The Score Magazine - Archive August 2009 Issue | Page 20

The Score Magazine | Demystifying Classics
TURN OFF BEAT
Rasikas
 I PuncheraLingam
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Vannakkam, to all my eager younger generation friends.
I always tell the following quote “Once a rasika, always a rasika”. And thus it
is my attempt via the medium of this column to make each and every one of
you a true rasika. We will contine in the same vein where we left off in my
last column wherein we make an appropriate selection of a western song
and then proceed to understand it within our own sacred traditional musical
framework. This will enable us to broaden our knowledge base especially
with respect to viewing the big picture and also, let us not forget, under-
stand in depth the manodharmam aspect of the performer.
The song we have selected for our analysis today is a song titled “Who let
the dogs out”
Composers
This song is much like our very own traditional compositions which have
been originally composed by a composer and then have been re-interpreted
and re-rendered by generations of performers. Similarly, within our selected
composition, the song was inspirationally composed by Anslem Douglas,
and then re-rendered by the Baha Men.
Deity and Meaning of the lyrics
After a careful analysis I have reached the conclusion that the prime deity
in our composition unlike my earlier assumption, does not belong to any
category of Gods or Goddesses. Rather, it has been written in the honour
of something which is as sacred as the divine- “Work”. It is an expression of
the composer about the existing lack of respect for the proper procedures
and systems and the chaos that has resulted because of undocumented and
irregular methods adopted by the modern generation. The sahitya of the
song repeatedly asks the same question as to “Who let the dogs out”. This
clearly implies that the dogs were let out without the proper procedure be-
ing followed. In other words, no proper application was filed for the release
of the dogs, the respective authorized person was not notified about the
release of the dogs and also the process was not documented within the
concerned department. Who is the responsible person for allowing this ir-
regularity? . This is the lament of the composer. Though the composition
only talks within the purview of dogs, we can apply this lesson to every walk
of life.
Technicalities
The mastery of this composition is expressed through the repeated use of
the “woof” to showcase the jati aspect of the tala. Let me break it down for
you, rather, let me adopt the “divide and rule” policy wherein we isolate in-
dependent structures within the composition to identify the relevant struc-
tures and appropriate it. You might say that how can the jati be the same
“woof”? The answer in fact is that each “woof” of the charanam is different.
Also to complicate the affairs, each “woof” has its own independent exter-
nal visual representation or “Kriya”. The differentiation between “woofs” to
mark the aksharams of the tala are thus operating on the levels of
a) changing the gamakam on the “woof”
b) using of a different hand, mouth or finger representation while saying
the “woof”
c) expressing of the bhava of the “woof” by modulating of the pitch and
volume, and lastly
d) saying the “woof” at half count or introducing “karvai”(sustain) after a
particular “woof”.
This, my young friends is true representation of the manodharmam aspect
or the improvising within rhythm and taanam of the performer. A truly bril-
liant rendering of a well crafted masterpiece.
Concluding Remarks
Given the complicated level of creativity within this composition, this song
might not be the ideal song to start the beginning of your journey to be-
come a true rasika but it can function as a benchmark for upcoming talent
to look and improvise, see and learn and apply and appropriate within their
knowledge base. You might not also understand in entirety the subtleties of
the “woof” on first glance or the lament on the lack of structured processes
missing in the modern generation, but watch again, hear again, pay atten-
tion once again and you will truly uncover the pearls of wisdom.