There is enough scope within the boundaries of classicism to please anyone
A friend asked me why Carnatic music is so isolated. I told her that this is a classical art, and all classical arts, unlike popular arts, need an input from the listener to be appreciated. But, she pointed out, western classical music is everywhere — as movie themes, in advertisements for watches, and even in elevators. People all over the world instantly connect with and recognise the Ninth Symphony or the Turkish March, but that's hardly true of the Pancharatna kritis, for instance. I countered this with a slew of political and historical arguments hovering around colonialism — a fancy way of saying that the east has stronger western influences than the west has eastern influences. I was unconvinced.
Then, I heard the Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra in Chennai. The initial excitement of listening to a live western orchestra, finding out which section of the violins is playing what, separating the sound of the cellos from the others, and following the double bass' deep line all faded very soon. The music seemed too well-fit, too polished. I wanted spontaneous action. I was looking for the musicians to have a conversation they hadn't rehearsed before. Frankly, I got a little bored. But, not once did I find the music cacophonous. Not once did a violin squeak, not once was the cello ear-splittingly loud, not once did a single musician even stop to tune his instrument. The music was always easy on the ear. Similarly with Hindustani music — the slow-cooking and meandering might make it inaccessible, but the tone never displeases.
Now think of a searing Semmangudi Kharaharapriya that crackled with musical wit and wisdom. No disrespect to the master, for no one ever sang Kharaharapriya like him, but his voice itself crackled every now and then. Audiences in the know wouldn't react when he coughed or cleared his throat or when his idea occasionally did not express itself, because they knew that a few breathtaking sangatis would follow. Other musicians, who sang in a host of eccentric tones and syllables, were loved for these very eccentricities. Does the experienced listener learn to ignore the inconsistency of tone and appreciate the content alone? And does the outsider, who isn't able to divorce tone and content, get left behind?
Carnatic cliques
Carnatic music has always been cliquey; it is hard to argue against that. The big brothers demanded a particular kind of outlook, not just to the music, but to life. But this is because the establishment was taken from and made of a particular kind of people. The artistes, the patrons and the lay listeners could all be slotted into two or three types. While these prototypes have changed in the last two decades or so, the new ones can still be pigeon-holed into convenient categories. At some level, this made the fraternity inward-looking. There are too many in-jokes and too much self-referencing.
This is one of the reasons for a lack of emphasis on tonal aesthetics. Musicians and listeners tolerate a not-so-smooth voice, an inconsistent instrumental tone and vocal quirks. It has become a part of the music. Add to this the abysmal amplification, often unsuitable to the venue or the kind of music performed, and the heady cocktail can put off listeners on the fringes. The regulars, however — the ones within the clique — have learnt to read between the lines, and shake their heads violently in appreciation.
The lack of participation from the marginal listeners is then taken as an excuse to engage in populism, like a lengthy tukkada-section or gimmickry. But there is enough scope from within the boundaries of classicism to please anyone. Some of the most popular musicians over the years, the ones that attracted the largest of crowds, sang and played from within the fence. A good Dhanyasi or Ahiri can melt even the most non-musical of souls.
When I was young, I despised brinjal. I could not bring myself to put it into my mouth, feel its unique texture, its taste, chew it and send it down my system. When I was forced to, I pushed it to a corner of my mouth, and quickly swallowed it. My father always said, “It's an acquired taste!” I wondered each time, “Why would anyone want to acquire such a taste?!” I protested for years until I was in a hostel mess and brinjal turned out to be the only edible thing on the menu. It took some time, but I grew to love the vegetable. Today, no brinjal is safe in my presence. As my father always said, “Give it a chance, you'll know.”
Carnatic music, like any other classical art, faces stiff competition from forms of fast-food entertainment that are easier to consume. Equally, the music's elitism is not welcoming to newcomers. It took abominable mess food for me to start eating brinjal; Carnatic music does not have that luxury. It needs its practitioners to pay more attention to tonality and elegance. And it needs to tell a much wider variety of people gently, “Give it a chance, you'll know.”
(The author is a practising lawyer and flautist)
Keywords: Carnatic music, Margazhi music season 2011
A wonderfully written piece that any serious rasika will find thought provoking. I would add the following observation. A central tenet of Carnatic music is improvisation even in composed music. This is not restricted to neraval or swara singing but also includes tonal and other variations amongst performers. The more one listens the more one learns to appreciate these variations. The fringe dwellers can be persuaded to cross over to "within the fence" but it requires effort on their part. Passive participation by the rasika is a hallmark of the music.
It answers questions that perplexed me for a long time! There is one thing though, to familiarize oneself with any kind of classical music, one has to make an effort. Whether western or Indian.
I dont understand why only vocal music is discussed. Almost all instrumentalists are excellent but draw very small audiences. They have no problems with tonal quality and things. Agreed, Karnatic musicians' vocal quality is not as good as the Hindustani ones', but why dont the listeners from the North not appreciate K-instrumental? Again, where is the need for content or lyrics in instrumental music? How many of our listeners of western classical isntrumental tolerate western vocal?
I prefer instrumental to vocal. If the tone is good like that of Jesudas then I listen. One should have a good depth of knowledge in Carnatic to keep aside the voice of the performer and appreciate the nuances that gets dealt. Sudha Raghunathan, Bombay Jayashree, Soumya have nurtured their voice quite well. Yes, Carnatic music is not for mass. If one has an temperament and little aptitude to appreciate , I feel they are blessed, like me, at least to listen the highly evolved form of music. They are simply divine and take us to a different world make us feel worthy.
Enjoyed reading this article.I used to accompany my old parents and am always struck by the audience who are more closely related to my parents in age than me( in my middle age).Also another unique factor in rasikas are that they are mostly from brahmin back ground.How can a musical form with such restrictive audience grow? I think carnatic music needs to be broadminded , there should be a sense of enveloping new audience with joyful togatherness.Once the snootines or the snoots who are controlling the music get sidelined, carnatic music will gain millions of audience with gusto.It is also the music the language of which unite the southern states.Hence its fate should not be left in the hands of snoots instead it should be left in the hands of those who love this music who will drive the purity of it in the coming years.It is ridiculuous to compare its popularity with the film music that draws its sustenance from it.Film music will only kill ,not expand the art.
Well written article; but I would like to differ. MS, MLV, Jesudas, Balamurali etc never had the problems with their voices like the ones the author had mentioned. Yes, the old-time Maestros like Maharajapuram, Semmangudi etc, relied entirely on their musical virtuosity and not much on Voice quality, but with Madurai Mani & GNB, things had changed. Interestingly, Film Music Composers make the same Carnatic ragas sound so appealing,even to the staunch Carnatic music lovers, partly because of the orchestration but mostly by their composing skills. One more point one may note in the present trend is not merely one has to have a good voice and musical skills, but one also has to look good and be camera-savvy, in this age of TV and Video.
Music always transcends pre-set set parameters of enjoyment. Carnatic Music is unique is the various permutations and combinations of the swaras, and this may defy a strictly scientific mode of presentation by the other systems. The author has nicely dwelt on this in the article. Like Carnatic Music, its rasikas also a different class
Music always transcends pre-set set parameters of enjoyment.
Yet Carnatic music has not come out of the 4 southern states. We don't have North Indian audience for Carnatic music concerts. To my experience even in the US Carnatic music is catered only for South Indians. The 22 sruthi format and raga like todi, Kamboji, Bhairavi, Manji, Saveri, Begada ( few to mention) are not there in any other music system. Audience find difficulty to interact with these genre.
Dr.L.Subramaniam and L.Shankar has contributed a lot towards popularizing Carnatic music in the west and also among the youth through there different approach towards the music. We south Indians accept all kind of music in the southern states. We need open minded artists like Pandit Ravishankar, Zakhir Hussain who has created a great place for Hindustani music in the world music scene. There is a great curiosity to learn Hindustani music in southern states. I have not heard about any North Indian performing a carnatic music concert.
Nice write-up! The author has placed the facts impartially. Carnatic music has a lot of meaning to the knowledgable listener. One has to try to make it "popular." "Popular" is definitely not a bad word. In other words, carnatic music needs to be made more "universal" or consumer-friendly. One way is to use commonly used words (in English) to define the several aspects of it. For instance, I need to now 'google-up' , what is Dhanyasi and Ahiri!
Well Written article. One other reason is that most of the Carnatic Geeta's or Kirthana's are in Sanskrit. No points for guessing how many of the normal public understand the meaning and the lyrics. Western classical music on the other hand, is just that - Music. This is easier to digest and hence appeal "possibily" a higher audience. Similarly, in the western world, Opera IS also an acquired taste.
Today's world doesn't have the time, the knowledge or the inclination to appreciate the depth of Carnatic music, they are most happy to get something as crass as Kolaveri.
I am not sure that you can say that Carnatic music is totally isolated. Many of the hits in Tamil film music is based upon popular ragas.
It is also by association. My mother recalls how the Saurashtra weavers settled in Walajapet would sing so well, even as they spun silk thanks to Venkatramana Bhagavathar and the musical association the small town had. Same was the case with cowherd flautists my grandmother would praise from her village Kangeyanallur.
Nice article that should resonate with a lot of Carnatic music listeners. An additional and yet important difference between the east and west comes to mind. Unlike in western classical, the emphasis in Carnatic music is not necessarily in spanning multiple octaves effortlessly but more so in exploring numerous variations within just one or two octaves - something that cannot be easily done when music is played from pre-written sheets in front of the instrumentalists.
Consequently, variations takes precedence over tonal aesthetics.
Written with a lot feeling. And such sincere love for Carnatic music. Yes Carnatic needs to be properly guided. Now is the time, with a slew of talented youngsters who seem to be receptive to change. But is the old guard ready to give them mature positive advice?
Very true... to be quite frank, when ever i listen to carnatic music, i always instinctively listen to the quality of the tone of the voice... I dont understand most of the lyrics of thyagaraja kritis and hence when the tone aesthetics is not good, i easily get put off...... this has happened with me even with well established musicians...
To explain let us take two of Thyagaraja's krithis, Nadopasana (in Begada) and Nada Tanumisham (Chitaranjani). The saint has captured the vedantic essence in stating that "nadham" is the means and goal of music, that is God. While music is divine, the melodic form of Karnataka sangeetham provides for relative continuity, which is in essence like weaving a garland to the deity that the composition is on. So the system is for Bhakthi as a tradition. So more that tonal qualities of the Western tradition (harmonics) the Karnataka focuses on melody. In a way it is acquired taste as it takes tremendous effort to inculcate bhakti in the hearts of human beings. To introduce harmonics will be fusion music.
Well set-up problem, wonderfully articulated middle section ("too many in-jokes and self-referencing") but weak, lame endgame (the brinjal comparison is overdone and ineffective).
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