Comfort Music

 We are all familiar with the words, comfort food. Irrespective of the fanciest dishes in the most exquisite of settings, we long for familiar comfortable food that is redolent of memories of childhood and simple times enjoyed in our mother's kitchen.

Comfort is not a word often used in a musical context. The word sowkhyam is often used. But it generally connotes a certain type of composition in a certain type of tempo. But, I keep searching, for the word that best describes Dr Sunder's concert for Rasika Ranjani Sabha to honour the legacy of Shri Anantaraman Bhagawathar, yesterday . And again and again the word I come back to is comforting. A sense of coming home. Dr Sunder had a team of wonderful co participants too.. Shivkumar Anantharaman on violin, Rohit Prasad on mridangam, Harihara Subramanian on Kanjira and his own disciple  J B Keerthana 

He began the concert with Rakshamam in Nattai by Meenakshi Suta. As I heard the line , Pakshi vahana Padmaja Ramana Pannaga shayana Padmanabha Prabho, I was transported back to the Peddar Road living room where I first learnt this, the other students, the teacher and even the faint sounds of traffic from outside. And I think in many ways that is the key. Our favourite music( irrespective of the genre) is an important auditory trigger for a time in our life and the people and memories associated with it. And our love for the composition is tempered by that as much as the rendition by a particular artist on a given day.

This was followed by Paripalaya in Reethigowlai, a krithi by Swathi Tirunal followed by a wonderful Kapali in Mohanam. Followed by Deva deva in Mayamalavagowla with neraval at Jaata roopa. In this context, readers might want to see my blog post exactly ten years back on 23rd November 2015. There seems to be varying opinions on this line.

Followed by a really lovely short Begada alapana followed by Nadopasana. And that was another feature of the whole concert, everything seemed to be in just the right proportion...no alapana dragged.. they all seemed to be of just the right duration..but in that little time it conveyed what the raga was about. I want to write a bit more about this later.

The Begada was followed by a really brisk Maa Ramanan( Hindolam), Inta Paramugam in Purvikalyani followed by Kharaharapriya. As that alapana flowed, I was hoping he would sing Senthil Andavan. But the song was Rama nee edda. Followed by Manadukku Ugandu in Sindubhairavi by Tanjavur Shankara Iyer and lastly Unpaadame thunai Sharada, which I have never heard

I have heard only two of Dr Sunders's concerts in person and I left both with almost the same feeling... a sense of completeness. To go back to my gastronomic comparisions, like a really well cooked home meal which you know you can consume happily. It will will fill your stomach and your soul without any worries of heart burn or indigestion later in the day. His music is also very deceptively simple. And this is never more evident than in the kalpana swaras. Of course in the alapana also. There is zero unnecessary histrionics, no attempt at trying to dazzle an audience, no attempt at " trying" to be soulful. It is what it is. Very refreshing.

I think all art, whether it be in movies, music, or dance truly happens when a creator follows his inner truth. This needs a clarity and an eschewing of everything extraneous so that what is left is only a core. I saw that yesterday.

The concert was preceded by a two day workshop on Tanjavur Shankara Iyer krithis. At least two of these really appealed to me the lakshya krithi in Hamsanadam and the one in Vishnupriya( a ragam created by the composer himself). Of course I had learnt Sharavanabhava guha earlier and I am sure  I have written about that. What is remarkable is that he has learnt these compositions from the composer himself . Given that carnatic music is basically an oral tradition, we are often befuddled when we are told Dikshithar used only D1 in Reethigowlai etc etc. It prevents me from singing Shri Neelotpalanayike with a clear mind.

I cannot end this post without writing at least two sentences about the venue for the workshop. It was the very beautiful home of Maya and Hari, with the most wonderful artifacts possible. They were not just gracious enough to provide their home, but also insisted on feeding us every day!