A - Z by a Critic

Few things in life will never change. One among them is the one liner appreciation / critical view of a music critic on the Mridangam / Ghatam / Khanjeera Maestros/Vidwans/players/artists. This trend is continuing for a long period of time and there has been no improvement or there has be no step taken by the Professional music Critics to learn what to write. Now a days new trend has started, Rasikas started to give their views on the concert. 

The views have become stale, bad, worse, biased, TOTALLY biased and top of it writting without any knowledge. Yes, I am talking about www.rasikas.org only and nothing else.


The so called Rasikas have started commenting about the artists who have seen generations of musicians and have given lots and lots of concerts, and these so called rasikas giving their opinion on how to sing, what to sing and  even going to the extent of giving suggestions to the vidwans. 

26 One liners - By different "so called" Critics

Accompanied by X and Y on Mridangam and Ghatam.

Both of them did a spelndid job in the thani.

Commendable support in lifting the concert.

Demonstrated his mridangam playing skills along with equally esteemed ghatam player.

Energetic thani by the mridangist was enjoyable.

Fireworks allround and the thani was majestic, with nice support

Gave a good accompaniment especially during main

His left side play was very good this morning. first round of his thani was a bit long and convoluted, but there was probably some intiricate kaNakku I failed to grasp.

Intellectual thani by the accompanists was really enjoyable

Joyous thani followed by a quick thillana and thukkadas was the highlight of the concert.

Kritis were followed aptly by the mridangam player and for the manOdharma portions as well.

Loud and obnoxious, he banged way too much and it was entirely inappropriate

Math oriented tani-avarthanam, with excellent Sarvalaghu. Enjoyed it very much.

Nothing (Can be interpreted in what every way you like ;-) )

Outstanding performance by the percussionists.

Played well, was very able in support.

Quick Tani, and it was well done. There was very good support by the ghatam player.

Really brilliant support and nice rotation from both percussionists.

Sowkyam of the mridangam & ghatam was pleasing to ears, his tani in Adi- 2 kalai was good.

Thoroughly enjoyable tani by percussionists

Undoubtedly, this is best thani I have ever heard in my musical journey.

Vintage style Tani with xxxxx was scintillating and illustrative

Was very good on the mrudangam

Xerotic Thani avarthanam led to boredom. (Couldnt find a word starting with X.. its mine :P)

Young mridangist was vibrant on stage and his tani was really good.

Zestful performance by the Mridangist and Ghatam player.
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Few examples by the so called rasika from rasikas.org:

Lack of knowledge : http://www.rasikas.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=9851

Stale : http://www.rasikas.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=15341&p=184555#p184555

Worst : http://www.rasikas.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=15215&p=183555#p183555

Bad : http://www.rasikas.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=15201&p=183423#p183423

Age factor, Look who is talk about who.. Makes me laugh through out.. Good joke buddy : http://www.rasikas.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=15116&p=182669#p182669

What to say, It shows his prowess in music : http://www.rasikas.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=15399&p=185167#p185167

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Dream/Prime Combination of Carnatic Music - 20th Century TRINITY

Should have posted this blog on the month of september itself, but couldnt do it because of  official work.

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This was the status post I made on the month of september in facebook ..

5 + 6 = 11 + 6 = 17, Oh My Dear-o-Dear! September should be proud of itself! We are blessed to live during the time of the Illustrious Thirumalai Nambi Seshagopalan , My beloved Guru  Maestro Guru Kaaraikkudi Mani  and Legend Lalgudi Sri. G. Jayaraman... My sincere Pranams.

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And this blog continues from there...

What's so special about the greatest of great musicians (TNS, Lalgudi, KRM)... 

a. To keep it simple, These three musicians are the living legends and can never be compared to ANYOTHER  MUSICIANS OF THE PAST OR THE PRESENT and FUTURE TOO. I think we (I) are all blessed to live during the time of these great carnatic Vidwans.

b. There are 10000s concerts that are floating on the net with famous combination, great combination, good combination, which are good, nice, soothing, and there is nothing called a “PRIME” combination other than TNS-Lalgudi-Manisir's concert. 

c.Prime in the sense, They are inimitable

d.They cannot be compared to others, either being together on the stage or as an individual . One can say, they make an unbeatable Prime combo in the field of Carnatic music.

e.They are the only Virtuous Musicians, Quality Teachers,  Best composers and top of it they are the BEST OF BEST PERFORMERS at any time in the history of carnatic music. A person can be a great teacher or best composer, but will fail miserably when it comes to presenting the same. These giants are best in whatever they do and bring the best out of anything they create in a matchless style.

Number Game ( 5, 11, 17)

a. They are Prime, Can be divided either by themselves or by 1.

b. The difference is six,  Six is the number that differentiate their Birth day, but I feel, that is the number that bring them close to each other. Number six represents the like mindedness and friendliness. Like mindedness in the sense, they just think and live(ing) for music and nothing else.

c. The sum of 5,11,17 comes to 6, which is the smallest Perfect number.

d. 6 is the only number that is both the sum and product of three consecutive numbers ( 1*2*3 or 1+2+3)

e. There are 6 veda angas

f. Mind is our sixth Sense with six powers ( Reason, emotion, thought, awareness, knowledge and intelligence)

The Carnatic music world has seen many many many many musicians in the past, seeing good amount musicians currently and sure will see more and more musicians in the future too, But it can never see musicians like Lalgudi Sri Jayaraman or Madurai Sri T.N. Seshagoplan or Guru kaaraikkudi Mani.

18th and 19th century had seen three Great composers who enriched the carnatic music and 20th and 21st century is proud to have THE Best Composer, Best Musician and Best Teacher and Greatest of Great Peformers in the field of carnatic music. Sri T.N.Seshagopalan, Lalgudi Sri G. Jayaraman and Mani sir forms the “TRINITY” of  Carnatic music for years to come.......

Hypocrites

P.S : I am not commenting about all the musicians, “THERE ARE FEW MUSICIANS” who are contaminating this divine field with such sinful act. It will not even take two seconds for me to write the name of the musician on this blog, I am not doing it because he has been already expelled from an organization and I don’t want him to be out of the music field too.

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I am sure many of us know what is Arangetram? In simple words it is Debut on-stage performance of a student. There will be always a high-level of enthusiasm with the parents of the boy/girl when the dates of arangetram getting nearer.

Generally a mridangam arangetram will be divided into 3 parts.

Part 1 : Pre thani avarthanam
Part 2 : Speech by guests (Yeah! Few Hypocrites, Read it carefully not all are hypocrites)
Part 3 : Post Thaniavarthanam

I was really shocked to hear the speech by one of the “famous” mridangam artiste in one of the mridanga arangetram held recently.  The speech could have been better and it was just like his playing. I always used to think there is a huge difference between “famous” and “best” artist and this famous artiste was self-portraying on the stage rather talking about the performance of the kid.

Few questions came to my mind.

1. Who wants to know if he has cancelled all his concerts and came only for the arangetram?
2.  Who wants to know if he has “NOT” taken money to give a speech for arangetram?
3.  Who wants to know if he is running a Magazine?

Many might feel that these things do not matter if they are said on stage. Yes! Yes! Yes! Hold on Please! I too agree this, IF AND ONLY IF they are true.

a. Coming to the speech, Sure he would have got concerts on the arangetram day, but sure he wouldn’t have got the money on par with the arangetram speech. Then why such a hypocritical talk saying “I came only for the arangetram by cancelling all concerts”…. And the talk continued like this… “Concerts may come any day.. But arangetram will not come all the time”. I really don’t understand his mindset.  The talk was very very phoney,.

b. The most shocking thing he said was “I am not here in as a cheif guest for money!”.. 

•  I am not saying its wrong to give money
•  It’s the duty of the parents to honor the chief guest to the maximum extent. 
• The musicians should be treated with highest amount of respect”.

On the other hand,

• The musicians should not talk rubbish on stage.
• Should not talk whatever comes to mind, when he has a mic before him.
• Should NOT talk as if he is a Buddha and others are terrorists.
• Do not Self-Portrait. It looks really childish!

He knows to himself how much money he has got for the arangetram, yet on stage with no fear, no self-respect he was saying “I didn’t come to this arangetram for money” , that too in front of the audience, Parents, Kid. The fact is everyone knows that he is honoured. Why this double standards? 

He even went to the extent of saying "who ever writes bad about me  i dont care". Even i am running a magazine, i will write in that. I dont know for what context he has said that. To my knowledge he is not running a magazine. He might be thinking  "Thinnai peechu - Vetti kathai" as magazine.. God only knows.

Are such musicians needed in the field of divine music?  Only time will give the answer.

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P.S : I am not commenting about all the musicians, “THERE ARE FEW MUSICIANS” who are contaminating this divine field with such sinful act. It will not even take two seconds for me to write the name of the musician on this blog, I am not doing it because he has been already expelled from an organization and I don’t want him to be out of the music field too.