St.Tyagaraja Day 2010 in Los Angeles

[veeyens3]

South Indian Music Academy celebrated Tyagaraja Day on May .23 2010 The function commenced , thanks to the organisers insistance that the participants attend a few mandatory practice sessions ,with fine coordinated rendering of Pancha Ratna Keerthanas , by a group of about thirty singers. Then followed individual singing limted to about 80 entrants on first come first served .basisOne notable feature was this group consisted of nearly youngsters,revealing the interest of second generation expatriates in Carnatic Music. TIhis reminded me of an incident. In1S.I.E.T college on a Sunday mornig to attend a lec-dem by Dr. S.Ramanathan.When I reached the venue., the outer gates were not open as I was little early. To my surprise the mai speaker also arrived at the same time I took the chance to have few words with him. As an opener I told him that grand daughters were taking music lessons from his daughter Mrs. Geetha Bennet in California. He expressed his happines and made a profound remark He recalled that upto the begging of 20 th centuryCarnatic Music was prevalent only in places outside Madras mainly in zamidaris, small kingdoms etc. On or about,1920. Music started becoming popular in Madras with the start of Jagannaha Baktha Jana Sabha in Egmore, followed few years later by Rasika Ranjani Sabha and Mylapore Sangeetha sabha and another in George TownBy 40s and 50s, It started becoming popular in Bombay and Delhi. He then went on to say that in 21 st century, the epicenter of Carnatic Music will shift west mainly to New Jersey and California (Cleveland was not on Music Radar at thatime) What a prophet!!!

[kssr]

Very interesting. Extrapolating a bit more, we can see the relationship between economic growth and cultural growth. We can say that several centuries back when Europe was fighting wars and America did not exist , the East was prosperous with spices trade, etc.,and during this period, arts and culture, incl.CM, grew to great heights in India. Then came the time of the renaissance and industrialisation in the West, when arts and architechture flourished in Italy, Greece and all over Europe. This was a long period of stagnation in India both economically and culturally.

CM prospered in Madras, along with its economic prosperity. It is natural that it has rightfully moved to the US.

Also to be noted is the great economic growth of the East that is now taking place and will continue throughout the 21st century. The cultural wave will also return to where it belongs!!

[mahakavi]

................... that goes to show money can move mountains!
adu (money) anRi Or aNuvum asaiyAdu! (without money nothing can move)

[arasi]

There is one question though. Money can help enormously for the arts to flourish. However, just as big money can be frittered away on trivial things, it can also happen that music other than CM benefits by their generosity. That's why, as we discussed it in another thread, to raise the consciousness in patrons of the arts about the value of spending their hard-earned money on CM more than on other forms of entertainment is good for our culture to flourish.
Asking them to sponsor more CM concerts on television--not just talent programs--is a good thing. Live concerts edited to an hour is a good start. Am I right in thinking that but for mArgazhi mahA utsavam, the commercial channels do not broadcast as many CM concerts as podigai and other-non commercial channels?

[1920veeyens]

Ref #3 I think we should refrain from taking a negative cynical view of the situation and instead take a positive view commending the role of parents/guardians in encouraging their wards to take active interest in our culture and music especial ly in an alien surrounding

[mahakavi]

Ref #5:
When you say "fire", does your tongue burn?
Truth should not hurt. You have to face it for what it stands.
Nobody is discounting the positive here.
Every coin has two sides.
One has to be aware of them.
That is the message to be understood.

[1920veeyens]

Am I to understand that migration of arts and culture is function of money and affluence?

[arasi]

veeyens,
Money CAN buy art--may be not love, as the Beatles sang, but that too can be bought in this world No, I'm not a cynic.
All the art which are contained in the museums around this country cannot be viewed by common folks like us without the generosity of the rich. The same is true of Public Broadcasting Service. What we chip in as the public will only pay the janitor's fee at the museum or in producing a few little programs at PBS.
The idea is that while the rich are generous with their money when it comes to entertainment, they could also contribute in nourishing CM.
A museum may get funds for a most modern art work which may or may not please the museum goers, but they get to see classic works of art too--a Rembrandt or a da Vinci, thanks to the generosity of the patrons.

[gn.sn42]

veeyens,
All the art which are contained in the museums around this country cannot be viewed by common folks like us without the generosity of the rich. The same is true of Public Broadcasting Service. What we chip in as the public will only pay the janitor's fee at the museum or in producing a few little programs at PBS.

Not quite. Here's a breakdown of PBS revenue in 2008:

Federal government sources: 16.4%
State/local government sources: 15.2%
Universities (mostly state): 10.2%
Individual subscribers: 26.3% (3.4 million people!)
Nonprofit foundations: 7.9%
Business: 17.8%
Other (merchandise etc): 6.1%

Some rich individuals certainly contribute large amounts. But as a fraction of the total, this is very small. It is the public, as individuals and as part of the government, who fund most of PBS.

[mahakavi]

It is a sad fact of life that the "filthy" rich folks may not part with a quarter to give a panhandler but when approached by a symphony orchestra committee with an award of "the most benevolent humanist" he may part with a couple of million dollars to support the symphony orchestra. It is the same story that used to be in India's past---the zamIndArs and kings. They loved being praised by musicians in exchange for gold and riches. The musicians ( a majority of them at least) thought "nAy viRRa kAsu kuRaikkAdu" (the money you get by selling a dog will not bark).

Another sad story I am witnessing currently is this:
Devotees in a temple congregation (Indians in the US) contribute thousands of dollars in exchange for seeing their names on bricks that are lining up a wall in the temple premises. Will they give as generously if the bricks do not show their names? Some might. All those who donate large amounts do so because of the ability to recoup part of that contribution in tax breaks.

So let us not delude ourselves that money does not buy stuff. It does. As of now the only thing it cannot buy is "happiness". But money smooths out the wrinkles caused by the broader worries. The redeeming feature of money is that it is better to be rich and worried rather than be poor and worried. That is the first and only law of monetary precept.

[arasi]

gn.sn,
Thanks for educating me. So, our annual contribution to PBS is mightier than the rest!
MK,
As for their wanting to see their names as benefactors, I don't mind. Let them bask in their glory but bring in the dough for good causes.
If they do not put a dollar in a panhandler's hat, there are others who would do that. I may not want to spare that dollar always, either. The Salvation Army kettle? Yes.
As for those who contribute to temples generously, I would say, fine, but don't forget CM. It flourished in the temples and was the one which gave birth to all those songs of praise you hear about the gods in the temple.

[mahakavi]

arasi:
I am trying to get the powers-that-be in the temple committee here (where I live) to sponsor music concerts in the temple premises using local and visiting artistes, in vain. They are more interested in edifices than in promoting what riches we have as gems in music, especially CM. Talk about priorities!

[1920veeyens]

I humbly do not subscribe to the theory art will flourish with support of the rich alone . I enjoyed the beautiful "Murals" of deities on the north mada street,mylapore by a poor "patti" majestic ones done in coloured chalk measuring about 20 feet by 6 to 8 feet with a very appreciative audience of commeners who will toss few coppers on it . even cattle passing along will appear to be careful to avoid"dropping' over them. Then there are youngsters, whose families did not know where their next meal is coming from, singing beautifully without any apparent training ,but having learnt them by "Kelvi gnanam" etc. May be I am a frog in the well who did not know what money can buy. Where ignorance is bliss it is folly to be wise. My attitude which has stood well by me all along will certainly be with me till my visa in planet earth expires. May Sri Rama bless you all

[mahakavi]

I too subscribe to the theory that art can spring in the most unexpected quarters (kuppaiyilE kundumaNi or as Bharathi said "kuppaiyilE malar konjcum kurukkattik koDi vaLarAdO?). That is perhaps a divine gift.

But "ignorance is bliss" does not hold true everywhere. If the cat closes its eyes will the world disappear? Money has been, is, and will be the prime mover, at least in planet earth. In the old times royalty controlled everything. These days oligarchs do, despite all the talk about democracy.

The so-called Shangri-La of the music world will come alive only when musicians give free concerts. Utopia? You bet! In the real world it is still public funds which will help art flourish. A large portion of that is contributed by a few sponsors (call them what you like--wealthy or benefactors)

[cmlover]

Don't mind if you dub me a pessimist.

CM will not thrive in TN or among Tamils (maybe except the staunch Mylaporean Brahmins) unless performers start singing/tuning Tamil lyrics. Sanjay appears to hear the message loud and clear. Panca ratnas are fine; but how many times can you listen to the same. Is the creativity among our vaggeyakaras dead after the demise of theTrinity. P Sivan is sung as tokenism though he imitated T most of the time. I notice a resurgence of interest in Kannada kritis in Karnataka though it is part of their linguistic chauvinism. But if it leads to some fine rejuvinating contribution to CM and generate popularity of CM it should be welcomed. I wonder when the Performers in TN will wake up to the demands of the masses who are now duped by the cheap and demeaning FM! I only hope it happens in my lifetime

Now I am inuring myself to receive the brickbats

[kssr]

CM is a field which does not revolve around the rich. CM is traditionally woven into the cultural fabric of south indian brahmins, who value education than riches.

Also, among vidwans and vidushis who spend their entire lifetime for CM, there are not many millionnaires(at least as far as I know). The top 10% may, at best, claim to be financially comfortable.

Conducting concerts, at least in India is not an expensive affair- but lot of organisational effort. I can quote umpteen number of occasions when senior vidwans oblige to perform for paltry sums, once you show your sincerety, humility and respect for their music. This is one of the reasons for the exponential increase in the number of concerts conducted in Chennai and Bangalore, year after year and the consequent growth of many young talented artists, general growth of interest, rasikas, forums like this and so on. Incidentally, most of the concerts are free.

If you want to conduct concerts, just pool in some money from friends and get going. Some free venue, economical sound system, obliging good artists and many rasikas will just pop up. But please do not close the venture. It will automatically grow over time. People will take note, and I guarantee money will come for any "Consistent good work".

This unintentional sermon, is not with an idea of showering advice on senior members of the forum, but just a sharing of my humble experience in this field.

[VK RAMAN]

Self interest to social interest - this is no secret. Let us always look at what ultimately happens in the social interest instead of looking at the self interest of those giving. As a byproduct of what the givers do, if they get a little fame, why would we grudge on that, IMHO.

[arasi]

Who said money alone can keep CM alive and well? There are so many aspects to nourishing CM. Yes, first and foemost, we need avid listeners, us rasikAs--and that's the group from which the small time but dedicated band of organizers come from. Sensitive and sensible performers know this, and while they may perform in a city often to a full house in enormous halls, they do not hesitate to oblige a dedicated younger vidvAn who runs a school and has a hall capacity of say, fifty people? Nothing can be achieved by enthusiasm and ardor from one party alone. RasikAs, artistes, organizers, and yes, money too, play a part in it. How much of dedication (not merely money) comes from each group decides the flourishing of CM or any other form of entertainment.
Before someone raises an objection and asks: is CM just entertainment? Not at all. Yet, what we are discussing here has to do with the entertainment aspect of it--concerts in halls.