Unsung Songs: TMK's article in Frontline on music in Chennai
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kvchellappa
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vasanthakokilam
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- Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 00:01
Re: TMK's article in Frontline on music in Chennai
Fascinating stuff! Quite a broad and engrossing coverage of Chennai music scene by TMK.
Having been part of that college music scene quite a long while back, probably much like a lot of you who went to College in Chennai, I know the socio economic music scene he paints. It was indeed dominated by Film music and carnatic music with a good dose (thought a small minority) of Rock and other western pop base. We all know of that inter-connectedness among '(Christian) convent schools", "the fluency and proficiency in speaking English" and interest and high opinion of more western oriented music forms. These are all quite uniquely Indian however bizarre it may seem to outsiders. Music is of course also about other things than melody, rhythm and lyrics. And many times more so. Musical interest projects who one is and who one wants to be known as. It is their brand. All these socio-economic-class things give rise to the musical landscape of the city, Chennai is no exception.
It is interesting that another genre of musicians have come on the scene who create original music with basis on those other music forms. The few bands I have heard are to be commended for trying some thing new using that recipe. Some of it is quite good though still a long way to go to gain their own distinct identity.
Many details of this gAnA music of dalits are new to me though we all probably were aware of that music. ( Here is a link to the amara gAna based film song he refers to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YViPIPXRgd0 )
( as a side bar, TMK's writing skills have improved a lot, it flowed very well...But for a few instances, he kept it free of his value judgement and wrote it in a "matter of fact' manner which made it enjoyable to read.)
Having been part of that college music scene quite a long while back, probably much like a lot of you who went to College in Chennai, I know the socio economic music scene he paints. It was indeed dominated by Film music and carnatic music with a good dose (thought a small minority) of Rock and other western pop base. We all know of that inter-connectedness among '(Christian) convent schools", "the fluency and proficiency in speaking English" and interest and high opinion of more western oriented music forms. These are all quite uniquely Indian however bizarre it may seem to outsiders. Music is of course also about other things than melody, rhythm and lyrics. And many times more so. Musical interest projects who one is and who one wants to be known as. It is their brand. All these socio-economic-class things give rise to the musical landscape of the city, Chennai is no exception.
It is interesting that another genre of musicians have come on the scene who create original music with basis on those other music forms. The few bands I have heard are to be commended for trying some thing new using that recipe. Some of it is quite good though still a long way to go to gain their own distinct identity.
Many details of this gAnA music of dalits are new to me though we all probably were aware of that music. ( Here is a link to the amara gAna based film song he refers to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YViPIPXRgd0 )
( as a side bar, TMK's writing skills have improved a lot, it flowed very well...But for a few instances, he kept it free of his value judgement and wrote it in a "matter of fact' manner which made it enjoyable to read.)
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rajeshnat
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Re: Unsung Songs: TMK's article in Frontline on music in Che
Definitely well researched , he could have also put few more facts . While he has covered gaana and rock , he could have mentioned all these light music troups , the AV Ramanan, Abhaswaram Ramji ,and many many light music groups . Even my school friends started one called friends melodies . The scene of one singing in SPB voice , few lady singers , calling a middle aged - older musician to sing like TMS . THere will be lot of illayaraja song with one song from the movie shankarabharanam where there will be an advanced spb picking shankara nadasariraparA which i like most thought was a carnatic song ~o) .
He could have also mentioned there were lot of music troups which sang kishore kumar , mohammed rafi songs etc all of them in 80's that kind of slowly faded in 90's after the advent of more tv channels. Certainly chennai had all genres of music
He could have also mentioned there were lot of music troups which sang kishore kumar , mohammed rafi songs etc all of them in 80's that kind of slowly faded in 90's after the advent of more tv channels. Certainly chennai had all genres of music
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munirao2001
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Re: Unsung Songs: TMK's article in Frontline on music in Che
rajeshnat
Sampradaya bhakthi gaana mandali/groups and Naamasankeertana groups were missed out, besides the popular 'film music troupe'. Earlier to his formative years, there was also 'theru koothu' with folk singing-during the temple/deity processions. I enjoyed the reading and gained the knowledge of other genre in Madras.
munirao2001
Sampradaya bhakthi gaana mandali/groups and Naamasankeertana groups were missed out, besides the popular 'film music troupe'. Earlier to his formative years, there was also 'theru koothu' with folk singing-during the temple/deity processions. I enjoyed the reading and gained the knowledge of other genre in Madras.
munirao2001
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rajeshnat
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- Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 08:04
Re: Unsung Songs: TMK's article in Frontline on music in Che
Naamasankeerthana ,sampradaya bhajan , harikatha and the latest sangeetha upanyasam are all near close to CM (atleast at the chennai macro level)munirao2001 wrote:rajeshnat
Sampradaya bhakthi gaana mandali/groups and Naamasankeertana groups were missed out, besides the popular 'film music troupe'. Earlier to his formative years, there was also 'theru koothu' with folk singing-during the temple/deity processions. I enjoyed the reading and gained the knowledge of other genre in Madras.
munirao2001