Kerala - Thrissur   

Preserve core values of classical music: vocalist

PHOTO: K.C. Sowmish

ENCORE:Vocalist Sanjay Subramaniam performing at Sree Vadakkunnathan temple in Thrissur on Wednesday as part of the Sivaratri celebrations.

THRISSUR: Before his concert at Sree Vadakkunnathan temple here, vocalist Sanjay Subramaniam appears relaxed. “Every concert is a unique experience,” he says. “It opens a new world to me. Each time you explore a raga, it offers a new experience. I quietly observe how listeners respond to the nuances of the raga.”

A sought-after vocalist, he says he is against compromising on the core values of Carnatic music to woo listeners. “Classical arts are not easily accessible. To appreciate them, you need to be a patient seeker. Familiarity with the art helps. The biggest challenge facing a contemporary classical vocalist is to cater to people having different levels of appreciation without diluting his art,” he adds.

Changes, he observes, are slow in classical art forms. “It took almost 100 years for Carnatic music to undergo some changes. The duration of concerts has been shortened. Earlier, a raga would be sung for two hours. Today, we may do it for 45 minutes. There are also changes in the choice of compositions and their sequencing. Songs of different tempos and moods are felicitously sequenced in a concert.

Technology has helped instrumentalists amplify their skills,” he says. He pooh-poohs the notion that Carnatic music does not pay attention to voice culture.

“The system carries ideas of vocal culture. If you listen to the greats, you find that most of them had perfect voices. They knew well how to preserve their voices. Take the case of Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar or Semmangudi Sreenivasa Iyer. They could sing effortlessly and energetically in their old age. M. Balamuralikrishna's voice is a truly magical experience,” he says.

Each system has its own method of voice culture. “In western choirs, the main vocal ranges are soprano (a high female voice), alto (a low female voice), tenor (a high adult male voice) and bass (a low adult male voice). A chorister needs to train his or her voice only in a particular range. A Carnatic musician, on the other hand, has to train his or her voice in a wider range. The musician has to tackle two-and-a-half octaves,” he explains.

Mr. Subramaniam is a disciple of V. Lakshminarayana, Rukmini Rajagopalan, Calcutta K. S. Krishnamurthy, Semponarkoil S. R. D. Vaidyanathan. A chartered accountant by profession, he is a recipient of the Kalaimamani Award, instituted by the Tamil Nadu Government. “ Balancing two jobs requires considerable skill,” he says.

Asked about his personal goals, he states, “As a musician I have no concrete goals except that I should sing well. I would like to sing as much as possible and enjoy every bit of it. I believe in living in the present to the fullest.”

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