For a long time Mridangam professionals have been dealing with the audience walking out on them during their Thani Avardhanam, their solo part. It is a very rude behavior and actually shows the ignorance of some of the Carnatic music audience. Lately the trend has been positive in this behavior but the scar is deep. Mridangists have their own ways of coping with this. Some adapted a lot of flair and theatrics in playing keep the audience engaged. Some have taken the “Mrid” or softness out of the Mridangam to keep the audience entertained. Some have even tried admonishing the audience.
This situation may have also forced some creativity out of some mridangists. We shall call it the “reengineering” of the Carnatic musician ensemble. They are asking questions like – Why not try placing the mridangist at the center of the stage instead of being on one side? Why not start the concert with a Thani Avardhanam instead of sticking it towards the end of the main piece? Why don’t we use “konnakkol” alongside mridangam playing? And so on and so forth. By the way, Konnakkol is the language of the mridangists. Many of you will remember the song from Thiruvilaiyadal, Pattum Nane in the Ragam Gowri Manohari. Konnakkol is extensively used during the swara section (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xg_hBWlR3h0). In the west the music is notated extensively but the beats are not notated. In Carnatic music it is the reverse with Mridangam strokes extensively notated. We will talk more about this “reengineering” and the Vibrations concert in a bit.
As Carnatic music fans, we owe it to ourselves to learn the basics of tala. Driving my son every Saturday morning to the mridangam class and staying behind gave me a fairly decent exposure to appreciate mridangam playing. During the weeks preceding Prem’s arangetram I was drinking from the fire hose. But in general, I think even a small amount of exposure to the mridangam basics will make Carnatic music more enjoyable. For those with an analytical or mathematical bent of mind, the “laya” part of our music will be particularly attractive.
Chaturasra Eka – 4 beat cycle
Khanda Chapu – 5 beat cycle
Rupaka – 6 beat cycle
Tisra Triputai – 7 beat cycle
Mishra Chapu – 7 beat cycle (my favorite)
Adi – 8 beat cycle (most popular)
Khanda Jathi Triputai – 9 beat cycle
And son on.
There is a lot more to the field of laya. Some songs are played in double count of the same base tala called “Rettai Kilai” or double branched. The “nadai” or the flow pattern might change. For example, a favorite of everyone, knowingly or unknowingly, is the Adi Talam in Tisra Nadai – sounds like the Western Waltz, makes you want to get up and dance. Here you stay for three counts on every beat of the Adi Talam.
It only takes minimal effort to understand the basics our tala system. Once you are able to follow along the beats of the singer or some advanced rasikas your enjoyment will double – guaranteed. But do the talam subtly until you have mastered the basics. If you place wrong talam loudly you may encounter the wrath of the fellow rasikas or even the artists. Alright, let us go to the concert.
Vibrations led by Sri Thiruvarur Vaidyanathan on the Mridangam and Konnakkol, Raghavendra Rao on the Violin, Sundar on the Tabla and Morsing, Guruprasad on the Ghatam, Vocal music by Kashyap Mahesh and Janardhan on the Guitar and Mandolin. Let us discuss this type of “reengineered” concerts as genre first before going into the specifics of this program.
In this genre of music, I think you will agree that we are at the point of departure and the point of arrival is nowhere in sight. Currently we are experimenting with both the artists and the audiences delicately positioned. The artists who are promoting this genre are either top rated in their fields or budding musicians aspiring to grow. Talent is certainly not in question. It is definitely in a novelty category given that carnatic music tradition is over several centuries. There is definite appeal to the crossover audience into this genre. Highly traditional audiences and some artists might consider this as blasphemy. And then there is a whole spectrum in between. We have a long way to go before this is time tested. Personally, I welcome experimentation like jugal bandi’s with Hindustani, fusion with Jazz and percussion centric concerts like this one.
Alright, let us talk specifically about the concert. Sri Vaidyanathan has a supreme command over the instrument and has a very rich voice suited for delivering konnakkol. Initially the singer’s voice was completely drowned by the percussionists but his later song renditions were excellent. The violinist Sri Raghavendra Rao, who I consider one of the best in the traditional concert circuit, played with flair especially in one Jazz fusion number. There were too many instruments in the concert which distracted more than add value. At times when all the percussionists were playing together it was jarring. In a percussion centric concert, I expected a variety of talas to be presented but this concert had an over emphasis on Adi talam. Overall, it is an E for effort. Let us go song by song.
Adi Tala – concert started with a Thani in Adi. When tabla joined in for a low voice rendition of Vakra Thunda Maha Kaya in Arabi, is sounded more like light music program. Konnakkol was rendered very effectively in a rich voice and the phrases were nicely replicated by the Tabla player.
Song in Nasika Bhushani/Kanda Chapu - Lyrics were barely audible
A special composition in Thilang – had no lyrics. Sounded a bit cinematic, fast paced. Konnakkol again was great.
Mana Vyala Kim in Nalina Kanthi/Adi – started with a Thani. Playing the mridangam on the Toppi side only (the side usually without the black part) was unique. The experience was like listening to a western song.
Suddha Danyasi song – great energy and good fusion.
Maya Malava Gowle song – staged some unique duos like konnakkol/morsing, guitar/table. But the hand offs were not clean.
Main piece in Saraswathi/Adi – turned Mandolin into a percussion instrument for a brief period by repeating the konnakkol phrases. Mrigandam Thani was amazing. Ghatam was played with deft. The control displayed by Morsing vidhwan was fantastic. Tabla added a nice departure from the usual routine. Clarity at high speeds was amazing. The part for singer was only the Thanam. Violinist showed amazing talent. Engaged the audience in the entire song – best song of the concert.
Keeravani – Devi Neeye Thunai/Adi – soft song, quite a contrast to the rest of the concert. Very traditional
Brahmam Okate – brisk number
Special composition in Sri Ranjani by the violinist – nicely executed
Sri Chakra Raja – for the traditional fans in the audience. Well rendered
Chinnanchiru Kiliye, Tisra Nadai Adi – Great singing
A song in Revathi and Dhaneshri Thillana – Fantastic
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