Asmyaham talks about Sri Tyagaraja Aaradhana and then calls the current day youth to preserve the grand carnatic culture
Linked by admin. Join Blogbharti facebook group.So, next time you purchase a 1500 couple entry ticket to a Boyzone or a Metallica live in concert, do spare a few thoughts for these immensely gifted musicians back home who enthrall you for “free” at community centers on various occasions. After all, we do not need everything to be certified and authorized by the west, even though it is our own, before we adopt the same!
In the words of the great musician, Sri Thiayagaraja, “ Entharo Mahanubhavulu, antharikku vandanammu” ( To all the noble people of this land, please accept my salutations)….
I don’t find much meaning in such a ‘call for action’. Carnatic music has many limitations. It is still in its traditional conservative form compared to the Hindustani music. Hindustani music welcomed and nurtured with welcoming other traditions into their music and thus being a rich form of music with both Vedic and Mughal influences. Also their instrumental music is so rich. Carnatic music is purely based on ‘Bhakthi’ whereas Hindustani music has a more secular form including the krithis about nature, love etc. Western music also has gone far from being used only for the religious (church) services. They have very expressive music. They have music of the opressed and aethists and so on, and compared to that we do not (not forgetting some of the sufis though) have any as such.
I agree there there is the western influence factor, but considering the fact the youngsters of these days grew up listening to the raw renditions of the veteran musicians, they wont prefer a Carnatic concert or for that matter any classical music concert. But at the sametime, they have enjoyed the semi-classical songs very much. Example, “Ennavale” song given music by ARR and sung by P. Unnikrishnan. So until the carnatic music system reforms a little according to the times, it won’t survive except for some brahmin communities.
Why blame youngsters for this? They like our own A. R. Rahman or Ilaiyaraja along with Metallica or Pink Floyd. ARR concert tickets sell more than a Metallica or Pink Floyd concert because only the hard rock/metal fans would be there. There has always been only a few interested in the traditional classical music. Isn’t it the same in western or other eastern lands as well? So what’s this sudden worry about youngsters staying away from Classical music?
He also asked, When was the last time you actually listened to the Sapta Swara? (Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Da Ni) Must have been ages, right? — No, we hear it everyday in the form of film music or any other music.
Good take Jo.
@Jo: I wonder how you could like Ilayaraja’s music and not like classical stuff? His music has always been very influenced with carnatic music.
The problem really is the perception of the youth. Classical music is uncool for them, even though they would listen and enjoy old hindi/tamil songs which have strong elements of classical music. They might be hearing classical music in film songs but they really are unaware of it and stay away from the classical stuff, ie, they are just not open to listen to it… I think this is what the blogger is referring to.
Madhat,
I do not have familiarity with any sort of classical music and I have similar problems as the above gentlemen. It is true many classical Carnatic music ragas are used in film songs and quite a fewof them are Hindustani radas. But in practice, a lot seem to pracrice carnatic music like gymanastics and butcher the lyrics. In contrast the few hindustani recitals I attended, this was long ago by people like Ravishankar, Bade Gulam ali Khan, Amir Khan, I found the music more melodious. It is posssible the Ravishankar knew how to entertain audience and kept things simple for western audience and that he was first classical musician that I heard might have had some influence on my tastes.
@Madhat - I didn’t say I do not like Carnatic Classical. I have learnt Carnatic music for one year. [I know its not enough time to say "I learnt music" though :-) ]. The reason I started learning music was because I enjoyed listening and singing semi-classical filmi songs and also to straighten the flaws I have as an amateur singer. I hope that clears your question.
I started listening to Carnatic music from an early age through the radio stations, listening to the veteran singers. I got so bored. Pardon my ignorance, still I get bored listening to the veterans like Semmaangudi, Pattammaal etc, but I like Chembai. The reason I am still humming Alai Payuthey is because I heard K. J. Yesudas’s rendition of that krithi. But then Yesudas is not considered to be a good Carnatic vocalist by the hardcore Carnatic lovers.
What makes me listening to Carnatic music these days is the presence of youngsters with a fresh voice and a light rendition and swara maadhuryam like P. Unnikrishnan, Sudha Raghunathan etc. Its not the rough and raw rendition that would make the youngsters stay away from classical music. Sudha Raghunathan has once released a cassette with the Saraswathi krithis in Carnatic with the background of instruments like Piano, Strings, Flute etc like an album. It was a success.
If you thought youngsters consider learning Classical music is “uncool”, welcome to Kerala. The increasing number of reality talent shows in TV channels and school level competitions have made the children to learn traditional arts like Classical music and dance. Those kids are considered to be “cool” here. And they are very much admired by their colleagues and treated as semi-celebrities.
Why should someone enjoying the filmi songs of Ilaiyaraja, Ravindran or M. G. Radhakrishnan should learn Classical music? It is advised that children who have singing abilities can make use of classical music as an “improvising/practising tool”. If semi-classical songs are being enjoyed by the masses but not the pure classical, what is wrong with that? Has SPB learnt Carnatic music? Is he considered less of a singer? Why people think “sapthaswarams” are only in the classical music?
If carnatic music is getting popularised in the form of filmi songs or semi-classical songs that is something to be appreciated. I believe the youth is open to any kind of music. The only thing is, it has to be appealing to them. (isnt it a personal preference?) I am not totally ignoring the western influence part though). I’ve seen youngsters who listen to Techno do not like Bryan Adams. Or those who like Bryan Adams do not like Metallica or those who like Marilyn Manson do not like Bryan Adams. What does it show? Its all about preference. Let the youth head-bang to “enter sandman” or “smells like teen spirit”, they will definitely come back and give an ear when there are songs like “hari muralee ravam” or “ennavale”.
I remember while I was meeting with Sri. M. G. Radhakrishnan, he told me it doesn’t matter if you learnt Carnatic music for 15 years or x years, or applying too lengthy “manodharmams” in your singing. If you got a good voice and can sing seven swaras in its right “swara sthaanam”, thats what really matters.
@gaddeswarup – The lyrical ignorance of Carnatic music is because of the language. Most of the krithis are written in Kannada or Tamil. And the teachers do not know the meaning of the lyrics. And knowing the meaning of the lyrics might be un-comfortable for the people grown up in the other religious traditions than Hinduism, since it is mostly deva sthuthis. The biggest problem with Carnatic music is that it is stuck in its “bhakthi” form. We have a thing or two to learn about that from Hindustani music or western classical music.
@Jo & swarup: It is fine to have choices and ‘taste’. Everybody does and I am nothing against people not going to someone’s concert because they do not like his/her style. Also, I see nothing wrong with tastefully done fusion. Also, I do not believe that anybody who appreciates semi-classical music, as you put it, should learn classical. heck, I never learnt classical (I did but for an even lesser time than you). You dont need to learn classical music to listen to it or appreciate it.
@Jo: There is nothing wrong with semi-classical music or SPB’s voice (I think it is great as it is) or Yesudas’ voice (I think his voice has a melody). And you are right to point out that people have preferences and some people do not like classical music.
But the thing is that many people just do not want to even sample classical music. They treat it like the plague. My crib is that they are not ready to listen to it even once (though I think listening to one person’s music and that too a selection of his/her rendition is not enough to make a judgement on the entire spectrum of classical music, which when you think about is has so much diversity that the only thing they have in common is that they are at least 100 years old or derived from something that is older). This I am saying from first hand experience of trying to convince people to listen to the Ustads and Pandits who came to perform for us in college.
I really do not agree with MGR. Sometimes it is better to have had years and years of singing experience. For example, the Jaipur Atrauli Gharana is one of the most toughest form of singing in the Hindustani and it takes a loooooong while to learn it and it really is worth it (both for the singer and the listener).
PS. It is great the situation is just the reverse in Kerala. I think people should learn the traditional arts and make it their own, like Chandralekha did.
Hi,
Disclaimer first. I’m just a passer-by who hit this page accidentally and was piqued enough to respond to this. I do not intend in anyway to offend anyone. Here’s my take…
Everyone has the right to like or dislike anything, including music. Here’s my gripe with Indian music, atleast Carnatic. I honestly do not see anyone trying to make Carnatic music accesible. I find everything associated with Carnatic music too exclusive for the average-joe Indian.
If someone wants to really help the youth take to Carnatic music, then he better promote it the way a rock concert is being promoted. Don’t wait for your audience to come to you. Try exclusive college/school concerts, promote them through non-snobby media, try ways to promote ways to appreciate Carnatic music rather than just expecting people to land up in droves on the concert night.
Yes, the fact that most Carnatic music is rooted deeply in the Hindu religious realm makes it less accessible to someone who is not too much into it. Most importantly, try keeping an open mind on ‘western’ or other influences. It sucks to appreciate a foreigner for learning Carnatic music and dis an Indian for following ‘western’ influence.
Anyway, I’ dont have time to expound more on my POV. Later maybe
Peace everyone!