Insufficient preparation

[balakk]

I would vocalize that the venerable writer of this verbose, vituperative, vilification wavered in verifying the veracity of his vitriolic verbiage against a veritable virtuoso of a vidwan.

[sangithapithu1]

மாடரேடார் அவர்களே ரசிகர்கள் என்ன சொல்லவருகிறார்கள் என்பதே புரியவில்லை, dictionary வைத்துகொண்டு தான் படிக்கவேண்டும் போலிருக்கே . ஐயா நான் 60 வருடங்களாக சங்கிதம் கேட்டுக்கொண்டு இருக்கிறேன் , இங்கே எழுதுபவர்கள் எல்லாம் ஆங்கிலத்தில் மிக்க புலமை நிறைந்தவர்களாக இருக்கிறார்கள் , என்னை போல இருக்கும் சாதாரண ரசிகர்கள் இந்த discussions இல் கலந்துகொள்ள என்ன வழி தமிழ் இல் type செய்யலாமா? இங்கு இருக்கும் members எல்லோருடைய ஆங்கில புலமைக்கு என்னால் போட்டி போடமுடியாது அய்யா.
தமிழில் என்னுடைய எண்ணங்களை எழுத விரும்புகிறேன் , எழுதலாமா ?

[Tharangam]

At this juncture, I would also like to share a discussion I had with Sri TNS years back. When I asked about critics and reviews in general, he told me that as far as he is concerned he sings only to himself first and to his fans. He added that he never took into mind the critics' view point, good or bad. Any how also never have failed to note a very valid suggestion made. He told that any critic has his right to give his own opinion and one should always read a review keeping this in mind that it is the critics' view point that is explained, and need not necessarily be true always. I was reminded of this anecdote when I saw venkatakailasam suggesting that the artist should take it up with the critic and nail down such situations

[mankuthimma]

Why should the artist be troubled by the shrill clamour of criticism ?
If a mans work is easy to understand an explanation is unnecessary.
Oscar Wilde (In The critic as an artist)
who also wrote these words
The one characteristic of a beautiful form is that one can put into it whatever one wishes ,and see in it whatever one chooses to see ; and the Beauty ,that gives to creation its universal and aesthetic element ,makes the critic a creator in his turn ,and whispers of a thousand different things which were not present in the mind of him who carved the statue or painted the panel ,or graved the gem...

[sivapriya]

Nick : I did attend the concert that evening .

It pained me beyond words to read a review of that sort, which was outright insulting and undeserving for a stalwart musician of his order.

I saw this thread only this evening and I joined the 'thread wagon', to say what I wanted to.

A reviewer could have issues on the musicality of the artist and his presentation based on " his / her own personal judgement". Because after all thats his job !!

But to use terms like " insufficient preparation" is the height of a vituperative phrase heaped on a maestro like TNS.

TNS is one artist who has demonstrably showcased his musical genius over so many decades in more than one way and the world knows it ! He is not some novice who has just sprung into the field.! Many senior stalwarts have openly accepted his virtuosity and nobody needs to hold a candle to his genius !

Innumerable number of songs , quotations and verses of various composers are at his finger tips. He is the only Harikatha performer in recent times who stands the full two hours and presents purely out of memory combining music and quotations from multi sources.

Any genius artist is also a human being.!
On that day in particular, there might have been some valid reason for him to have kept the words in front of him for that song. In a situation like that it is better to have it rather than forget! That must have been the only reason; cant think of anything else.

Whatever it be, there has to be a restraint and care in holding the "pen". If the reviewer had some 'axe to grind' with the artist, it would have been better to have done it any other manner and not through the news paper.

Junior and upcoming artists / upcoming stalwarts get pompous reviews, seniors get bashed with insults !!

Also I wonder, if there is no editorial policy which prevails upon the "pen"?

Second question: Do stalwart musicians require "reviews" at all and that too of this genre ? Have they not proved themselves again and again to be where they are?

[Nick H]

I saw this thread only this evening and I joined the 'thread wagon', to say what I wanted to.

Fair enough; you were there. I'd certainly rather read your review of a concert than anything in the newspapers.

[sivapriya]

Nick : if thats a compliment, I accept it with grace and smile :)

I have added my bit about this concert in the thread in Kutcheri reviews and recordings section .

[cmlover]

மாடரேடார் அவர்களே ரசிகர்கள் என்ன சொல்லவருகிறார்கள் என்பதே புரியவில்லை, dictionary வைத்துகொண்டு தான் படிக்கவேண்டும் போலிருக்கே . ஐயா நான் 60 வருடங்களாக சங்கிதம் கேட்டுக்கொண்டு இருக்கிறேன் , இங்கே எழுதுபவர்கள் எல்லாம் ஆங்கிலத்தில் மிக்க புலமை நிறைந்தவர்களாக இருக்கிறார்கள் , என்னை போல இருக்கும் சாதாரண ரசிகர்கள் இந்த discussions இல் கலந்துகொள்ள என்ன வழி தமிழ் இல் type செய்யலாமா? இங்கு இருக்கும் members எல்லோருடைய ஆங்கில புலமைக்கு என்னால் போட்டி போடமுடியாது அய்யா.
தமிழில் என்னுடைய எண்ணங்களை எழுத விரும்புகிறேன் , எழுதலாமா ?

Dear sangithapithu1

இந்த வலை பதிப்பு ஒரு பன்னாட்டு பன்மொழி மய்யம். அதனால் எழுத்துக்கள் ரோமன் லிபியிலேயே இருக்கவேண்டும். அனைவரும் புரிந்து கொள்ளுவதற்க்காக முடிந்தால் ஆங்கிலத்தில் மொழிபெயர்ப்பும் தேவை.

(This website is international as well as multilingual and hence all communications should be in the Roman script.
Further as far as possible an english translation of the material should accompany)

- your janitorial service

[Pratyaksham Bala]

sangithapithu1:
I read all your earlier eight posts, and I understand what you had tried to convey!

[litmus]

Friends,

Did SVK lie? Did he make up the whole thing? If so, does that constitute libel?

If TNS had some paper in front of him, does SVK know for a fact that he had the lyrics to the song? Was TNS emulating a fellow artiste and catching up on correspondence?

Finally, did SVK listen to the music? Or was he busy hatching other conspiracies? I have never cared for his reviews because they smack of linguistic gymnastics leaving musical sensibilities by the wayside. Come on! I mean who wants to read, "the rigorous regimen of rhythmic preparation...."! Gimme a break.

[narayan]

I read SVK's review and found that he liked the Todi and Pantuvarali but not the Dwijavanti (something about "optimum fuss", which was surrealistic but not very illuminating). As for the insufficient preparation, I have no idea why TNS looked at a sheet of paper, but I think he's entitled to a fair amount of rope - he's earned it many times over. More than criticizing his preparation, I'm just curious whether he was ruminating on something particular in Ceta sri or what it was. I believe he would have known the song and lyrics inside out, and if he now needs a paper for any reason, I'm more than willing to let it go at that. But behind the verbiage of SVK's review, apparently he liked the concert as a whole - a happy blend of intuition, instinct and aesthetic orientation, he says. I guess TNS is a little above reviews, maybe his fans need a slightly thicker skin, that's about all.

[mankuthimma]

fans need a slightly thicker skin

Or turn a blind eye , perhaps ? 8)

I have often had a fancy , of opening a State of Art Resource Centre for Music - If I were to make all the money I plan to . ;(
Gorgeous Rooms with photographs of Musicians adorning the walls , Mild piped classical Music , an auditorium to seat 100 - featuring one live concert at an appointed hour everyday and One recorded concert from past , at another hour .
VM Diabetes-Centre-Like breaks at 10 AM for Documentary sessions followed by half an hour sessions with experts in various aspects of Music by prior appointment.
Now , I have just added a Gym dedicated to the Critics , to these plans.
Thick skinned rasikas would be free to use this equipment .

Fridays and Saturdays would never be the same again

[munirao2001]

There is no rule in CM theory or practice that the performer should not take the help of reference material. It is a desired practice and observance. The objectives are two -1) The performer learns well enough to perform 2) Even minor distraction in concentration on manodharma or singing to be avoided. It is self imposed descipline.
When performers sing only limited and popular no of compositions, no performer fails in observance of this practice. But, when performer sings from very wide repertoire, like Great Maestro TNS, occasional non observance of this self imposed descipline, is non issue. It is better practice than singing composition with mistakes.

Any critic or reviewer has right to report their observance and opinions, without malice or hatred or bias. The reader has equal right to ignore or reject such comments or opinion.

[VK RAMAN]

Any critic or reviewer has right to report their observance and opinions, without malice or hatred or bias. The reader has equal right to ignore or reject such comments or opinion.

I 100% agree