Nearly extinct: Applause

Miscellaneous topics on Carnatic music
shankarank
Posts: 4043
Joined: 15 Jun 2009, 07:16

Re: Nearly extinct: Applause

Post by shankarank »

You apty described the change in life style that necessitated the changes. For rhythm oriented listeners like me, his vervy short renditions, one Avarta svarams that land sweetly on eduppu is a captivator. We only hear about the pURvikalyAni/pantuvarALi piece in that spot and not the verve of svaras often.

Einstein's brilliant blunders:

https://youtu.be/VcMwe7x2HJo?t=4479
Beauty is in the principle and not the form of (equations)
Last edited by shankarank on 13 Apr 2022, 19:27, edited 1 time in total.

Sachi_R
Posts: 2174
Joined: 31 Jan 2017, 20:20

Re: Nearly extinct: Applause

Post by Sachi_R »

RSR and Shankaran, what gems! Thanks

thenpaanan
Posts: 635
Joined: 04 Feb 2010, 19:45

Re: Nearly extinct: Applause

Post by thenpaanan »

arasi wrote: 12 Apr 2022, 00:10 ...
Of course, in a classical music performance, other than a hearty applause, euphoric chanting, whistling and such have no place. They belong in the sports arena-olEs too. Better save bhalE-s, bhEsh-s and SabhAsh-s for sabhAs. Perhaps AHA-s and arumai are fine too :)
But how did we arrive at this? There is nothing obvious about hearty applause being more appropriate for classical music than the other forms of appreciation, apart from an accident of history. In every context there is an etiquette for appreciation which is formed by some unseen process. Clapping at the wrong point can be seen as disruptive as well. So clapping to me is no different than shaking hands.

-T

thenpaanan
Posts: 635
Joined: 04 Feb 2010, 19:45

Re: Nearly extinct: Applause

Post by thenpaanan »

arasi wrote: 11 Apr 2022, 18:01
Thenpaanan,
sanyAsiyum virumbum oru dhanyAsi
ennAsaiyuDan nIr adu kETTiruppIr!
tannAsaiyil isai tannilE vaLarthu--inRu
ten pANanAi tigazhginRIr--enavE
tEnAm isai anRu tAnE umadAyiTRE :)
Arasi

I am at a loss for words! So a mere thank you is all I can manage. *blushing crimson*

-T

arasi
Posts: 16774
Joined: 22 Jun 2006, 09:30

Re: Nearly extinct: Applause

Post by arasi »

pANan can mean both a musician and a poet. Over the years, since I have had a sense about your ardor for music, for whatever reason you called yourself thenpaanan, I have in my own way understood it as--a pADagan (musician)from tennADu (Tamizh NADu). We both are tenpANar-s (if what I wrote about you is poetry)!
Had I said--also tEn (honey-like) pANan, you would have sported a color deeper than crimson :):)
I sort of remember too the way you went about showing interest and learning an unknown's song years ago, just as Sujatha (miss her on the forum) immediately learnt another song and let us hear it on her violin.

An old sitcom song? "We are family" comes to mind...

shankarank
Posts: 4043
Joined: 15 Jun 2009, 07:16

Re: Nearly extinct: Applause

Post by shankarank »

RSR wrote: 12 Apr 2022, 08:38 .
We are not any poorer for appreciating the finished creations in literature. To insist that , we must have access to the process of creation, including the numerous 'proofs' and discarded manuscripts , is ,illogical. This is a charge levelled against pre-recorded music Quite unreasonable.
Also true! We cannot have access to the exquisite rAga expositions of Semmangudi Mama sitting in his Unjal to fellow students! Neither the practice sessions of TNR drenched in oil - pre-bath. The fact that some have listened to it and developed a deeper sense of music is a boon to all of us, when such knowledgeables adorn the sadas or sabha front rows and share their musical knowledge and experience.

I hope this does not become a justification to proclaim that this music can be salon music and we don't need the decorum of the stage. The stage is not merely elevated and lit. We still continue the practice of decorum accorded to it as a sacred space.

As regards lighting , In fact in most concerts in the U.S where the tendency is to darken the auditorium, musicians ask auditoriums to be lit as well, so they can see the reaction.
RSR wrote: 12 Apr 2022, 08:38 .....Most diaspora families have access to taped and recorded music only. ....Casettes by leading vocalists today are available in plenty.
Hello! Hello! In the musical Madurai that was the state of affairs for many! No need to mention diaspora. Diaspora , during the same time frame were indeed more fortunate as they were getting full length spool tapes from one Mr. Auto Parts Natarajan ( as mentioned by my mentor the Tanjorian Marathi Grundig tape collector!) , of course with the tani avartanam cut out :( . And during 70s, they were getting the archives from earlier decades as well. He did mention that being a Mali fan, for some of it he had to personally hunt.

And all the musicians were making a beeline to the U.S concert circuit with interest waning in India. There were indeed no dearth of live music for them either, with concerts happening in regular and convenient monthly intervals, with opportunities to socialize among the community.

You don't have to sell me the efficacy of pre-produced music , as I made treks to cassette shops looking for the next Tarangini Cassette release from K.J Yesudas. I still go back to it with nostalgia.

But one should use pre-produced music to further the interest to seek more forms of presentation and not get stuck with it.

Sadas music, like that of Smt. DhanammAL is for seekers with level of maturity much higher. And in Smt. DhanammAL sadas , no body can put tALam or clap right? That form can be still practiced by musicians in home concert settings along with performances where they earn livelihood. Question is how does a musician transition between the two settings and create the higher value in sadas format?

Sabha music is pracAra or propagation of music. To do propagation has become a necessity for Spiritual heads as well. As one SRngEri Acharya noted with regret in early decades of 1900s: "At one point people trekked all the way to the mutt having only pAl (milk) and pazham (Fruit) and heard advaita and came back. Now it has become necessary to do pracAram"!

RSR
Posts: 3427
Joined: 11 Oct 2015, 23:31

Re: Nearly extinct: Applause

Post by RSR »

We do not have any tapes or records of concerts from 1930 to 1950.
If the Grundig tapes have any, it should be shared That would be precious. (there is a kutchery set by MMI, however..I am not sure about the year).
TNR / SSI informal singing , may have counterparts today too. They can be video-ed and shared . Why not?
--
we must grow up to appreciate the Trinity kruthis , without any accompaniment. All of them are just 4 minutes duration. Analyzing the concert pattern , in a number of recent uploads, 1964, music academy, this is confirmed.

shankarank
Posts: 4043
Joined: 15 Jun 2009, 07:16

Re: Nearly extinct: Applause

Post by shankarank »

Yes, absolutely! Not even Sruti or tambura should be allowed! I will become the king of rasikas, like her highness, the queen of Travancore! ;)

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