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MUSICSCAN

Highly accomplished: Viji Krishnan with T.N. Krishnan.

“.... It is clear that Viji is already sufficiently accomplished to be able to echo the sound of Krishnan’s violin with remarkable fidelity. Whether she can also reflect the intensely devotional spirit of his music will be known only when she emerges as an independent violinist, either performing as a soloist or accompanying some great vocalists.”

Reviewing the above observation objectively on the basis of some sensitive response from close friends, I must confess that it seems to raise an important and very intricate question of logic: If a certain style of music integrates its sound with a certain spirit, can that sound be echoed faithfully without reflecting that spirit?

In order to appreciate the true implications of this intriguing issue, we must consider the precise nature of various manifestations of spirit in the sound of music. A significant fact to remember in this context is that the whole spirit of music is governed by the social, cultural, romantic, military, patriotic or religious values and sentiments prevailing in any given part of the world at any given time. The most striking and worldwide examples of the social spirit of music are folk music traditions which celebrate the advent of the different seasons of the year and stimulate related rural festivities, or highlight joyful landmarks of life such as birth, puberty and marriage, or even commemorate death.

The impact of purely cultural values can be seen in romantic music-like opera in Europe and ghazals in the Indian sub-continent. The military spirit is strongly invoked by the march music of armies everywhere.

Impressive examples of the patriotic spirit governing music were the rousing proletarian songs of Soviet Russia, and the fervent songs of our own Tamil poet Bharatiyar composed during India’s struggle for freedom.

And perhaps the most powerful manifestations of the religious spirit in music can be found in some of the oratorios of the German composers Handel and Bach (particularly Messiah and St. John Passion), and in Carnatic music.

In some cases, especially dance music, instruments alone can infuse the relevant spirit into the sound of music. Thus, even if orchestral music meant for the ballet or the ballroom is performed in the concert hall, it can effectively evoke bright visions of lively dancers. Similarly, a military band playing on ceremonial occasions can evoke dynamic images of marching soldiers and battlefields. But in many contexts the vocal element is predominant because the voice alone can deliver the lyrics which are necessary for conveying the sentiments governing the music (for instance, opera in Europe and Carnatic music in South India).

The human voice, of course, is the most vital element in Carnatic music, which is totally and inflexibly dedicated to the adoration and worship of the Supreme Lord and His Consort in their various avatars. The violin has traditionally been assigned only a supporting role, and normally its sound is only an echo of the voice.

Therefore, when the violin is played as a solo instrument in Carnatic music (like the flute or the veena), it still has to trace out the lines of the compositions in order to convey the devotional spirit of the music. In the hands of many gifted musicians, the sound of the solo violin does evoke the lyrics, especially in the case of well-known songs.

But only a truly great violinist can generate a profound devotional spirit not only when rendering the sacred compositions, but even when outlining the raga as a lyricless prelude to a song. And as explained in this column earlier (February 1), producing precisely such a magic effect is the hallmark of veteran violinist T.N. Krishnan’s lifelong accomplishment.

Now let us ask ourselves a basic question: Can the spirit of Krishnan’s music be separated from its sound as if they are two different phenomena? Surely, the answer is: No, it can’t! And let us also ask: If his daughter and disciple Viji has assimilated his style well enough to be able to echo the sound of his music with remarkable fidelity, wouldn’t she be reflecting its worshipful spirit also? The logical answer, of course, is: Yes, she would!

Perhaps this fact isn’t getting properly registered in our minds today because in the concert hall Viji continues to perform only in the shadow of her father. But we can be sure that when she emerges as an independent violinist in due course, she will carry forward his unique style — which means the soulful spirit as well as the serene sound of his music – far into the future.

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