Time for some soul searching

CHENNAI:  We scanned the music season, to assess whether Carnatic music will be retaining its highly aesthetic and elevating spirit, as its unique individuality. We evaluated the depressing ‘drought’ by way of attendance, during the rest of the year. We intonated our faith in ‘young musicians’ who are developing their art to the ‘quality’ of old vidwans, by their intrinsic academic strength and  good voices.While on this aspect, as I have been pointing it out in my reviews, practice of the ‘book spread inspiration’, is coming to stay, even for the oft repeated kirtanas. It is certainly an acknowledgement, on the part of the musicians, that the songs have not been committed, fully to the memory. The sangathis in ‘Trikalam’ is only an alibi, to cloth the ‘bookish skeleton structure’ to make them respectable.Such an adhoc approach to song interpretation, makes it obvious that either the mind of the musician is not in the beauty of the song or his or her devotion to the great composers is so fragile, that he or she is not able to understand the ‘intent’ of the composers, who have dedicated their lives to the ‘preservation of high standards’.Few musicians were looking into papers before them, even while singing Kalpana Swaras! Probably the paper contained information, as to where to commence, particularly ‘long’ SWARA KORVAIS, also help to systematise, even ‘Kalpana Swaras’.The extraneous aides, to make carnatic music, and still pass for a ‘great fine art’. It is not more ‘artifice’ than ‘art’.Let us evaluate the role of the Sabhas and the Rasikas Organisations for fostering culture are more concerned with the ‘entertainment value’ and so to them, music is only one item among others. The Sabha organisers should understand that as long as they overrate the ‘utilisation value’ of money, and the arts depending on the ‘doles handed out’, there can be no hope, for our cultural heritage to ever attain its  pristine glory.Those harping on ‘Standards’ would be ‘poo-poohed’ by Sabhas, since they make their toll any way.Decades earlier, only a small group of musically knowledgeable listeners formed the audience. Their aesthetic sense of appreciation was elevated by the sheer artistry of the giants of that day. Today, we see people of all hues, listening to music and waiting to applaud at the torrential Tara Sthayi.There needs to be a critical examination of the ‘real worth’ and not the ‘inflated worth’ of the musicians. There is no room for personal bias, consideration of consanguinity or any other such relevance.If reality is any reflection of the present trend of ‘money flow’ only towards the coffers of the sabha, at the cost of sanguine cultural thrust, there is need for soul searching by musicians/organisations and rasikas.