MUSIC MATTERS
The first Trinity
The emblem of Chennai Fine Arts, which depicts Hanuman with a Chitraveena, was the subject of an interesting reference. At a recent function in the sabha to release "Isai Alaigal-1008", musician and musicologist Dr. Pramila Gurumurthy, who was fascinated by the emblem, drew attention to Hanuman's special place in music. Although Tyagaraja, Dikshitar and Syama Shastri are referred to as `Mummurthigal,' it is said that the Mudal Mummurthigal were Hanuman, Tumburu and Narada who were adept at music, Vedas and shastras. Legend has it a hillock melted during Hanuman's exposition of raga Guntakriya. Hanumathkatakam, which explains thousands of janyaragas, is believed to have been authored by Hanuman himself, the scholar said.
Persistent beat
The strange single drum-beat sound emanating from the sound system took some time to figure out. The culprits were the two-voice mikes kept on the raised wooden platform where the artistes were seated. The tapping (talam) of the duo Ranjani and Gayathri was picked up by the stands, which were holding the mikes placed on the same platform and relayed to the amplification system. Neither the artistes nor the sound engineer was aware of this beat, which continued till the end. The venue: Narada Gana Sabha . Organisers: Kartik Fine Arts. Solution: place the mike stand on the main dais floor with a longer stem to hold the mikes, like they do for the mridangam valanthalai side.
And now, Kathak
For the first time, a kathak festival has been packed into the music season (Dec.17-20). Organised by the Sangeet Natak Akademi, Kathak Kendra and the Kalakshetra Foundation, it assembles many artistes belonging to different schoolsThe festival will feature Uma Sharma, Aditi Mangaldas, and Harish Gangani, among others . The presence of eminent artistes as chief guests will add to the ambience.
Though the word kathak brings rhythm arabesques and sizzling footwork to mind, for the music rasika the genre offers some exquisite melodies. Who has not thrilled to Birju Maharaj singing the thumris of his grandfather, after touching his ear in the traditional salute to his memory?
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