Colonial Interludes: The Western Airs of Muthuswamy Dikshitar: Lecture Concert at Texas A&M University Sponsored by SPIC-MACAY
By Srividya Ramasubramanian
College Station, Oct 30 2009
"How many of you have heard of Muthuswamy Dikshitar"
Nottusvarams of Dikshithar: A Lecdem by Kanniks Kannikeswara
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vsn207
- Posts: 43
- Joined: 15 Feb 2009, 00:44
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Kanniks’ talk in the College Station Campus on Friday October 30, 2009 on the Nottusvara Sahityas of Mutthuswami Dikshitar. By S. Jayakumar, Houston.
This talk was organized by SPIC-MACAY of College Station. The Majority of the audience was composed of students from various schools. Some of them were familiar with Indian classical music while others, notably students taking courses in world religions and cultures, were unfamiliar with the concept of Indian classical systems.
Kanniks is a master at understanding his audience and tailoring his talk accordingly. He began with an introduction to the Indian classical raga system and contrasting it with the western systems. The audience was in rapt attention, with many people taking copious notes.
In the early 1800s, during the peak of the colonial period, the renowned composer Mutthuswami Dikshitar is known to have written compositions in Sanskrit set to various western Irish, Scottish and British folk tunes (such as Twinkle Twinkle Little Star!). In this talk, Kanniks explores this unique genre of Indo-Celtic music.
Mutthuswami Dikshitar was born in Tiruvarur, the abode of Lord Shiva as Tyagaraja - the Lord of renouncers and the Lord of all auspiciousness, and Goddess Kamalamba. Dikshitar’s first composition ever is known to be in praise of Tiruttani Murugan. During his lifetime, Dikshitar had travelled to many places in Tamil Nadu and has written compositions in praise of the presiding deities of temples in those places.
A story he narrated was of a village Ettaiyyapuram that had been ravaged by drought. Mutthuswami Dikshitar visited the village, and composed and sang in praise of Devi To this day the residents of Ettaiyyapuram recount this story. I was moved to hear this story. This composition was written to the tune of raga amritavarshini.
One of the tunes that had the distinction of gaining Diskshitar’s attention is the British National Anthem "God Save the King"
Kanniks’ talk in the College Station Campus on Friday October 30, 2009 on the Nottusvara Sahityas of Mutthuswami Dikshitar. By S. Jayakumar, Houston.
This talk was organized by SPIC-MACAY of College Station. The Majority of the audience was composed of students from various schools. Some of them were familiar with Indian classical music while others, notably students taking courses in world religions and cultures, were unfamiliar with the concept of Indian classical systems.
Kanniks is a master at understanding his audience and tailoring his talk accordingly. He began with an introduction to the Indian classical raga system and contrasting it with the western systems. The audience was in rapt attention, with many people taking copious notes.
In the early 1800s, during the peak of the colonial period, the renowned composer Mutthuswami Dikshitar is known to have written compositions in Sanskrit set to various western Irish, Scottish and British folk tunes (such as Twinkle Twinkle Little Star!). In this talk, Kanniks explores this unique genre of Indo-Celtic music.
Mutthuswami Dikshitar was born in Tiruvarur, the abode of Lord Shiva as Tyagaraja - the Lord of renouncers and the Lord of all auspiciousness, and Goddess Kamalamba. Dikshitar’s first composition ever is known to be in praise of Tiruttani Murugan. During his lifetime, Dikshitar had travelled to many places in Tamil Nadu and has written compositions in praise of the presiding deities of temples in those places.
A story he narrated was of a village Ettaiyyapuram that had been ravaged by drought. Mutthuswami Dikshitar visited the village, and composed and sang in praise of Devi To this day the residents of Ettaiyyapuram recount this story. I was moved to hear this story. This composition was written to the tune of raga amritavarshini.
One of the tunes that had the distinction of gaining Diskshitar’s attention is the British National Anthem "God Save the King"
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vsn207
- Posts: 43
- Joined: 15 Feb 2009, 00:44
Rasikas,
I have posted two reports of a Lecdem on Nottusvarams of Dikshithar held on October 30th at SPIC MACAY, Texas A&M University, College Station. Feel free to contribute on the Nottusvarams of Dikshithar.
Vivek
I have posted two reports of a Lecdem on Nottusvarams of Dikshithar held on October 30th at SPIC MACAY, Texas A&M University, College Station. Feel free to contribute on the Nottusvarams of Dikshithar.
Vivek
Last edited by vsn207 on 10 Nov 2009, 23:03, edited 1 time in total.
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rshankar
- Posts: 13754
- Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 22:26
Vivek (vsn207),
Thanks for those reports. I do hope that organizers around the country make arrangements to present this to local audiences.
Vismaya - a set of 2 cds to the accompaniment of Celtic music is a must buy. Sri Kannikeswaran's daughters do a fabulous job singing the noTTusvarams.
As an aside, Sri TMK has sung the 2 noTTusvarams on rAmA (dASarathE and rAmacandram) in a CD called 'rAmA' (I think) accompanied by Sri RKSK on the violin. Experiencing these compositions through his resonant voice is unique.
Thanks for those reports. I do hope that organizers around the country make arrangements to present this to local audiences.
Vismaya - a set of 2 cds to the accompaniment of Celtic music is a must buy. Sri Kannikeswaran's daughters do a fabulous job singing the noTTusvarams.
As an aside, Sri TMK has sung the 2 noTTusvarams on rAmA (dASarathE and rAmacandram) in a CD called 'rAmA' (I think) accompanied by Sri RKSK on the violin. Experiencing these compositions through his resonant voice is unique.
Last edited by rshankar on 10 Nov 2009, 23:32, edited 1 time in total.
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vsn207
- Posts: 43
- Joined: 15 Feb 2009, 00:44
Dear Rasikas:
I am posting some youtube links on this topic.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DrcNNM36eY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4cpkaLSj ... re=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6bsfLBz ... re=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5r9Biej ... re=related
We also interviewed Kanniks on our local tamil radio- Kalakkal kadambam. Please take the time and listen to it on the archives - October 10, 2009.
Vivek
I am posting some youtube links on this topic.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DrcNNM36eY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4cpkaLSj ... re=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6bsfLBz ... re=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5r9Biej ... re=related
We also interviewed Kanniks on our local tamil radio- Kalakkal kadambam. Please take the time and listen to it on the archives - October 10, 2009.
Vivek