Sriranjani and KBMK : Maaye

[Sachi_R]

The season is upon us again. And yet this time with a big difference. I find many popular artistes upping the ante as far as social media marketing goes. All this is good, for the social media is a great leveller and one needs only mega ideas, not mega bucks to market anything. Trust the viral nature of the Net and the irrepressible eyes and fingers of restless rasikas in your orbit to connect and consume and share and spread these social media bits.

Vid. Sriranjani Santhanagopalan is already a force to reckon with. Her voice, verve, vivacity and versatility all make a big impact.

In this series "Navaratri", which I came to know in my own geriatric way only recently, she has collaborated with many other young singers, mostly male. The setting is simple and the singing very nice. No accompaniments except the godly ubiquity of an electronic tambura. It seems to be all live and not retouched.

This Maaye rendition is very good. Kunnakudi Balamurali sings with a great deal of sweetness. Sriranjani plays second string - that's a pun because her voice is like a mellow stringed instrument as she sings along in the higher pitch.

What can I say about the experience better than what Dikshitar himself has said?

sarasakAye rasakAye sakAye Aye...
A lovely dynamic between the voices, the embodiment of rasa, a very palpable joy, here and now!

Enjoy... Click here:
https://youtu.be/SpUfwPyaWcQ


(PS: In a studio recording, there would have been less reverb and better presence of the two voices).

[CRama]

nice rendering. Thanks for bringing to our notice.

[prashant]

However nice this video may be, there is no running away from the fact that this version is simply incorrect.

Tarangini should be sung with shuddha dhaivatha, and the notation of this is available in the SSP.

It would be nice if these "front line" and "crowd pleasing" artistes did a modicum of research and bothered to present authentic versions of songs rather than just put out sub-standard content to garner likes. This would doubtless have been appreciated by the Acharya too whose picture features prominently in the video.

[sureshvv]

However nice this video may be, there is no running away from the fact that this version is simply incorrect.

Tarangini should be sung with shuddha dhaivatha, and the notation of this is available in the SSP.

Unofficial sources indicate that TMK and Vedavalli mami are working on a video that will correct this - and will be released at the Kodikkarai kuppam festival by Sivarathri

[Sachi_R]

Before the waters are muddied and books written on this subject, let me share two bits that people would perhaps love!
1. This Blog post on Tarangini:
http://guruguha.org/blog/2010/04/25/tar ... nt-beauty/
The author writes well and is passionate about preserving the original version.
2. This veena rendition by Prof R Vishveshwaran of Mysore:
http://www.sangeethapriya.org/new-templ ... FyLm1wMw==

[prashant]

The books have already written Sir. It’s just that these artistes choose not to read them - much easier that way, right?

[Sachi_R]

I am holding no brief for these artistes. But as I see it, they sang the version sung by at least 3 sangita kalanidhis. They also have great gurus. So I choose to enjoy this rendition. As well as the more sombre older version which I have heard from VVS and Prof RV
Somewhat different.
My own take is that this sahitya itself is a "clever" one and Sri MD would not have minded this new rendition either

[sureshvv]

The books have already written Sir. It’s just that these artistes choose not to read them - much easier that way, right?

What you don't seem to understand is that artistes are not some recording and reproducing service. And ALL compositions have undergone and will continue to see changes & those that endure will be considered improvements.

[prashant]

What you don’t seem to understand is that artistes should not consider themselves at liberty to willy- nilly change whatever they want, when the intentions of the composer were well known and copiously documented.

Rasikas should challenge and encourage artistes, and not give free passes to their favourites to peddle nonsense like this.

[prashant]

I am holding no brief for these artistes. But as I see it, they sang the version sung by at least 3 sangita kalanidhis. They also have great gurus.

Sir, I respect your viewpoint, and appreciate your encouragement and enjoyment of these artistes' music, but I cannot share in it. Just because three Sangita Kalanidhis have sung this version does not make it correct.

It is not difficult for for the current generation of artistes in today's age to gather information, study literature, and make informed musical choices. The same informative articles you posted are available to them as well. If they still choose to do lazy things like this, rasikas like me are well within their rights to object to it.

[Sachi_R]

For those who missed this description in the video:

[sureshvv]

It is not difficult for for the current generation of artistes in today's age to gather information, study literature, and make informed musical choices.

Agree 100%

The same informative articles you posted are available to them as well. If they still choose to do lazy things like this, rasikas like me are well within their rights to object to it.

I do not see any laziness in their producing this video and putting it up for all. What I see is the "informed musical choice" that you referred to earlier. You are well within your rights, but throwing around words like "lazy" will not get you far.

[arasi]

Ah, the prAcIna and the present!
The great grandmother in her traditional sari is such a perfect sight...
That's tradition, and we respect it no end--but life is not an ancient portrait on the wall--it flows, changes happen, so too in the arts--no need to accept them all in the name of change, but life and the arts do evolve. We don't need to change grammar books, but writing over the centuries evolves and bring s about changes. So also in other forms of arts. We don't have to blindly accept them all and stay without stirring. Not at all,and responsible creativity (also in classical music) is welcome.

It's no big deal, presenting a Navaratri kolu at home which goes with music always--an informal setting, a truly cultural expression, and I thought it a novel (yes!) and welcoming approach to celebrating an old tradition in the way it was, by households everywhere in the CM listening communities...

Prashant,
No offence meant, and good to hear from you!

[prashant]

You are well within your rights, but throwing around words like "lazy" will not get you far.

Thank you Suresh. I have gotten as far as I wish to go with these particular artistes, for sure, and I am very comfortable with that. I sincerely wish them the best in their individual musical journeys.

[sureshvv]

When I said "will not get you far", I meant the persuasive power of your arguments to convince the typical reader here. I was pretty sure that you had already given up on these particular artistes and their ilk. But may be you were just venting!

[prashant]

But may be you were just venting!