AN INTERVIEW WITH SANGITHA KALANIDHI - R VEDAVALLI

R Vedavalli has the distinction of being the first student/ teacher recipient of the Music Academy's most coveted title - Sangitha Kalanidhi. Vedavalli's insights, that she shared in this exclusive interview with Chennaibest.com, come from being nearly five decades on the Carnatic music scene.

Definitely it is a very special moment for me. I am quite happy. The Sangitha Kalanidhi award has a reputation of its own. Musicians will always prefer to use this title with their name. So I am happy to be one of its recipients.

No. I think I enjoy all of them. As a Musicologist I get interested and look for in-depth details. As a performer on the stage, I get deeply immersed in what I sing. I cannot make comparisons. I am happy with everything.

Yes! The commercial angle is definitely there. Actually I would like to say something about it. When we were young, we did not have any expectations from music. When we began our careers, we did not aspire to perform at kutcheris (concerts) nor was money, title and fame a criterion, ever. We wanted to master the art. We never thought of the returns that we would get out of this. Most of the vidwans (maestros) were like that. Only a few were inclined towards the commercial aspects of music. Now most of the artistes are concentrated in the metros. They are exposed to immense opportunities at a young age. First of all education. With this background they are clear about their priorities.

Earlier Tanjore (now Thanjavur) was like that. The Kaveri delta and Tampraparani delta had a huge concentration of musicians. Probably the royal patronage that was extended to music was the main reason. Madras (now Chennai) at that time was far off and too remote for the musicians. Only during the British rule, when royal patronage dwindled, Madras replaced Tanjore as a centre for Carnatic music. Musicians started to throng to this place. Since the patronage for music and dance started picking up here, Sabhas (Concert halls) began to proliferate and that's how Chennai has become the seat of Carnatic music. In South India, Madras was the first city to have emerged. This has contributed to the development of the city into a cultural centre in many ways.

When it comes to compositions, those who composed in the 18th and 19th centuries did not ever think that their compositions should be sung by others. They composed songs purely out of bhakthi (devotion) and not for the sake of composition. That is why it has survived through the ages, unlike film songs, which most often get outdated fast, irrespective of the hype that surrounds it. They also tuned their compositions. We have reached a satiating point, since they have given us enough.

Changes are quite natural. Discussions were much more detailed and interesting earlier.

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