Vijay Siva- BSU- 2015

[grsastrigal]

3rd November 2015
Bharat Sangeet Utsav
N Vijay Siva- (accompanied by Pramod and Guruvayoor Narayanan-disciples)
Charumathi raghuram
Vaidyanathan- Mridangam
Sai Subramanyan-Morsing

Let me start with morsing player.

Sai subramanyan was, as per the list, playing Khanjira. Sasikiran even announced after the artists occupied the podium. Vijay Siva corrected that he is playing morsing.

Surprising to see an young boy taking morsing as an accompanying instrument. Also full marks to Vaidynathan, who underplayed beautifully, during tani, to give room for morsing to exhibit his skills.

I just talked to this yound lad after the concert and congratulated him for his wonderful performance. He said that he is learning from Sri. Krishnan of Tiruvotriyur. An almost forgotten instrument, whch was compulsorily figuring in Madurai Somu’s concert that was made available yesterday to add value to the concert. Thanks BSU.

Vijay Siva, the most sought after musician, surprisingly, had not been giving concerts. In this column, after May 15, I don’t see any concerts reviewed. Artists are giving concerts around the world or at least in neighboring states but he is not. Either his concerts are not reviewed here or he is not giving as much concerts. I don’t know.

A brilliant Shanmugapriya and bairavi (Main) bairavi elevated the rainy evening more soulful.

His customary “Subramanya bhujanga” Ganesa dhyana sloka- “sadA bAlarUpApi”

• RarAma indi- asAvEri- Thyagarajar

• Danyu devvado dAsarathE- Patnam Subramanya Iyer kriti on Malayamarutham. Neraval in “vara mattala tAla” (S) (Interestingly, the same kriti was sung by Vijay siva last year BSU as the second kriti)

• Shanmugapriya (sAmaram)- Sub mail followed by “sadAshreyE abhayAmbike sannidEhi”- vibhakti kriti on Abhayambika of mayUram- Dikshitar.(Swaram in sadAshsreyE)

• Ragam-GambhEEra nattai followed by “Sri jAlandhara”- J.Wodeyar kriti. – This was the kriti more for mridhangist especially in chitta swaram and Vaidyanathan blasted his way…. He took Neraval in Shri Jhanavi dharma shankaram….swarUpam.

• Sloka on kAmAkshi followed by brovavammA bangAru bomma - nIlAmbari - SS – What a composition ? What a nilambari ?

• Main-Bairavi-

• nEE pAdamulE gati eni.. Patnam Subramanya Iyer Kriti. (N)-“Sri panjanadheeswaruni”

• Tani

SahAna- “ Ini Enna pEchirukkudu”- Subbaraya Sastri !

Chittam eppadiyO – nadanamakriya- Vedhanayagam

E enRu- (Atana, Dhanyasi, Surutti, Hamsananhi) - Ramalinga adigalar followed by “niRai madhi” in Hamsanandhi.

pavamAna /Swasthi prajAbhya…-Mangalam.

During Navrathri, Vijay Siva gave a performance in Vivekanandha College campus with Amritha Murali and Manoj Siva. His throat was completely not good and throughout the concert, it was bad.

I expected a good concert today and he did not disappoint.

He was in full form and his Shanmugapriya ragam stood out. Violinist played very good throughout.

To quote “harimau’s words”- Vijay Siva's concerts are imbibed with two attributes: sowkhyam and gauravam. He proves time and again that there is absolutely no need for the laya acrobatics or gimmickry that are commonplace today to attract large crowds

[rajeshnat]

surprisingly, had not been giving concerts. In this column, after May 15, I don’t see any concerts reviewed. Artists are giving concerts around the world or at least in neighboring states but he is not. Either his concerts are not reviewed here or he is not giving as much concerts. I don’t know.

....
During Navrathri, Vijay Siva gave a performance in Vivekanandha College campus with Amritha Murali and Manoj Siva. His throat was completely not good and throughout the concert, it was bad.

Grs,
There was a review of BGS of vijay in june . Is it that you attended Navarathri and you decided to skip writing the review as vijay's throat was not ok.
Thanks your review. Keep it coming irrespective of throat condition of artist.

[rajeshnat]

surprisingly, had not been giving concerts. In this column, after May 15, I don’t see any concerts reviewed. Artists are giving concerts around the world or at least in neighboring states but he is not. Either his concerts are not reviewed here or he is not giving as much concerts. I don’t know.

....
During Navrathri, Vijay Siva gave a performance in Vivekanandha College campus with Amritha Murali and Manoj Siva. His throat was completely not good and throughout the concert, it was bad.

Grs,
There was a review of BGS of vijay in june . Is it that you attended Navarathri and you decided to skip writing the review as vijay's throat was not ok.
Thanks for your review. Let the reviews keep flowing in irrespective of throat condition of artist.

[CRama]

Thanks for the review. I wanted to attend the concert as his concerts are not frequent in Chennai. But the threat of rain made me sit at home and prefer watching the webcast. But I could not get the webcast also. Anybody watched webcast? Even now I can not get this concert in YT. Pl enlighten me.
Good song list. Sadasraye- very rarely heard in concerts. My favourite is a rendition of this song by TNS in Radio Sangeeth Sammelan sometime in 90s. Chitham eppadiyo- usually sung in Nadnamakariya. Interesting that he sang it in Chenjuruti. I would wait to hear that.
Ini enna pechirukkidu-Sahana- It is a padam by Vaitheeswarankoil Subbarama Iyer.
Sree jalandara- DKP had reserved this song for tani avartanam. In many old concerts- there will be heavy weight songs- But thani will be for this song or Bhjare re manasa. I don't know why.
Our not hearing many concerts of VS- I think his bias against audio/video recording could be one of the reasons. In TVM, once in a Sabha, he created a very big issue during the concert and thereafter they stopped inviting him. but sadly, they billed his concert as the worst concert. It cannot be. The other issues made them biased against his music per se.

[sureshvv]

This was the best concert of the BSU so far. Props for the choice of kritis and the crisp presentation. It was like Vijay Siva from 20 years ago. JV made a fantastic difference.

[badari]

Vijayshiva @ Bangalore Gayana Samaja in June 2015 is here

http://arohanaavarohana.blogspot.in/201 ... kumar.html

[grsastrigal]

CRama- you are right in "chittam eppadiyO". My "chittam" was wrong. It was nadanamakriya only. I corrected it.
I don't know why Vijay Siva is adamant on "no recording". Even Sasikiran announced before start of the concert- "Please refrain from recording". Immediately, my next seat mama put the sony recorder in his pocket. (It was on, any way !!!).

The worst part is, when if I took out my mobile to check the missed call or message, Vijay siva was looking at me with "angry eyes" (I was sitting in the third row). I think Vijay siva need not emphasise on this. Now a days, you have a simple mobile phone that can be used to record a concert. Chennai rasikas are always different. If you say, don't do it,... they will do it.

TMK, in one of his concerts, in Asthika samajam, Alwarpet, asked the photographer to get out of the place, as the flash disturbed him a lot. "bechAra" photographer did not know what to do ?

[munirao2001]

CRama Sir
[quote he created a very big][/quote]
Breach of law or understanding by the event manager/person recording has created not Vijay Siva, the artist. Your report/post suggests disrespect replacing respect.

munirao2001

[Nick H]

If I remember rightly, there was a newspaper article in which TMK and Vijay Siva argued against recording of live concerts. The article, I seem to recall was completely wrong and misguided about the legal aspects, but that can be left aside: it is his wish that his concerts should not be recorded. At least not by audience members. Whether we agree or disagree, I think we will have to respect that. Probably everyone knows that the in-the-pocket recording is going to happen anyway.

The worst part is, when if I took out my mobile to check the missed call or message, Vijay siva was looking at me with "angry eyes" (I was sitting in the third row).

He might, rather than assuming a recording, just feel that mobile phones, even silent ones, have no place in a concert. I can very well understand that point of view, although I can't claim to live by it.

TMK, in one of his concerts, in Asthika samajam, Alwarpet, asked the photographer to get out of the place, as the flash disturbed him a lot. "bechAra" photographer did not know what to do ?

Good for him. Photographers are like mosquitoes. They think that they and their cameras have the right to get between us and the artists, and give us headaches with their flashguns. They have no conception of meditative contemplation of a neraval, or concentration on a swara calculation. If they have access to the stage they will even get in the artists' faces.
If they are real pros, then two or three pics will be enough, and we will be able to see the pics on a Friday. They can take those and go.

[Meera]

To whom are the artists performing?for the rasikas only I believe.Then one should be happy when some one records it.After all they are doing it out of fondness for that artist's music.So,u r ready to twist the arms of those who love Ur music ! But one way such outbursts are good in knowing the real nature of people where their hypocrisy of showing themselves as certain ideal is unmasked.

[kvchellappa]

The sanctity of respecting the wish of the artist is unquestionable. But, the artists can be more graceful. Even the manner in which they make the announcement is contemptuous at times.

[sridhar]

In of his US concerts, at the end, he told the audience to not just come close for chit-chat or autographs as they were extremely tired (his exact words in tamil: manasAra vAzhthittu appadiyE velilE poyidungo). I can understand, poor guys had a late night concert previous day and a sleepless night and a long bus ride next day.

[musiclistener1221]

To whom are the artists performing?for the rasikas only I believe.Then one should be happy when some one records it.After all they are doing it out of fondness for that artist's music.So,u r ready to twist the arms of those who love Ur music ! But one way such outbursts are good in knowing the real nature of people where their hypocrisy of showing themselves as certain ideal is unmasked.

I think the comment above is rather harshly worded. A concert is a combined presentation by the organizer (it can be either a recording company like Charsur or a Sabha) and the artiste. Any recording needs to be done with the permission of both. By artistes, I also mean the accompanying artistes...

Anyway, the concert was a brilliant one. One of the best of BSU.

[sureshvv]

To whom are the artists performing?for the rasikas only I believe.Then one should be happy when some one records it.After all they are doing it out of fondness for that artist's music.So,u r ready to twist the arms of those who love Ur music ! But one way such outbursts are good in knowing the real nature of people where their hypocrisy of showing themselves as certain ideal is unmasked.

What an arrogant rasika! Please keep the love & fondness to yourself & stay away from concert halls. No artiste is going to miss you or your cheap recording device.

[ramanathan]

Good for him. Photographers are like mosquitoes. They think that they and their cameras have the right to get between us and the artists, and give us headaches with their flashguns. They have no conception of meditative contemplation of a neraval, or concentration on a swara calculation. If they have access to the stage they will even get in the artists' faces. If they are real pros, then two or three pics will be enough, and we will be able to see the pics on a Friday. They can take those and go.

Please desist from insulting a profession. Press photographers typically are given an assignment to "cover" an event and they cover a concert as they would any other of the 101 other events they shot that day. They are not expected to be artistic, much less know the nuances of contemplative neravals.

And please do not paint everyone with the same brush. Need proof? I have a site with a full gallery of performance portraits shot over the past few yrs. Not one of them was shot with a flash and I have tried my best to capture the "contemplative moments" that you so crave. I can also happily point you to several other photography enthusiasts with similar interests.

And no, if they are real pros 2 or 3 pics are not enough, especially in this age of digital photography.

Thank you.

[Nick H]

Whoa, calm down, I'm not insulting you! At least I don't think I am, but if you ever stood, for minutes, between audience members and stage, then yes I am.

As for desisting from insulting the ones who's nuisance antics I regularly experience: no I will not desist! I will shout it from the forum, the rooftops, and, if I have to, into the ear of the photographers, and yes, more than one I have tapped someone on the shoulder and told them they are in the way, and to get out of it. Whether they are using flash or not is not the point if they are standing in the way.

So there you go. Concerts are for audience and musicians. Photographers are absolutely inessential, and if they are to be put up with at all, they should be professional enough not to get in the way. And if they don't, that's fine. No problem. Photographs from audience, even (hey, I do it, a shot or two at most concerts) is fine if not holding the camera in the way of others. I have nothing against photographs in themselves. You can imagine what I think of that occasional person who holds the ipad over their head as they video several minutes!

I used to know a popular arrangetram photographer in London. He refused to use flash, and would only work in black and white. His presence was entirely unobtrusive, and his work was good enough to ensure plenty of bookings. Of course I am not insulting a "whole profession." If the cap fits, wear it. If not, then good, it does not to apply to you: ignore my post and move on.

Thank you

[arasi]

Nick,
Yes, some of them are a nuisance--yet there are others who do not take our attention away from the performance. Some video men do offend by the placement the of the camera, their fussing around well into the performance and sometimes, two of them!

As for Ramanathan, I not only like the way his pictures turn out, but also appreciate him for being unobtrusive. I remember seeing him clicking quietly away from the bench by the entrance at your favorite hall once. At Rasikas, we have him, Meenaakshi and a few others bringing us candid shots...

[SrinathK]

Meera wrote:

To whom are the artists performing?for the rasikas only I believe.Then one should be happy when some one records it.After all they are doing it out of fondness for that artist's music.So,u r ready to twist the arms of those who love Ur music ! But one way such outbursts are good in knowing the real nature of people where their hypocrisy of showing themselves as certain ideal is unmasked.

Rasikas say they love the artiste's music on one hand and don't do anything to respect their wishes or support them on the other. In those days, a lot of this was the only way music of the past was made available when recordings were in scarcity. Today it has become too easy to do this - name a concert that isn't recorded on dozens of mobiles or where you don't see a cameraman or whether the stage artistes aren't themselves doing it. Hence an attitude change is due from the audience.

It's true that the rasika to a great extent sees himself as part of the tradition that preserves the art form and we would like to see the best of an artiste's music come out somewhere in the future. If you look at all those concerts of Brinda Mukta (there are more Brinda Mukta collections out there than GNB's actually) for example, when I listen to them, I only think of what a loss it is today that their music wasn't recorded more (on their wishes).

But when I go to any concert today, there's always an official cameraman at the least and I have seen that the artistes themselves are busy recording it too. Many of these are also coming out in albums. Some old vintage albums sell for less than the money it would take to download them. For e.g.

http://www.amazon.in/Thiruppavai-M-L-Va ... 1RPN6JD9AY

The farmer also produces for the consumer and the author also writes for his reader. So let's all raid every store in town, shall we?

Of course, artistes can also voice their concerns in a way that they don't sound like a bratty teenager. But I guess they're probably doing this for hundreds of times now.

I have no issues spending some money out of my pocket for buying original collections, but the gripe is that those big CD and DVD covers are themselves occupying more space than my cassettes ever did (and they add weight). Occasionally the liner notes come in handy if they give us the lyrics etc. but once you get home you wonder how much those alums are costlier because of all that excess packaging. Nowadays this media is also getting obsolete, most laptops don't provide CD drives anymore.

One can very well try something like this where you can get everything and even the lyrics notes for cheap paid downloads instead - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00138 ... 1_2&sr=8-2 -- without the issues of hardcopies

[harimau]

Meera wrote:

To whom are the artists performing?for the rasikas only I believe.Then one should be happy when some one records it.After all they are doing it out of fondness for that artist's music.So,u r ready to twist the arms of those who love Ur music ! But one way such outbursts are good in knowing the real nature of people where their hypocrisy of showing themselves as certain ideal is unmasked.

Rasikas say they love the artiste's music on one hand and don't do anything to respect their wishes or support them on the other. In those days, a lot of this was the only way music of the past was made available when recordings were in scarcity. Today it has become too easy to do this - name a concert that isn't recorded on dozens of mobiles or where you don't see a cameraman or whether the stage artistes aren't themselves doing it. Hence an attitude change is due from the audience.

It's true that the rasika to a great extent sees himself as part of the tradition that preserves the art form and we would like to see the best of an artiste's music come out somewhere in the future. If you look at all those concerts of Brinda Mukta (there are more Brinda Mukta collections out there than GNB's actually) for example, when I listen to them, I only think of what a loss it is today that their music wasn't recorded more (on their wishes).

But when I go to any concert today, there's always an official cameraman at the least and I have seen that the artistes themselves are busy recording it too. Many of these are also coming out in albums. Some old vintage albums sell for less than the money it would take to download them. For e.g.

http://www.amazon.in/Thiruppavai-M-L-Va ... 1RPN6JD9AY

The farmer also produces for the consumer and the author also writes for his reader. So let's all raid every store in town, shall we?

Of course, artistes can also voice their concerns in a way that they don't sound like a bratty teenager. But I guess they're probably doing this for hundreds of times now.

I have no issues spending some money out of my pocket for buying original collections, but the gripe is that those big CD and DVD covers are themselves occupying more space than my cassettes ever did (and they add weight). Occasionally the liner notes come in handy if they give us the lyrics etc. but once you get home you wonder how much those alums are costlier because of all that excess packaging. Nowadays this media is also getting obsolete, most laptops don't provide CD drives anymore.

One can very well try something like this where you can get everything and even the lyrics notes for cheap paid downloads instead - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00138 ... 1_2&sr=8-2 -- without the issues of hardcopies

The irony is that the musicians who demand that nobody should record their concerts have themselves been beneficiaries of hundreds of recordings of their gurus' concerts!

[Nick H]

Nick,
Yes, some of them are a nuisance--yet there are others who do not take our attention away from the performance. Some video men do offend by the placement the of the camera, their fussing around well into the performance and sometimes, two of them!

As for Ramanathan, I not only like the way his pictures turn out, but also appreciate him for being unobtrusive. I remember seeing him clicking quietly away from the bench by the entrance at your favorite hall once. At Rasikas, we have him, Meenaakshi and a few others bringing us candid shots...

Indeed. Nothing personal against anybody, and I am sorry to upset Ramanathan: I did not intend to offend any individual, except for those who are the ones who unthinkingly obstruct the view. I'm sure Ramanathan must know what I mean --- but he decided to take up the cause in the name of all photographers, including the nuisances. I'm sorry to upset Ramanathan: but it was he who decided to take up the issue personally with me, and not the other way around.

When hands get onto keyboard, and an issue floods the brain, there is a tendency, perhaps, to overstate the case. This I had my rant. But it is genuine, not the first time, and I'm sure it will not be the last.

I remember some event where there was a media presentation. There was a projector and a screen in the corner of the hall. The six or seven photographers formed a semi-circle around it and nobody else would be able to see anything. It is true that they realised what they were doing, and moved aside when asked --- but the point is that they did not think in the first place.

Technology hasn't helped either. In the digital age, photographs have an incremental cost of zero, whereas film and processing where expensive per shot. The LCD-screen viewfinder (a boon in some situations, but not concerts) is even used by some pros these days. The obstruction of man plus camera held at arms' length (How do they keep their arms still?) is much greater than the traditional way of holding a viewfinder camera.

Video cameramen (perhaps in conjunction with organisers) actually seem to be less of a nuisance these days, even though their equipment profile is substantially larger. Organisers should think twice before commissioning coverage which uses multiple on-stage cameras, even if they are prepared to go to that expense. At ticketed events, they may be most obstructive to the people who have paid the most for their tickets. I took this up with one organiser a few years ago, and got a sympathetic hearing.

[Sivaramakrishnan]

Nick ji,

That was nice review of VS's concert. I always review his concerts- whichever I attend.

The Morsing:
Your instant appreciation of the Morsing artist must be highly motivating to him.

I am a great fan Bangalore Rajasekhar. He must be training many youngsters, I hope. Morsing has been hugely popular during the golden era of carnatic music.

I consider that any laya-sound artist would be choosing the right path if he selects Morsing since competition is much less and if highly talented he can go places-literally too- with the 'hands&mouth instrument' with no need for a 'hand to mouth existence'!

[Nick H]

I haven't counted, but I have a suspicion that there are more morsing players in London than there are in Chennai.

I think that the musicians there are more flexible, and the hierarchy less rigid there, so even within the limits of carnatic music, there are more "multi-percussionists," who are more than happy, and able, to pick up whichever of the instruments they are invited to play, even though each will have their favourite/speciality. I don't think that too many mridangists here would accept a date with the morsing, even though they are probably able to play it.

But it was not my review, nor, on this occasion, my encouragement. I doubt I will ever be able to speak or write about the music in the informed way of our real rasika-reviewers.

I do encourage the morsing, though. Very much so. I saw one young man play, for a veena arrangetram, when I was in London. He was a schoolboy classmate in the mridangam class. I'm just delighted that, afterwards, he told me that I had inspired him to play morsing. He said that he told our Guruji, "I want to play that thing Nick plays," and he didn't even know its name then. Thus, I have probably made a bigger contribution than I would have done if I were still sitting on the stage struggling to keep up

[arasi]

Nick (the accidental guruji ),
Happy to hear the story...

Sivaramakrishnan,
Karnataka also has young Bhagyalakshmi who is proving to be a very good morsing artiste. I do not know if she plays in Chennai that much. I have not only heard her in Bengaluru, but also once in the Academy where she did shine. Sukanya Ramgopal's ghatam to is something to hear, and Bhagyalakshmi plays in her tAla vAdyA ensemble.

[Sivaramakrishnan]

But it was not my review, nor, on this occasion, my encouragement.

Yes Nick, the credit of opening this thread and instant appreciation of the Morsing artist must go to grsastrigal.

[varsha]

http://www.mediafire.com/listen/iv1fyb8 ... c_Dems.mp3

[Vocalist]

The irony is that the musicians who demand that nobody should record their concerts have themselves been beneficiaries of hundreds of recordings of their gurus' concerts!

Indeed, I always find it interesting to contrast DKJ sir's attitude on the topic to that of his "sishya" who is the subject of this review.

[rajeshnat]

The Hindu review of Vijaysiva-bsu. Vijay gets a good media endorsement in time for dec season.
http://www.thehindu.com/features/friday ... 896014.ece.

[sureshvv]

Indeed, I always find it interesting to contrast DKJ sir's attitude on the topic to that of his "sishya" who is the subject of this review.

1. With digital recording devices and the pervasive internet, the world is a much different place now.

2. VS has conveyed on multiple occasions that his guru's attitude was that live performances should be enjoyed in person rather than thru' recording devices. Do you have any other first hand knowledge of DKJ sir's attitude?

[munirao2001]

sureshvv Sir,

SSRao, my father and guru and Sri DKJ enjoyed personal friendship and mutual respect for the vidwath. My younger brother, S.Poorna Pragna Rao is a disciple of DKJ Sir. During one of his visits to our house in Besantnagar, Chennai, the discussion was on this. Outcome of the discussion was 'it will serve the best interest of practitioners and rasikas by listening to the live concerts. Both of these great maestros, like many other great maestros, opined that the recordings were not of high standards and the performer's musical qualities suffered or compromised. Recordings of high quality with thematic compositions and performance upholding the tradition and sampradaya is the need of the hour but not as trade & its practices. DKJ Sir's recordings for HMV, others and SSRao's Sangeetha recordings are with their belief. But they believed that it is not as ideal for practice and performing for recordings but artists should be guided by their own belief and its practice.

I understood listening to their discussion on this subject that they sensed fall in rasikas attendance for the live concerts with the exception of immensely popular artists. Ultimate satisfaction for performing artists are the rapt listening and deep felt appreciation of the musical qualities, sahridaya, greater in numbers. In DKJ Sir's words, 'Niraivu, Mana niraivu, paripoorna thrupti' highest motivation in performing live concerts.

Sri Vijay Siva upholds the value of sampradaya and his Guru's ideals for practice, with utmost sincerity. When each performance is re creativity and offering pleasure to the rasikas, rarely of rarest in original creativity, why rasikas have to seek its recall pleasure with out seeking permission and for not offering monetary honor to the artists? Why rasikas are willing to invest for the pleasure in other forms of entertainment but unwilling to invest for Karnataka Sangeetham mano ranjakatvam?

munirao2001

[Vocalist]

2. VS has conveyed on multiple occasions that his guru's attitude was that live performances should be enjoyed in person rather than thru' recording devices. Do you have any other first hand knowledge of DKJ sir's attitude?

DKJ sir had a lot of common sense and was very generous-hearted. There is no doubt that live performances are best enjoyed in person rather than through recordings. In fact, he was initially totally against recordings, be it of concerts, music classes, or demonstrations. He revised his view later though as he came to understand the benefits of recordings - not so much for enjoyment (recording quality and capture is limited for most concert recordings anyway), but particularly as music students stood to learn from it in the future and understand how renderings developed with the times. His son has conveyed on several occasions that sir repeatedly listened to some compositions through recordings he obtained (supplementary to his usual practise) before he first performed those compositions on stage.

[Vocalist]

why rasikas have to seek its recall pleasure with out seeking permission and for not offering monetary honor to the artists? Why rasikas are willing to invest for the pleasure in other forms of entertainment but unwilling to invest for Karnataka Sangeetham mano ranjakatvam?

If an artist wishes to be commercially rewarded for each and every concert and then to be further commercially rewarded for each recording of that concert, that artist can and should find a way to give that option to his/her rasikas who are willing to invest. If the artist does not even given the option to those rasikas, the sad reality is that there are natural consequences which flow from that. Once an artist is a public figure, that artist is held accountable - so a rasika could ask why permission isn't granted (for example, is it because 'concert was not good', 'voice was not good', 'many mistakes', 'going to sing the same alapana again at another venue and want rasikas there to think it is new instead of recycled', or 'concert is going to be released in a couple of months as a commercial recording'). Times have changed; unless the art form and that particular bani is sought to be forgotten in favour of new styles of music for which recordings are constantly released, the situation will only worsen. DKJ sir did not forego or compromise the essentials, but he did adapt and modify according to the times as you will understand.

Of course, rasikas and music students still attend live concerts when possible - but where it is not practically possible, or the recording is required for the purposes of reinforcement, many are willing to invest if they are given the option by the musician or concert organiser. Personally, I see that the musicians and concert organisers who have the most rounded success are those generous souls who (in addition to providing the option) also ensure that even the financially disadvantaged music student will not be crippled further yet have something good that is new to learn from.

[hnbhagavan]

Sanjay Subramanyam makes available his live concerts free downloadable ones.He also never announces recording restrictions in his concerts.

[sureshvv]

- so a rasika could ask why permission isn't granted (for example, is it because 'concert was not good', 'voice was not good', 'many mistakes', 'going to sing the same alapana again at another venue and want rasikas there to think it is new instead of recycled', or 'concert is going to be released in a couple of months as a commercial recording').

VS's rasikas can confidently rule these out, the last one somewhat unfortunate.

Times have changed; unless the art form and that particular bani is sought to be forgotten in favour of new styles of music for which recordings are constantly released, the situation will only worsen.

I can understand your fear. You just need to have the faith in mankind that what is worth enduring will.

Learning from recordings only goes so far. Learning from recordings may actually be promoting imitation & an inferior version of the art.

[Vocalist]

- so a rasika could ask why permission isn't granted (for example, is it because 'concert was not good', 'voice was not good', 'many mistakes', 'going to sing the same alapana again at another venue and want rasikas there to think it is new instead of recycled', or 'concert is going to be released in a couple of months as a commercial recording').

VS's rasikas can confidently rule these out, the last one somewhat unfortunate.

That's a bit too presumptuous. For example, there have been times where his voice was just not cooperating.

Learning from recordings only goes so far.

Agreed.

Learning from recordings may actually be promoting imitation & an inferior version of the art.

I don't think so, unless we are talking about instances where recording is the only source of learning.

[Vocalist]

Sanjay Subramanyam makes available his live concerts free downloadable ones.He also never announces recording restrictions in his concerts.

It's very admirable he does that actually. He (like DKJ sir) relaxed his attitude on recordings in recent years, but as you rightly say, he never announced restrictions or glared at rasikas IIRC. Interestingly, I remember Sanjay saying previously that he admired DKJ sir's style and would listen to sir's recordings.

[sureshvv]

That's a bit too presumptuous. For example, there have been times where his voice was just not cooperating.

Have never experienced this but will take your word for this.

I don't think so, unless we are talking about instances where recording is the only source of learning.

Seems more common than you would like to believe.