Casting a spell: Aruna Sayeeram, Bharat Sangeet Utsav, Nov 9

rajeshnat · Post by **rajeshnat** » 12 Nov 2009, 21:26

bhavarasa wrote:I wonder what harimau thinks about MMI/TVS singing the "English Note" in their concerts. That was a big crowd pleaser in its time. Would that classify as invading the sanctity of Carnatic music?

Then what about when MSS sang "May the Lord Forgive Ourselves" at the UN?

The western note was very much a carnatic swaras with a tinge of western classical . As such it stayed very much in carnatic zone.

With respect to MSS, I think it was one number she just had to sing as it is nation of nations United nations. So some of leverage is there.

rajeshnat · Post by **rajeshnat** » 12 Nov 2009, 21:27

Having said that instead of blaming arunA sayeeram alone for the songs like her perennial slog over power play songs , in first place is it not the responsibility of carnatica who conducts this utsav not to come up with themes like listeners choice etc. This theme itself is itself giving this diluted aberration .

To me I just notice that for the sake of TV telecasting (I am assuming carnatica has tied with some tv channel and will be telecast) and increasing the trp ratings this whole concept of popular numbers to be telecast is only dictating the show. To an extent blame the whole ecosystem not just aruna alone here. During gokulAshtami there was an arunA concert that was relayed , the same power play numbers were telecast with kids dressed like krishna and gopi etc , kind of unnecessary visual imagery is distracting this carnatic concert which is only for ears(and not eyes) only art .

cacm · Post by **cacm** » 12 Nov 2009, 21:37

I wonder what harimau thinks about MMI/TVS singing the "English Note" in their concerts. That was a big crowd pleaser in its time. Would that classify as invading the sanctity of Carnatic music?
Then what about when MSS sang "May the Lord Forgive Ourselves" at the UN?
The western note was very much a carnatic swaras with a tinge of western classical . As such it stayed very much in carnatic zone.
With respect to MSS, I think it was one number she just had to sing as it is nation of nations United nations. So some of leverage is there.

In addition to the relevence, the WHOLE concert choices WERE PERFECT& SUPERB in representing the whole gamut of our music, composers, as well as two of her heroes, Rajaji & Kanchi Periyavar.It was a presentation to the WHOLE WORLD & was reciprocated by ALL THE DIPLOMATS as well as guests giving a very rare Standing Ovation to a form of music MOST were not at all familiar with. In my opinion a PERFECT EXAMPLE of creative collaboration of TWO geniuses T.S. & M.S. vkv

prashant · Post by **prashant** » 12 Nov 2009, 21:39

Can we all 'hari' up and keep 'mau'nam now?

This thread is degenerating into a waste of bandwidth!

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 12 Nov 2009, 21:53

srikant1987 wrote:
nick H wrote:
bhavarasa wrote: Better Aruna Sayeeram than watching Sun(n) TV. yEthO nAlu pAttu - Classical or Folk or Semi-Classical or whatever it might be - kAthula vizhunthA seri.
Please exclude Folk, at least, from such lists. It needs encouraging, not discouraging.
Nick, she meant let's at least listen to Aruna Sayeeram for whatever music she sings, classical, folk or semi-classical, instead of sitting at home and watching Sun TV. Since I know both English and Tamil, and have read the whole thing, I can't imagine how it'll look to me if I didn't know Tamil.

Thanks for putting me right. I have deleted the quoted post.

Apologies to bhavarasa (edited... Woops, got my quotes confused and apologised to the wrong person!)

This thread is degenerating into a waste of bandwidth!

Speak kindly to your little boy,
And beat him when he sneezes.
He only does it to annoy,
Because he knows it teases

.

bhavarasa · Post by **bhavarasa** » 12 Nov 2009, 21:57

Not trying to commit sacrilege by comparing MSS/MMI with AS.

Just trying to figure out the basis for harimau's comments - not that I necessarily disagree with all of what he's saying.

@prashant - Patience. This thing will sort itself out.

bilahari · Post by **bilahari** » 12 Nov 2009, 22:01

The "sociological research" was not in the OP's attending the concert but in reviewing it here - and with what zeal all of us have grabbed the bait, as usual!

vasanthakokilam · Post by **vasanthakokilam** » 12 Nov 2009, 22:15

Why does harimau keep repeating the same old arguments at rasikas.org. The answer: 'there is an audience'.

Why does AS keep repeating the same old formula? The answer: 'there is an audience'.

The conclusion is left as an exercise to the reader

srinivasrgvn · Post by **srinivasrgvn** » 13 Nov 2009, 07:35

cmlover · Post by **cmlover** » 13 Nov 2009, 21:07

Harimau doesn't deserve a verse
Since many to him are averse
Better to leave him alone
So he can continue his drone
Should you throw stones in dirt
Rake up mud and then get hurt?

VK RAMAN · Post by **VK RAMAN** » 13 Nov 2009, 21:53

Dog barking at moon in the night and moon still shining!

PUNARVASU · Post by **PUNARVASU** » 13 Nov 2009, 22:00

Out of the 61 posts, only 4 are by the OP.

mahesh3 · Post by **mahesh3** » 14 Nov 2009, 00:53

How many by the mods + nick + arasi?

harimau · Post by **harimau** » 14 Nov 2009, 21:56

karthikbala wrote:
harimau wrote: ...
I don't think anybody can call a single member of the above list a "hobbyist in music".

On the other hand, females who have a reasonable right to expect that their husbands will put food on the table and provide a roof over their heads seem to be bent on cheapening Carnatic Music.

And they actually draw your support?

...
I think it is telling that only 2 out of your 11 examples are from the current generation. Place this in the context of the large population of "performers" we have today and a more honest analysis is possible.

I threw in two names as examples but I can actually provide a bigger list; obviously, there is no Google search that would enable folks to do their own searches about Carnatic musicians who have music as their full-time profession.

Chitraveena Ravikiran - No day job
Sasikiran - No day job
P. Unnikrishnan - No day job
Kunnakkudy M. Balamuralikrishna - No day job

Now let us do a more honest analysis that you want to see of the socio-economic factors at play.

Sri T N Seshagopalan is about 61 years of age. In 1965/66 at age 17, when he would have had to choose a college major that would determine his profession, India had suffered from 3 continuous years of drought (which lasted 5 years); India was dependent on hundreds of millions of dollars worth PL-480 food aid from the US for feeding its population; even people with college education were not getting jobs.

In this environment, he made the choice to make music his full-time profession. Was he unmindful of the bleak future or was he supremely confident he could make a living out of music?

It was about the same time that T V Sankaranarayanan had to make his choice of professions.

Both of them are Sangeetha Kalanidhis today and well-respected senior musicians.

Let us fast-forward by about 20 years. Chitraveena Ravikiran faced the same choice but in the face of economic crunch under which the Government of India had to pledge its gold reserves to the Bank of England for a measly couple of hundred dollars of loans. Fiscal reforms were just being forced on the socialist government by the IMF and they had not shown results. When Ravikiran made his choice of music as his profession, was he being foolish? Or, was he supremely confident?

Fast forward by about 10 years when T M Krishna and Sanjay Subrahmanian were making their choices. The doors were being opened for Indians to go to the US as code warriors, and folks with the right education were travelling to foreign countries making a good living. Was T M Krishna supremely confident of himself when he chose not an engineering degree and instead chose music as his career? Sanjay did his CA and chose to work till he was confident he could make it in the music world. Was he wrong or was he just less confident about the future of Classical music and his place in it? How about Unnikrishnan, Sasikiran, etc., who were at this critical juncture at about that time?

Fast forward by another 10 years. The code warriors who had gone to the US are getting greeen cards, have nice homes and cars, and even professionally-qualified wives (no more than one for each

). Enter the Prasanna Venkataramans, the G Ravikirans, etc. What are they going to do? They can:

1) Abandon their interest in music and go off to the US in search of better pastures.

2) They can stay employed in the IT or any other professional field and still pursue music seriously till they are sure it will give them a good living

3) Treat music as a serious hobby for which they are willing to sacrifice considerable sums of money in terms of lost income that they could have earned in their professions in the US or Europe.

They have chosen what looks like the last option but could revert to the middle one but they have pretty much foreclosed the first option forever.

But to such serious persons, your suggestion is that they should cheapen their music so that it is appealing to more people?

By the way, I really do not enjoy writing such detailed responses with names of actual individuals; however, all the information I have given is from publicly available sources or deductions from such data so I am not breaching any confidential information. Not that I have any!

Secondly, the fact that I do not choose to write out justifications does not mean I haven't thought about the issues. Nor does my mocking tone mean I am trolling. That conclusion is drawn by people who do not have the time or inclination to ask why someone is passionate about maintaining the purity of Carnatic music.

Then you look at the mridangists and kanjira/ghatam players. In an interview some 6 months back, a leading kanjira player lamented that not only was his income low, he had no takers in the matrimonial field!

Looking back on my quoting yellow fever and peptic ulcer as examples where researchers took serious chances with their lives in search of answers, I must admit that the selection of those two examples turn out to be particularly apt. While people like me may get peptic ulcers from certain kinds of Classical music, Carnatic Music will die as in the case of untreated yellow fever.

cmlover · Post by **cmlover** » 14 Nov 2009, 23:08

A sensible post worth seriously discussing about!

rajeshnat · Post by **rajeshnat** » 14 Nov 2009, 23:26

Aruna Sayeeram - Vocal
Padma Sankar - Violin
N. Ramakrishnan - Mridangam
S. V. Ramani - Ghatam

1. Kalyana Rama - Hamsanadam - OVK
2. Dinamani vamsa -harikAmbOdhi
3. ??? - Atana
4A. pattinathAr viruththam -kallApizhaiyum - pharas
4B. Alavathennalo - Pharaz -PD
5.Sri Sathyanarayanam - Sivapantuvarali -MD
6.Chakkani Raja - Kharaharapriya- T
6B. tani

7.Abhang - Brindabani with a foray into Sohoni, ending with a rhythmic chanting of 'Vittala Vittala Vittala Vittala'.
8.Madu Meikkum Kanne - kavadichindu tune - ???
9.Vishamakkara Kannan - shenjurutti - OVK
10. Kalinga Narthana Thillana - gambheera nAttai - OVK

Harimau
I just took some time in first putting the song list of aruna's concert . If you look at it for the first 6 numbers ,I guess you or suresh vv in general did not have any qualms , all these are great carnatic vaggeyakkara compositions . The only qualm I heard was she did not sing a neraval and the alApanai of kharaharapriya was too short . Of course I dont know what other alapana she sang before kharaharapriyA , but I presume she must have sung atleast one for harikAmbOdhi.

Now for a moment if I assume that at the end of kharaharapriya , arunA had say sung one number like enna kavi padinAlum or say ayye Metha kadinam I am sure they are very classical , you would not have any concerns (By the way I have become a psychatrist reading sociological research scientist mind

)

In general your qualms start , from the number 7 or as I said before power play numbers

7. Abhang
YOu dont like it , even I dont like it most of them ,so in short your vent is maximum here

8. mAdu maikkum kannE - folkish tune
This is a kavadi chindu tune , so let us assume that if this number is say replaced by another kavadichindu tune song say by annamalai reddiar , you would not have the same fuming feeling I guess. As such this is a folkish number , even the pristine vijayashiva sings a number like one of kudumbai siddhar (btw I am not comparing vijay vs arunA just illustration of folkish tune that's it) , nevertheless that is more classical this is folkish and appears slightly filmish. Nevertheless lot of folks like this song a lot.

9. vishamakAra kannan
This number is by the great vaggeyakkara OVK , yes ridiculing mukhari is part of lyrics , so I guess you cannot blame arunA for it but more say OVK for it. I hate this song personally as it is not carnatic worthy

10. kalinga narthana thillana or snake dance song
The tunesmith was OVK or needamangalam krishnamurthy bhagavathar , to me when those lines dus bus comes it is suddenly non carnatic, but that is what that lyrics and mettu of OVK and bhagavathar .

TO me singing these 4 tukkadas in succession is a poor choice , that is all to it . May be cutting two of that and replacing with viruththam would have been great. YOu faulting the tail of the concert and ignoring the head is always bordering on exaggeration. In last jaya tv concert that is in you tube she sang vishamakara kannan and your snake dance thillana , but in the same concert she sang this soulful viruththam http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDs4rTBj ... re=related and one nekkurugi -abhOgi , see her musical expressions and azhuttam in thamizh diction, is that not great .

As such Aruna has got that KB SundarambAlish voice ,that is very expressive and she is lucky and gifted there and that is all

Conclusively:
------------
You are indeed not a troll, many of your feedbacks are superb , but as such at times you taking a big stick and hitting for a small blemish is just too harsh. But that is the way sociological research is all about I guess

. As such your anecdotes about yellow fever and economic comparisons shows you are indeed multifaceted person , but how much is that applicable to this concert and arunA is always an unanswered question?

BTW did you like anything before the abhang in the concert ? I hope you will answer atleast this question, that is all, and not ignore it. Any way pour your views with multifaceted anecdotes in general , I like them .

Always_Evolving · Post by **Always_Evolving** » 14 Nov 2009, 23:46

Wow. After 3-score and something posts I have learned nothing new. In summary what I have learned is
1. Harimau doesn't like Aruna's music especially her thukkadas. Surprise!
2. Harimau doesn't have much to say positive about any female musician and is some kind of MCP. Ho hum.
3. Harimau compares his attendance at concerts of artists he patently dislikes and analysis of the same with important medical researchers "taking serious chances with their lives in search of answers".... ! That's really a stupendous service he's doing and here we all are -- oblivious to this supreme sacrifice. Wake up fellow rasikas and smell the kapi.

mahesh3 · Post by **mahesh3** » 15 Nov 2009, 01:10

AE, I dont really see the point of your post!

srikant1987 · Post by **srikant1987** » 15 Nov 2009, 07:24

Harimau, Giving a thought to female musicians like vidushis S Sowmya, Sangeetha Sivakumar, Rama Ravi, Suguna Varadachari and Kalpakam Swaminathan would give you some peace of mind.

Always_Evolving · Post by **Always_Evolving** » 15 Nov 2009, 10:46

mahesh3 wrote:AE, I dont really see the point of your post!

Guess I am asking, do you see the point of the rest of this thread?

rajaglan · Post by **rajaglan** » 15 Nov 2009, 11:26

If AS or her advisors see this thread, they will work towards quickly improving the
tukkada list to a bigger list (not just those four songs) and popularise it among public.

musicfan_4201 · Post by **musicfan_4201** » 15 Nov 2009, 13:47

mahesh3 wrote:How many by the mods + nick + arasi?

That indeed is a cheeky comment

mahesh3 · Post by **mahesh3** » 16 Nov 2009, 01:26

Cheeky, I like!

AE, I do see a larger relevance in Harimau's post...

girish_a · Post by **girish_a** » 16 Nov 2009, 18:07

harimau wrote:Secondly, the fact that I do not choose to write out justifications does not mean I haven't thought about the issues. Nor does my mocking tone mean I am trolling. That conclusion is drawn by people who do not have the time or inclination to ask why someone is passionate about maintaining the purity of Carnatic music.

Okay, so let me ask you: What exactly do you find to be un-carnatic and why? Your dislike of abhangs is very evident, but what else, and more importantly, why?

If Abhangs cannot be fitted into the framework of Carnatic music, the same could be said of devaranamas, no?

Let me take a guess: It is probably the tune which riles you, not the language. Abhangs seem to have this bhajan-like ring to them (I haven't heard too many abhangs, to be sure), but if those same abhangs were tuned like devaranamas, you'd probably find them palatable.

I cited abhangs just as an example, but I recall you had also expressed disapproval of other things; I'd like to hear why.

Shalu · Post by **Shalu** » 18 Nov 2009, 22:13

vasanthakokilam wrote:Why does harimau keep repeating the same old arguments at rasikas.org. The answer: 'there is an audience'.

Why does AS keep repeating the same old formula? The answer: 'there is an audience'.

The conclusion is left as an exercise to the reader

Very true....we comment and complain but the saga continues. I did sit thro the lady's concert and came out at the end worndering if it was carnatic? devotional? lite music...what? I dont know if melodrama on stage attracts or extracts...the patience I mean. One searches for bhakti but the element at times, seems to be completely lacking.....but yes, there is an audience

:rolleyes:

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 19 Nov 2009, 03:52

I thought I wasn't going to post anymore in this thread. What do you know!
As a woman, I feel strongly when AS or for that matter any woman is treated so shabbily. I ask some others too: why go to any concert if you don't care for what is being presented? If you like the first part, why not leave when tukkaDAs begin? I take back my word about the etiquette of staying until the end of a concert. The doors are open for you to make an exit. No one stops you and I can understand that.
This thread goes on, because Harimau posted the topic. His great writing skill and humor can find other venues to convey his depth of knowledge--about music and his appreciation of it. By the way, I do feel bad when he attacks male performers too.
I wonder. M.N. Nambiar was a villain we all loved to hate (on the screen). Who knows? Harimau could be as much of a good man as Nambiar was supposed to be. Only difference here is, movies are fiction where Nambiar just acted. Unfortunately, in the forum where love for CM and knowledge about itare exchanged keenly and happily, Harimau's posts without personal attacks will be a welcome thing. Obviously, he knows a lot about music...

Shalu · Post by **Shalu** » 19 Nov 2009, 09:27

Arasi madam, as a woman I feel as strongly as you do. As a woman professional myself, I have also been the brunt of many slinging in male bastions. My observations were more from the point of view of my experiences. Yes, agreed, if we don't like it lets not stay on. But then feedback is very important, whoever it may be and I guess its fora such as these where one can express sans the provocations, mudslinging or being biased.

Rasikas like us who are not habitual concert goers but plan, battling paucity of time, want to get the best for our choices, hence the disappointment expressed, at times when delivery does not match expectations. One is even more convinced when one hears some other rasikas also expressing similiar viewpoints.

I hope artists make it a point to ocassionally browse thro the comments, in absolute professionalism take the feedback and apply it or at least take cognizance of it if found irrelevant - just from the plain fact that their delivery can also elicit some unanticipated responses. True that at times comments and statements are unwarranted, but that is left to the wisdom and discretion of the artists to absorb or simply ignore.

Always_Evolving · Post by **Always_Evolving** » 19 Nov 2009, 10:27

Shalu wrote:But then feedback is very important, whoever it may be and I guess its fora such as these where one can express sans the provocations, mudslinging or being biased.
Rasikas like us who are not habitual concert goers but plan, battling paucity of time, want to get the best for our choices, hence the disappointment expressed, at times when delivery does not match expectations.

Shalu the reason this thread has become so long and nonsensical:
1. Being provocative is the hallmark of Harimau's posts -- in fact he doesn't know how to express criticism any other way but to mock.
2. The delivery at the Aruna Sayeeram concert matched his expectations. Going to the concerts of artistes one patently dislikes and then mocking them on fora is different from "expressing disappointment"!
3. His subsequent "sociological" analysis went on to name practically every male artiste -- young or old -- in the group of those who uphold the highest values of classicism. But included none - nada - zero women! Can't be coincidence! The bias is so obvious that arasi -- it is unworthy of response!
4. No substantive replies to pointed questions posed by rajeshnat - post#66 and girish_a - post#74.
5. Light classical / devotional / gimmicky music doesn't appeal to me either (in a CM concert) and yes, it would be a pity if lots more young women took to that kind of tactic in order to boost their popularity. However it's quite presumptuous to assume that all women are supported -- economically or otherwise -- by their husbands! Overcoming all kinds of odds ranged against them -- social, family, husbands posted to remote corners of the earth, household pressures etc. dozens of women artists are today holding up the banner of classicism and what's more training dozens more students to perpetuate the art. The Suguna Varadacharis, Jaylakshmi Santhanams, Seetha Rajans... No one needs to come forward to defend women as a class because their contributions are all too well known!

cienu · Post by **cienu** » 19 Nov 2009, 10:30

Always_Evolving wrote: Going to the concerts of artistes one patently dislikes and then mocking them on fora is different from "expressing disappointment"!

How well said.

girish_a · Post by **girish_a** » 19 Nov 2009, 16:16

I don't understand why folks should take umbrage to harimau's review of this particular concert. I don't see anything personal in his criticisms, much less any attempt to cast female artistes in poor light as a couple of members have hinted.

I think a lot of people are missing the point; it is not as if an up-and-coming youngster is being ridiculed for not meeting someone's expectations - the concert in question was by a seasoned performer; if such a concert is reduced to a performance of snake dance songs and such numbers, rasikas are apt to be disappointed, and have a right to say it. Only, harimau adds a little spice to his reports, which in my opinion only enlivens the discussions around here.

Then there are those who have said that harimau's opinion of this artiste is only so-so and that he went to the concert with the sole purpose of finding fault. But ignoring that line for a moment, and looking at it from another perspective, don't you think it helps to recognize what's grain and what's chaff (not in terms of the artistes' talent, but purely the musical pieces)?

Innovations, improvements and new-fangled musical paraphernalia are all to be welcomed and tried, but one needs to understand that the soul of this music is the sublime devotion which it seeks to express, and any dilution of this aspect should trouble all rasikas. And someone has to speak up.

cienu · Post by **cienu** » 19 Nov 2009, 16:46

girish_a wrote:I don't understand why folks should take umbrage to harimau's review of this particular concert.

Absolutely not.

Even in this thread, it is only after post # 25 , that the provocation started.
Upto that point , one can always say it is the democratic right of the reviewer to attend a concert he loves to hate and write essays on them.

cienu · Post by **cienu** » 19 Nov 2009, 16:50

girish_a wrote:I don't see anything personal in his criticisms

Really :rolleyes:

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 19 Nov 2009, 19:36

Fait accompli!
All attention, spotlight shining on him, non-stop attention of one kind or the other--what more does Harimau want? Except, stir up things and make some of us criticize the assets we have such as musician-members, turn off performers, discourage them, and do everything to stir up members when we should be sharing our musical experiences constructively!
I mentioned gladiators at one point. Add rasikAs to it. Do we all desire to be victuals (along with the gladiators) for the wasteful appetite of this carnivore (hari, meaning lion)? Sad, he also happens to be up there in his musical knowledge. Such a waste of a bright mind

Yes, Rajesh. Let him write more positive reviews on performers he likes. We look forward to them eagerly.

karthikbala · Post by **karthikbala** » 19 Nov 2009, 19:45

cienu wrote: Even in this thread, it is only after post # 25 , that the provocation started.

As #25 was in response to a post of mine, my apologies for provoking the provocation

I only meant to opine that there is space for any competent artiste. I did not mean to suggest that everyone should queue up to listen to the specific artiste in question. There is no need to grudge popular artistes their success, regardless of their artistic choices. To my knowledge, this is not a zero-sum game; one performer's success is not detrimental to the rest. As for scare-mongering regarding impending death of CM, dilution etc. this is a perennial accusation spanning generations and one that shall persist (as shall CM).

vasanthakokilam · Post by **vasanthakokilam** » 19 Nov 2009, 23:46

>To my knowledge, this is not a zero-sum game;

Well said.

>As for scare-mongering regarding impending death of CM, dilution etc. this is a perennial accusation spanning generations and one that shall persist (as shall CM).

True. I will even go the extra distance and claim, in general terms and not implying that is the case here, that claims of purity, dilution of stock, death of culture etc. are dangerous when loosely thrown around. Especially when used as a ruse to marginalize and sideline someone.

mahesh3 · Post by **mahesh3** » 20 Nov 2009, 01:23

arasi wrote:I thought I wasn't going to post anymore in this thread. What do you know!

Clearly we did not know

! Jokes apart, its fun to see some of the mods + Arasi troll back in.

vasanthakokilam · Post by **vasanthakokilam** » 20 Nov 2009, 02:16

Mahesh: Thanks for trolling in to observe and comment on others trolling in.

zero-content posts are welcome too

ragam-talam · Post by **ragam-talam** » 20 Nov 2009, 04:18

zero-content posts are welcome too

Let me add mine to yours

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 20 Nov 2009, 06:03

Mahesh,
A tamizh proverb: muLLai muLLAl tAn eDukka vENDum. (you need a thorn (or any sharp object) to remove a thorn. Perhaps applies here, I must have thought:) Troll-ai viraTTa troll vESham pODA venDumO ennavO? which means, do you need to take the guise of a troll to chase one?

karthikbala · Post by **karthikbala** » 20 Nov 2009, 11:58

vasanthakokilam wrote:>True. I will even go the extra distance and claim, in general terms and not implying that is the case here, that claims of purity, dilution of stock, death of culture etc. are dangerous when loosely thrown around. Especially when used as a ruse to marginalize and sideline someone..

Very true. It is very easy to pick some arbitrary yardstick and accuse an artiste of "dilution". It is more constructive to appreciate the good points although this may require more effort and discernment. Criticism is easier. For instance, many singers apply a form of "band-pass filtering" to compositions that have inconveniently wide tessitura e.g. mandra stayi P gets clamped to S etc. This is also arguably a form of dilution. Not only are singers given this license, others who give rigorous renditions of high fidelity are not always appreciated for it. IMHO it is far more important to celebrate quality musicianship than to seek out artistes to attack.

In a Covent Garden premier of Rigoletto, tenor Alfredo Kraus sang a brilliant "possente amor mi chiama", a cabaletta with a devilish interpolated high D that most would eschew. As none of the esteemed critics bothered to even mention it in their reviews, Kraus flatly refused to include the cabaletta in subsequent performances!!! The price is paid by music lovers...