Some time back my friends on the vainika group site initiated a discussion on the topic “why is it that veena players do not get opportunities to perform and why is that audience response is also very poor at veena concerts?”
I was reading this very well written book by Deepak Raja “Hindustani Music: A Tradition in Transition” first published in 2005 (D.K.Printworld, New Delhi). I was astonished to realize that the situation in Hindustani music is the reverse of Carnatic music; that instrumental music is on the ascendant in contemporary Hindustani music, unlike the contemporary scene in Carnatic music. On introspection, I tentatively put down the following observations for favour of further comments:
• The poor response to the veena in the contemporary scene is only an extreme case of the general apathy to instrumental music in present day Carnatic music.
• Carnatic music audience was not always like this; even till the seventies and eighties, one would encounter a full house reception for artists like E.Gayathri, U.Srinivas and other artists of great standing. The same artists face a very much diminished audience now- a- days.
• The comparatively greater acceptance of instruments like the violin and the mandolin could be due to more attention being paid to techniques of playing and cultivating diverse approaches to instrumentation.
• On the other hand, the general thinking regarding veena playing seems to be that ‘any one can play the veena; technique does not matter; one just has to produce an approximation to some style of vocal music’. And if one wishes to ‘jazz’ it up a bit, play the veena like some other more popular instrument e.g., the sitar.
• Of course, the major factor militating against instruments in Carnatic music is the pressing audience demand for overtly religious expression vis a vis the popularity of thematic concerts/audio CDs. That Carnatic music can be truly spiritual and contemplative is swept aside for more pressing, popular demands for overt ‘divyanama’ satisfaction. It is a pity that the typical Carnatic music audience does not go to listen to a spiritually uplifting ‘Karaharapriya’ or ‘Surati’ but to specific compositions on their ‘ishta deivam’ or specific, popular compositions like ‘Tanda nana..’.
• Any ideas on how to change the tide of public taste?
I think that the modern generation is lacking insights in our culture like wise in Music also. Film industry to a large extent,corrupted people's tastes in music. I think directing art movies on Carnatic Music, and institutionalization of Carnatic Mustic to a large extent (but shouldn't be corrupted) can change the taste of the future public taste.
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