Dr. Sowmya's lecdem: Calligraphy in Carnatic music

[Rsachi]

Thanks to Artery and Sanskriti series, a one hour lec-dem by Dr. SOWMYA on her teachers' approach to Padams and Javalis is available on YouTube HD here:

http://youtu.be/qRWAMVxMnto

Dr. SOWMYA deconstructs a difficult musical compound called Padams and Javalis in a very communicative style. She also sings Ghanta, Todi, Kalyani, Begada, Khamas, Saveri.....

I now have a description for that highly sophisticated art form in Carnatic music called the Dhanammal school Padams and Javalis ... calligraphy in Carnatic music.

Enjoy it.. An hour-long bliss filled with musical moments, and illustrative descriptions of this elusive art form!
I intend to post it also for your Sunday brunch

[mahavishnu]

I saw this a couple of days ago and meant to share it here. Thanks, RSachi (it took me a while to figure out your title, I thought I had missed something about Sowmya's presentation on some topic visual arts. wouldn't surprise me though).

She presented such delightful shades of ghaNTA. There were so many flavours to it. And I did not know that it was Prof SR that suggested that she learn from T Mukta. I thought it happened after his passing. Well, you learn something new everyday.

Thanks to ARTery, Sanskriti and Ramanathan for this lecture series. There is a lec dem by KS Kalidas that I hope to get to the next time I get an hour.

[the_ARTery]

Thank you folks, for the appreciation and feedback. All the four lectures from Voices of Tmrw 2013, co-hosted by The ARTery & Shabda, are available for viewing.

Please CLICK HERE.

We will gradually upload videos of all the programs hosted since the inception of The ARTery as well as all programs going forward, especially lectures. Special thanks to SanskritiSeries/Kalakendra for helping in this documentation and archival effort.

[mahavishnu]

Yes, and the lecdem by Sowmya has attracted 1042 views (at the time of writing this) in the three days it has been up!
Nice work, ARTery. Thanks for the other uploads in the series and the many more to come!

[anandmurty]

Thank you ARTery, Shabda, Sanskriti & of course, Dr. S. Sowmya for this hour-long musical feast.
The 'Iddari Sandunna' sketches sung haunt and soak the entire atmosphere with melody. S. Sowmya is such a fantastic communicator - she engages, informs, astounds and takes one on a wondrous journey.
Made my weekend.

[Sivaramakrishnan]

'Kuvalayakshiro' is another parvatam of a Padam in the insurmountable Goulipantu!
MS learnt it from Brinda- Mukta.
Any lec-dem on it?

[mahavishnu]

'Kuvalayakshiro' is another parvatam of a Padam in the insurmountable Goulipantu!
MS learnt it from Brinda- Mukta.
Any lec-dem on it?

This was not discussed in this particular lec dem. Although towards the end she got to the treatment of Punnagavarali, Nadanamakriya, Behag, begada, khamas (several colours of it) and even poorvikalyani; after discussing ghanta, todi, kamboji, bhairavi and others. Somehow, gowlipantu didn't make it in; perhaps due to shortage of time.

[Sivaramakrishnan]

Thanks mahavishnu, please inform whenever you come across any inputs on Kuvalayakshi.

[HarishankarK]

Can anyone explain the significance of the title?
What has Calligraphy got to do with Padams and Javalis?

[Rsachi]

That was me no one else is responsible.

Calligraphy is a very stylized art form of handwriting text, traditionally studied for a long period under a master, (and employing special writing techniques and instruments too).

To my mind, singing Padams and Javalis in the Brinda style (Dhanammal school) is a very stylized musical presentation, with nuances and curves and modulations and accents very different from normal Carnatic song presentations. There are many illustrations in this lecdem of this idea.

So the metaphor of calligraphy invokes the idea that whereas all text can be written in a variety of ways and be still legible, a stylized artistic representation in calligraphy has its own unique place and timeless charm.
Similarly, Padams and Javalis rendered in this school have a unique place and timeless charm as being very stylized and different from the common Carnatic musical renderings.

Does this metaphor make sense?

[HarishankarK]

I do know what Calligraphy is but i was not able to relate it directly. Anyways from the angle that you have written in your response it makes sense, thank you.
Calligraphy = highly stylized form of hand-writing
Padam/Javali = highly stylized form of carnatic music

[Rsachi]

[rshankar]

RSachi - that is not calligraphy!

[Rsachi]

Precisely!

[MV]

Finally got around to watching the Voices of Tomorrow series. And really enjoyed it-specially the calligraphy

[kvchellappa]

Meet the artist Dr .S. Sowmya

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBGaeOEqM4E