The REAL burning issue of CM: Mridangam

[Nick H]

Needless to say percussionists can 'sacrifice' a bit here.

They like to get the feedback of their own sound, without which it feels a bit like playing into a black hole, but what is most vital to accompanists is that they can hear the people they are accompanying. If they can't, their task is impossible. Their western-classical counterparts could, probably, get by with their sheet music, the conductor, and keeping count of the beat: they know what to play when, it is written down for them.

Our vidwans who go gaga on sound balancing at venues abroad perhaps take things for granted homeland. Let them insist such preparatory exercises well ahead of concerts.

The may be able to go gaga in [previously-]developed nations like the USA, but in the UK they are usually stuck with sound systems and sound guys whose regular job is blasting the ear-destroying music at weddings --- that is all they know how to do and all their equipment (often grossly over-powered) is good for.

Last but not the least, rasikas should also cooperate with soundmen (many of them are quite good) by not pestering with multiple ideas!

Rasikas suffering in silence has not worked in the past, and it won't work in the future.

[Sivaramakrishnan]

Thanks Nick for exposing the state of affairs.

Here're a few more points:
'In earlier times', as well known, no mikes were provided for Mridangam. I(60) have listened to many such concerts and no M. Vidwan complained. May be they could 'play their hands out' as the 'risk' of amplification was almost nil. This could bring lot of azhuttham in their hands. PMI and PRaghu worked wonders with the 'Toppi' (Idanthalai or left side) even then. Can you imagine a routine concert of today without an exclusive mike for the toppi? Amplification for percussion shouldn't spoil their skill. In many instances the sound of the Ghatam dominates and there's none to point it out. That means all those 'stage monitors' do not serve the purpose.

Some other 'Tamashas':
*the automatic procedure of stepping up the volume of percussion during Tani
* volume level of Kanjira not monitored as it already supplements the Toppi of Mridangam.
* a talented Morsing artist (if there's one on stage) invariably would steal, if not swallow the show with a variety of 'sound and mouth effects'. An exhilarated sound-boy would to be stepping up the volume of morsing even without the knowledge of others!!
* percussionists 'go to any length' to impress with torrential Teermanams. The lead artist and violinist tolerate as it adds up to the overall effect!

[Rsachi]

Gents, I saw a very recent Youtube livecast video with two mridangams. I could sense the vast difference in playing styles that impacted Saukhyam and enhancing the song (Positives) and a senseless, jalra effect (Negative).

Let me restate my premise. We are trying to tackle many peripheral issues while the real problem of "noise as mridangam accompaniment" pervades a majority of concerts.

[KNV1955]

Sachi I just glanced thro the post.I didn't read all the comments. You have talked of noise being the burning issue with Mridangam. Have you heard of noiseless Mridangam. Yes there are some specialising this style. Majority of the vocalists seem to prefer such accompanists. Having heard Mani Iyer embellishing Ariyakudi music & later Raghu for KVN music, the present state of Mridangists role in CM is sad to say the least. I don't know whether it is because of vocalists or low standard of Mridangist.

[Rsachi]

Dear KNV,
When a mridangist bangs on, regardless of the sangatis, pauses, emphasis given to certain phrases, and even the tempo of the sahitya being sung (ie he is playing jalra types of beats in durita kalam when the song is being sung in a majestic madhyama kalam), I feel a burning sensation all over.

I have heard Sri. Palghat Mani Iyer and other greats from '50s. And in that era, not even an ordinary mridangist played such stuff. If anything, they erred on the side of minimalism. Also they had no mics.

I imagine that even Sri. KVN, the epitome of ahimsa and shanti, would stare down the mridangist if such an occasion ever arose.

Today we have all become immune to this situation. So sorry.

[shankarank]

Unless you name some names - it is not possible to have a good discussion. I suggested some names. OK lets take the names I suggested themselves - as I have heard it myself - just for the sake of discussion. Abhishek's style of singing draws Patri to do those things actually. So it depends on specific context whether overbearing approach is acceptable or not.

So unless you name names - I cannot respond to your complaint.

Making generic statements does not help! and for those who come into the concert with an attitude of "I want hear this nice melody - sounding sweet" - "who is this Mridangist interfering with my pleasure" should rather listen to such home recorded videos available on youtube without any accompaniment - staying home themselves.

அவர்கள் வீட்டில் பாடியதை நீங்கள் வீட்டிலேயே இருந்து கேட்டுக்கொள்ளலாம்!

Carnatic music ( which came after karnataka music) is not just melody! Infact gamaka will belong to layam column - since it is off Sruti anyways - if you get my drift

[RaviSri]

A humourous aside relevant to this discussion:

It was Semmangudi's concert in the mid 1980s at the Mylapore Fine Arts. Unfortunately, the Pitamaha did not have Ramabhadran or Sivaraman or Trichy Sankaran on that day. They were all busy at other sabhas. The Pitamaha had taken his own sweet time to say yes to MFAC that year, resulting in the bigwigs, who were his usual accompanists committing themselves elsewhere. One of the wise men of the Fine Arts decided on a banger, rather a blaster to accompany the elderly musician and that was the first time the banger was accompanying the Pitamaha. Bang and blast the youngster did. Then he was a youngster, now he is a senior banger. The Pitamaha not in the least amused by the violence heaped upon the poor instrument as also on himself and the audience blurted out at the end of the third song, "EnDA, mridangatha eLayA, mUthA puLLaya shAttara mAdiri shAttare?" (Hey, why do you bang the mridangam like the second wife thrashing the son of the first wife). Absolutely funny translation this, but what to do, how can poor English bring out the exquisite sugandham of the Kumbhakonam Cauvery that was the Pitamaha's comment? Suffice it to say that the banger cum blaster sulked thereafter and his poor mridangam heaved a sigh of relief, at least for the day, though the instrument knew that in the coming days and years it would be mauled beyond recognition. Its fate was sealed when it was born, what to do!

[shankarank]

Semmangudi @ that age would require some consideration won't he? But again your description fits at least 2 artistes. Since no names are named - I cannot offer counter examples. 80s and 90s were times when music went through tough times - as the pipeline dried up. Youngsters were trying to organize their own - but music was not strong enough.

One youngster - then youngster, now Senior ( I will withhold name now! - I can say not TMK) even commented privately - what is all this Bhakti stuff? Music means sing the rAgA, sing the song, do neraval, and do svarams .

And senior connoisseurs would promote SSI to us saying - mAmA.. pATTa perisa pADa mATTAr - svaram pODa vanduDuvAr! (SSI will not dwell too much on kriti , he will rush to do svarams - his forte!)

So method became the truth , and the ground on which the method stood became shaky. So it did not matter if the Mridangists banged or remained silent!

[Nick H]

Never a bad idea to have a good rant about sound systems and the sound men!

But, it appears that Sachi's complaint is about bad playing. I still feel that the gentlest can, and often are, be made to sound overbearing and awful.

Certainly, some mridangists can play insensitively, and certainly some get in the habit of exuberance. The only thing I can say about those who are senior and set in the ways of exuberance is that senior artists are not without a say in who accompanies them, so those mridangists must have pleased, and continue to please, somebody.

[arasi]

Nick,
Meanwhile--

That somebody doesn't know
That some of us often feel like
Bodily removing big bang players
From the stage--nandi dEvA even...

We beg...
We are not at a tAla vAdyA concert,
It's a vocal concert, do you mind?
Play along, enhance, show your skill
In the tani, adorn the concert, surely!
Keep it short, laudable--not LOUD

[shankarank]

We are all giving feedback without naming names. Who is it addressed to and under what context?.

I will say one thing : There was a period of apathy that probably continues now (artistes and rasikas both - you pick)- that a flashy/banging play gets applause and most people don't otherwise get the nuances of music. Insecurity around who is important and who is big - projecting themselves. Who will you blame for this?

This attitude actually was observed with important insiders (quoting the likely bangsters!) - to arangEtram youngsters and their amateur accompanist adults that, music is just a show - as long as we prepare and present to impress, it will be a success!! As most are clueless - meaning they cannot identify rAGAs ( that is another interesting evaluation criteria!)

Also what is the state of affairs on the side of sariest jwelleriars? Any commentary?

[RaviSri]

But again your description fits at least 2 artistes. Since no names are named

If you are particular about the name of the banger mentioned, sorry. But I can give you a clue. If you can, guess. Here it is: Semmangudi has sung a song in the raga vamshavati.

There are a lot of mridangam tales, some humorous, some like my post above. If you want I can narrate them.

[kvchellappa]

I guessed as much. Pl narrate the tales. I can understand them better than music.

[shankarank]

Before you deny that you understand music, you must already understand what it means by "understanding music"? Can you enlighten me? I don't understand!

RaviSri : 'ssh..Sh...Sh..."

[melam72]

If you are particular about the name of the banger mentioned, sorry. But I can give you a clue. If you can, guess. Here it is: Semmangudi has sung a song in the raga vamshavati.

Also the name of the Tamil Nadu (Madras State) Chief Minister from 1963 to 1967.

[melam72]

I guessed as much. Pl narrate the tales. I can understand them better than music.

This happened very recently.

A mridangist from the Land of the Bhoo Varaha (coincidence? I think not!), engaged in wedlock with the offspring of a certain author Bashyam Iyengar, and the father of a Raghavendra who decided Ragha-vendaam, was playing for another young'un from the fair vales of Irvine, CA in a hall in Madras in a certain Mylapore Library.

As the acoustics in the hall were bad, this Mridangist Of Bhoo Varaha's mridangam was heard very loudly. A few audience members asked The Father of Raghavendaam's mike to be reduced.

Just like the Temple of the Bhoo Varaha appeared as a swayambhoo stalam, his anger erupted as a volcano. He employed a certain selection of words perhaps fit not for the Pettah of Raos, but the Purams of Raos, which, despite his name, he (the mridangist) does not belong to.

It is no surprise, thus, that the mridangam during the Tani Avartanam was reduced to Some-Mush-Num.

At that moment, my mother in law remarked 'Paavam. Ippadi Mridangama pottu adicha avanoda aathukkaariya eppadi adippano?' One cannot help but thus emphasise with his wife, She Who Rejoices In The Name Of Lotus, The Daughter Of Bashyam Iyengar, who, one can imagine, can become 'aattu kari' in the hands of The Man Of Bhoo Varaha.

Can someone from his hometown (like a deity in a temple ) save them???

[Rsachi]

RaviSri,
Your story had me in splits. MORE!?
WOWOWOWOWOW.

PLEAAAASEEEE tell them, tell them all, tell them now, tell them here.

[Rsachi]

Shankarank,
Your story telling is like that of a kid narrating a suspense thriller by telling you first who did it and subsequently unsuccessfully attempting to confuse you or hold the suspense by obfuscation.

I have unravelled all those clues.
Did you mean empathetically ?

[Rsachi]

And by the way, have you stopped beating your wife? (question on behalf of aforementioned mother in law).

[Nick H]

a hall in Madras in a certain Mylapore Library.

Look, what happens in Sastri Hall stays in Sastri Hall, right?

Oh, wait, no... If a certain guy is operating the sound system, what happens in Sastri Hall can be heard in Vani Mahal.

[melam72]

Shankarank,
Your story telling is like that of a kid narrating a suspense thriller by telling you first who did it and subsequently unsuccessfully attempting to confuse you or hold the suspense by obfuscation.

I have unravelled all those clues.
Did you mean empathetically ?

Firstly, it is Melam72

It was a deliberate attempt to conceal the identity of This Mridangam Beater, the concert, and all details sui generis. I do not intend to cast aspersions on the intelligence on the members of the forum. It was also motivated by the desires of my wife that, in her words, 'the thali hangs from my neck for a long time and you aren't killed by a bunch of mamas outside Mylapore Fine Arts or wherever' by labelling these people.

Yes, I did mean empathetically. Age is catching up with me...

[melam72]

And by the way, have you stopped beating your wife? (question on behalf of aforementioned mother in law).

Rsachi...

It was always the other way around. I am being beaten by my wife with a variety of instruments (from lemon juice squeezers to red-hot karandis). The only thing I have beaten my wife at till now is the amount I fall sick!

[Rsachi]

Sorry, Melam72, when your and Shankarank's posts come fast and furious, I get mixed.

My mobile doesn't show the full post with the poster's name.

[shankarank]

Shankarank,

If you actually read "MY" post - you would know the sense of my speech vs. the rest.

[Rsachi]

Okokokok.

[shankarank]

There was this concert in IITM , CLT as part of Mardi Gras. MAS, MAK and the artiste we are discussing now, on the Mridangam. I would not remember now what songs were played. But it was one of those melodious and soulful recitals , with Mridangam showing the restraint that is due to instrumental concerts. There were hardly few people, as there was a competing event in the Open Air Theater.

But one among them was Prof. K. Radhakrishna Rao, the EE analog designer. I may not have learnt much of analog design from him, it was a tough course, but I did learn something important that day.

He said, this is an insult to the artistes. I would not have known otherwise - seriously!

The organizing student would apologize to them for not planning and negotiating a better time slot for them. When we later spoke , we talked about the richness and exuberance of the Mridangam artiste of the day as well.

More about Prof K . Radhakrishna Rao. His every year project to one of his graduating students will include a circuit that produces the sound of mridangam. My next room mate did that project in our year of graduation. It created sounds / combinations not possible by a human hand. Such was his love of mridangam.

So even amidst those few people , there were THREE that were passionate about it, Me, the organizing student, and the professor.

[shankarank]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aiLaF0h8ydI

The yati(s) have to enter his own being to give a Subha vAk. We have heard of stories like how he would ferry artistes not educated in school to get their visAs stamped. He and S. Rajam made Jangiris in the Aradhana once - I was told.

I don't know if Rohan's Dad was alluding to that here: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=25769&start=125#p287487

Would that bring back harimau??

If only he was as articulate and sensitive as the English speaking privileged artiste , with his sense of sacredness that he practices, what a deadly force it would be that will move the world!! Both men who know the in and out of music world!

Both of them sometimes go into their ditches : I don't know if they are into a swach Bharat campaign of their own!

Sometimes - we have to listen to the inner burning nAdam of their words (both of them) and not the words themselves - as I heard Kamal Hasan talk about it.

We keep affirming that we are still a clueless civilization everyday!

[shankarank]

What a difference an instrumental concert makes?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qj44wb6PBFk

Even the tani is not as voluminous!

[shankarank]

And only a great tradition would accommodate an artiste who sounds inaccurate sometimes to do great things as well:

https://youtu.be/JYpTGRa1424?t=429

[kvchellappa]

Sri shankarank,
"I don't understand!"
You must find out who is it that does not understand!
(Problem of not understanding Ramnana either).
I enjoy music as perhaps any normal person. If music is sruti and layam, I do not understand either intrinsically. I do not understand the letters of music (swaras) though I may follow some words and even sentence.

[RaviSri]

There was a certain young banger, much like the banger of post 32. He was a youngster then, in the 1980s, but now I heard his son has also started playing the mridangam. I hope he doesn't bang like his father. This youngster much like the youngster of post 32 was encouraged to the hilt by MLV. Poor daughter of Lalitangi. If she thought that the leather beaters would be as cooperative as the stringer she groomed, she had, as they say in American English, a think coming.

It was the Gokulashtami season of the Krishna Gana Sabha sometime in September 1983. To escape the noise of the MuppAthamman temple just opposite, KGS's Gokulashtami programmes would be temporarily shifted to the Ramakrishna Mission School opposite Panagal Park. The upstairs Assembly Hall of the school was an ideal place to listen to Carnatic music. I have heard Palghat Mani Iyer playing for MLV at this hall in 1978 and '79. Yes, the concerts were mikeless. But after Mani Iyer who had the guts to play without a mike? Oh, this chap had, in that concert. And what did he do. For four songs he banged and banged and banged (you can say banged to the power of 'n', that would be simple). MLV was not a demanding type of musician. So, let's blast her as well as the rasikas' ears, right! A few young rasikas, in their 20s were annoyed and after the 3rd song itself were fuming. But who will, and how to bell the cat. There rose a saviour at the end of the 4th item and demanded that the mridangist 'play' softly (konjam sOfTA vAshingO, romba shattamA irukku, was the appeal in Tamil). Furious the banger became and shouted, "enna paNradu, mike illai. ipDi tAn vAshippEn' (What to do, no mike has been provided, therefore I will play like this). MLV turned her head the other side and pretended to have a drink (yeah a soft drink only, it was a public stage you know).

The saviour, but in the eyes of the goody goody, a rowdy, lost his temper and in turn shouted, "Stop playing, we can all listen to MLV alone with the violin. We don't want you', and sat down. The blaster didn't know what to say, but was breathing fire. MLV launched on a kAmbhOj AlApanA and carried on for 45 minutes in stages interspersed with the violin reply for 15 minutes. Then the tAnam and the reply for that. Almost 1 1/2 hours, the blaster could not place even a finger on his instrument. For the pallavi and swaras, he was subdued. MLV sang her usual tukkaDAs and a thillana. After the concert the saviour (or rowdy whichever description you want), was congratulated by many rasikas for being 'bold'. He then accosted 'The Hindu' critic NMN and told him in no uncertain terms that it was the duty of critics like him to see that such banging misdeeds didn't occur and that he should write about this in The Hindu. The critic smiled and left.

Came the next Friday morning and along with strong kApi 'The Hindu'. The Friday review carried NMN's review of the concert with the headline, "Plea to Mridangist to play Softly Goes Unheeded". The banger was in tears (so I heard) and was lamenting that his career was at an end, now that NMN had criticised him. MLV stopped engaging this banger for the next 3 years. The poor fellow had to cool his heels almost at the beginning of his career. But the proverbial question. Did he correct himself? Nah. There would always be rasikas who would be hard of hearing and wouldn't mind a two hour blasting. Probably this compared favourably with the banging and blasting male rasikas got at home from .... well everyone knows who.

[shankarank]

3 Likes !! Wow. When melody became music - that was the beginning of end of music.

இப்ப ராகம் கேட்க பத்து பேர கூட்டி வாங்களேன்! கூட்டம் சேருகிற இடமெல்லாம் புதுசு புதுசா பாட்டெல்லாம் பாடுறாங்களாம்!

Bring 10 people to listen to rAgAs now! Those who draw crowds now sing all new songs every time!

And the one that draws crowd in diverse spaces, had to bad mouth that whole thing , the people involved, their caste and bring in enlightenment, media , and all the rats to make an impact!

[arasi]

RaviSri,
'medu'vAga, AnAl manamARak kai thaTTuginREn! 'Soft'ly, though heartily, I applaud.
What a gem of a story...So good to hear from you, anything, at any time...
Oh, and I don't know who the mridangist was, but does it matter?

[shankarank]

டேப்பை எடுக்க ஒன்றிர்க்கு இரண்டு கிருந்திக் ஸ்பூல் அனுப்பியவர்கள், ஒன்றை திரும்பி வாங்க , மைக் மட்டும் இரண்டு அனுப்பவில்லையே !

Those who sent TWO Grundig spool tapes , to get one copy back, did not send in an additional Mike?? Wow?

[shankarank]

எத்தனை ஸ்பூல் டேப்பில் தனியாவர்தனம் துண்டிக்க பட்டிருக்கிறது! கேள்! திருச்சி சங்கரன் சௌக்கிய மிருதங்கமே துண்டிக்க பட்டிருக்கிறது !

How many tapes , the tani was not recorded!!! Even Trichy Sankaran's soulful saukkiya mridangam has been cut!!

Again we reaffirm we are a clueless civilization!!!!

[shankarank]

the leather beaters would be as cooperative as the stringer she groomed, she had, as they say in American English, a think coming.

That stringer even POST SK does not have a standing of her own and had to tour the US second fiddling SAXOPHONE!! You get it! You don't do you?!

There was a mELam too to boot! No where anything close to even a kalyANA mELam!

[shankarank]

the leather beaters would be as cooperative as the stringer she groomed, she had, as they say in American English, a think coming.

அந்த அம்மாவுக்கு மிருதங்கம் தெரிஞ்சா ஒரு நல்ல மிருதங்கத்தயும் தயார் செய்திருப்பார்களோ ! பாவம் தெரியாம போச்சு!

Oh if she had known how to train a good cooperative Mridangist - she could have done that too can't she? Too bad she didn't know!

[sankark]

the leather beaters would be as cooperative as the stringer she groomed, she had, as they say in American English, a think coming.

அந்த அம்மாவுக்கு மிருதங்கம் தெரிஞ்சா ஒரு நல்ல மிருதங்கத்தயும் தயார் செய்திருப்பார்களோ ! பாவம் தெரியாம போச்சு!

Oh if she had known how to train a good cooperative Mridangist - she could have done that too can't she? Too bad she didn't know!

Hope you aren't insinuating that that ammA was weak in layam.

[shankarank]

Well it is interesting that you associate , the (physical) instrument itself with layam. You are not alone! Lot of people have made that mistake and still making it. Even OST in his tyAgarAja lecture, had to point to the mridangam and ta-tAngida-takundari-kita-taka to explain how tyAgarAjA extols layam also as Bhakti ( svara rAga laya sudha rasa manta - from inta saukyamani nE).

So he outsourced it all to them then!!

[shankarank]

And they not only outsourced it , damn it, they subverted it's sense and meaning before doing so!

[Rsachi]

Shankarank, I did my BTech final project under Dr K Radhakrishna Rao at IITM. It was on active filters. The year was 1973,there were no computers there, and even ICs were hard to come by. We attended music concerts together.

[shankarank]

Sachi, happy to hear that you worked with greats like him. Would like to hear some reminiscences of concerts that time. Was there a music club then?

As a nudge here is few minutes of bliss for you! https://youtu.be/JSZB8fnXfwc?t=446

[Sachi_R]

Shankarank,
Thanks!

Yes, very much, I believe it was we who strengthened and built up the Music Club. Dr. Narayan Rao, (HV Engg) was the secretary for a long time.He now lives in Mysore and we met socially recently and exchanged many anecdotes.

You know the newly inaugurated indoor stadium in early '70s featured a music concert (I forget who, may be TV Gopalakrishnan?) and it was a fiasco for the acoustics. The embarassed folks at IIT hurriedly called Dr. B S Ramakrishna Rao of IISC (an expert on acoustics) to come and help fix the unbearable reverb etc. He commissioned some hanging acoustic absorbers to mitigate the menace.

we had all greats come and perform. The concert of Ramani, Lalgudi and Karaikudi Mani was held in the Civil Engg top floor hall as the CLT was under renovation. What a concert! I believe in that Lalgudi Ramani combo, I always liked the flute more... maybe the sound of the flute overpowers me.
we had KVN, Lalgudi solo, The Dwaram siblings with TVG. In the revovated CLT, he came in, sang a few phrases (he would play the mridangam that day) and said the acoustics were so good they could do a micless concert!

we had KVN with TNK and PR. My love for KVN+Raghu was seeded then.
We had Namagiripettai Krishnan.
We had MDR...
We had MSG...
We had Santhanam, TVS, ....
Kunnukudi...
Voleti...

When Lalgudi played solo, the England cricket team was playing a test match in Chepauk. Their captain (Tony Lewis) was a violinist, and he and another player had come to the concert.

We had a series of lectures by Dr. M. Nageswara Rao on music appreciation as a paid workshop.
Listen to this rare recording:
https://youtu.be/4uQ-ir_FY7A

[shankarank]

Thanks. During my time when S Balachandar came under the auspices of SPIC MACAY for Lec Dem, he was upset for the most part that his vehicle was sent late and he kept playing Guitar ( Western Music) for the most part on his vINA , explaining plain notes vs. oscillating notes.

When a girl asked why he used a pickup - he retorted : so the sound reaches you , else you will have to come too close to listen!! Well he was lucky to get away with it. I didn't know at the time that SrngAra was a rasa in music!

Well in a U.S tour not too long ago, Hariharan also used that line - asking guys to shut up , as a Woman was requesting something and he was busy talking to her!

Narasimham Ram was the chief guest who arrived late as well - as the same vehicle which was late to bring him , was sent further late! he gave a speech, but he was oscillating his legs back and forth leaning to podium as he spoke!

SB refused to play some music at the end when someone requested, as he said he didn't want to get into playing music at the time and instead wanted to bombast us with his responses!

No word spoken on his strengths like layam!! You can see how the 80s have turned almost all musicians so bitter and cynical!

It was only much later in 2002 in Astika samAjam , that Karaikudi Mani would mention SB, Alathur and LGJ - how we talk about them specially , for their sense of layam - that I knew !!

[shankarank]

OK now - since you posted a T Ranganathan recording:

https://youtu.be/y_SY0KrbzRk?t=916

ரவிஸ்ரீ : டீ ரங்கநாதன் சத்தமில்லாம வாசித்தார் என்பதை தவிர உங்களால் வேறு ஏதாவது சொல்வதற்கு உண்டா??

Does RaviSri has anything else to say than T. Ranganathan played softly?

கூட்டமில்லாக் கச்சேரி விட்டுட்டு கூட்டம் கூடுகிற கச்சேரி எதுக்கய்யா உமக்கு ?

Why do you dabble in crowded concerts when you have crowd fee ones?

[RaviSri]

What do you want T.Ranganathan to do, especially when he is playing for his elder cousins? Ranga belonged to the Palani stock and was one of the best products of that school. And the purest too. Look at the youtube video where he has accompanied T.Brinda who both sings as well as plays the veena. Listen to that sound and his phrases for mEru samAna and amba nIlAmbari (for the veena). You can understand his vidvat.

Ranga like his brother Viswa was ignored by the Madras establishment. He had to seek greener pastures and that is how he settled at Wesleyan. Viswa followed him and we know how they both were responsible for the important position CM occupies in the Ethno Musicology Dept at Wesleyan.

At any rate such helpful support shows a mature mind and his tendency to support the main artist instead of trying to hog the limelight by banging. I personally prefer such supporters. And in this my favourite is Ramabhadran, never mind the sameness of his tani. And Semmangudi himself has more than once appreciated Ramabhadran's support as being conducive to not just peaceful singing but also to give off the main artist's best.

What crowd? MLV drew what crowds, pray? At the KGS concert at RKM school that I have described above there were just about 200 rasikas. If I wanted crowd free concerts, of course, I always had MDR till 1983 and T.Brinda and T.Muktha. I could be one among the 40 or 50 rasikas.

[arasi]

With all the tamizh which this thread sports, one more adage won't hurt.
niRai kuDam taLumbAdu--it can be applied in several instances--Ramabhadran's playing included...

[devan]

The mridangist in the MLv concert was R. Ramesh and the so called rowdy Rasika is Ravisri. I was also there in the concert.

[shankarank]

What crowd? MLV drew what crowds, pray? At the KGS concert at RKM school that I have described above there were just about 200 rasikas.

200 is a good crowd if it was early 70s or even 80s. You cannot take every measure with a standard of what MSS, BMK and KJY/SPB drew/draw!

For SSI his old loyal crowd will turn up wherever - be it MA or Nanganallur or madipakkam!

Inside IIT , only Mandolin Srinivas filled the CLT - for the rest - we would crave for 100!

I wish we get 200 people consistently for all the young artistes ( of good standing - especially on layam!) who are performing well today!

What do you want T.Ranganathan to do, especially when he is playing for his elder cousins?

So you should read : viewtopic.php?f=2&t=26387&p=291394&hili ... ma#p314562

ஒரு மிருதங்க சொல் விழாமல் ஒரு கமகம் உன் காதுக்கு போய்விடுமா ? பின்னால் நீ ஆலாபனை கேட்கலாம். ஆனால் முதலில் இதை கேட்கவேண்டும்!

These are things that people in thick of music should think about and tell others. I understand these were all common place and taken for granted in the era that they happened. But it is not so in the current era. Most senior Mridangists who speak on such issues, are only able to go into the extent of: " Mridangists should listen to the song , know the song and follow the song" and not beyond much else!

And the kalaparamaNam issue is something KRM has been lamenting in his magazine ( excerpts once published in sangeetham.com).

R. Ramesh by the way was the one who was brought in to do tALam by KRM, during songs even, in an OST concert in MFAC ( 2002 IIRC)!

And we way too oversimplify what Ramabhadran is about - it is not just soft/supportive play!

niRai kuDam taLumbAdu

naRai (nirai) kuDangal amaiti kAppadinAl tAn kurai kuDangal taLumba vENDiya nilamai!

[shankarank]

he kept playing Guitar ( Western Music) for the most part on his vINA , explaining plain notes vs. oscillating notes

More I remember about this: he recalled a trip to MA with Musiri Subrahmaniya Iyer ( SB requested him to come along!) for a Western Orchestra concert. After 30 minutes, Musiri turned to him and said: bOraDikkiradE ( it is boring!). Recalling that SB went on a tirade about how our musicians never listen to anything outside their genre and never open minded about things. He didn't stop there : "you should watch them turn pages on the sheet so fast to resume their playing in sync. our people would fumble!"

Well guess what : some 25/30 years down from there : Kids born to pure Indian genes (along with their western counter parts) are turning a page on TyAgaraja's utsava sampradaya kritis! Not anything complicated - not Alapana, not neraval, not svaram, not tAnam, not pallavi - just the beat hugging ones! Are they fumbling?

periya rAgamAm - manOdharmamAM ! That is the real elitism - the cognoscenti trying to negotiate with the West - of their version of creativity. Not the Silk Sarries/Jewels or an NRI father trying to push his kid into a stage built with Thermacoal!

nI tyAgarAjarai nIkkinAl enna ! avarukku engEyO vAzhvu uNdu!

If layam litmus test were to be laid on people getting on stage - pAdi payalluku chance kidayAtu (half the people would not get the chance) - there won't be 2500 concerts. We will be hero worshipping just a few ones and listening to them in Stadiums!