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Music Season
Music matters - II
Sleight of hand
Rasikas at the Narada Gana Sabha cannot miss Thanikachalam - a tall, hefty figure in spotless white doing the work of the field level supervisor. And what perhaps clinches his place in the sabha’s history is the way he does the change of garlands for the portraits of Swami Gnanananda Giri and Swami Haridas Giri, those of the Trinity, Marudhanallur Sadguru Swamigal, Sadguru Sridhara Venkatesa Aiyavaal and Sadguru Sri Bodhendra Swamigal.
It seems to be a real sleight of hand as with a long pole he removes the faded strands and with equal ease hoists the fresh ones – all “within an avarthanam-rendu kalai.” This perhaps is one Sabha where fresh flowers are being used, unlike the plastic or paper imitations.
Vocal violinist
How many are aware that S. Varadarajan, that melodious violinist, can also sing. After Mangalam brings the curtain down, a recital of sorts begins as Varadarajan, riding his two wheeler, starts singing the song that caught his imagination at the concert. Blessed are the pillion-riders. But what will be his sruthi - the whir of the wheels?
Facing the music
To music lovers who live away from Chennai, this city seems full of rasikas. People even say the auto rickshaw drivers are aware of sabha schedules and eagerly ask passengers about concerts by star singers. Not all of them, though.
An American fan of Carnatic music found his enthusiasm misplaced when he invited his auto driver into a concert. Recalls Ramesh, “He bought me a ticket for Rs.500, and my seat was right in front, close to the stage. But I couldn’t understand a thing.
The singer was just sitting there saying ‘Saaaa…’ I sat there for a while, but when I couldn’t take it any longer, I had to leave.”
Saying he would wait outside, Ramesh exited the hall, leaving his generous, if bewildered, client to savour the music alone. “He kept asking me what happened,” says Ramesh. Well, when was it ever easy to face the music?
Sound that doesn’t bite
The testing of the new acoustic system that the Music Academy conducted has really helped.
An award-winning young artist paid handsome tribute by saying that performing at the Academy was always a matter of prestige but this time it was absolute pleasure, without the mike playing truant. The state-of-the-art equipment has added melody to the music.
(Contributed by S. Sivakumar and Anjana Rajan)
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