Vocal: K.N.Shashikiran & Chitravina P.Ganesh
Violin: Avaneeswaram Vinu
Mridangam: Srimushnam Raja Rao
Kanjira: N.Amrit
Song list:
1. jaya jaya padmanAbha - maNirang - Adi - Swati Tirunal (S)
2. dEvAti dEvA sadAshivA - sindurAmakriyA - Adi - Tyagaraja
3. sabhApatikku - AbhOgi - rUpakam - Gopalakrishna Bharathi (S)
4. shrI mAtrubhUtam - kannaDa - misra cApu - Muthuswamy Dikshithar (R, S)
5. pArvati nAyakanE - shanmukhapriyA - Adi - Papanasam Sivan (R, S, T)
6. manamE kaNamum - bhImplAs - Adi - Papanasam Sivan
---------------------------------------------
As I entered the Raja Muthiah auditorium premises at 4:45 pm for the concert which was to begin at 5:00 pm, I was astounded by the sight of a long and winding queue of people waiting to enter the auditorium, which had not even been opened yet. It was obvious though, that quite a majority of them were there for the second programme of the evening, the harikatha by Visakha Hari. So, while they were seated in the hall during the concert preceding the harikatha, they had a full one and a half hours to discuss issues of far greater import – no matter how scholarly and totally bhava-laden the concert was. There was, of course, no need to put their mobile phones on silent mode, or switch them off.
And so, almost through the entire one and a half hours of the Carnatica bros’ concert, I was enlightened by one of the mamis in the row behind me about her attai’s chitti’s ponnu who happened to be sitting a few rows away. A couple of other mamis had their mobile phones ringing every five mins. One mami graciously stopped her banter for a few seconds – only to clap loudly after the anupallavi of shrI mAtrubhUtam, much to the amusement of many others in the audience! (There were others who seemed to be keeping what seemed to be a cross between Adi and rUpakam for misra cApu, but that, I realize, is none of my business, so long as they don’t disturb the rest in the audience). The mama sitting directly behind me (who, incidentally, had the loudest ring tone of them all), even complained to someone named Suchi at the other end of the line (in a voice that beat the loudness of his ringtone), that he wasn’t being allowed to speak by the people around him! In the beginning, my mother and I took turns to turn around and give these ‘rasikas’, ‘the look’ and then, we did it together – but no prizes for guessing that the effect it had on them was zilch - the mamis and the lone mama were having a field day!
What’s more important is that all this was happening in the first few rows of the huge hall, very near the stage. I shudder to think of what would have been happening in the rows at the back!
My heart pains to think of the kind of respect we show our vidwans. I can only dream of the day when the audience will learn to appreciate scholarly and truly soul-stirring music even when their attai’s chitti’s ponnus are sitting only a few feet away.
Carnatica Bros for Jaya TV, 14th Dec
-
jayaram
- Posts: 1317
- Joined: 30 Jun 2006, 03:08
And these same mamas and mamis if ever they go to a western classical concert (or even a hindustani one) won't even breathe lest they disturb others!
For some reason, carnatic music concerts attract a totally lackadaisical attitude amongst some people. Many a time I have seen 'free range' children running amok in the auditorium while their parents are blissfully doing something else.
On mobiles: we Indians somehow abuse every technology that comes out, whether it be loud music in buses & train stations, TVs blaring away, milions of 'popups' at indian internet sites, loudspeakers at highest volume at temple functions etc. etc. The mobile is just the latest 'weapon' in this long list.
For some reason, carnatic music concerts attract a totally lackadaisical attitude amongst some people. Many a time I have seen 'free range' children running amok in the auditorium while their parents are blissfully doing something else.
On mobiles: we Indians somehow abuse every technology that comes out, whether it be loud music in buses & train stations, TVs blaring away, milions of 'popups' at indian internet sites, loudspeakers at highest volume at temple functions etc. etc. The mobile is just the latest 'weapon' in this long list.
Last edited by jayaram on 14 Dec 2006, 23:31, edited 1 time in total.
-
chalanata
- Posts: 603
- Joined: 06 Feb 2010, 15:55
nivedita,
your commentary and observations about the mamis were excellent. we would like to hear more such comments for the remaining concerts during the season.
we will be much obliged if you can focus and make one or two remarks here and there about the concerts and performance too whereever possible.
your commentary and observations about the mamis were excellent. we would like to hear more such comments for the remaining concerts during the season.
we will be much obliged if you can focus and make one or two remarks here and there about the concerts and performance too whereever possible.
-
nivedita
- Posts: 302
- Joined: 14 May 2006, 23:07
Here's about the concert:
The concert had a brisk start with maNirang, topped with swarams in the pallavi. The kannaDa alapana was soothingly rendered by Ganesh and was followed by shrI mAtrubhUtam - a kriti characterized by what I'd call ethereal beauty. Swarams were at the caraNam line 'suvAsita nava javanti pushpa'. Shashikiran's shaNmukhapriyA was the highlight, his shruthi shuddham being totally impeccable and his strong voice reaching down to the mandra stAyi shaDjam. On the whole, an excellent concert - my mother had tears in her eyes when we left the hall.
The concert had a brisk start with maNirang, topped with swarams in the pallavi. The kannaDa alapana was soothingly rendered by Ganesh and was followed by shrI mAtrubhUtam - a kriti characterized by what I'd call ethereal beauty. Swarams were at the caraNam line 'suvAsita nava javanti pushpa'. Shashikiran's shaNmukhapriyA was the highlight, his shruthi shuddham being totally impeccable and his strong voice reaching down to the mandra stAyi shaDjam. On the whole, an excellent concert - my mother had tears in her eyes when we left the hall.
-
vijay
- Posts: 2522
- Joined: 27 Feb 2006, 16:06
I was there and completely agree....a bunch of "rasikas" behind seemed to have come out on a family pinic, complete with the picnic basket! I might as well have been at Sathyam Theatre! Anyway, the flip side is that at least some people would have got an opportunity to listen to the quality music on display.
Besides, Vishakha Hariji's Harikatha was a novel experience too...
Besides, Vishakha Hariji's Harikatha was a novel experience too...
-
arasi
- Posts: 16873
- Joined: 22 Jun 2006, 09:30
Nivedita,
You have made a forceful plea for the 'silent' majority. If this goes on, we cannot be silent any more--may be yes, but placard carrying ones. Ravi, you are right. When are these cell phone wielding despots going to learn that a concert hall is NOT the place to carry on a phone conversation? When are the chit-chat mamas and mamis going to know that their favorite hobby is to be enjoyed OUTSIDE the hall so that rasikas can enjoy the concert in peace?
We have to come up with an effective gesture for ousting the culprits. Our individual efforts have been in vain...
Reminds me of lines to this effect from an Aldous Huxley novel. A writer who wants to work in peace, has this painted on his front gate: the leech's kiss, the squid's embrace, the prurient ape's defiling touch, do you like the human race? Not me-this means you--get out!
And, do you like the noise in the auditorium? No, not me--this means you--get out, please, so and so!
You have made a forceful plea for the 'silent' majority. If this goes on, we cannot be silent any more--may be yes, but placard carrying ones. Ravi, you are right. When are these cell phone wielding despots going to learn that a concert hall is NOT the place to carry on a phone conversation? When are the chit-chat mamas and mamis going to know that their favorite hobby is to be enjoyed OUTSIDE the hall so that rasikas can enjoy the concert in peace?
We have to come up with an effective gesture for ousting the culprits. Our individual efforts have been in vain...
Reminds me of lines to this effect from an Aldous Huxley novel. A writer who wants to work in peace, has this painted on his front gate: the leech's kiss, the squid's embrace, the prurient ape's defiling touch, do you like the human race? Not me-this means you--get out!
And, do you like the noise in the auditorium? No, not me--this means you--get out, please, so and so!
Last edited by arasi on 15 Dec 2006, 21:28, edited 1 time in total.
-
jayaram
- Posts: 1317
- Joined: 30 Jun 2006, 03:08
The real problem is that the organizers don't enforce a strict policy. It's difficult for one of us to shoo others, but if someone with a badge (so common in India!) comes around and tells them to be silent or get out, then they will listen. Hopefully. 
CMC in Melbourne is an excellent example of this. They have a whole bunch of volunteers who do things with military precision.
CMC in Melbourne is an excellent example of this. They have a whole bunch of volunteers who do things with military precision.
-
kaapi
- Posts: 146
- Joined: 05 Jun 2005, 14:32
I think the problem is as much due to the organisers as the insensitive audience. A harikatha and a music concert on a single ticket is not exactly a bright idea. We do not know how many of the seats that Smt. Hari's followers desparately wanted was gobbled up by Carnatica Bros' rasikAs.
MA also used to issue one ticket that was valid for the evening and night concerts of the given day. I think it was during 1969 MA that we had KVN in the evening slot and Pt Ravi Shankar for the night slot. All the tickets expecially in the balcony were sold out within half an hour of the counter opening, you for who's concert.
KVN sang to a literally empty balcony ( the groung floor was better populated because of the presence of the life members ). He sang a pallavi in KIrvAni set to tisra rUpkam mishra nadai and similar stuff. Our tickets for the night concert got snatched away by "friends and relatives". When we asked them the next day how was Ravi Shankar's concert uniformly everybody said " At the stroke of mid night he stopped playing and said Happy new year".
On a more serious note I feel the basic problem is that too many concerts are chasing too few rasikas.
The question is " Do we need so many concerts during the season ?"
MA also used to issue one ticket that was valid for the evening and night concerts of the given day. I think it was during 1969 MA that we had KVN in the evening slot and Pt Ravi Shankar for the night slot. All the tickets expecially in the balcony were sold out within half an hour of the counter opening, you for who's concert.
KVN sang to a literally empty balcony ( the groung floor was better populated because of the presence of the life members ). He sang a pallavi in KIrvAni set to tisra rUpkam mishra nadai and similar stuff. Our tickets for the night concert got snatched away by "friends and relatives". When we asked them the next day how was Ravi Shankar's concert uniformly everybody said " At the stroke of mid night he stopped playing and said Happy new year".
On a more serious note I feel the basic problem is that too many concerts are chasing too few rasikas.
The question is " Do we need so many concerts during the season ?"
-
drshrikaanth
- Posts: 4066
- Joined: 26 Mar 2005, 17:01
-
Musicfan
- Posts: 14
- Joined: 26 Oct 2006, 11:06
How was Vishaka Hari's harikatha..Saw her Harikatha on jaya TV..it was really exceptional. Does anyone have e mail or telephone number of hers in Chennai. One of the organisers in Bangalore's Dharmik Samaj in J P Nagar is planning to host a 7 day" sapthaham". I told him if he could instead have Vishaka Hari's harikatha and he agreed. Would be great for Bangloreans to listen to the great Harikatha.
-
rajaglan
- Posts: 709
- Joined: 29 Dec 2006, 21:34
Hi nividita,
After seeing this posting, when I think of it , some tamil magazines bashed Jesudas for making a speech out of a disturbance in KGS due to a mobile phone ringing. Though jesudas's concert on that day was not up to the mark, we need to understand that the "audience discipline" and "performance of artist" are different. They cannot be related.
In Zakir husain's concerts, he announces in the begining, for people to switch off mobile. Any time it is violated at times he stops playing and again gives warnings almost pointing to the place from where it comes.
I have seen in a dance display (Shiamak davar's students performance ) which has 5000 audience. The rule is that they donot allow photographing choreography. There are volunteers who will make sure that nobody clicks photos using cell camera or digital camera in a dark auditorium. You donot need lot of volunteers, may be less than 10. Everywhere in the world , nothing improves unless it is enforced.
Especially in big sabhas (MA, NGS,KGS), the back audiences are the sufferers. The audience in the front are forced to be disiplined as artists can notice them.
The reason is that half the people come because his/her spouse is interested in Cmusic and they have to accompnay. Another reason is what you told, basically again presence of different type of or nonserious rasika.
After seeing this posting, when I think of it , some tamil magazines bashed Jesudas for making a speech out of a disturbance in KGS due to a mobile phone ringing. Though jesudas's concert on that day was not up to the mark, we need to understand that the "audience discipline" and "performance of artist" are different. They cannot be related.
In Zakir husain's concerts, he announces in the begining, for people to switch off mobile. Any time it is violated at times he stops playing and again gives warnings almost pointing to the place from where it comes.
I have seen in a dance display (Shiamak davar's students performance ) which has 5000 audience. The rule is that they donot allow photographing choreography. There are volunteers who will make sure that nobody clicks photos using cell camera or digital camera in a dark auditorium. You donot need lot of volunteers, may be less than 10. Everywhere in the world , nothing improves unless it is enforced.
Especially in big sabhas (MA, NGS,KGS), the back audiences are the sufferers. The audience in the front are forced to be disiplined as artists can notice them.
The reason is that half the people come because his/her spouse is interested in Cmusic and they have to accompnay. Another reason is what you told, basically again presence of different type of or nonserious rasika.
-
gs
- Posts: 34
- Joined: 20 Dec 2006, 22:39
Electronic jamming is an offense in the free world. It is a case of technology overtaking existing laws. I think, in future there will be change of law. Concert and chess tournament halls are two places I can think of, where jamming rule should be exempted.chalanata wrote:but why they are not installing jammers in the auditoriums?