. He commented that ARI system was lacking in aesthetic sense and that it stifled musical creativity and made uncomplimentary comments about others that followed ARI format and also about the previous generation of musicians.

The innovations that are talked about have nothing to do with the format. The same experimentation can be done in the set pattern as well. It is not as though his is the only contribution to the growth of new ideas in CM.

It is his provocation that has got the response which I feel needs to be expressed.

To my mind, a case has not been made against the format of ARI.

Of course, each person will choose whom to listen to.

No one is jealous of his easy access to media or press. The idea expressed was that he uses that availability for giving his offensive and off-the-cuff views.

The contributions form knowledgeable persons have been rewarding in several aspects of CM in this thread. So, it is as necessary for us to say what we feel to get the benefit of such nuggets, as it is for any musician to get his way and say in his singing.

*

It is in the general practice to compare an artist to a known one. It does not mean that one is aping the other or lacks ‘originality’. Where one does, it becomes obvious and fails to impress.

A number of people are reminded of KVN when RKM sings. When Pantula Rama sings she somehow brings to mind MLV. Sanjay was asked whether his singing is after anyone’s style and he said, ‘At times it tends to be like MMI or MDR, but it is not intentional’. That happens. Maybe because you admire that person so much, it gets into your system or whatever. Aishwarya Srinivasan brings memories of MS. That is natural as her grandmother trains her, but she is intelligent not to be a tape-recorder. To say she sings like MS will not be to dismiss her effort and vidwat.

We have had innumerable instances in this forum where such comparisons have been made in good taste.

Much of what passes for ‘originality’ is also the unseen work of the brain which learns and improves by repetition, comparison, negative feedback mechanism, etc. Without comparing with a past event brain won’t progress.

The ALU of the central processor works on a similar principle. While it is unintelligent and non-aesthetic, the process is similar.

A rasika making such comparison is not out of place.

GV has MS for her manasika guru. It may come naturally to her (without an effort to ape) that her singing resembles MS’. There is nothing amiss in mentioning that she reminds one of MS. It is not an unfair comment either on MS or GV. Her brilliance will not be dimmed by a rasika making his choice of enjoyment.

*

Eroticism

Azhwars wrote devotional pasurams steeped in bhakthi and surrender. They took episodes from the epics and puranas, Bhagavatham in particular, and such a huge volume of exquisite poetry was possible.

What was their take of Krishna’s dalliance with gopikas?

They have themselves got into nayika-bhava and pined for union with the lord. Such poetry is copious.

They have also alluded to, if not actually used, the Krishna-gopika pangs of love and separation.

Let me quote a sample:

Periyazhwar:

மைஆர் கண் மட ஆய்ச்சியர் மக்களை

   மையன்மை செய்து அவர் பின்போய்

கொய் ஆர் பூந்துகில் பற்றித் தனி நின்று

   குற்றம் பல பல செய்தாய்

பொய்யா உன்னைப் புறம் பல பேசுவ

   புத்தகத்துக்கு உள கேட்டேன்

ஐயா உன்னை அறிந்துகொண்டேன் உனக்கு

   அஞ்சுவன் அம்மம் தரவே.

(4) 226. You fascinate the beautiful young cowherd girls whose dark eyes are decorated with kohl. You follow them holding onto their soft clothes, and steal their clothes and stand alone and do many mischievous things. You tell lies and people are gossiping about you.

Kulasekarazhwar’s ‘Ermalar Poonguzhal’ (698-718) describes the pangs of separation of Gopikas a la Gopika Githam.

Nammazhwar’s ‘Minnidai Madavar’ (3238-3248) depicts the pining placing himself in the shoes of a gopika. ‘Mallikai kamazh (3645-3655) is of the same mood.

In short, Azhwars accepted Krishna’s satisfying the gopikas described in vivid detail in Srimad Bhagavatham, the original source for Krishna katha almost.

This has rankled not only later day moralists, but also Parikshit to whom Suka narrated the deeds of Vishnu to get him quick salvation. Parikshit asks, “How could Krishna, the creator and protector of the codes of moral conduct, touch the wives of other men, no doubt a contemptible performance?” Suka said: “They are like an all-consuming fire [that is not affected by what it consumes]. Someone not in control [of himself] must not even think of ever doing a thing like this. The words of the authorities are true, their acts should only occasionally be taken as an example. How can we, who are controlled, speak in terms of right or wrong of the one who controls? In order to show His mercy to His devotees, He with assuming a humanlike body engages in [amorous] pastimes, hearing about which one becomes devoted to Him. The cowherd men of Vraja who were bewildered by the power of His mâyâ, were not jealous of Krishna. They all thought that their wives had stayed at their side.”

That would hardly be satisfactory to a mind based on worldly morals.

Bhagavathas take it as allegorical of the yearning of jivas for paramatma and the final union. Such metaphor is found in Upanishads also.

Sri Velukkdi Krishnan said in one discourse that Krishna had not yet reached puberty at the time. That also may not satisfy all.

In explaining a verse in Gopika Githam, Anatharama Dikshither said, “The gopis beg Krishna to place his feet on their chest. Krishna placed his feet on Kaliya who disgorged all poison. Likewise, the touch of Krishna would remove all the defects in the mind.”

It is up to us to take the meaning in a healthy way.

Brushing it aside as spurious is like ostrich burying its head in the sand.

Gopika Gitam is wonderful erotic poetry and has been sung all the way down and MLV has sung it in her melodious voice in ragamalika. Rasakrida of Narayaneeyam has been sung in ragamalika by Leela.

Eroticism is in us, those of us that are normal, and that is healthy.

काम m. kAma love [erotic, sexual]

काम m. kAma longing [erotic, sexual]

This is from Sanskrit to English dictionary, not Tamizh.

Kamasutra is about kama in the above sense.

Rasalila was in public domain and taste, and the propriety of it was a matter of discussion in Bhagavata itself.

What we take is up to us. My teacher said when I was in tenth standard (16 years) that Bhagavata is meant to be read by mature minds.

Srngara is the king of rasas (Sri RSachi may please pardon me) and that is why bhakti uses Srngara as the way to god. It is easy to guide the mind on its path and ensure that the mind is taken to god. The hazard that it may land in pure lust is great, but the great sages and poets employed it with abandon, and what we have is something practical and artistic. What we had was not a society that was dissolute, nor one that was puritan. We had one that was optimal.

My objective in posting this is to rebut the point made elsewhere that Azhwars did not accept rasalila. That is simply not true. Azhwars accepted it and turned it into glorious and unparalleled poetry of ecstatic devotion.

We have this sense of wrong associated with kama in its proper sense, that is not seen in ancient India. Puranas describe kama between gods in voluptuous terms. Rasalila is fine literature on love 'in the lower rung', an expression, I do not agree with.

We pass through stages in life and each stage is characterised by certain activity. For example, we have played with toys as children. It was quite appropriate. There is nothing small about it. If we are engrossed or infatuated in any one state, it is undesirable from the point of view of development. To appreciate what others do in their stage is wisdom.

Ramayana gives us two instances of kama that derailed the persons - Dasaratha who had to give up his son and life as a result of kama, and Ravana who dragged the whole race to destruction because he abducted another's wife. The lesson is there for anyone who cares.

I am too small to interpret what Mahaperiyava said. Such souls are there for us to steady our minds and be rooted in virtue.

Advaita is when we can free the mind of all duality, when even bhakti must cease as glorification of a different being. It is an ideal and almost impossible. It is the truth paramount, but the world of duality is what we are keen to grapple with. We cannot analyse kama etc. from advaitic state.

*

 

On Sanjay

Hard work and discipline. He has been consistently stressing these at every available turn.

He plans and prepares for his performance. Manodharma is not all extempore for any artist. That one has worked it out does not detract from the creativity associated in it. It is like someone writing out his own speech. The ideas are one’s own but it is cut and polished for a crisp presentation.

That does not rule out new ideas on the spot.

He has identified his flair and worked on converting it into his forte. There was hesitancy for plunging wholesale, but there was no doubt where his heart was.

He is professional. He is entirely focused on the 2-3 hrs of performance. He is on music, he keeps tab on his accompanists and the audience alertly. He does not take his mind away at any time in the performance. His stage decorum is impeccable, the white uniform being the least significant of it. There is no frivolousness, small talk and giggling, etc. He ascertains all necessary information like how far he can sing beforehand and keeps to the timing, start as well as finish. I have attended many of his concerts and only once it was delayed, that was thanks to someone who went on talking to an indifferent audience.

His energy level stays put to the end. I do not notice any thoyvu. It is for the connoisseurs to judge sruthi suddham.

He has a knack of introducing variation of composer, raga, etc.

His pronunciation esp. in Tamizh is enviable. (Telugu, kannada I do not know). Samskritham passes muster, may not be as great as DKP, MS.

While his respect of the audience is general, he does not particularly oblige individual requests, probably because it does not fit into his structuring. But, more often than not the audience feels satisfied as though their requests were taken up.

He has been candid. He has acknowledged his sources of inspiration, his gurus, and admitted how he had to work hard on some areas.

He does not present anything unless he has mastered it, the musical nuance as well as the lyrical details. It is definitely a plus point when one does not have to divert attention to some paper or gadget for lyrics.

Definitely, he has done marketing. Even now he is on facebook, twitter, sharing his schedule and reviews and interviews.

He is not 24 hrs on music. Efficiency goes down when you are on one topic all the time. He spends time on cricket, board games and reading. Perhaps he is the best read of the contemporary musicians barring one. He has listened extensively and read copiously on music. These add to his strength in music.

In a word he is a total man, one who knows what he knows.

(hagiography? maybe but critics will do well to pinpoint what I have said wrong).

*

Vimarsanams

26 Oct 2017 13:56

As a sleepy rasika, I want to make some audacious points about vimarsanams:

Some people seem to be waiting for some lapse on the part of the artist to comment upon. Such lapses must occur in all concerts. If a concert is engaging overall, such lapses even when noticed do not detract from its total appeal.

Some seem to attend a concert with an examiner's eye or like a panel member to rate the performer.

Some people go to the extent of suggesting what pieces must be sung and in what order and at what length.

Some criticism seems to be on what the artist has not done!

Some points I read in Sruti are interesting.

On being prompted Apporva Krishna asked Sandeep Ramachandran, a question: “How would you plan to spread Carnatic music among the masses?” Sandeep replies, “I think it most important for us to be true to music, to be proud of our art form and pursue it with vigour. The beauty of each musician is to be committed and dedicated to the art form. This will help in attracting recognition from all.”

That is the best an artist can do to keep art alive and make it reach an audience. Criticism should also endeavor to further this thought. While negatives need be brought to the attention of the performer, it must be done in a way as to encourage, not to show one’s technical competence. A snub of a comment may get readership, but may be disservice to the art. Kanchi Acharya has said, “If you speak harshly nobody will listen to you even if you mean well. Your speech must be beneficial and, at the same time, capable of bringing happiness to the man to whom it is addressed. This is truthfulness.”

Sri V Ramnarayan writes in Sruti: “So much complexity in terms of laya intricacies or challenging ragam-tanam-pallvis is on offer that even Sangita Kalanidhis will find it difficult to offer expert comments on many of these concerts.” He concludes, “Every rasika is a potential critic, broadcasting to the world even as a concert is in progress. All he or she needs is a smart phone.”

Elsewhere while offering his impressions on a ‘fabulous’ concert, he writes, “ .. I did not take any notes at the concert.”

I read that Subbudu would write his review from memory only. It is a different matter whether Subbudu’s style is a good model, but perhaps only ‘spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings’ of the concert recollected when all the ‘sound and fury’ have ceased, should be the butt of the review. If only the negatives remain in the mind, it may not be worth writing on.

It is nice to read some reviews in rasikas.org. They are instructive and make some nice points that make a lay listener advance his appreciation of music.

 

06 Mar 2020

I read this recently:

I.Pavlov: “Artists grasp life as a single whole, totally, completely, a living reality, without any fractionating, without any separating; others – thinkers – just fractionate it, thereby sort of killing it, making of it some tentative skeleton, and only then they, as it were, reassemble its parts and attempts to revive it somehow, an endeavor in which they fail completely.”

RaGa sisters quoted this Aesop’s fable about facing criticism:

https://www.bartleby.com/17/1/62.html

From Sanjay’s blog:

“Here is an interesting take on criticism by the writer Bernard Malamud in an interview given to the Paris Review in 1975.

‘I dislike particularly those critics who preach their aesthetic or ideological doctrines at you. What’s important to them is not what the writer has done but how it fits, or doesn’t fit, the thesis they want to develop.’

This can also be seen in Carnatic music where the ‘knowledgeable’ are always keen to try and impose their value systems on the musician. Sometimes the reaction to the music is so determined by the already existing assumption that has been made on how or what should be performed. Every generation of artists keep throwing up the odd rebel who shatter these existing notions and make the ‘knowledgeable’ redefine their expectations. Then the new generation of artistes will suffer from not conforming to this recently formed set of values and so it goes on and on.”

A performance to me is a total experience. I do not enjoy if it is not. The hallmark for this is MS, but an MS comes once in an epoch. But, luckily there are many who do provide some approximation that is heartening.

The deportment of the singer and his empathy with the audience is an integral part of the experience. When I take the interest to attend an event, I do not mortgage my self-respect for some expertise of the singer, which no doubt is the prime mover.

I understand it is my limitation, and having known it, I shall choose performance where I get that authentic experience where the singer is not just in love with his vidwat and foray, but includes the audience in his music.

 

01 Aug 2015

Music is priceless, but for a profession it has to be priced. When priced, it becomes a commodity and is a topic of economics, not aesthetics or art. The price is determined like any other commodity on demand, supply, scarcity, marketing, etc. To believe or demand that it should not be so, would defy logic.

A rasika is concerned with the aesthetic art and his willingness to pay a price for it when it is in the market. He is a consumer and his authority on the price is no better than on any other commodity.

The desire of the consumer for a low price competes with the desire of the artist to get a high price. So far, it is no different from any other commodity. But, CM is a commodity that is in demand in what may be called a closed market, expanding if it does in a limited way. We see that at least in Bengaluru, there is sparse attendance even for free concerts of quality performers, barring a handful. That necessitates raising funds through sponsors, grants, etc. The organisers play a very useful role including the Chennai sabhas esp. during the season, which also came under attack.

I wonder what meaningful role rasikas.org can play in stimulating the market or influencing the price. Of course, the topic is interesting just as I find Upanishads interesting though it has no role in the mundane life that I lead and which I like.

In the discussion, I find contradictions; while a good price is recommended for the artists, those who can and want to pay (NRIs) are in for a banter. The overseas organisers and rasikas who would pay become suckers. The artists who can demand a good price also earn choice epithets.

As far as I see, the organisers, artists, rasikas are normal human beings like us and behave as we do. They have created market and I am able to enjoy music and also add to the confused noises.

 

 

Reviews

Nadasurabhi 2nd Nov 2018

Visakha Hari’s discourse was a new leaf in that it was not based on mythology, but on the musical genius of the trinity. Even so, several incidents she described with utmost conviction and bhakti called up the reserves of faith. She gave it a gloss of realism with her bhava and alacrity, a total engagement with herself, her team and the audience. I was in two minds whether to go for a concert or harikatha and I sort of drifted involuntarily to her discourse and felt rewarded.

She wanted to reverse the normal order followed since if she started on Thayagaraja she might not cover the other two. She started on Syama Sastri. She gave an outline of his biography, how his ancestors moved from Andhra, were upasakas of Kamakshi and archakas of Bangaru Kamakshi, how they moved the idol of Kamakshi to Kanchi, Tiruvarur and Thanjavur to save it from iconoclasts.

There was no legacy of music in Syama Sastri’s family, but Syama Sastri learnt music only for four months during the chaturmasyam of a sanyasi of Andhra origin and later used to learn by listening to Pachhimirium Adiyappa who would call him fondly as Kamakshi.

She sang Amba Kamakshi mentioning how in the charanam the various stanzas begin with successive swaras starting with shadjam. It was absorbing. She also sang Sankari samkuru.

She narrated about the contest with a north Indian who was proud and emerged victorious in all contests so far. The pundits of Thanjavur requested Sayama Sastri to accept his challenge. Syama Sastri instantly sang Devi brova in Chintamani to seek the grace of Kamakshi. During the narrative, she sang a simhanandanam tala pallavi that included Jayarama, being the name of her guru. The percussion team (H S Sudhindra and Sukanya Ramgopal) gave one small tani in the talam which was nice.

While mentioning about her guru, she recalled that his forefather Rama Iyer used to sing with a lemon on his head (he was quite in his wits, she quipped) with the challenge that during the entire concert the lemon should not fall. My mind took a tour on its own. I thought that if some of the present day vidwans tried it, it might be like end as the bowling of Hall and Griffith in no time!

She referred to gayaka lakshnas, one should not shake the head, should not close the eyes, etc. while singing. I do not remember hearing that one should not part the lips! I am curious to know whether such criteria can indeed be complied with.

I decided to listen to her talk on the other two later as she is due to repeat it early next month.

The violin from Vittal Rangan was soothing.

*

Nadasurabhi 3rd Nov 2018

Day 3 featured Malladi Brothers known for their traditional and chaste singing taking after their guru Nedunurigaru. The concert started slightly late by 15-20 minutes.

It was announced that recording was not to be done. The modification was interesting. If recording was done, quality must be ensured.

They started with varnam ‘karunimpa’ (ragam?). I am still in the Ariyakkudi hangover, and starting with varnam seems to flag off a concert aptly.

Darbar was outlined with tiger-tight pidis without any overlap, brief, but beautiful. Naradaguruswami arrived. A round of swaras embellished the rendition. Continuing from the previous day’s theme of ‘musical genius of the trinity’ as it were, Sriram Prasad explained the greatness of the kriti. Thyagaraja has invoked Narada in four kritis, he said.

Mukhari alapana was gripping. Enthani ne of Thyagaraja came alive. The fortune of Sabari was envied longingly. Nishant Chandran’s violin accompaniment was extra sweet. The percussionists (Tumkur B Ravishankar and S N Narayanamurty – ghatam) knew luckily that it was a vocal concert and let the voices be heard clearly. Neraval and swaras in the charanam – kanulara – gave it consummation.

A sloka was sung in Mohanam from Lakshminarasimha karavalambam. Understandably, Narasimha agacha was the Dikshithar krithi choen. The ugram of Narasimha was brought forth vividly. In Narayaneeyam also Bhattadri has chosen the words aptly befitting the ugram. That is a poetic delicacy seen in great poets like Kamban. But I was wondering why Dikshithar chose Mohanam for ugram. Then, why did critics find fault with SSI for setting ‘ghora Tataka’? It seems that he omitted to sing Mohanam after that! The brothers brought out the prasa-rich charanam of Dikshithar with aplomb.

A pleasing dhanyasi alapana by Ravikumar was followed by another Thyagaraja Kriti Ramabhirama with neraval and svaraprasthara. There was a thani after this. I thought it was longish. The rasika next to me read my mind and commented, ’20 minutes’. That would pale into insignificance before someone like Sri Rajarao.

The brothers then sang a filler Sarvanabhava in Shanmukhapriya. It seemed to serve no purpose. Then they launched into RTP in Nattaikurinji, a pallavi on Krishna to herald Deepavali as announced by the elder brother.

*

Nadasurabhi 4th Nov 2018

The last day saw Sanjay at his artistry.

Sanjay’s concert was Sanjay’s concert ( copyright: Kalidasa and Kamban).

It was in a pleasing tempo. Though Deepavali was just a couple of days away, Sanjay seemed to respect by and large SC order to avoid crackers. Venkatesh occasionally reminded that SC has exempted places other than Delhi.

‘It is ten seconds past six and over to Sanjay,’ concluded Sri Suresh after brief formalities.

Guruprasanna meshed into the well set Sanjay-Varadarajan-Venkatesh team. The men in white started the proceedings before one could do a chittikkai. It was a breathless affair from then on. Sanjay would pass from Sourashtram to Kedaram to Suddhasaveri (Devakriya rather) to Kiravani seamlessly as if it was a machine affair. He had grand inspiration from the veteran musician Smt. Neela mami, enjoying and encouraging, and his own beloved Aarthi Sanjay sitting in trance as the recording was in progress.

The varnam in kuntalavarali (parakela?) set the ball rolling.

Suryamurte followed. What a lovely and leisurely rendition! It symboilsed the setting sun as Sanjay landed in ‘namostu te’. It went well with the cool evening and the fading light outside ironically as it were.

Then started alapana in Kedaram. Sanjay treated Kedaram with all care, putting it in a cradle and gently pushing the cradle up and down. Varadarajan followed with his sweet essay. Would it be Rama nipai? No. Sakala bhuvana nayaka (Sivan). I heard for the first time. It is on Chidambaram. Sanjay seems to include one song on Chidambaram in his concerts. He sang swaras.

It was over to Suddhasaveri. Perhaps the suddhasaveri he sang years ago in Kalarasana(?) is the best. This one too vied for honours. Would it be Dharini? No. Dikshithar again. Srivadukanatham. New for me. Neraval at Sakthi sahitha.

Kiravani came torrentially next. Kaligiyunte? Yes, it was. Swaras at the usual charanam. The swara patterns were mesmerizing. There was plenty of fun with the team putting their act together with visible relish. Venkatesh let Kanjira have a lion’s share in percussion. A delectable tani followed. It was controlled compared to the one in Gayana Samaja.

He sang two melodious pieces next Jaladhini (?) and Managula .. Govinda (Abhogi).

RTP in Harikambodhi with Sivan’s handsome tribute to Bharathi (NCV’s heavenly voice reverberating at the back of the mind) ‘Bhakthiyudan ni thodukkum pAmAlaikku iNai undo Subramania Bharathi’. Ragamalika and the song concluded the number.

He started Etthanai Koti inbam vaitthAy iRaivA. Yes, that is how it was. I missed from there.

Sanjay’s alapanas set me thinking: if he were a mountaineer, he would not be satisfied even with Everest.

The experience of a concert of high standard cannot be captured in words. Adi Sankara begins Anandalahari saying, ‘Bhavani, neither the four-headed Brahma, nor the five-headed Siva, nor the six-headed Subrahmanya, nor the thousand-headed Adisesha, can describe your glory. How can I?” I am not comparing myself with Sankara (which will be preposterous) nor Sanjay with Bhavani. That is simply to say that I am unequal to convey the grandeur of the concert.

Song list (courtesy Sri Krishnan Kandadai)

1. Varnam in kuntalavarali

2. Sooryamurthe namostute in sowrashtram (D)

3. Sakala bhuvana nayaka – Kedaram (Sivan)

4. Sree vattuka natha in suddha saaveri (D)

5. Kalikiyunte in keervani (T)

6. Jaladhi (?)

7. Managula(?) in abhogi

8. RTP - harikambodhi

Raga maalikai covering ranjani, dhanyasi, kadhanakudoohalam and kanakangi

9. Ethanai Kodi inbam vaithai engal iraiva by bharathiyar in desh.

10. Jaavali in khamas

11. Viruttam - poorani manonmani , mohanam, saaveri, abheri , behaag followed by karpagambikai nee allavo

12. Ashtapathi in sindhubhairavi

Mangalam

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Sachi_R » 06 Nov 2018 07:04

K

V

C

कर्ण

वाक्

चक्षु

रसिकोत्तमः

*

Bangalore Gayana Samaja 28/10/2018

A beautiful concert by Sanjay with S Varadarajan, Neyveli B Venkatesh and Rajasekar (Morsing)

‘I too’ went for the above concert. I enjoyed it forgetting the fog that has enveloped Carnatic Music scene. Here is a professional musician, to whom music is the profession and the audience the masters. He never takes the audience for granted, nor the music he has to offer. There are great musicians, some may be even better, but in structuring a concert with sense of proportion and variety of songs and ragas and composers, he is matchless. As the organizer said, he is punctual, polite and humble.

There have been talented rasikas in the audience, including two who have come down from Chennai just for this one event. Sanjay did not disappoint them. The bhairavi alone would have paid for their trip. We can expect quality reviews from them (Anuradha Kannan and K P Jayan). I am just giving some cranky comments here.

After a varnam (I am not familiar with), Kumaraswaminam followed in lovely Ahiri. Alapana of begada was next. Sanjay had a teasing start. He cajoled begada, as it were, and made every phrase a gem. Not satisfied with gentle pushes and shoves, he went on higher gear and searched where all begada was hiding and made it jump out. After the visibly vigorous effort Sanjay is identified with (something that I enjoy with his music, but which is off-putting to traditionalists), he assumed, as it were, the role of begada. Begada pleaded for being shown more delicacy. He obliged and landed it smoothly maybe a little underground. Varadarajan was his usual excellent self and begada by now knew what treatment to expect. A Swathi thirunal krithi gave shape to begada.

The main was bhairavi. What bhairavi it was! Bhairavi was watching begada and being as much well acquainted with Sanjay, she danced to the tune of Sanjay like Balasarswathi. Sanjay kept going higher and higher with that fountain of energy he comes with and Varadarajan followed him like a shadow. It was a grand affair. Koluvai was the song taken (previously he sang evarito in manavathi, he announced the raga name) and it was a surprise being a second Thyagaraja krithi. What a song it is! I have not heard Sanjay sing it before. It was done with gusto, with Venkatesh adding a sprightly gait and the hall with about 700 listeners was set afire. Neraval was in manasu ranjilla.

Tani started. The person next to me remarked, ‘too loud’ and left for a break. That was a nice way to excuse oneself during tani, I thought. The mrdangist however made sure that the beat was audible outside the auditorium and that the rasika did not miss it in the coffee stall which was as crowded as the auditorium. The audience liked it going by the well punctuated applause. It was of course electrifying tani but for the decibel.

What next? A filler before RTP was obligatory. There was no prtimadhyama song, no viruttam, no Tamizh song. Sanjay took care of all this in one go. After manaada with Sanjay aada, Ananda kootthadinaar flowed. Andandam and koothu, it was.

Arabhi RTP. Rajivaaksha baaro radha ramana. A clever Kannada song I thought, with just baaro, but Sanjay had one to follow in full Kannada. A bolt from the blue. I have not heard it before and likely it was BGS release as a trailer before Deepavali.

Waiting now for 4th November.

Post by rajeshnat » 29 Oct 2018 08:39

How,long was,concert exclusive,of speech . Thank u kvc u are turning out to be such a great and unique,writer.

 

Sachi_R » 30 Oct 2018 14:21

Sri KVC,

Whaaa....

"Begada underground.

Bhairavi dancing to Sanjay's command like Balasaraswati."

"Canteen as crowded as the concert hall".

Sir, you're filling the Carnatic void. I too congratulate you.

 

Sivaramakrishnan » 03 Nov 2018 21:50

kvc,

This is THE review of the year because you've taken the event to the non-attendees in the most convincing manner. Nothing unbelievable for a rasika who is familiar with Sanjay's approach and recital.

 

arasi » 04 Nov 2018 01:28

Agreed.

KVC,

Now, I'm pulling your leg. It was anything but improper...?? You called the review you posted after yours 'proper'--to me, it was yet another good review.

After this weekend, may we expect another double header?

Not far, yet too far at present for me...

*

Sri Rama Lalitha Kala Mandira 06 Jan 2018 22:04

Sowmya gave a brief talk prefatory to the concert. She was happy to open 2018 with this concert on the Thyagaraja aradhana day dedicating it to her guru Dr. S Ramanathan whose centenary year celebration is in progress. She planned to sing krithis popularised by him.

She started with ninne bhajana in Nattai.

Next came Teliyaleru Rama in Dhenuka. She explained that Dr SR would take up this song to explain how the sangathis for this song convey the mood of pleading with Rama in successively higher tone of the plea.

Then she made alapana of Yadukula kambodhi and sang Chelimini from Prahlada Bhakti Vijayam. She said that the opera depicts Prahladas bhakti to Rama (who is the same as Vishnu for Thyagaraja) and that in the opera neither the protagonist (Narasimha) or the antagonist (Hiranyakasipu) figure. She embelliehed it with swaras.

Varanarada in Vijayasri followed with neraval at prakatambuka and interesting swara patterns.

Kanukonu sowkhyamu in Nayaki continued with her leisurely sowkhyam.

She sang one more number straight – sudhamadhurya in Sindhuramakriya.

She started on alapana of Shanmukhapriya mentioning that she covered rare ragas so far, but would now take up a familiar raga, but a rare krithi. Vaddanevaru she embarked upon.

She confined herself within what her voice would essay and what the raga would allow. Her voice was alright, relieved from the strain that was in evidence in MU concert that was telecast. The percussion duo let the voice be heard. They decisively played thirmanam for every piece, as a warm up to the tani that must have succeeded Vaddane varu.

*