Something for us to keep in mind

rshankar · Post by **rshankar** » 07 Aug 2009, 19:48

http://www.livemint.com/2009/02/1321463 ... l.html?d=1

A well written pov!

VK RAMAN · Post by **VK RAMAN** » 07 Aug 2009, 19:59

In brief: Music critic - delicate taste; lack of bias; practice; common sense; and a wide experience of life. - thank you rshankar for the link.

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 07 Aug 2009, 22:23

Thanks Ravi.
Samant's points are noteworthy.
We had Subbudu whose reviews readers loved to hate. His qualifications as a critic were not the issue. It was the way he wrote--it could make or mar a performer. If critics are frustrated performers, as in some cases, the Subbudu-way is what appeals to them, I guess!
It is not that there aren't many good critics of CM, it is how the various publications choose the journalists who review a concert. It can be anyone who is free to do the work--this is strictly about those magazines and newspapers which do not deal with music at all, except during the season. These happen to be the widely read ones too, and that is not good news for the performers if the reviews are not favorable.
Even the publications which write about music on a regular basis, have to cope with so many events and are short-staffed for that. The same critic may go to two different concerts and my not do justice to either. Then there could be those who simply don't bother about how their carelessness or laziness in writing can affect the performers and readers. They name the songs or rAgams wrong, or just throw in a few adjectives and stock musical terms and think they have done their job.
That is why I think that our own reviews--with shortcomings too, are worth it. The reviewers here write because they want to share their musical experience with others who are rasikAs like them. Yes, we all know that though our tastes do differ, we are all from the same camp of music lovers...