Dilution of Music at Jaya TV Markazhi Mahautsavam 2010

Are thematic concerts restricting the scope of the artists selecting songs and ragas? What does this mean for average listeners? Do thematic concerts give artists an opportunity to show case their vidwat? Is it a learning opportunity for the audience? Do themes bring down the focus and shrink the boundaries of carnatic music? Do they deviate from the traditional Carnatic music concert format? Do artist really prepare for the concert or they try to fit in all songs they know for the evening? Come on with me to Chettinadu Auditorium for Jaya TV Markazhi Utsavam where evenings concerts are thematic. Appanum Suppanum was this year theme given to Ranjani & Gayathri (RG). Well Appan refers to Shiva and Suppanum refers to his son Subramanyan.



Take a minute and scan through the songs presented in the 2 hour concert.

1. Saravanabhava – Revagupti – Muthuswami Dikshithar - Sanskrit

2. Paramanandha natanam – Kedaram – Swati Thirunal – Chittaswaram and artist’s Kalapanaswaram - Sanskrit

3. Chittam Irangadhadhenayya – Sahana – Papanasam Sivan - Tamil

4. Pantuvarali –Siva Siva- Thyagaraja – Ragam, Neraval, Swaram - Telugu

5. Kaalai thooki – Yadukula Kambodhi – Gopalakrishna Barathi - Tamil

6. Madhyamavathi – Saravanabhava Guhaney – Papanasam Sivam – Ragam, Nereval, Swaram & Thaniavarthanam - Tamil

7. Thayir chirandha – Virutham – Kambodhi, Amrithavarshini, Jonpuri - Tamil

8. Yeppovaruvaro – Jonpuri – Gopalakrishna Barathi - Tamil

9. Shankara sri –Basanth – Swati Thirunal - Hindi

10. Villinaiotha – Kavadi Chindu – Subramanya Barathi - Tamil



Here are my cribs and food for thought for R&G:

Revagupti shares a close resemblance to Bowli and is definitely a good start for concert, but why not start with a colorful varnam? Lalgudi has many varanams composed on Subramanya. Muthuswami Dikshithar composition is no inferior, but could have been reserved for the later in the concert. Nothing can substitute a brisk varanam like a morning coffee!



RG: May be lack of proper homework?



A brief alapana of Kedaram could have helped, but instead the duo jumped straight into Swati Thirunal’s composition Paramananda Natanam. The composer has put a lilting chittaswaram for the song, but why should the artist force a Kalpanaswaram in the end? A raga alapana of Kedaram could have embellished the song.



RG: Let concerts also involve planning of the songs and not just contrasting costumes, make up and jewellery.



A brief sketch of Sahana was shown and the artist jumped directly to Papanasam Sivan’s krithi. The rendition of the song was sterling silver, but 3 quick songs without any raga alapana made the concert hit a lull. Finally when Gayathri picked up Pantuvarali my slouching spine turned straight. Karthik on the ghatam and Manoj Siva on mridhangam eventually turned Thyagaraja’s Pantuvarali kriti on Shiva into Markazhi bajanai time.



RG: Everybody wants to reach the peak MS reached, but seldom do they realize that it was MS discipline to adhere to tradition that put her on the peak. Next time when you do your homework ask 10 times - What would MS sing? This must get you to perfection.



Did you look at multiple compositions from the same composer in the song list? Women, what were you trying to present on the stage? Was it a thukkada night? It could a 2 hour concert, but you could have restricted to 7 songs and given more quality performance.



The highlight of the evening was the sudden jump from Carnatic music to Hindustani sangeeth by the sisters. We understand that you both have lived in Bombay and learnt Hindustani, but why do we want to eat paanipuri during a full course south Indian meal on the banana leaf? As though you have completed exploring the boundaries of Carnatic music you now move into Hindustani Sangeeth with that Basanth alapana, doing no justice to Hindustani.



RG: What an exhibitionist attitude!Learn to differentiate yourself from the rest by singing a pure Todi or Sankarabaranam, not just throwing an alien Hindustani raga like Basant or Batiyaar. And as a result you get zero credits from serious Carnatic rasikas and Hindustani rasikas. So are you singing for the in-between and quacks?



For all the 120 mins of tamasha, Subhashree Thanikachalam (ST), Producer of this show gets on the stage and commands the public to give the sisters a standing ovation.



ST: Standing ovations are given as a result of what music does to the audience and not beacause you say so! Also understand that not to everyone in the audience agrees to dance to your stupid themes and tunes, though be people on stage do! You may be good at producing TV shows, but Carnatic music is more pure and far superior to TV shows.



Truly, Yeppo Varuvaro....yendhan Kali theera....what a befitting song for the evening! You get a chance to come on the TV and write stupid questions to be chosen for the evening, but there is absolutely no learning opportunity! As a result of the 2 hour thematic concert artist were neither able to showcase their vidwat nor educate the average listener. Music Academy may have political under currents but has more quality than this 11 year old Jaya TV Markazhi Mahautsavam. I don't mind living listening to the old records of Masters from the bygone era to satisfy my musical hunger than spoil my taste with sub-standard music.



RG, You need to be very responsible if you are going to sit in the center of the stage. May be you guys are better as violin accompanist? Time to think!