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Book Review
Dance music
H. RAMAKRISHNAN
INDIAN MUSIC AND AN ENCHANTING AMALGAM OF DANCE: Vasanthy Krishna Rao; Sanjay Prakashan, 4378/4 D-209 J.M.D.House, Ansari Road, Daryaganj, New Delhi. Rs. 400.
The author is a performing artiste and an academic who has rich experience in providing vocal support to eminent dancers for over two decades. This extraordinary combination of expertise and experience puts her in an eminently advantageous position to write this book. Opening with an introduction, though brief, to the development of arts, music and dance, it deals extensively with the aspects of Bhava (emotional experience), Rasa (feeling), music, evolution of compositions
, kriti, kirtan, and a detailed history of Natya. The various characteristics of Bharathanatyam and Carnatic music, including the scope for Natya elements in kritis, are extensively analysed. This includes an overview of Bharathanatyam and Carnatic music, different musical and dance forms, and a brief account of contributions made by some composers to dance music.
Features
The life histories and details of songs of five eminent composers — Saint Tyagaraja, Muthuswami Dikshitar, Syama Sastri, Swathi Thirunal and Papanasam Sivan form the main segment of the book. Of course, Tyagaraja gets exceptional treatment, and justifiably so. He reigns supreme in portraying the mosaic of moods and feelings in his compositions. The author has analysed the potential of several songs for different types of abhinaya exposition and has provided meanings of such compositions. Detailed lists of selected songs of these five composers which offer scope for choreography have also been provided.
The various aspects of Carnatic music and dance that are covered comprehensively read like a treatise that would be educative and serve as an eye opener to many experienced artistes as also to aspiring youth. Swathi Thirunal seems to be her special focus. A long chapter has been devoted to his versatility and to his invaluable contribution to Bharatanatyam in the forms of Padavarnams, Padams, Javalis, Thillanas and devotional Hindi Bhajans.
Overview
Carnatic music is an ocean, composers are many in number and their compositions are innumerable. I agree, it is not practically possible to attempt a comprehensive study covering all the composers. However, curiously and conspicuously missing is a chapter on Oothukkadu Venkata Kavi, whose “Thayae Yasodha”, “Aadaathu Asangaathu Vaa”, “Alai Paayuthae”, “Swagatham Krishna” and several other songs lend themselves to enormous scope for Abhinaya and dramatic potential. This omission is incomprehensible.
Similarly, Goplakrishna Bharathi and Arunachala Kavirayar should have been more elaborately and comprehensively treated. Who can deny that Nandanar and Rama Natakam songs offer infinite scope for choreography? Secondly, there could have been better proof reading. And, an index is essential for a large study like this.
Nonetheless, this well-researched book provides a welcome overview of a difficult subject. Both dancers and musicians would benefit by this.
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