Kalyanapuram Aravind at Raga Sudha Hall

[shriram.krishnan72]

R Raghul - Violin
Delhi Sairam - Mridangam

Highlights:

A good selection of songs and a strong dosage of TNS nostalgia for those who crave it. But I personally did not like the concert. He was finishing the Kalyani varnam as I entered and sang a short sketch of Devamanohari before moving on to Kulabirudunu. After a Poorvikalyani alapanai came Meenakshi as expected with neraval and swarams at Meenalochani. He launched into Thodi straight away and sang all the TNS stamp sangathis that we associate him with. Enduku Dayaradura was the main piece and it had an overdose of maths and vyavahaaram.

Positives:

Has a good grasp of ragams and has got the creative approach of his guru TNS.

Though not my cup of tea he seems to be quite good at executing mathematical patterns and calculations. Maybe trying to use that in a different way than what we are used to from TNS like what Abhishek KBMK and others do with their styles would bring different and unique results for him.

Raghul and Delhi Sairam were a treat to listen to and added immense value to the concert.

His energy on stage is visible and his appreciation for his co artistes was commendable but maybe over doing that could be curbed for better listening.

Negatives:

With a recalcitrant voice, his is not suited for this style of music IMHO and the way he tries to sing like TNS takes the sruti and placement of notes all haywire. Hopefully with proper guidance he realises soon that being a carbon copy wont take him far and changes his approach with the strengths he has imbibed from his teacher.

To say Mee-yee-yee-naakshi for Meenakshi is unacceptable. TNS music had a phenomenal quality that made us overlook these things. Coming from a youngster cant be looked at in the same way.

There was a sense of hurry throughout the concert. Maybe a musicians personality and character traits are better left to them rather than imbibing those along with the music too.

All the best to Aravind and hopefully he blossoms soon. IMHO he needs to work a lot harder to catch up to his peers like Aswath, Vignesh Ishwar and Adithya Narayan who are progressing well.

- SK72

[jodha]

Thanks for an unbiased sharp & meaningful review which one seldom comes across in this forum.

[arasi]

And constructive too...

[sureshvv]

I think it is overly harsh and judgmental. Arvind is young and talented and has a way to go before he matures as an artiste. He can use more encouragement. We as rasikas need to carefully nurture young talent rather than evaluate them in comparison to the icons in the field.

[arasi]

Suresh,
Agreed. I'm always rooting for the young ones, as you know. However, we have had so much of 'extreme' analysis and criticism of late, that this sounds like constructive criticism. The lesson here is that we shouldn't get carried away one way or the other. Subbudu isn't the norm, of course!

[Vocalist]

I agree with jodha. Anyway, regulars here have a duty to be careful not to discourage people (especially relative newcomers) from posting carefully prepared reviews at this forum out of a desire to mollycoddle artists in the name of "encouragement" or out of a desire to batter artists in the name of "criticism". This particular review points out the reviewer's genuine perceptions, views, and what it is he heard during the concert - and goes to the trouble of splitting the positive from the negative. I don't see anything wrong with it or any reason it should be changed in this context.

As to the comment about comparing musicians, this young musician is compared to his iconic guru only due to what appears to be a lack of individuality by the musician and what sounds like a mere mimicry of that icon - and rasikas who encourage a young musician to continue performing that way are doing a disservice to the musician as much as they are doing a disservice to others. If the artist merely followed the paddhantharam of the respective school but kept his own individuality (even on a simple matter as voice culture), then I think there would only be one negative in this review rather than three.

[sureshvv]

No one accused the OP of "battering". Mimicking the Guru can hardly be a point of criticism for targeting young artistes - it takes years to find one's own style. Aravind brings to the stage the same sense of spontaneity & improvisational intensity that a certain verisimilitude is unavoidable. Treating art as some kind of running race leaves behind an even worse aftertaste.

[Vocalist]

Mimicking the Guru can hardly be a point of criticism for targeting young artistes

DKP ji actively discouraged young artists (including her own granddaughter at the time) from such mimicry. That said, if an artist believes he can achieve his goal through mimicry, or others feel he should be mollycoddled from criticism about the same, maybe it is best we wish good luck to him and those who are jumping to his defense. Each to their own, really.

[sureshvv]

Give him time! Geez... is that too much to ask?

[sankark]

IMHO he needs to work a lot harder to catch up to his peers like Aswath, Vignesh Ishwar and Adithya Narayan who are progressing well.

The sentence should have stopped at harder. Catch up - for what? He has to catch up to his own idea of CM and execute it. Thats all.

[Rakesh Chari]

At some point of time, seniors/elders MUST know to withdraw from this type of a discussion. If a writer gives his perspective, let us just move on instead of trying to defend. What happens in the bargain is that there forms a group with one set of people talking high about someone and others talking high about someone else....!!! The youngsters as performers are ones affected and not the rasikas. In my experience, music by anyone is never 100%. It depends a lot on the artist's (young or old) mood or disposition on that day/moment. I have also personally felt that if someone does not like an artist(as a person), the music dished out is also not liked and rarely there are exceptions. We rasikas also have our moods and music dished out also are viewed accordingly.
I joined this group recently hoping for fair discussions in music. Let us all take a step back and try to enjoy music as dished out. Let us write about the music and what we felt in a fair manner. If the opinion gives a certain improvement areas, let us just note it and move on and not defend and bring more people to throw stones on...!!! At 70+ hope I can take the liberty to write this.
My personal opinion is that today,youngsters are precocius, quick learners and most importantly ones who can demonstrate their capabilities and keep improving. I am all for youngsters. Let us give them time by softly giving them inputs without hurting their confidence. I hope all of you will be with me on this. Thank you all. I attended RK Shriramkumar's violin program today and was feeling at peace.. Will write separately on that.

[shriram.krishnan72]

@jodha, @arasi - Thank you for your kind words

@sureshvv - I do not agree that it was harsh and judgemental. I think when we all write on what we feel it comes from a place of judgement so we are all here doing the same thing. Everything that I wrote was as encouragement and as @Vocalist points out, that was my intention by only comparing him and his mannerisms to his guru and certain liberties in music that a youngster must be watchful of and correct at this early stage before it becomes a habit

However I do agree with @sankark that the line should have stopped with harder. I look at all those young musicians as a group who are keeping each other on their toes in a positive way and hence came the comparison which was wrong. I apologise for the same.