retirement by artists

[saramati]

It is a sad fact that like in any art, especially in music, one reaches his/her peak in proficiency by a certain age and stabilises there. After the lapse of many years (decades ), the proficiency graph starts to take a dip. Until a point when the attendence for the concert if the bare minimum. This is not to belittle the knowledge and capabilities of the vidwans, but age does better of us. Then, is it not important that such vidwans take a graceful retirement from active performances, so that their image remains intact. Contribution to carnatic music, which they would have been pursuing with passion all along, can be done by teaching, lec dem etc.

[msakella]

That is why I have retired even from my active artist-life from the date of retirement in 1996 at my 58th year from Govt. service as Principal, Govt. College of Music & dance, Hyderabad. Elders must maintain their stature giving oppurtunity to the youth to come up. Their experience must help the youth in establishing themselves as professionals. For this purpose the elders must divert their energies in holding lec-dems and workshops on relevant topics of music to help the youngsters. But, ‘how many are ready to do so?’ is a big question just like a person who had gone to select his daughter-in-law for his 8th son but, ultimately, brought her in as his 4th wife. amsharma

[sridhar_ranga]

Yes it was really a sad sight to see not more than 20 people turn up to hear this multi-faceted senior vidwan's vocal recital last week in one of the sabhas in T. Nagar. At one point he was heard saying "adhukkuLLa keLambittELE" to one of his friends in the front row who was about to leave. His best years are behind him but the audiences can be 'disproportionately' brutal especially during the season when they have choices aplenty.

[cienu]

But, ‘how many are ready to do so?’ is a big question just like a person who had gone to select his daughter-in-law for his 8th son but, ultimately, brought her in as his 4th wife. amsharma

That was a great example Sharmaji

[bilahari]

Cienu, I remember reading this joke by Sharma sir before but it was just as funny the second time round!

[mridhangam]

But do not belittle the excellent performances being given by UKS sir, TKM sir, Vellore Ramabadran Sir Dorai sir, MSG, MS Anantharaman, TNKrishnan etc etc a host of others all of them past 75 .... I have heard even the veteran CSM play sterlingly for TNS in many of his concerts who was also past 70 when he accompanied.
dont we listen to them even today ...
And i remember the nonagenerian's concert at Hamsadhwani with VVS, UKS ... it was a fantastic performance.

We need elders for their guidance and path. There are enough opportunities for youngsters as the money that the organisers have to shell out is negligible compared to those that they have to shell out for senior artistes. That doesnt mean elders have to bow out of the scene. When we want maturity out of music that is being rendered age, approach, psychology, experience in life, extrapolation and things like that matters a lot more than a mere giving a way for youngsters.

A single person's decision to quit may be his own personal choice based on his own circumstances, his levels of opportunity, his place.

Even now we have an Example of Manakkal Rangarajan who sings with verve and vigour. Dont we listen to him.

If crowd only is the yardstick for judging the artistes how many youth artistes draw crowds apart from a very very handful.

And ... Mind you rasikas .. the same thing can be said for DIE HARDS of sanjay and TMK hahahah (Just a joke) when they have to retire.

My view is tht as long as one is able to sing or play opportunities should be given. Instead of elders giving opportunities to youngsters i think the olden days must return where youngsters gave way to elders with respect and regard for their music.

Instead of trying to give half-baked stuffs they can wait....


(Have i opened up the pandora's box ???)

JB

[coolkarni]

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[cienu]

Retirement - The Beginning of Death - If one has not planned for it right through ones own career

Very true Coolji .

And for an artist not to perform is indeed a "living death".

[rajumds]

I fully agree with saramati. Artists should gracefully quit when they are past their prime

In performing arts and sports, retirement is not based on age but on one's ability to perform consistently at the top.

As JB said there are many veterans still going strong and it is a fact these people have not attained their retirement age yet. But not all have the voice or strength to keep performing at 70s and 80s.

Again an youngster who listens to them now for the first time may form a not so correct opinion about their abilities.

Long back I got hold of a recorded concert of Maharajapuram Viswanatha Iyer. I had not heard him before and my father was a big fan of MVI. My dad after listening to it ,told me not listen to the tape since it was not one of the better concerts and I should not form a opinion based on it.

[Nick H]

Point 1: gracefully quitting at a given age requires being able to support oneself. Sadly, artists are often not the best financial planners.

Point 2. mridhangam's mentioned examples really show that age, or old age, is not necessarily anything to do with it. It includes some of my very favourite artists. My favourite singer is over 70.

Another Point. physical virtuosity, of voice or instrument, may be something that peaks early in life (although some of the fingers named by mridhangam seem to prove that it can just keep on getting better) but what about the other qualities of a performer?

Point 4. Yes, some people reach a point where they really cannot produce goods on stage any longer.

Last point for now. A performer may, indeed, be past their prime: they may still rank as superb even if their prime was long ago.

I forget the exact quote, but I read somewhere recently: the only person who is always at their best is a mediocre person

[msakella]

Dear brother-member, mridhangam, As you wrote ‘we need elders for their guidance and path’ is true if they maintain that stature and command respect but do not demand.. Even though I never intend to belittle the elders, I cannot and should not hide the truth. For example, if we listen to the music of a veteran, in person, we bear with him and his music too even in his old age as we have been listening to him from a long time and we revere him for his mastery over the art. But, at his older age, when he is not able to sing in which way he sang in his prime time, if we listen to one of his audio-recordings without knowing his real identity, we comment ‘parvaaillai, nanna practice pannaa nannaa varum - let him practice well’. In the old age any person cannot sing or play music in the same way in which he did in his prime time just like a machine always produces bolts and nuts of the same quality. But all the veterans, having been very active for a long time in their respective field and almost glued to the dais, do not want to leave off the dais but cling to it until their life time like the example given in my last post. amsharma

[srkris]

Someone told me he had made an honest comment to his friends one day standing outside the Navarathri mandapam 25 years ago listening to someone performing inside. The comment was that the singer who was singing that day had to improve his music much more before he could legitimately be allowed to sing at places like the Mandapam.

They later learned that the performer was Semmangudi, and had a big laugh.

[arasi]

Well said, Bharath. Proof? That Kalpagam Swaminathan concert we were both at made me think that this was an experience for us to cherish all through our lives--for youngsters like you and people of my age too, however brief our stay on earth might be. We were listening to someone that day who has steeped herself in her music for countless years and was bringing us he essence of all her experience. The same can be said about several veterans. They are not competing with younger artistes. They have a place of their own in the performing field. Do we consider retirees as useless people in society and dump them?

[coolkarni]

..

[VK RAMAN]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Atbk9WEe ... =rec-HM-r2 - take a listen to the last part of this melodious rendition by Shri T.V. Sankaranarayan. He is so gracious to upcoming younger generation. It is relevant to this topic.

[Nick H]

Retirement: That thing that makes every day as good as a Saturday!

But not for an artist. Not for someone whose work is their life and their expression and their being.

Very moving post, Coolji.

[vijay]

I agree entirely with Coolji's perspective. Apart from the Chennai angle, his spirit and enthusiasm is also that of a 28 year old's!

[PUNARVASU]

Coolji,
very true and you said it very beautifully.

[mridhangam]

Cool ji

Correct me if i am wrong .....

You have talked on both sides ....

The change from "Retirement is Death----" in your earlier post to the latest one is diametrically opposite thoughts ---> or that is what i have understood.

Are you just quoting the best of both sides without quoting your opinions ?

JB

[coolkarni]

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[mridhangam]

And one more

"Experience is a comb you get when you become Bald" -- > Ralph Waldo Emerson

JB

[arasi]

from an old lady...you all haven't got there yet to know how it all feels...