Cheap imitation – Uma Gold!!

I have some suggestions for the performers of this generation.

Get inspired by listening to great masters of earlier generation. Never attempt to clone them. This is a big problem with you all. Analyse the music of yesteryear vidwans’ music. They did what is best for their voice. They never tried to copy or clone others. They took the best from other vidwans and embraced it. More importantly, presented it in their own voice and style.

But unfortunately today’s performers try to even present in the voice of their mentor or motivator or whatever they call them. This is not good for the artform and the performers.

Trying to sing in your mentor’s or guru’s voice is suicidal. Know your strengths and weakness honestly and respect them. If your mentor or guru can sing a particular phrase or scale, it’s their capability. They would’ve achieved it out of practice over a period of time or nature would have been kind on them. If you want to achieve those virtues prepare yourselves for that. More importantly don’t try it on the stage and trouble the audience. It’s no mean task.

I have heard a lot of performers in their mid 30s trying to clone their mentors. I write about this practice here because I felt most of them, if they try to develop an individual style or avoid the glaring resemblance, can go farther. I can name a few here: 1. Sriram Gangadharan – bestowed with a phenomenal voice, very captivating and able to produce some breathtaking phrases. Good, comfortable reach of almost 2 octaves in the shruthi he is singing now. But has no originality. He imitates GNB. No doubt, the charisma of GNB is prevalent even after about 40 years of his death. But the charisma has not done any good to Sriram. Sanjay Subrahmanyam, also a great admirer of GNB, only takes GNB’s finer points and sings in his own voice, style respecting the limitations he has.

There are a set of singers in the TN Seshagopalan disciples clan. Kasturi Rangan is the only disciple performing now in Chennai. The others are more into teaching so we are spared. They all think of themselves as TNS. Forgetting the hardwork TNS would have put in his early days to achieve what he is today. Please do your homework well. Analyse his music, take the nuances and try to produce in a way it suits your voice. More importantly listen to other performers too. Your manodharma (creativity) will enrich only if you listen to other’s music without any prejudice. The more you listen the more ideas you get. If you are able to identify the mistakes of others and correct them in your performances, you are a clear winner.

Hold, this problem is not with the vocalists alone. Even instrumentalist do this mistake of trying to imitate their mentors.

I can hear you all ask - who the hell are you writing this nonsense. Am not a performer. Just a voracious listener. And have listened Balamuralikrishna, Mali, MLV, MDR, SSI, SKR, S. Ramanathan, TMT, TRS and the likes live (an indicative list not complete) for well over 30 years. I should thank Sanjay Subrahmanyam for introducing me to some good music. He used to take me to SKR’s concerts in his ‘vErabadran’ (a Bajaj M80 bike) to IIT Music Club, Kalakshethra as I was having only a bicycle then. Many thanks to you Sanjay, once again. Listening to these concerts definitely has honed by appreciation skills. I have consciously avoided getting into the grammar of ragas, thalams etc.

But I’m a strong advocate of basic imperatives of Carnatic Music like adherence to shruthi, maintaining the tempo, voice control etc. Most of the present day performers literally yell at times in the pretext of sanchAras in the higher octave. And our audience will immediately give a standing ovation for this circus. Audience - Please don’t do this, you are doing no good to the performers or the performance.

So present generation performers try to develop a style, pattern which suits your voice best, practice it to atleast near perfection. Then get on to the performing stage or aspire for performances. Please don’t be a cheap imitation of your mentor / guru. Be original.

vAzhga vaLamudan.