Speed and aggression define today’s Carnatic concerts

Concert goals appear to shift from audience enjoyment to gung-ho demonstration

The definition of music includes terms like melody, aesthetics, enjoyment and similar emotions. We say, ‘it’s music to the ears’ when something is pleasant. Carnatic music, however, is seeing the creeping influence of a muscular and robust brand of singing that may challenge these definitions. It is now par for the course to be loud, over-enthusiastic, imperious and vigorous, which all seem to be advocated as surrogates for liveliness and energy. For example, a thunderous high-speed, protracted niraval for a few ‘avartanams’ with largely repetitive phrases but rendered with punch and aggression is common now — but quite antithetic to the beauty of many ragas. Yet, it’s a style perpetrated from seniors to rising stars. The following words are now in danger of being edged out — softness, finesse, grace, refinement and polish, poise and restraint. If you put these terms together, you will understand the contrast that I am referring to. In fact, the gentler and quieter the music, the more its power to elevate the soul.

What are some of the unfortunate consequences of this? Concert goals shift from audience enjoyment to gung-ho demonstration, from a soothing experience to bombardment, and from pleasing vocal music to vocal exercises for showmanship. Some vocalists are keen to show their scale range by ‘trying’ upper-octave panchamam or higher, no matter how it sounds. Some use harsh tones in raga alapanas, the ‘tu tu tu’ and so on borrowed from an alien vocabulary. Depending on the rank of the vocalist, the transgressions into melody-less spaces are self-guided and even self-adjudicated. The meandering swaras, the unaesthetic sangathis (often a result of poor production rather than the swara structure), and the breathless exercises often bring the mood to one of cacophony. If not these, then one witnesses unwelcome forms of body language and even irreverence. Audio systems and percussionists have become co-conspirators as well. Thank god, most violinists still pursue sweet melody.