Of vocalists and instrumentalists
GOWRI RAMNARAYAN
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Does instrumental music get step-motherly treatment in the South?
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Photo: K.V.Srinivasan.
TAKING THINGS IN THEIR STRIDE: (from Left) Ganesh, Mala, Jayalakshmi and Srikanth.
Indian music is known internationally through instruments rather than the voice. Carnatic music is better appreciated nationally through the violin and the flute. Indian instrumentalists have been at the forefront of fusion and jazz ensembles — local, national and global.
Yet does instrumental music get step-motherly treatment in the South? Is this why many violinists turn into vocalists? How many concerts do instruments get compared to vocal music, during and off-season? Is this due to a decline in quality since the reign of titans like T.R.Mahalingam, M.S.Gopalakrishnan, Lalgudi Jayaraman, T.N.Krishnan, S. Balachandar, N.Ramani and Chittibabu?
V.Srikanth (violin), Mala Chandrasekhar (flute), Jayalakshmi Sekhar (veena) and P.Ganesh (chitraveena) debate on these and related questions. They agree those masters remain role models, but instrumentalists today do maintain high standards.
They also agree that this season has been ``better'' for instrumental music.
``Last year's ten listeners including mike man and mother, went up to 25,'' Jaya discloses. Says Ganesh, ``We had 250 where we had only 25.'' Mala has been promoted to the 7.30 p.m. slot at the Music Academy where some 200 listeners stayed back for her entire concert.
``I get crowds when people rush in to bag seats for the popular star in the slot following mine," Jaya laughs. But some of them do come to her other recitals. "No media attention. People are unwilling to risk coming to hear an unknown artiste," explains Srikanth. As an accompanist, he is known to a larger audience. But "If I play solo now, only my mother will come. TNK, MSG and Lalgudi became great artistes by playing for great masters. I too want to gain experience before turning soloist." "North Indians love pure music. We want bhava and bhakti. So we prefer vocal music," says Ganesh amidst vociferous objections that not all vocalists have these attributes.
Unfazed, he continues, "It's a great experience to play in festivals for instruments alone in the North, before huge audiences." Srikanth concedes that there are more instrumentalists than vocalists among Hindustani stars.
Ganesh draws more listeners when he sings with Shashikiran. There is less choice as an instrumentalist. "To succeed you must play well-known, established, popular pieces that people can identify with."
Wryly he observes that in North India people ask for classical Sahana and Kedaragowlai, not Hindolam and Khamas.
Success is assured in fusion and jugalbandi. "Keyboard is king now, I had to squeeze myself to give it pride of place in a pancharatna recital," laughs Jayalakshmi. "There are more opportunities for fusion in concerts and recordings," admits Srikanth. So too is the case when a programme is packaged differently. Mala explains that the all-women ensemble of instrumentalists in Delhi played the same kritis and pallavi but packed the hall.
Better audiences abroad
All of them have seen better audiences and response abroad and in North India. "In my hometown people get restless in a veena or flute concert...I get discouraged sometimes," Mala sighs. "Don't," says Jayalakshmi. "We know that contacts, not merit, is the deciding factor. I don't even have a musical family background like you." Mala counters. "I have fewer concerts this year. Lineage has not helped me."
Women also encounter gender bias. Some veteran percussionists agree to play in lucrative wedding recitals, but not in sabha concerts, Mala admits. "They won't join my lower slot recital," Jayalakshmi shrugs.
Srikanth wonders if instrumentalists go for fireworks because they believe that raciness attracts crowds. Then, eventually, their music becomes one dimensional, even mechanical. Mala voices dismay, "Few care for padams when sung. They will run if we play `Valapudasa.' But she did evoke a "bhesh!" for her Ahiri, so maybe there are takers for serious music? Jaya introduces one heavy piece in each recital.
Ganesh believes that heavy pieces succeed when interspersed with bits of singing. "And play exactly like a vocalist sings." Srikanth opposes this advice. "Once when I accompanied jalatarangam, I launched swaras until the player told me he was actually into niraval." Mala and Jaya chorus, "We enjoy niraval. We will play it."
They analyse problems peculiar to instruments — the flute's sruti changes under lights and air conditioning. Ganesh groans about keeping 21 strings tuned to each raga to prevent sympathetic strings from vibrating alien notes. Jaya is critical of veena players testing audience patience by over prolonged tuning. She has adapted her veena to minimise this problem.
The debate ends on a practical note. "We must do our best," says Jaya.
"Tastes will change," Ganesh hopes. Srikanth concludes, "We must have perfect command over the instrument. No use complaining." Mala agrees, "People's mentality must change towards instruments. But we must help them change by becoming so brilliant that they cannot but come to hear us."
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