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Old world charm wafts out from letters
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Musicians’ correspondence with their patrons offers fascinating insights
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Voice from the past: Nagaswaram maestro Rajarathinam Pillai requested ₹350 for a concert in 1935. | Photo Credit:
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Musicians’ correspondence with their patrons offers fascinating insights
The Chettinadu region has always patronised classical music and musicians. Weddings, temple festivals and other functions featured the concerts of the best musicians of the time. A treasure trove of letters written by musicians themselves reveals interesting details of the remuneration for their performance.
“I collect old magazines, stamps and books and found these letters among them. The Chettiar families normally keep these letters tagged with their response as records,” said an antiques dealer who wishes to be anonymous.
MS Subbulakshmi | Films Division/YouTube
MS Subbulakshmi’s musicianship and personality were closely intertwined. Any discussion of her music eventually becomes a study of her manner, her beliefs and her image. This is a great pity for she was, first and foremost, a consummate artiste. And it is for that reason that we must separate her music from what there is that is known of her as a person.
Subbulakshmi’s style was based on an appreciation of what was most beautiful in the vina, nagasvaram and vocal performances she heard around her. It is known that she played the pieces she sang on the vina to enable a deeper understanding of the pace and meaning. Her song rendering was always superb and marked by purity and considered restraint.
A concert is more than just music
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COVID-19 has taken away all the finer aspects of the music season
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COVID-19 has taken away all the finer aspects of the music season
In the 1970s, when reports about civil strife in Sri Lanka raising its ugly head were published, vocalist M.L. Vasanthakumari was touring that country. I remember accompanying my father to the house of his friend, Chandramouleeswara Iyer then. As we entered the house, Iyer’s wife rushed to us and said, “I hope nothing will happen to MLV!”
One could question her priorities. But such was M.L. Vasanthakumari’s reach and popularity that Iyer’s wife could only think of the singer’s safety.