No review or encouragement for Veena

Review the latest concerts you have listened to.
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hnbhagavan
Posts: 1655
Joined: 21 Jun 2008, 22:06

No review or encouragement for Veena

Post by hnbhagavan »

Judging by the number of viewers for the Webcast by Parivadini Vidushi Dr. R S Jayalakshmi's Veena concert,one got a feeling and as being said there were not many listeners for the concert via WEB.I do not know the actual situation in the hall.
An excellent and very melodic concert.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1PGdTtjeq4

Sivaramakrishnan
Posts: 1582
Joined: 02 Jan 2010, 08:29

Re: No review or encouragement for Veena

Post by Sivaramakrishnan »

*There was a reasonable, discerning audience for today's Veena concert of Smt RSJ. The concert was very good.

*The programme has been recorded by AIR (to be broadcast later)

* Earlier I had posted the review of KG Vijayakrishnan's Veena concert of 02 Dec in this forum. (Pl see)

*I presume a couple of our forumites besides me, was there at today's event. I met Nick H.

*Thanks Parivadini for the live webcast.

shanks
Posts: 118
Joined: 25 May 2006, 22:03

Re: No review or encouragement for Veena

Post by shanks »

Instrumental music of any genre has been on the decline for a very long time.
Here is an article about that talks about the drastic changes to americans losing interest in instrumental music. The fact is that it is universal and not limited to the american scene.

https://www.ultimate-guitar.com/article ... usic-40477

All the reasons attributed to the change in the article may not directly make sense in the carnatic music scene, but it is quite clear that the trend is a downward pointing one.

The comments are quite interesting too, illustrating that it is a global phenomenon.

Nick H
Posts: 9379
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 02:03

Re: No review or encouragement for Veena

Post by Nick H »

As I already mentioned on another thread, this was the second veena concert in one afternoon/evening for my wife and I. There was at least one other person there who had also come from Jayalakshmi Sekar's preceding concert.

First half of December and there is already quite a lot of choice each day. The physical audience numbers were fair for a non-star name. With respect. It was a beautiful concert: I don't think the musician would mind admitting to not filling halls like a Sanjay, or even The One They Love to Hate.

I don't know why the veena doesn't appeal to more people. But that is how it is. And we are far from burying it yet, so it is not a case of

Send not to know for whom the bell tolls,
It tolls for vee-na


;)

hnbhagavan
Posts: 1655
Joined: 21 Jun 2008, 22:06

Re: No review or encouragement for Veena

Post by hnbhagavan »

I am happy to note that hall was reasonably full.The webcast number of viewers used to be in the range 60-100 in case of vocal concerts.yesterday. most of the time it was < 25.Suguna vardachary , sumitra vasudev had numbers > 75 most times.
tns krishna did attract a good number.he had stalwart MC on the violin.

Vocalist
Posts: 1030
Joined: 19 Feb 2006, 18:53

Re: No review or encouragement for Veena

Post by Vocalist »

After E Gayathri virtually ceased performing (in fact it has been rare for some time), I don't seem to hear that 'spark' in other veena performers these days.

In the case of the vidushi who performed for fewer webcast viewers, am I right in observing that not a single Tamil-language composition appears to have been taken up?

harimau
Posts: 1819
Joined: 06 Feb 2007, 21:43

Re: No review or encouragement for Veena

Post by harimau »

Vocalist wrote: 15 Dec 2017, 22:34
In the case of the vidushi who performed for fewer webcast viewers, am I right in observing that not a single Tamil-language composition appears to have been taken up?
Does the veena -- or, for that matter, any musical instrument -- know or care about the language in which the lyrics are written?

Do people who primarily listen to vocal music understand Telugu, Sanskrit, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam or Hindi, the languages in which we hear most of the songs?

Do the people who go nuts about abhangs understand Marathi?

If not, why should they care about the language of the krithis played on instruments?

Vocalist
Posts: 1030
Joined: 19 Feb 2006, 18:53

Re: No review or encouragement for Veena

Post by Vocalist »

harimau wrote: 15 Dec 2017, 22:43 Does the veena -- or, for that matter, any musical instrument -- know or care about the language in which the lyrics are written?

Do people who primarily listen to vocal music understand Telugu, Sanskrit, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam or Hindi, the languages in which we hear most of the songs?

Do the people who go nuts about abhangs understand Marathi?

If not, why should they care about the language of the krithis played on instruments?
Some instrumental musicians perform so effectively that a listener will hear the lyrics of a full composition from the instrument, provided it is a composition that the listener is familiar with. The question isn't about whether an instrument knows the difference; the question is about whether the instrumental musician can "play" a composition that effectively and whether the listener can hear the lyrics (as well as the musical patterns anyone else can hear).

The audience and the performer can, and at times do, care about the language in which the lyrics are written. Some people connect better after listening to "familiar" compositions - that may be the Vathapi Ganapathim, or Thillana in Dhanasri in this concert. Others may know to a Karunai Seivai, or Eppadi Padinaro better because of the language of the lyrics. (Incidentally, I don't know why people go nuts for Abhangs - it may be because it is a different "style" being performed during a concert than because of the Abhang's "music" itself, but whatever it is, I have no real interest in such.)

Over the past few decades, many professional singers have acknowledged that even those who are barely exposed to Carnatic music seem to be attracted to listening to it more (and do not lose interest) when they hear familiar compositions being performed - and even more so when they also understand the composition because of the language of the composition. Out of curiosity, was I incorrect to presume this concert was performed in Chennai, Tamil Nadu?

arasi
Posts: 16774
Joined: 22 Jun 2006, 09:30

Re: No review or encouragement for Veena

Post by arasi »

Complex are each rasika's combined qualities in responding to music. Understanding the words is definitely a plus factor. Is it necessary? No, not always. It helps though, when the musician understands the sAhityA, and expresses it with bhAva. Even simple verses gain impact, just with rAga bhAva at times. neravals of meaningful lines enhance. Frequent singing of pieces attract part of the audience (familiarity factor), and put others off.
When a non-speaker sings in a language of the region, it pleases many. But some find fault with
the way the words are pronounced. So, every time the performer is on stage, she/he is gambling with the set of songs/rAgAs/composers she/he has chosen to present. A seasoned artiste would know that you win some, lose some. Ultimately, the musician's love for the art, and the listener's keenness is all that makes it work (or not!), and yet, music and listening to it goes on!

With an instrument like the vINA, its emotional capacity is high (plays on the heart strings). It's
classic existence with its ties to classical pieces, speak of grandeur to us. When playing highly lyrical pieces rich in emotional content, the yAzh (vINA) does bring us inbam (joy), it seems...

Sivaramakrishnan
Posts: 1582
Joined: 02 Jan 2010, 08:29

Re: No review or encouragement for Veena

Post by Sivaramakrishnan »

The counterpart of Veena in H music is the Rudra Veena with resonators (kudam) of same size on either sides. Played in a rather slow tempo and suits a contemplative mood. Practitioners are but a few but held in high respect.
Plucked, fretted stringed instruments of native origin (with the exemption of Sitar) seem to have limited patronage.

harimau
Posts: 1819
Joined: 06 Feb 2007, 21:43

Re: No review or encouragement for Veena

Post by harimau »

Sivaramakrishnan wrote: 17 Dec 2017, 17:56 Plucked, fretted stringed instruments of native origin (with the exemption of Sitar) seem to have limited patronage.
The sitar is not native to India.

It is from Persia where it is called the setar.

Sivaramakrishnan
Posts: 1582
Joined: 02 Jan 2010, 08:29

Re: No review or encouragement for Veena

Post by Sivaramakrishnan »

harimau,
Noted.

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