Sometime it looks really silly....

[ajsriram]

I am not sure if this is the right place for this post... still...

Hypocrites - http://it-all-happens.blogspot.com/

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Carnatic Music Turns Me On

[Nick H]

A different question: If someone writes like this, should they, or should they not, name the person they are writing about.

We can all complain about arangetram speeches, their length and content, but when the complaint is so specific, I think that the author should name names or shut up. If he does not, then it is a slur on musicians in general. Who can read that piece without wondering and guessing?

Anyway, there is plenty of buffalo excrement in the world of "divine" music --- and the author's experience is just one small example.

... ... ...

Sorry, I just saw the names and realised that I am addressing the author in this thread!

[ajsriram]

Personally, I do not want to experience these kinds of act (In a concert).

I DO NOT want to feel these are natural things that happen in a music field and just get away with it. I tried to communicate the mistake made by a musician who is setting a bad "example" to others.

It doesnt matter who made the mistake, All it matters is, others should not follow the foot steps of the so called "famous" artists.

Wish the bovine excreta is dumped inside the manhole rather than spread out to become a poisonous gas.

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Sriram J. Iyer

[Nick H]

Wish the bovine excreta is dumped inside the manhole rather than spread out to become a poisonous gas.

nicely put!

But it isn't just the arangetrams. I've seen top artists, giving vote-of-thanks or whatever, at the end of concerts, trotting out the usual hollow praises for concerts that were actually not that good. I call it the Hollywood Awards Ceremony thing; everybody is mwwha! mwwwha! Wonderful, Darling! about everybody else and half of it is hypocritical

I've seen many an arangetram speech, whilst not the self-promoting sin that you speak of, that refers in detail to the quality of the concert, and the artists that played in it, delivered from typed sheets. Fine, for the general points --- but it amazing that they knew exactly how it was going to be when they typed the speech days before!

I appreciate your concerns. It is a can of worms, of which you have named one. Have you seen the threads on this site about concerts and speech making in general?

[sureshvv]

Read your blog article and I certainly understand how you feel. I find this style of speech making all too common and your comments a bit harsh. If you really want to have an impact and not appear to just be hand-wringing, you should make the comments a little less critical, simply state the facts and name the artiste.

[kssr]

I will think twice to attend a mridangam arangetram even if I am given FAT CASH!! Especially when that popular artist is the chief guest. Don't know why the writer did

[mahakavi]

Should we make a mountain of a molehill? There are people, be they artistes or lay people, who when asked to give a speech at an arangetram will say nice things about the performance and to justify what they say they will add some "credulous" platitudes. I usually ignore such speeches. I attended an arangetram (let me not specify what kind it is) a few months ago. The guru spoke and spoke and treated the thriteen-year old as though he had scaled the Himalayas. Sure enough the guru was paid handsomely for attending the arangetram. I just ignored the speech.
My advice: Just follow the performance (good, mediocre, or bad) and ignore all speeches. The kid who debuted is not going to benefit by such flowery speech if he cannot sustain it on his own in the future.

No point in naming names. No useful purpose will be served.

[Nick H]

I think you are right, and I am sure that this behaviour is not going to go away.

I think it is tasteless to project oneself at such a function: I'm sure there are politicians, even, who can behave better than that. If the person's reputation is that they do this, they may be asked less, but people are so taken in by a big name (that is the root of the problem).

When I was a lot newer to the community of this music, I was actually surprised to hear that such "guests" are paid to attend. This makes hypocrisy the foundation of the whole thing.

[kssr]

Seriously I wonder if the chief guests or speakers are actually paid money to come and speak. Except for rumours I wonder if it can be confirmed. Garlanding, shawling or presenting a small memento, providing transportation are OK but cash..... ??? I still think that if it is practised, it is an obnoxious one.

[ajsriram]

@Nick : I almost follow every one of the post here in Rasikas.org. Not only this, i have heard speeches in very very different tastes.

@sureshV : I am not able to aim a "honey Coated" Arrow. I think i need to learn how to do that too . Moreover, as i already said, the names are not needed here.

@Kssr : you misunderstood,"ITS NOT PAY MONEY TO COME AND SPEAK", Its a way of honouring the guest. Nothing wrong in greeting a guest and giving cash, It depends on the wish of the parents. Musicians are coming for the arangetram leaving out their pesonal work / not accepting the concerts. The "motto", should be encouraging the kid, blessing the kid and being role model for the kid and nothing more on stage.

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Sriram J. Iyer

[mahakavi]

I can't say it is unviersally true. But cash payment for chief guest is made on many occasions voluntarily by the hosts (they consider it an honor for that guest to appear at their function). The guest does not have any compunction in asking how much they will give in order to avoid misunderstanding later. I know for fact a few years ago a prominent dancer/dance teacher (who will remain nameless) when invited to preside over an arangetram in St. Louis demanded $500 in addition to airfare and expenses. We (not I personally) agreed to give that because it was considered a great honor to get that person to preside over the function. Ultimately it did not happen because that person could not make the trip due to illness. We went ahead without the chief guest. Personally I have no problem with monetary compensation if the hosts can afford it. As is obvious, when you receive a payment you don't want to " bite the hand that feeds" even if the performance is poor. So some words of praise flow from the guest.