SYLLABLES IN RAGA ALAPANA

(post by Madhavi Ramkumar)

Raga alapana or elaboration of ragas is a key component of manodharma or improvisation, one of the most important elements of Carnatic music. Expansion of a unique melody, based on the notes prescribed and ornamented by the gamakas or oscillations and distinct phrases as ordained by tradition, is not confined to a set tune, lyrics or rhythm, is free flowing, and generally uses the syllables ta, da, ri and na.

Why these syllables are used to the exclusion of others is a question that intrigues many students of music. Perhaps these are the easiest to articulate in musical terms, ta (त), da (द) and na (न) falling in the category of ‘dantya’ (दन्त्य) or dental consonants in accordance with the ‘sthana’ (स्थान) or points of articulation. The ‘antahstha’ (अन्तःस्थ) or semivowel syllable ra (र) is classified as ‘murdhanya’ (मूर्धन्य),  and variously described as retroflex or alveolar. In all these the syllables are produced by the tongue touching, in different ways, the front part of the hard palate or the teeth.

Any practising vocalist will testify that they lend themselves more easily to musical expression than, for instance, ‘kanthya’ (कण्ठ्य) or guttural consonants such as ka (क) and ga (ग) and ‘taalavya’ (तालव्य) or palatal ones such as cha (च) and ja (ज), and ‘oshthya’ (ओष्ठ्य) or labial sounds such as pa (प) and va (व). Eschewing the more difficult consonants such as tha (थ) and dha (ध) also appears to be the most logical and convenient of options available to a musician, a fine example of the empirical thought processes behind many of our customs.

Why these syllables should be used at all for raga alapana is another question that engages the attention of musicians and connoisseurs alike. Would a plain ‘akaara’ be as effective in communicating the essence of the raga? In the absence of a set sahitya to punctuate and anchor the melody, the syllables, it would seem, serve a very significant purpose. They impart structure, definition and contour to the phrases employed in the exercise, and without them the elaboration, however melodious and skillful, may seem insipid and characterless.

The most effective and aesthetic deployment of the syllables is acquired through practice and experience. Too many in close proximity and too few of them far apart would create a negative impact. A beautifully etched and shaded raga alapana requires not only  great artistry, technical expertise and an understanding of swaras and gamakas but also the ability to use the syllables in the most pleasing and artistic manner possible.

(c) Madhavi Ramkumar

THE PASSING OF A LEGEND – DR.R.K.SRIKANTAN

(post by Madhavi Ramkumar)                                           

Reams have been written about Dr.R.K.Srikantan, the man and the musician, a legend in the field of Carnatic Music who passed away recently. The bell like clarity and strength of his voice, his scrupulous adherence to tradition, his reverence for his illustrious forebears and his greatness as a guru have been a source of wonder and admiration. Above all, his approach to Carnatic music, and its purpose as perceived by him, should serve a guiding light to practitioners and connoisseurs alike.

This writer had the great privilege of interviewing him in early 2010, when he celebrated his 90^th birthday. A recipient of innumerable awards, critical acclaim, and the adulation of scores of disciples and of the music loving public, his punctuality, patience, graciousness and hospitality were truly remarkable. Answering questions with sincerity and equanimity, he seemed entirely unmindful of the exalted position he occupied in the musical firmament.

Moderation in all things appeared to be the dictum that he followed in music and in life, a golden mean, be it in the usage of brigas, rhythmic variations, sruthi bheda, or in personal daily routine. Dr.Srikantan’s physical presence is no more with us and will be missed sorely. But the many splendoured legacy he has left behind will continue to guide and inspire generations to come.

Excerpts from the interview, an edited version of which was published in The Hindu, Friday Review, January 22^nd, 2010, are appended below.

The present approach to music, Dr.R.K.Srikantan feels, is very different form that of earlier years, when there was complete devotion and dedication to the art. Technical correctness has now taken precedence over bhakthi, the basis of our music.

Spontaneity and improvisation are integral parts of Indian music, but Dr.Srikantan asserts that planning can ensure variety in ragas, compositions, talas, and composers, and without it the concert can at best be a random one, adding categorically that he always plans his concerts.

“I don’t approve of raga alapana in a tearing speed,” he says,on the role of brigas in raga alapana. “Conventionally, the raga alapana should be in the vilamba kala, and then brigas should be introduced, but that paddhathi has now gone out of vogue. Now we sing raga alpana in a samashti way, that is, totally, including brigas, vilambit etc.”

As for sruthi bheda exercises during raga alapana, Dr.Srikantan is of the view that “partially it adds colour, but at times even the original raga is forgotten. Sruthi bheda shows your swara jnana, and once in a way it can be done and that too, just one or two sancharas”.

Also, he observes that “more importance is now given to rhythmic permutations and combinations in the singing of kalpana swaras. It is in fact a challenge for the mridangam vidwan. Every student wants to learn laya vyavahara and some even compel their teachers to teach it. But I don’t approve of so much of laya vyavahara – learn and understand all types of laya vyavahara, but while singing, let there be proportion.”

Dr.Srikantan avers that in modern times “the guru sishya relationship has become more commercial, though there are instances of genuine ‘guru bhakthi’. It was different in the olden days – the student stayed with the guru, served him, and as and when the guru taught, he would learn. It is impossible to bring back the gurukula system, but the student can still have complete guru bhakthi and earnestness.”

For preservation of voice quality and stamina, he advises: “First of all, maintain very good health, and that will give you more stamina. Keep away from bad practices, bad habits, and bad company. Be with great masters always and have only positive thoughts. Do your sadhakam every day. Have ‘sathvik aharam’, good food which is beneficial to your health. Don’t drink, chew tobacco, use snuff, or smoke, and don’t eat wayside food stuff.  You should maintain mental health and peace of mind. And meditate everyday. If you follow all this you can maintain your health, your voice, and you can give good performances as long as you live.”

Modern technological advances, in his opinion, are partially a blessing and partially a bane. The electronic tambura, for instance is very handy, but extensive usage has resulted in many musicians not knowing how to tune and use a traditional tambura. Internet lessons could be useful for a student who has already acquired swara janana, thala jnana, etc., but a beginner should sit before a guru and learn.

The future of Carnatic Music, he feels, is bright, as there are many good artistes, “but let them maintain tradition and not do unnecessary things in the name of creativity. Respect the audience and don’t take them for granted.” The ultimate purpose of music, according to him includes aesthetic, emotional and intellectual enjoyment as well as spiritual upliftment, for all of which Carnatic Music is the perfect medium.

WHAT'S IN A RAGA ?

(post by Madhavi Ramkumar) 

Great musical compositions, in all genres across the world, have transcended time and space. In Carnatic Music too, they stand as testaments to the genius of their creators and to the greatness of the system itself, flooding the hearts and minds of listeners with joy and wonder over and over again. Artistes who perform them continue to find scope for individuality and inventiveness within the parameters of raga, thala and musical structure as prescribed.

That the same compositions are also inextricably linked, in many ways, to the period and the locale spanned by the lifetimes of their composers, may at first seem paradoxical. While many of them were intrepid pioneers in their own right, the language they employed and the ragas and thalas they stipulated were in all likelihood influenced by the environment they were familiar with. Further, the ragas specified by them must also be deemed to be a reflection of their melodic vision for the products of their creativity.

As such, would it be fair to change the raga as specified by the composer, and what would be the justification for doing so? If no raga has been indicated, the tunesmith or the singer is free to cast it in a raga of his or her choice. If not, there is an implicit obligation to conform to the mandate of the composer.

A case in point is ‘Karuna Cheyvan’, Irayimman Thampi’s immortal paean to Lord Guruvayurappan, arguably the most popular of classical krithis in Malayalam. In his introduction to ‘Omanathinkal’, a compilation of some of the musical compositions of Irayimman Thampi with notations published by the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Academy, great scholar and musicologist Dr.S.Venkatasubrahmanya Iyer observes: “Of the Malayalam keerthanams (of the composer) ‘Karuna Cheyvanenthu’ in Sri Ragam and ‘Adimalarina’ in Mukhari are extremely well known. Both are prayers to Lord Guruvayurappan. Though the first is now being sung by many in Yadukulakamboji (the reason for this change is not understood), its structure in the original raga (Sri Ragam) itself has been included here” (translated from the Malayalam). The raga of the song has been mentioned unambiguously as Sri Ragam by V.Madhavan Nair ‘Mali’ also in his research work ‘Kerala Sangeetham’.

The popularity of the Yadukulakamboji version of ‘Karuna Cheyvan’ is generally traced back to Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavathar. There is no dispute about the appeal of this version, as the words and lyrics seem to coalesce perfectly and evocatively. However, and no disrespect is implied to the great master Chembai here, the original raga and tune are no less enchanting, and the composer’s choice is most apt and alluring. Irayimman Thampi was no stranger to Yadukulakamboji, as evidenced by the use of the raga for padams in his Kathakali plays, most notable among them being ‘Lokadhipa Kantha’ in ‘Dakshayagam’. He could very well have couched ‘Karuna Cheyvan’ in that raga had he so wished. But master musician and lyricist that he was, he chose Sri Ragam for his outpouring of bhakthi to the Lord. Composers such as Irayimman Thampi had a clear idea of the aural and emotive impact of the confluence of words and melodies, and adherence to their mandate would only be in the fitness of things.

In Carnatic Music, the use of ragas other than those laid down by the vaggeyakaras is a serious topic requiring much research. Two ragas for the same composition is not entirely unknown, as in the case of Thyagraja’s ‘Kantajoodumi’, extant in Vachaspathi and Lathangi. Some changes in form and ornamentation are inevitable with the passage of time, especially in view of the largely oral tradition followed hitherto. That there are many ragas in vogue today that were relatively unknown a century ago, and that some ragas prevalent in earlier times may have sunk into oblivion over the years, are also points worth considering.

‘Karuna Cheyvan’, however, falls into none of these categories, and we owe it to the composer and to the art itself, to try and preserve the work in its original form. Compositions such as this form part of musical history. If an artiste feels that the composition falls short on certain parameters, or that it can be improved upon, the option to choose another song or to create something entirely new is always open.

(c) Madhavi Ramkumar

STAGE PRESENCE

(post by Madhavi Ramkumar) 

While some musicians are born with it, others must at least attempt to acquire it, as otherwise the listeners are liable to find some painful experiences thrust upon them. As a music concert is both a visual and an aural experience, the demeanour of the artist on stage has a direct impact on the appreciation and enjoyment levels of the audience, and the importance of that intangible quality known as 'stage presence' cannot be over emphasized. It is evident from the ancient 

texts and treatises available to us that the subject rightly engaged the minds of our enlightened forbears, but is often glossed over at the present time. Details like stage decor, impeccable acoustics, punctuality, adherence to specific time limits, elimination of distractions, and so on are also not generally accorded the importance they deserve in Carnatic music recitals. This is, perhaps, a result of the unswerving faith in the greatness of the art itself, which continues to flourish even in the twenty first century, in spite of the overwhelming variety of alternative entertainment available through the media.

It is precisely because the art has the ability to evolve without detriment to its splendorous identity, that one must treat it with the respect and veneration it deserves, especially in presentation.

The Natya Sastra, which expounds, in some detail, the attributes desirable in a musician, is proof enough that centuries ago great emphasis was laid on various aspects of a performance. According to the author, an attractive voice, command over rhythm and a pleasing personality are essential for a musician. A singer's voice should possess several attributes, including audibility at a distance, lack of harshness, sweetness and uniformity of timbre in higher and lower passages. It is interesting to note that undesirable mannerisms and awkward gestures of musicians have caught the attention of theoreticians down the ages. Govinda Dikshitar's Sangeeta Sudha, for instance, categorizes performers according to their individual peculiarities. Among them are 'prasari', whose ungainly movements deplete the surging tide of music, 'karali' who has a contorted face and wide open mouth, 'seetkara' whose loud intake of breath fragments his singing, 'karabha' who cranes is neck strenuously, ‘avyakta' who mutilates words and swara-s and produces unintelligible sounds, and many more. Ideal settings  for stage performances have also been described in works like Silappadikaram, and it would therefore be incorrect to presume that such notions are applicable only to Western classical arts, and that the idea itself is an import from the West.

An overly dramatic manner, vocal idiosyncrasies, and a display of other unpleasant traits on stage serve only to detract from the overall impact of the performance. On the other hand, too stern or too disinterested an air could also alienate the audience. An artist of the calibre and stature of M.D. Ramanathan may get away with his own brand of presentation, but it is disheartening to see young musicians in the limelight, most of whom are well informed and conscious of the increasingly cosmopolitan environment of the new millennium, paying scant  attention  to  this   aspect. Some prominent singers have gone on record stating that voice culture is required only to the extent that it facilitates expression of ideas. If expression of ideas is the major criterion, the vocalization itself would seem redundant in some cases, as the ascent and descent of swara-s, gamaka-s, and even the most intricate of sangati-s are etched out in physical terms, with gesticulations and expressions to match.

Teachers and well wishers would be doing a signal service to everyone concerned by providing unbiased feedback to aspiring vocalists, and ensuring that unwelcome tendencies are nipped in the bud. This is not of course to say that a vocalist should perform with a deadpan countenance and no physical movement whatsoever, which would be next to impossible. 

The 'bhava' inherent in the music is bound to find expression in the body language of the musician as well. It is, however possible to cultivate a presentable stage persona, of which a proper posture and a straightforward manner of marking the tala may be considered the bare essentials. Most musicians could take lessons from the matchless M.S. Subbulakshmi who is grace and dignity personified on stage, and needs no awkward movements and no grimaces to produce the quality of music that she does, with equal emphasis on both raga bhava and sahitya bhava. One may argue that one must stick to the dictates of one's own personality and individuality, but there is no gainsaying the fact that a performing artist must at least strive to project an agreeable appearance, as a mark of esteem for the audience.

Though the status of voice culture in Carnatic music continues to be the subject of an inconclusive debate, some of the top ranking artists of the younger generation definitely require a greater stress on clarity of articulation,  and on voice production, especially in the raga alapana. The unalloyed joy that a clean 'akaara' could produce is often marred by distortion of the vowel sound, and other lacunae in the projection of the voice. Some great exponents of Carnatic music have, in the later stages of their career, had difficulty taming their recalcitrant voices and aligning it to sruti. But the crowds have still flocked to their concerts, applauding their experience and the wealth of musical ideas they have striven to put across.

One must conclude, then, that there is some elusive, ineffable quality in the genre that transcends voice, surroundings and other external trappings. A mature exposition of a raga like Todi by a seasoned artist can delight and on occasion uplift a discerning audience, even if the voice is less than perfect. The genius of the system is such that the use of the gamaka-s and correct values of swara-s peculiar to the raga, and elements such as impeccable rhythm and unfettered manodharma can weave a web of .magical beauty. Some connoisseurs go so far as to discount an outstanding voice at face value, the premise being that the musician must certainly be lacking in other and more important attributes. Nevertheless, a clear ringing voice, conditioned' to the best that it can be, could add a further dimension of appeal, take another step towards perfection, and even propel the imagination to the highest echelons of creativity.

A resplendent stage presence is the unmistakable hallmark of a consummate performing artist, one who has striven earnestly to arrive at and maintain the golden mean between uncontrolled histrionics and an apparent lack of involvement. Obviously, it is the culmination of a great deal of thought and practice, which must be undertaken simultaneously with the musical training itself. The audience could fulfill its responsibilities by arriving on time and remaining seated through the performance. People walking in and out at will, and conversing with each other, can undermine the artist's concentration and may even prove unnerving at times. The organizers could on their part try and create an ambience that would elicit the very best from the artist - a proper sound system being the very least of its components. The voice and accompaniments need to be balanced effectively so that each is distinctly audible without drowning the other. After all, what is presented on stage is the fruition of a lifetime of rigorous study and dedication combined with the confidence and courage to face an audience. All the elements that go into the making of a concert have to be meticulously attended to, making the experience a rewarding and memorable one for performer and listener alike.

MADHAVI  RAMKUMAR

(Cartoons by Sarathy)

Originally published in the May 2004 issue of Sruti Magazine