Opinion - Letters to the Editor   

Music season

This refers to the editorial "Behind Chennai's music season" (Dec. 5). The composer trinity of Thyagaraja, Muthuswami Dikshitar, and Syama Shastri, their peers and later day composers such as Papanasam Sivan used Carnatic music as a vehicle of devotion and to reach out to devout Hindus. Carnatic music has since remained largely a preserve of Hindus. The Bhakti movement enriched Hindustani music too. Yet varied forms such as khayals and thumris give space to practitioners and followers of all religions. It will be a grave mistake to confine Carnatic music to the narrow confines of the bhakti movement. Efforts should be made to make it more acceptable to all.

Mohan Sharma,
Chennai

The Chennai music season is here again. Many NRIs visit the city to get the flavour of the season. Some come to perform and get recognition from the critical audience in the city. Their participation is significant because they propagate Indian culture in their adopted countries. It is hoped the Chennai sabhas will encourage talented and deserving NRIs.

K. Venkataraman,
Mumbai

The duration of concerts has declined substantially over the years. Music lovers will love to hear at least one four-hour concert every day during the season with emphasis on elaborate ragam thanam pallavi and thematic singing. Audience support may not be forthcoming initially but the ingenuity and creativity of artists will draw the rasikas in due course of time.

Ramanathan Krishnamurthy,
New York

Of late, the tendency among artists to perform in almost all the sabhas has been increasing at an alarming rate. As a result, young artists do not get adequate opportunity. Sabhas are also helpless in view of pressure from sponsors, influence of VIPs, etc.

In the interest of the talented younger lot, the festival should be streamlined by way of preliminary tests prescribing standards appropriate to the time slot. If the younger artists are able to meet the standards for prime time slots, they should be encouraged to perform irrespective of their age and experience.

Geetha C. Mohan,
Chennai

Those who have been witness to the music season for nearly 60 years have pleasant memories. The Music Academy concerts were held in spacious, decorated pandals on the grounds of the Pennathur Subramania Iyer School at Mylapore. The season used to be inaugurated by nadaswaram giants such as P.S. Veeruswamy Pillai, T.N. Rajaratnam Pillai, and Karukurichi Arunachalam.

Stalwarts such as Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar, Maharajapuram Viswanatha Iyer, Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer, Musiri Subramaniam, Madurai Mani Iyer, Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavathar, and GNB rightly took the evening slots to the accompaniment of famous violinists such as Mysore Chowdaiah, Rajamanickam Pillai, Papa Venkataramaiah, Mayavaram Govinda Raja Pillai and mridangists such as Palghat Mani Iyer, Palani Subramania Pillai, Murughaboopathy, and Palghat Raghu. Music lovers used to flock to the concerts lasting nearly three-and-a-half hours.

Some argue for innovations in Carnatic music but it should be understood that it is age old like Gayatri mantra and Rama japam. There can be new experiences in singing but the music will continue to remain old and classical.

C.V. Subramaniam,
Bangalore

Chennai

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