It is the strange association of music with the modern technology in my life for about the last eight years. In silent and subtle ways, technology has crept into the most joyful moments of my life - listening to music. In the rustle of petals, the whoosh of the wind, the rush of the waves breaking on the shore, chirping of the birds, drip drip of water from the taps, the sing song call of vegetable and fruit vendors and even the sounds of cooking I enjoy music. (Aren't there some daily sounds music to your ears? I know you have a list. Pause and enjoy them, friends.)
The story, however is not about waxing poetic!! As a very natural development in this part of the country (Tamil Nadu), I was initiated into Carnatic music from a very early age. Sing? Yes, I can and love giving solitary performances, unhindered by any one within the house, of course. More than that, I love listening to concerts, attending live performances when I can. So there is that constant thirst to listen more and learn more about the techniques and nuances of the Ragas, swaras, Alap and compositions. It is very common in many households to see all the family members listening together. Yes, it is a great bonding caused by music.
I had such great moments of sharing with my parents, particularly my father and my grand uncle. With gentle breeze of early summer nights, sitting in the veranda with a transistor playing the music (live and recorded broadcasts from AIR), life seemed one total bliss. Even as the artist hums a light outline of the raga, Appa would recognise the raga and would also guess what composition would follow. And when the artist would start singing the composition(most of the times it would be what my father had guessed), there would be a child like smile lighting his face that had been so clearly etched in my memory.
"So what is this story about the 'dreaded technology' ?"- I can sense your impatience! Coming to that in a moment.
Those were the days when I was trying to befriend technology; making an effort to be self sufficient with certain basic skills needed for daily dealings and my 'love - hate relationship with technology began. I ventured out into social media with lot of caution clicking something, exploring a new site and slowly learnt about groups. I clicked to join a media group meant exclusively for Carnatic music and felt thrilled when I was accepted. I was proud and humbled as well to be part of learned discussion about carnatic music, its nuances and techniques.
There is a weekly concert streamed through their radio and on special occasions, thematic concerts will be webcast. I have been enjoying good music along with enhancing my knowledge about the compositions, their meanings, the distinct feature of each raga, other technical and theoretical aspects of Carnatic music.
Shruti and laya, I know. But then, I get to learn about briga, gamaka, jeeva swara and nyasa swara, kaarvai and many others during the course of their conversation while listening to the concerts. That is the 'icing on the cake', don't you think?
(Kaarvai is holding onto a particular swara for a longer interval of time;
Jeevaswaras are the quintessential swaras which lend life to a particular raga;
Gamaka is the shake, grace, embellishment given to particular swaras(instead of plain notes) to add to the beauty;
Briga is a speedy rendition of a particular phrase of a raga;
Alaap or alaapana is the abstract essaying of a raga - elaborating the raga;)
I am still faced with many challenges in my relation with technology; it is moody with sudden non responsiveness and closing off during an important task. But to give credit where it is due, I have moved on from being an unwilling partner to being a close acquaintance with technology.
When I got an opportunity to listen to Thanjavur S. Kalyanaraman's concert in Radio web Carnatic with all the expert comments from group members, I remembered the association between technology and music and no other moment can be more apt!
He observed the sounds with an analytical approach and loved to experiment with swaras, ragas or the way the musical sounds originate. AS his sister mentioned, he tried "to identify the originating position of the seven swaras in the human body."
What more? He adopted a scientific method to teach his students singing pitch perfect ragas and music. He was way ahead of his times. With his melodious voice, in depth knowledge of the classical music, passion for experimenting and perfection, his music was just magic!
This evening's concert was equally a gem and the ragas - surutti, Kanada, Thodi and Shanmukapriya - glided with a gentle sway here and an energetic sweep there; teasing me flirtatiously sometime or engulfing me in their warm folds!
Don't worry, folks. I am not going into too much technical or theoretical aspect of the music. Anyhow, that is for a critical analysis and I simply want to enjoy good music and share it with you people.
Good music in any form appeals to me and I think it does to all of you guys. I do visualise the music and it will be like scenes of a movie running one after another - tall distant azure mountains, a vast blue sky with puffy white clouds, gurgling water of a clear cold stream, the distant coconut palms gently swaying in early summer breeze... there are more. Care to join me, next time?
The story, however is not about waxing poetic!! As a very natural development in this part of the country (Tamil Nadu), I was initiated into Carnatic music from a very early age. Sing? Yes, I can and love giving solitary performances, unhindered by any one within the house, of course. More than that, I love listening to concerts, attending live performances when I can. So there is that constant thirst to listen more and learn more about the techniques and nuances of the Ragas, swaras, Alap and compositions. It is very common in many households to see all the family members listening together. Yes, it is a great bonding caused by music.
I had such great moments of sharing with my parents, particularly my father and my grand uncle. With gentle breeze of early summer nights, sitting in the veranda with a transistor playing the music (live and recorded broadcasts from AIR), life seemed one total bliss. Even as the artist hums a light outline of the raga, Appa would recognise the raga and would also guess what composition would follow. And when the artist would start singing the composition(most of the times it would be what my father had guessed), there would be a child like smile lighting his face that had been so clearly etched in my memory.
"So what is this story about the 'dreaded technology' ?"- I can sense your impatience! Coming to that in a moment.
Those were the days when I was trying to befriend technology; making an effort to be self sufficient with certain basic skills needed for daily dealings and my 'love - hate relationship with technology began. I ventured out into social media with lot of caution clicking something, exploring a new site and slowly learnt about groups. I clicked to join a media group meant exclusively for Carnatic music and felt thrilled when I was accepted. I was proud and humbled as well to be part of learned discussion about carnatic music, its nuances and techniques.
There is a weekly concert streamed through their radio and on special occasions, thematic concerts will be webcast. I have been enjoying good music along with enhancing my knowledge about the compositions, their meanings, the distinct feature of each raga, other technical and theoretical aspects of Carnatic music.
Shruti and laya, I know. But then, I get to learn about briga, gamaka, jeeva swara and nyasa swara, kaarvai and many others during the course of their conversation while listening to the concerts. That is the 'icing on the cake', don't you think?
(Kaarvai is holding onto a particular swara for a longer interval of time;
Jeevaswaras are the quintessential swaras which lend life to a particular raga;
Gamaka is the shake, grace, embellishment given to particular swaras(instead of plain notes) to add to the beauty;
Briga is a speedy rendition of a particular phrase of a raga;
Alaap or alaapana is the abstract essaying of a raga - elaborating the raga;)
I am still faced with many challenges in my relation with technology; it is moody with sudden non responsiveness and closing off during an important task. But to give credit where it is due, I have moved on from being an unwilling partner to being a close acquaintance with technology.
He observed the sounds with an analytical approach and loved to experiment with swaras, ragas or the way the musical sounds originate. AS his sister mentioned, he tried "to identify the originating position of the seven swaras in the human body."
What more? He adopted a scientific method to teach his students singing pitch perfect ragas and music. He was way ahead of his times. With his melodious voice, in depth knowledge of the classical music, passion for experimenting and perfection, his music was just magic!
This evening's concert was equally a gem and the ragas - surutti, Kanada, Thodi and Shanmukapriya - glided with a gentle sway here and an energetic sweep there; teasing me flirtatiously sometime or engulfing me in their warm folds!
Don't worry, folks. I am not going into too much technical or theoretical aspect of the music. Anyhow, that is for a critical analysis and I simply want to enjoy good music and share it with you people.
Good music in any form appeals to me and I think it does to all of you guys. I do visualise the music and it will be like scenes of a movie running one after another - tall distant azure mountains, a vast blue sky with puffy white clouds, gurgling water of a clear cold stream, the distant coconut palms gently swaying in early summer breeze... there are more. Care to join me, next time?
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