Relentless repetitions

Sir, - The Folioon music is a collection of interesting and educative articles. I adore and respect the work being done by YACM referred to therein. My attention is particularly drawn to the article ``Brave new world'' by my friend Sujatha Vijayaraghavan and in this context, my comments in several of my articles published in The Hindu from time to time, have much more to add; I have some additional comments to make.

First, about the competence of the contemporary artists; in the article under reference little or no comment is made. The few artists referred to are no doubt great. I personally admire them and their ability. But a host of others are average and sometimes hopeless. Are they ``storming the citadels of Carnatic music''? Among the successful and crowd-pulling artists, how many are putting their heart and soul? How much of eulogistic art is there? In my assessment many concerts are relentless repetitions of a set of songs including the manodharmafeatures - ``nothing else but wild sounds civilised into time and tune.'' A few of them are painfully pampered. Regrettably even the behaviour of some is not in good taste.

The affliction lies with the audience, and not with the artist. Today's audience is different. It wants supermarket stuff colourfully packed and neatly presented; the content is not important. In this connection, the comments of Gayatri and Krishna are relevant - ``You build the taste of the audience... I think it is a big lie to say that you have to cater to their taste.'' Right and fine. Indeed I have listened to a 4-kalai Ragam, Tanam and Pallavi capsule rendered by Krishna and also well received by average audience. How many can and will do it? Unfortunately, the audience is not elevated to the standard of top class music. On the contrary, good music is brought down to the level of a paamara,because bread is more vital than bravery.

B.R.C. Iyengar,

Secunderabad

Sir, - Barring a few exceptions, the Folioon music is brought up so enticingly as to provide interesting and absorbing reading as usual. Contributions to Carnatic music by eminent players of yesteryears on stringed instruments and percussion ones like Mysore T. Chowdiah, Kumbakonam Rajamanickam Pillai on violin, Budalur Krishnamurthi Sasthrigal on chitraveena and Palakkad T. S. Mani Iyer, Palani Subramania Pillai and Ramanathapuram Murugapoopathi on mridangam and Pudukkottai Dhakshnamurthi Pillai on kanjeera should have found a place in the Folio.

Similarly, reference could have been made in the article `Singing stars' to the singer-actor Serukalathur Sama who thrilled in his days the audience with his captivating mellifluous voice as a street-singer in saintly attire and make-up.

M. Ratnasabapathi,

Madurai (TN)

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