The Score Magazine - Archive October 2016 issue! | Page 45

ANANYA ASHOK
of Travancore, who lived in a time almost a century after the
trinity, is the most recognized composer of Carnatic Music
from Kerala. From Karnataka, Purandara Dasar is the most
celebrated composer of this region. In Tamil Nadu, the Tamil
Trinity (Muttutandavar, Marimutta Pillai, and Arunachala
Kavirayar) as well several contemporary composers such
as Papanasam Sivan and Periyasami Tooran, to name a few
have had their compositions immortalized and initiated as a
staple concert item in circuits.
The Southern Indian region, home to many artists of all ages
and caliber, serves as a haven for Carnatic Music. Festivals
on different deities, composers, and musical concepts give
artists ample opportunities to expand their repertoire by
reviving forgotten classics or unearthing rare pieces of the
past. There is also an unspoken requirement of presenting
compositions of the Trinity and specific types of ragas in
order for a musician’s concert list to be deemed complete.
Furthermore, depending on the region in which a musician
performs, there are expectations to present compositions by
composers of that specific region. One might even say that a
Carnatic artist of today finds him/herself having to consider
his/her audience’s preferences prior to performance.
Though not always the case, many instances show
prominent musicians performing specific items that they are
either well known for or are guaranteed to be received well
by the masses.
Providing variations in compositional structure, beat, and
tempo molded the modern day concert format further. One
of the Doyens of Carnatic Music, Sri Ariyakudi Ramanuja
Iyengar, was the architect of this modern concert format.
During his time (early to late 20th century), it was common
for concerts to go on for several hours. However, in today’s
fast paced world, the duration of concerts has decreased
considerably while the number of performing artists has
increased substantially. Even so, the guidelines set by
Ramanuja Iyenger are prevalent in these ‘mini concerts’.
The format also assigns structure to the concert stage by
assigning roles of each artist on stage. The focus being the
Vocalist/main instrumentalist while the accompaniment
to the main artist is violin, mridangam, and if desired a
kanjira/morsing/ghatam to accompany the Mridangam.
The role of the violinist according to Ramanuja Iyengar is
to follow the main artist in rendering compositions and his/
her improvisations and all accompaniments come into play
during the rendering of a song. Good rapport between the
violinist and vocalist is essential. Both should engage in
healthy exchange of ideas. When the vocalist sings a raga for
a certain length, the violinist should take care to keep his/
her playing to the same length. The violinist should also
be skilled in accompanying different styles of singing. The
violinist may exhibit his virtuosity during solo concerts
but, when accompanying, should merge with the vocalist’s
style and underplay his individuality. The percussionist
gets to have a solo after a main piece (generally a large
song followed by extensive improvisation) and even after a
pallavi (larger than the main piece consisting of a string of
meaningful words set to an intricate beat cycle) if he/she
wishes.
With over a thousand organizations throughout India and
across the world dedicated to promoting Carnatic Music,
many artists and their audiences have come to accept and
even embrace the kucheri paddhati. There are of course a
few choice artists who possess a unique approach to the art
form while still adhering to the format to a major extent.
As takers of Carnatic Music increase in number, audiences
accumulate and grow eager for something different and
extraordinary. Pushing boundaries and experimentation in
the traditional arts through fusion is a recurring theme in
today’s scene. The next stage in evolution of South Indian
Classical Music perhaps, lies in the untapped potential of
such endeavors.
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