Senior Carnatic vocalist Bombay Jayashri Ramnath is a rare reticent musician who prefers her music to do the talking. “My music will tell you more about me than I ever can.” In Ahmedabad for her concert on the closing day of Saptak, the singer, who is also well-versed with Hindustani stream,mused over her music and how it changes according to audience, venue and climate.
Edited excerpts:
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If I am performing in the North, I look forward to delving deeper into one raga as is more traditional in the Hindustani style of presentation. I try to pick ragas that are known or familiar but not necessarily only Hindustani ragas. For mid morning concerts, the ragas that resonate with me are Shanmukhapriya, which is a very primary raga, Saveri, Madhyamavathi….”
On the venue
When I choose my repertoire, I do try to visualise the venue too, if I am familiar with it. Saptak is more or less open air, the quadrangle, it doesn’t have a boxed in, closed auditorium feeling. Certain ragas are meant to be performed in open spaces, I feel – “vetta velli” music (open air music). Nobody has told me this, but I instinctively feel some ragas are made for the open. For instance, ragas like Shanmukhapriya, Sindhu Bhairavi….
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I associate raga Shanmukhapriya with the temples – it is a raga whose spaces between the notes has been extensively explored by the great nadaswaram exponents in the temples. Most of us vocalists hear recordings of the great nadaswarams exponents; I feel we can’t do even 10 % of what they do.
On the audience
Since my concert at Saptak was on the last day of a 13-day-long festival, I also keep in mind that the audience would have heard pretty much every raga. Shanmukhapriya, I feel, still has the scope and range to interest the listener; it can pierce one’s heart. It’s used a lot for “ragam thanam” (alaap jor), so sang it as my main piece. The organisation I am singing for also matters – for example if I am singing for the Tamil Sangam in Delhi, I know the audience will have more South Indian listeners so I try to cater to their expectations too.
On the composition
Another consideration for me is the composition – if I am able, I try to pick some compositions where the lyrics may strike a chord. Some compositions that are loved by audiences in the South are simply packed with lyrics; these I feel may distract North Indian listeners from the melody. Also I prefer to sing Sanskrit rather than Tamil or Telugu compositions, if possible when I perform in the north. Sometimes I simply sing the “antara” (ending portion of the composition) not the full composition, so I can explore the notes more.
On introducing new music
I actually love singing to a new audience; every concert in the North is very important for me as I feel I am introducing a new type of music to an audience that may take to it. It’s a great honour and quite a responsibility. Throughout my career, since the 1990s, I have sung wherever I could.
On the duration of concert and cold weather
The duration of the concert does not really affect my singing. In the South a typical concert is 150 to 180 minute long, in the North the duration is about 90 minutes but I feel that’s enough time to create an impact.
Singing in the cold definitely requires my body and voice to adjust to the difference in temperature. I feel a minimum 16 hours is required. I actually like to wake up in the city I am to perform in.
I would love to sing at Harivallabh in Jullandhar, I have heard so much about the great music there, that it’s an offering to the Devi. Since the dates are end December which is right in the middle of our Marghazi season, I don’t know how I will manage to ever go there but you never know!
On special memories
Singing at Dover Lane, Kolkata was quite special – I was born in the Ballygunge area, where the Dover Lane festival is held and though I was only three when my parents left the city, I have grown up hearing the hallowed name so it was exciting to be invited there to sing. My slot was at 2 a.m. and I really don’t like singing after 11 p.m. as my body really winds down. So I arrived in Kolkata two days ahead of the concert, and slept a whole day before. We are just not used to all night music sessions in the South.
On influences of Hindustani music
My music has been impacted by who I have heard over the years. From all that I have absorbed, I have to search and find my own voice, in all earnestness and sincerity, and with loyalty to the system I have trained in.