YACM 25th Anniversary Celebrations

mahakavi · Post by **mahakavi** » 26 Aug 2010, 21:07

Followed it with "oLi paDaitta kaNNinAy.." of Bharathi .
Answered one question from the audience about whether he followed his own advice about love. He answered in the affirmative. He married first and then loved the same woman later.
Ended with the mangaLam.
It was short and sweet. Duration: 1 and 1/2 hours

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 26 Aug 2010, 21:30

mahakavi wrote:ritivikraja is helpless here.

Strictly speaking, he is not: he is the employer here, the boss!

However, in practical terms, he wants a concert to actually happen, and happen successfully, on stage, and waving a contract (whether written or just understood) at somebody's back as they walk away does not achieve that --- so he did the only thing he could do in the circumstances.

The lesson is that everything be understood at the time of booking artists. In this instance, this series must have been thought out and arranged over quite a period of time, and maybe the webcast was a late development. Perhaps next time, artists can be told (yes, told) that this is part of the deal. Nobody is forcing them to accept.

This is a brilliant series: the webcast has been a brilliant idea and has really worked. This thread should be only of praise. It is shame it has to touch controversy too.

But... only one and a half hours? A bit strange?

mahakavi · Post by **mahakavi** » 26 Aug 2010, 21:37

Nick H:
You have to understand that it was an understanding between ritvikraja and the performer--I am sure it was understood earlier than you imagine it to be. VS, TMK, and some of their colleagues are all part and parcel of YACM--they started and sustained it. So ritvikraja could not say "no webcast, no deal" to VS. He was just honoring a gentleman's agreement.

shankarabharanam · Post by **shankarabharanam** » 26 Aug 2010, 21:57

I am not questioning Rithvik Raja's move. But I think Vijay Siva is just turning the tide against himself. What is he trying to prove by not allowing the webcast. What is the point of having knowledge if you can't share it. Rithvik said yesterday that the music academy ground floor was full. So not that the webcast is affecting the size of the audience.

@Mahakavi: So what if TMK and Vijay Siva contributed to the YACM. They aren't the only musicians in the field. We all have been witnessing to really good music over the past few days. Also, I would like to ask Mr Siva, why did he allow his concerts webcast during svanubhava? This means he has no principles. It might be a last minute concert, but he could have informed TMK about it too.

I am sorry, such acts of Vijay Siva, is just making me rethink to attend his concerts. I am losing respect for a good musician.

tkb · Post by **tkb** » 26 Aug 2010, 22:19

as mentioned by RR in post # 83 of this thread, happy to note that there is a possibility of this concert recording to be available and look forward to the recording.

It is also a general feeling of upset for many living abroad whenever they come to know of a big concert / event happing in Chennai and many times, even feel bad for not being in Chennai. Now it is the reverse!! All who enjoyed the live stream on the net can feel happy for once as they were in a position to see a good concert inspite of not being in the venue!.

cacm · Post by **cacm** » 27 Aug 2010, 00:20

This justifies& proves the point of the proverbial adage"Padikkaradu Ramayanam Idikkaradu Pillaiyar KOIL" & the FACT that most of the current day performers are IGNORANT of not only the Language but also the general thrust& meaning of the compositions they are rendering. They are true examples of another modified adage: Do what the words of the compositions say & not what I do.....I will NOT get into a diatribe on their technical abilities& capabilities.....VKV

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 27 Aug 2010, 00:49

mahakavi wrote:Nick H:
You have to understand that it was an understanding between ritvikraja and the performer--I am sure it was understood earlier than you imagine it to be. VS, TMK, and some of their colleagues are all part and parcel of YACM--they started and sustained it. So ritvikraja could not say "no webcast, no deal" to VS. He was just honoring a gentleman's agreement.

Yes, I see what you mean.

mahakavi · Post by **mahakavi** » 27 Aug 2010, 00:53

cacm wrote:This justifies& proves the point of the proverbial adage"Padikkaradu Ramayanam Idikkaradu Pillaiyar KOIL" & the FACT that most of the current day performers are IGNORANT of not only the Language but also the general thrust& meaning of the compositions they are rendering. They are true examples of another modified adage: Do what the words of the compositions say & not what I do.....I will NOT get into a diatribe on their technical abilities& capabilities.....VKV

>>"Padikkaradu Ramayanam Idikkaradu Pillaiyar KOIL"<<
cacm:
I have heard it as "....iDikkaradu PerumAL koyil". Only then the contradiction is evident. If you read rAmAyaNam and demolish piLLaiyAr kOyil you may be able to justify it saying the former is vaishNavism and the latter is saivism. In the early days of conflict between the two sects that probably was OK.

You are indulging in the same sweep many old-timers used to say, "kAlam keTTup pOccu". When evolution proceeds nobody, including Darwin, guaranteed that every evolutionary change will be to the good. No sir! Evolution is random, you get both stable and unstable entities. The stable ones will stay and evolve further. The unstable ones will perish.

mankuthimma · Post by **mankuthimma** » 27 Aug 2010, 07:41

Great Men Have ideas .
Lesser men make them explode.
The least , get the triggers .

mahakavi · Post by **mahakavi** » 27 Aug 2010, 07:58

Great men discuss principles.
Ordinary men discuss actions.
Mean men discuss people

cacm · Post by **cacm** » 27 Aug 2010, 09:03

Dear Mahakavi, Pillaiyar or Perumal the thrust of the idea is similar if not the same....Also there is NO SWEEP OF OLDER FOLKS being stuck in their views ideas etc.
Let me be specific & point out R.K.Sriramkumar- a curent day artist-is a Scholar for example as good as any at any time. MY Statement is overwhelmingly STATISTICALLY TRUE. Don't nit pick using your Superior but literal approach & better word smithing abilities....VKV

bilahari · Post by **bilahari** » 27 Aug 2010, 11:02

Let me request in advance that all who are free tomorrow watch the Injikudi-AKC duet. I was very impressed by IS's nAdaswaram when he visited San Diego this year and the AbhEri and dES he played still resonate in my memory. So, watch the concert!

sureshvv · Post by **sureshvv** » 27 Aug 2010, 12:06

mahakavi wrote:Great men discuss principles.
Ordinary men discuss actions.
Mean men discuss people

No need to be so hard on yourself

I would rephrase as follows:

People are great when they discuss principles. etc.

May not pack the same punch but sounds more charitable (and inclusive).

rajeshnat · Post by **rajeshnat** » 27 Aug 2010, 14:45

VijaySiva allowed streaming to be viewed outside India , because he needs to market to that audience.
VijaySiva blocked streaming to India , perhaps to ensure that chennai audience flock Music Academy. I am assuming you can block only country by country , not by region like chennai and allow rest of India. Perhaps if that feature was handy he may have exercised that is my calculated guess.

As some of you have stated , it is just 90 minutes concert with lot of speech , I am assuming it would have been more like jaya tv margazhi utsavam, he could have allowed atleast all of us inclusive of those within india. But he is exercising his choice and applying his own marketing strategy.

mankuthimma · Post by **mankuthimma** » 27 Aug 2010, 14:52

I am already beginning to get wary of Musicians who are into business also.

Raga Thala Melagazhiddu , premavillada gana Kelano , Thimma thalano

laks1972 · Post by **laks1972** » 27 Aug 2010, 15:33

rithvikraja wrote:I just spoke to Vijay Siva anna and he has condescended to discuss the possibility of making this recording available for the public on a future date.

So generous of him. God bless him. !

Already he is singing to empty chairs in sabhas , and now he wants to selectively blacklist the webcast

Instead he can stop singing so that he can deny everyone

It is time he gets his head examined by a professional

laks1972 · Post by **laks1972** » 27 Aug 2010, 15:40

rajeshnat wrote:
VijaySiva blocked streaming to India , perhaps to ensure that chennai audience flock Music Academy.

Was this "blackout" announced in YACM website in advance ?? How will people know that they have to flock to Music Academy ?? Are they expected to jump into a car after they try viewing online for the first few minutes ??

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 27 Aug 2010, 15:52

It was mentioned in their "shoutbox" the evening before. When I saw it there I posted here. No doubt the news spread through other modes of social networking too.

There is one thing that we have not discussed. I have the impression that his concert was well attended, whereas other programs were not. This is just my impression, so if my premise is wrong then what follows has no value

If that was the case, then it may be that webcasting to the local community is, from the point of view of putting on successful live events, a bad idea. In this respect, could VS have been right?

sureshvv · Post by **sureshvv** » 27 Aug 2010, 16:34

Think you folks are reading way too much into the "motive".

Me thinks, this is more being wary of change than anything else. Like thimma suggested, streaming could potentially eliminate sabhas (not to mention travel) and kill a whole way of life.

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 27 Aug 2010, 17:17

The motive may be mistaken, but we are all judged by the aggregate of what we say and do, particularly recently --- and when someone has been the co-author of a badly-conceived attack on recording, in the recent past, it leaves an all-too-easy conclusion.

If this was an artist thirty years older, then I might find being wary of change a likely possibility.

streaming could potentially eliminate sabhas (not to mention travel) and kill a whole way of life.

Yes, this is something we should take seriously, but remember that this is a sabha doing the streaming.

This series is a prestigious event, in a top venue. I imagine the budget has been fairly high. I wonder how much the streaming added to that? Considering that many sabhas must be struggling to support their concerts at all, I do not think they will be looking for additional expense. Added to which there is net familiarity: how many of them even have websites?

I have learnt something about myself, though. In another recent thread I posted that web streaming would never replace the concert experience. Although there were other reasons for me not attending each concert, not just that I could watch it at home, I am now forced to admit that it was a factor :$

laks1972 · Post by **laks1972** » 27 Aug 2010, 17:40

It is 5:40 PM IST now, waiting for "Vivadi" program to start.

Can some punctuality be followed ??

mahakavi · Post by **mahakavi** » 27 Aug 2010, 19:45

sureshvv wrote:
No need to be so hard on yourself

I would rephrase as follows:

People are great when they discuss principles. etc.

May not pack the same punch but sounds more charitable (and inclusive).

Exemplifying the third enunciation I gave--eh?
I will be hard on myself in order to continuously improve myself, unlike others who think the very first step they take is their Himalayan achievement.

bilahari · Post by **bilahari** » 27 Aug 2010, 19:49

Injikudi Subramaniam is playing well but AKC is struggling here. Pity. Hamsadhwani going on.

mahakavi · Post by **mahakavi** » 27 Aug 2010, 20:10

>>the FACT that most of the current day performers are IGNORANT of not only the Language but also the general thrust& meaning of the compositions they are rendering. They are true examples of another modified adage: Do what the words of the compositions say & not what I do.....<<
cacm:
Read your own original post again which is quoted above. If that is not a sweeping statement then I wonder if life is real. You sure have an ax to pick against the current musicians as though they have committed a crime. All the musicians of yore are angels--right?

PerumAl vs piLLaiyAr was not a nitpicking argument. Wrong usage invalidates the statement.

>> MY Statement is overwhelmingly STATISTICALLY TRUE.<<

It is your opinion. For that matter lots of singers of the past used to swallow words and gloss over certain words in the sAhityam. Your memory is very selective. Perhaps, if you have the power, you will banish all current performers from the scene and resurrect the dead ones and repopulate them on the stage. You mentioned only R K Shriramkumar. That is the only name you could cite? What about Ravikiran, Srinivas,Sanjay, Ranjani & Gayatri, just to cite a few more?

bilahari · Post by **bilahari** » 27 Aug 2010, 21:41

That was an enjoyable concert. Although AKCN struggled a bit, both he and IS played very nicely together. Highlights for me were some of the flourishes IS added to niravathi sukhadA, the tODi ragam, and the sahAna of the ragamaliga. The thani was very good, too! Enjoyed it. IS continues to impress me.

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 27 Aug 2010, 22:16

I only watched a little. I'm pretty much a stranger to nagaswaram, etc (apart from the inevitable bursts in the street) although I have been to concerts by well-known artists. I was amazed at the softness and gentleness of this performance. The thani was not only very enjoyable and musical (even without understanding calculations) but it was amazingly slick, right down to the shortest phrases of the koraipu. The thavil, in line with the reed instruments, was played very gently too. Suresh's ghatam always has a most tuneful nature: I wish we saw him on stage more often.

By the way, fropm the shout box: there will be a YACM26 next year. If they keep up the standard anywhere near this, then I think it will be a major event on the Chennai CM calendar.

mahakavi · Post by **mahakavi** » 27 Aug 2010, 22:30

It was an enjoyable concert. Usually I have a fondness for nAdaswaram/clarionet. AKC (a sangeetha kalAnidhi) did a great job along with InjikkuDi Subramanian. Considering AKC's age he came on flourishing very well. I was a little perturbed by a few offbeat comments early on in the shoutbox that AKC was struggling. They said they'd leave. I am sure they regret it now after knwoing that AKC came on strong in tODi and the RP (without the tanam) later on. The shoutbox comments were overall positive on the duet, the duo, and the percussionists. Ghatam Karthik was effusive in his compliments on the percussionists.

cacm · Post by **cacm** » 27 Aug 2010, 22:55

Mahakavi,
ITS OBVIOUS I cannot communicate with you. Let me end this with declaring YOU the winner.....pl don't respond to this.....VKV

laks1972 · Post by **laks1972** » 27 Aug 2010, 23:24

cacm wrote:Mahakavi,
ITS OBVIOUS I cannot communicate with you. Let me end this with declaring YOU the winner.....pl don't respond to this.....VKV

True sir,

"mahakavi" has been repeatedly snubbed in rasikapriya-dot-net discussion group for his high handed "I am always correct" attitude.

Some people never learn .....

mahakavi · Post by **mahakavi** » 28 Aug 2010, 01:12

Thank you cacm and laks 1972 for your back-handed compliments.
laks1972:
Those who cannot take proper criticism resort to escapism. I don't know what you are referring to by being "snubbed". Have you watched the posts of the likes of svsramani, tvg, sujay and several others acknowledging my help to other posters? Perhaps you were on the wrong side of an argument and it hurts you. Don't worry, all wounds heal in due course.

vanajan · Post by **vanajan** » 28 Aug 2010, 07:51

Thanks rithvikraja for the service. We had a great time. Sometimes it was tough to choose between this and ICM 2010. It was wonderful listening to good math talk with good music in the background or vice versa.

Belated thanks for Svanubhava services too. We had couple of night outs and lots of fun watching both musical and other(Gender bias in CM etc) programs.

Thanks again,
Vanaja.

Enna_Solven · Post by **Enna_Solven** » 28 Aug 2010, 08:29

mahakavi wrote: Considering AKC's age he came on flourishing very well. I was a little perturbed by a few offbeat comments early on in the shoutbox that AKC was struggling. They said they'd leave.

He is 79 years old. Playing a wind instrument at his age is wonderful. When I read some of the comments like "karnA kaToram" I got upset and asked them not to insult him.

He warmed up later and played thodi well. He was so appreciative of Injikkudi.

vasanthakokilam · Post by **vasanthakokilam** » 28 Aug 2010, 08:44

That shoutbox is bad in that sense. You get involved in these extra curricular thoughts, it takes the mind away from the concert. But the positives of exchanging comments about what is going on in the concert is a unique experience..It is hard to separate the two... May be shoutbox needs chat rooms where like minded people can gather and enjoy the concert together.

rshankar · Post by **rshankar** » 28 Aug 2010, 19:26

Question for bilahari - regarding techniques - Dr. Narmada and Smt. Vijayalakshmi seem to have a tremendous amount of movement from their shoulders while playing svaras, while, Smt. Viji's shoulders hardly move, and in fact, unless the camera pans on her, I can hardly see her 'play' - is that a characteristic of Sri TNK's style?

bilahari · Post by **bilahari** » 28 Aug 2010, 20:31

Ravi, that's curious. In fact, the TNK school is known for its use of the entire bow. I think the camera just happened to pan on Viji whenever she was using the short bow for short, quick swaras.

bilahari · Post by **bilahari** » 28 Aug 2010, 21:59

Nice concert. I'm writing a short report now before I head off to lab.

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 28 Aug 2010, 23:15

Fantastic concert.

I really wondered if it would work and how they would present it and balance it. If I was on a committee, I'd have probably voted against the whole thing! They really made it work, and they balanced solos against collaborative pieces in a way that surprised me. I would never have expected them to play a complete solo piece each, without either of the others touching the violin, not even in the sense of accompaniment and neither any sort of returns.

Individually and collaboratively it really worked out well. TVG was a model accompanist: it seems that part of his genius is not only knowing how to be the star, but knowing how to turn it off, which is probably the greater accomplishment. I would have liked him to have given more time to the ghatam, which was also excellent, because I think the varied texture gives a better experience to the audience.

Looking forward to Bilahari's report.

Just before the end of the program, when the idea of bringing people on stage and having speeches and presentations makes most of us groan, people were brought on stage and we did not groan: we grinned from ear to ear! The great fathers of the three great ladies came onto the stage. It was a delight to see them altogether. The lady announcing must have a mridangist's mind for permutations to have got through the "x will now present a memento to y" combinations!

Viji Krishnan made a point of saying, how they had had so much fun putting together and performing the program. They certainly gave fun --- and wonderful music, to us. The program was entitled Confluence: It maybe that the confluence might happen for more than one program, which would mean that we have seen musical history being made tonight.

This was one evening of which I can honestly say that I enjoyed the speeches as much as the music! Must be a first!

srikant1987 · Post by **srikant1987** » 28 Aug 2010, 23:18

I think rshankar means the left hand. I think that the slightly different positioning of the violin lessens the amount of motion required. Besides, I believe the strings are more frequently realigned to shruti, and free strings are used a little more often, perhaps also the lower half of an octave on the string (except the E string, of course).

sureshvv · Post by **sureshvv** » 29 Aug 2010, 00:36

Incredible evening! Congrats to Ritvik and all YACM organizers.

ragam-talam · Post by **ragam-talam** » 29 Aug 2010, 00:41

What a concert! It was especially heartening to see the living legends LGJ-MSG-TNK on stage.

Hearty congrats to YACM team for pulling off this watershed event. This is truly a significant milestone in the history of carnatic music.
I am sure people will talk about this day decades from now.

bilahari · Post by **bilahari** » 29 Aug 2010, 00:45

Oh, the left hand. Yeah, the three schools have different ideas about positioning the violin, which definitely affects the left arm, which is used for fingering. I keep my violin upright and close to my shoulder, so my arm can be seen moving more prominently. TNK prefers the violin kept near the chest, so the hand is also lower I think, and the perceived motion is less. This is just my hypothesis - Srikant can confirm since he's closer to the source

bilahari · Post by **bilahari** » 29 Aug 2010, 00:48

Lucky Chennaiites who were there live. The atmosphere in the Academy would've been something else. Nick, on this occasion, the speeches and peripheral events moved me more than the music did! And the music was very good!

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 29 Aug 2010, 02:20

Yes... the presence of those three, one by one, is tangible. All three together was extraordinary.

Unfortunately, from my side of the hall to opposite side of the stage, my phone camera could not capture them. I'd curse my English sense of reserve --- but then nobody else was rushing to the front with their cameras, either. I guess it was a respect thing.

Enna_Solven · Post by **Enna_Solven** » 29 Aug 2010, 04:30

I am very happy to have watched this concert through the web. Thank you immensely rithvikraja. I wondered if the three maestros would come together on stage. It was very, very nice to see them together.

Nick, was not the concert free? Were the lines long to get into academy?

eesha · Post by **eesha** » 29 Aug 2010, 09:21

Enna_Solven wrote: Were the lines long to get into academy?

there were quite a few empty seats. Well , that shows what the priorities are these days for chennai rasikas .....

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 29 Aug 2010, 13:42

The concert was free, and, although it was not a bad audience turnout there were plenty of empty seats. probably less than 2/3 capacity, ignoring the balcony, which I suspect was not used at all.

eesha, I guess there were other rasikas at other concerts yesterday evening, and I suspect a few were watching on the net.

rshankar · Post by **rshankar** » 29 Aug 2010, 19:43

Anyone listening to the tribute concert to Smt. DKP?

bilahari · Post by **bilahari** » 29 Aug 2010, 19:44

Yeah... been so long since I've listened to rAma nannu brOvarA!

rshankar · Post by **rshankar** » 29 Aug 2010, 21:03

rAma nannu brOva rAvEmakO per Sri Govindan...and not rAma nannu brOvarA vEmakO....

Suji Ram · Post by **Suji Ram** » 29 Aug 2010, 21:20

rshankar wrote:Anyone listening to the tribute concert to Smt. DKP?

I did...was nice to listen to DKP's favorites. well done!