Wednesday 4 February 2015

Roses & Thorns - What they said this Season Compiled by Lalitha Venkat

The Margam can never lose its appeal. But what worries me are the changes being made to the format by way of new interpolations. It’s not that I am against creative ideas but these ideas need to be backed by complete understanding of the structure of the composition. The final outcome should be an embodiment of aesthetics. The other aspect that has come into vogue is elaborate storytelling in place of subtle sancharis, quite often irrelevant and unnecessary to the lines of the poem, a disturbing trend indeed.
- Prof. C.V. Chandrasekhar
(‘Which way, Margam?’ by VV Ramani, The Hindu, Dec 1, 2014)





A sense of insecurity is prevalent among artists. Self-confidence and determination clubbed with hard work can take an artist to a peak at an early stage. As a mridangam artist, you have to give your best to make a concert a success. To do that, you have to spend several hours with your instrument. When I was employed at the Accountant General’s office in Chennai, between 1952 and 1961, my routine was to get up at 4 am and practise for three hours. Musiri Subramania Iyer was also working at the AG’s office then. He predicted a bright future for me. That he never gave me an opportunity to play for him is another story….A raga can be showcased in just three to four minutes. Didn’t Chembai and Ariyakkudi do it? It is not necessary for you to go on for 20 minutes or more to establish a raga. Beyond a point, it becomes repetitive.
- TV Gopalakrishnan
(‘Crowning glory’ by V Balasubramanian, The Hindu, Dec 1, 2014)



Who knows, if webcasts become close to the real thing, people may be willing to pay to watch concerts from the warmth of their homes abroad. But can the canteen ever be replaced? Several admit that the South Indian fare is an equal attraction for them.
- V Sriram
(‘Mighty migration,’ The Hindu, Dec 1, 2014)


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