Pace of Rendering Kritis

vgvindan · Post by **vgvindan** » 15 Mar 2008, 20:51

I was just listening to Thyagaraja Kriti 'Sundar Ni Divya Rupamu' - Kalyani in WS rendered by M. Bala Murali Krishna. This has been rendered in fast pace.

On the other hand the same Kriti rendered by Loknath Sarma is in slow pace and what a wonderful rendition - relishing each and every word. What a neraval at 'manda gamanE' and 'nannu kanna talli nA janmamu nAdu saphalamAyenamma'!

I wish people could listen to the version of Loknath Sarma and make assessment for themselves.

http://rapidshare.com/files/99743962/Su ... garaja.mp3

fuddyduddy · Post by **fuddyduddy** » 15 Mar 2008, 21:09

Wonderful topic... I'm in favor of slow renditions these days. I feel like artistes can do one or two fast renditions in a concert to show their talent of how fast they can sing but to get the 'sowkhyam'ness, its always a slow rendition that exhibits ones talent..

vgvindan · Post by **vgvindan** » 15 Mar 2008, 22:12

And, here is 'kELanO hari tALanO' - Purandarasa Dasa Kriti by the same artist

http://rapidshare.com/files/99758811/Ke ... a_Dasa.mp3

latAngi · Post by **latAngi** » 15 Mar 2008, 22:49

BMK has also rendered a slow paced version of the same kriti. I will let you know when I find it.

latAngi · Post by **latAngi** » 15 Mar 2008, 22:52

Uh oh. I have it on cassette...

money · Post by **money** » 16 Mar 2008, 12:38

I have also heard BMK rendering it at a leisurely pace after an elaborate kalyani ,This kriti is a piece of remarkable beauty, allowing a faster tempo treatment with the same punch.The raga kalyani itself lends itself to such versatile treatment.
A vilambita kala cannot be resorted to by everyone as it needs a strong and energy packed voice to sustain the continuity required to make vilambita come alive.Otherwise it can become dull and boring.
Ranganayakam of Dikshitar is a grand example of a vilambita kriti. Its phenomenal beauty, depth and sheer artistery will not be brought out in madhyamakala.It will be a rare misician who can successfully attempt it in a faster tempo.
Slow tempo is highly pleasing no doubt, but it needs someone of DKJs calibre to briing to life.
That said can katanakutoohalam and navarasakanada be treated in vilambita?

vgvindan · Post by **vgvindan** » 16 Mar 2008, 19:37

My purpose of bringing out the difference in the pace is to underline the need for the musicians to understand the mood (bhAva) of the kriti and accordingly sing. There are some kritis of Sri Thyagaraja - Eg - 'mAkElarA vicAramu' - ravi candrika - which is in the bhAva of 'gay abandon'. Singing such kritis in fast pace may be understandable. But, the culture of singing kirits like 'nagu mOmu' - AbhEri in fast pace shows lack of understanding of the mood.

In the kriti 'sundari nI divya' - the words 'manda gamana' - slow gaited - has been rendered by Loknath Sarma with emphasis on the word 'manda' as 'mannnda' - to actually depict the 'slowness'. Only those who have such understanding excel. Rest are 'also rans' only.

In one of the interviews in WS, a musician (I think it is Dr Pinakapani) has made a relevant statement - 'music is a dance of sound; if you run, how can you dance?"

latAngi · Post by **latAngi** » 16 Mar 2008, 19:56

Understanding the kriti and rendering it is no doubt enjoyable and praiseworthy. At the same time however, for a listener who does not understand the language in which a kriti is being rendered, it doesn't really matter what mood the kriti was composed in but what mood is being conveyed at the time of singing the kriti.

I for one do not understand the Telugu language to a large extent, only Sanskritized words in the language make some sense to me. Since nagumomu has been mentioned perhaps I can use the same to explain what I mean. Nagumomu, no matter what its meaning is, for most people who listen to it, it just means something joyous, owing to our nAdaswaram folks playing it with gay abandon at weddings at a very fast pace.

Also singers like MMI were criticized for their pronunciation, for their breaking up the 'joined words' in sanskrit at the wrong points Ex. kamalAm Bomb bHajarE. One could hardly categorize him as an also ran in the music world. MDR on the other hand, most of his renderings are slow paced. He was a scholar who understood what he was singing including the retention of the bHAva that we are referring to, but went under appreciated during his lifetime. Perhaps its just trends and listeners choice of what they like that determines who they want to listen to and where they are in their pursuit of enjoying CM.

vgvindan · Post by **vgvindan** » 16 Mar 2008, 20:56

MDR on the other hand, most of his renderings are slow paced. He was a scholar who understood what he was singing including the retention of the bHAva that we are referring to, but went under appreciated during his lifetime

So is Loknath Sarma - He is not heard in CM circles.

The popular cinema - popular CM - both have wonderful similarities. It also reflects on the state of rasikas.

There is a nice Tamil saying 'payithiyam telinjA kalyanamAgum - kalyAnamAnAl payithiyam teLiyum' (He will get married if he is rid of insanity - he will be rid of insanity if he gets married) - a nice catch 22 situation.

So let us not open the Pandora's box - we are happy where we are!!!

latAngi · Post by **latAngi** » 16 Mar 2008, 21:42

These days we can go so far as to say 'payithiyam teLinjA kalyANamAgum - kalyANamAnAl payithiyam pidikkum'

thus relieving ourselves of the catch 22 situation. It seems we can easily choose what we wish to experience. I agree, we should leave the Pandora's box closed, just like many such topics that we discuss in the general discussions section that critique musicians whether on style, behaviour or their personalities & preferences off-stage. Perhaps I am going off on a tangent, somehow it seemed a relevant observation to make

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