G Ravikiran @ Trivandrum
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kadambam
- Posts: 104
- Joined: 12 Jan 2007, 04:10
makham,
I think there is a difference between an effective concert and an exquisite music. If your expectations are to enjoy an effective concert, then the current generation artists are much more compliant and adhere to rasikas than the previous generation. You can have a multiple linear equation with n different varaibles to measure the success of a concert or an artist, but the bottom line is the music should win. It's not the concert, nor the musician nor the rasika. Sivaraman mama mentioned in a recent interview that at a particular moment in the concert, there will be complete harmony between the musicians, accompanists, rasikas, composers and even the super natural conciousness itself.
In my humble opinion, true test to a great music is this: Put yourself in a simple time machine. See if you can remember one moment of a concert, or if better one kriti or even the entire concert. It could be a concert that you heard in the 60's, 70's, 80's or even the 90's.I have heard several mamas remember an entire concert list of MMI or GNB. They didn't write it down, nor did they maintain a spreadsheet to identify how many times they sang Kambhodhi. You don't need tapes/cds/ipods to remember those magical moments. If an artist was able to provide that kind of a memorable moment to you, then he/she is truly a great artist and the music is divine.
Please note that i don't have personally against this artist, in fact i have never heard him. I hope to hear him one day. But if two decades from now, if you can mention that i still remember your Janani Ninuvina then what you have heard is truly a great music. (I am sure you will....)
I think there is a difference between an effective concert and an exquisite music. If your expectations are to enjoy an effective concert, then the current generation artists are much more compliant and adhere to rasikas than the previous generation. You can have a multiple linear equation with n different varaibles to measure the success of a concert or an artist, but the bottom line is the music should win. It's not the concert, nor the musician nor the rasika. Sivaraman mama mentioned in a recent interview that at a particular moment in the concert, there will be complete harmony between the musicians, accompanists, rasikas, composers and even the super natural conciousness itself.
In my humble opinion, true test to a great music is this: Put yourself in a simple time machine. See if you can remember one moment of a concert, or if better one kriti or even the entire concert. It could be a concert that you heard in the 60's, 70's, 80's or even the 90's.I have heard several mamas remember an entire concert list of MMI or GNB. They didn't write it down, nor did they maintain a spreadsheet to identify how many times they sang Kambhodhi. You don't need tapes/cds/ipods to remember those magical moments. If an artist was able to provide that kind of a memorable moment to you, then he/she is truly a great artist and the music is divine.
Please note that i don't have personally against this artist, in fact i have never heard him. I hope to hear him one day. But if two decades from now, if you can mention that i still remember your Janani Ninuvina then what you have heard is truly a great music. (I am sure you will....)
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sappri
- Posts: 322
- Joined: 05 Jun 2007, 14:56
With due respects- G Ravikiran - to many of us who have been hearing his concerts for the past few years - has been standing tall, taller than almost all his contemporaries - apart from his great voice (which he's naturally endowed with), his strict adherence to tradition, blending with immaculate creativity, great vidwat and innate humility has been really his strength - his last concert as part of the SSI festival at Ananya, Bangalore proved his mettle that he has arrived - I understand that KGS, Chennai has bestowed on him the award for his performance in the last season - some of us keenly look forward to hearing him at Music Academy this season.
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makham
- Posts: 112
- Joined: 04 Feb 2010, 22:26
Thanks Kadambam for adding the touchstone test for exquisite music. Yes, some part or the whole music should be ringing in the ears long after the concert is over. I do have such experiences - a Mukhari of SSI, a Nattakurinji of MDR, an Arabhi of KVN and so on. My purpose in writing the above is to feel reassured that the era of exquisite music is not over - the tradition of providing exquisite music where ultimately it is the "music that wins" is still alive and safe with the younger generation.
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vijay
- Posts: 2522
- Joined: 27 Feb 2006, 16:06
Look forward to hearing Ravikiran during the season...and thanks for the report from Trivandrum Makham. Assuming you are based there we do look forward to more concert tales (besides the occasional crossword!) from Trivandrum.
Regarding your points about old versus new, I have always been dismissive of "those were the days" laments - more often than not, it is nothing but nostalgia. Equally, I tend to be careful not generalize about the present generation either. Sure, there are some discernible trends which you have captured quite insightfully but finally, we need to a judge each musician on his individual merits and not in the context of the era.
The only point on which I would like to respectfully differ is on point 1. In art music, I think it is healthy for an artist to have a certain intellectual arrogance (purely in terms of musical content - I intensely dislike arrogance in general!) and sing for himself/herself rather than for rasikas. I know that rasikas pay and therefore, ought to have a voice and it is OK to accommodate preferences to a certain extent but the artist must seek to please oneself, above all. That is the only direction for true art although I realize there are practical constraints which the musician must acknowledge if he is going to bring the bread home.
I am also not too sure the present generation is really any different in terms of catering to audiences. In fact, the old masters were known for their "favourites" and stalwarts like Ariyakudi, SSI and MMI, to name a few, were known for their keen sense of the audience's pulse. OTOH present day artistes like Sanjay and Krishna are always trying something novel (which means audiences don't get their "favourites" everytime) and their tolerance for rasikas'whims is generally low (although there is no arrogance involved). In fact the novelty itself is something rasikas come to expect as in Sanjay's case!
Regarding your points about old versus new, I have always been dismissive of "those were the days" laments - more often than not, it is nothing but nostalgia. Equally, I tend to be careful not generalize about the present generation either. Sure, there are some discernible trends which you have captured quite insightfully but finally, we need to a judge each musician on his individual merits and not in the context of the era.
The only point on which I would like to respectfully differ is on point 1. In art music, I think it is healthy for an artist to have a certain intellectual arrogance (purely in terms of musical content - I intensely dislike arrogance in general!) and sing for himself/herself rather than for rasikas. I know that rasikas pay and therefore, ought to have a voice and it is OK to accommodate preferences to a certain extent but the artist must seek to please oneself, above all. That is the only direction for true art although I realize there are practical constraints which the musician must acknowledge if he is going to bring the bread home.
I am also not too sure the present generation is really any different in terms of catering to audiences. In fact, the old masters were known for their "favourites" and stalwarts like Ariyakudi, SSI and MMI, to name a few, were known for their keen sense of the audience's pulse. OTOH present day artistes like Sanjay and Krishna are always trying something novel (which means audiences don't get their "favourites" everytime) and their tolerance for rasikas'whims is generally low (although there is no arrogance involved). In fact the novelty itself is something rasikas come to expect as in Sanjay's case!
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mahesh_narayan
- Posts: 228
- Joined: 22 Aug 2006, 20:51
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rshankar
- Posts: 13754
- Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 22:26
So, by definition, 'exquisite' music has to be a retrospective assessment!kadambam wrote:In my humble opinion, true test to a great music is this: Put yourself in a simple time machine. See if you can remember one moment of a concert, or if better one kriti or even the entire concert. It could be a concert that you heard in the 60's, 70's, 80's or even the 90's.I have heard several mamas remember an entire concert list of MMI or GNB. They didn't write it down, nor did they maintain a spreadsheet to identify how many times they sang Kambhodhi. You don't need tapes/cds/ipods to remember those magical moments. If an artist was able to provide that kind of a memorable moment to you, then he/she is truly a great artist and the music is divine.
So, for the 'present', 'effective' should be high praise indeed!