Trends that defined Margazhi Season, 2022

Report card of the Season gone by

The report card of a Chennai Margazhi Season is hard to put together. The goals are nebulous, the stakeholders have their own respective agendas and the audience never says much. Fortunately, “music expresses that which cannot be said” (19th century French writer Victor Hugo). So, how will we articulate if the one that went by met or exceeded expectations? We will try.

The return to physical platforms was widely welcomed by artistes, organisations and even large sections of the audience. Some would prefer a hybrid where concerts could still be heard virtually and that could be the new normal. This year, we could put a tick against a number of things — more concerts (over 500 according to an estimate), more artistes, new compositions, more complex pallavis, and public enthusiasm. But behind the obvious, lie a number of key trends that could define what happens next year and the years that follow.

The Carnatic music industry has no official entry norms for artistes. Equally, there are no exit conditions like age, form or thin audiences. The first trend one saw this year is that there are many talented newcomers with performance traits. Thus the process of the new replacing the old is subtle but not to be missed. The number of senior slot musicians at leading sabhas, who entered the club less than five or seven years ago, for instance, is a notable piece of statistics. As the number of senior slots roughly remain the same, there have been some forced retirements. This is the only way the avalanche of new talent can be managed and encouraged. There may even be a fear of losing one’s spot in the perch if popularity wanes. Newcomers seem to pack their credentials very powerfully — in terms of voice, repertoire, laya or manodharma. The advent of virtual platforms ensured their quick entry into listeners’ homes and then gradually to physical platforms — much like young IPL star players fast-tracking their international cricket debut.

The second trend is the emergence of a parallel virtual platform. There are musicians who are popular in social media but may not be seen much on regular concert circuit. This is analogous to the OTT vs Theatre-Cinema construct. Therefore, opportunities have suddenly multiplied for musicians. This could lead to two parallel worlds of performing music that may never meet. Over time, this may become the Division 2 of performance music, even if it is not called so. The good part is that it just widens the opportunities for more talented people to express themselves, without the constraints of sabha entry barriers. This will also ensure a healthy pipeline of aspirants.

The third trend is the increased professionalisation of what used to be loosely called ‘lec-dems’. They are now academic sessions, one learns. The season had some bright sessions this year, like the one on Palghat K. V. Narayanaswamy by his disciple H.V. Srivatsan that would rival any corporate slick presentation. The breadth of topics, the participation of current performing musicians and keen turnout indicate a new facelift to this powerful format for audience education. the presenters are generally well-prepared although one would like to see a progression to scripted thoughts than casual monologue so that time is better utilised.

As for performances, there was a creeping tendency to deliver excessive punch that collided with ‘rasas’ like tranquillity, subtlety and beauty. One hopes that they don’t become a mega trend.

The profile of the audience is also changing, albeit so slowly that it can easily go unnoticed. More students, more uninitiated, more NRI youth, and a more curious lot have come to attend, though in small measures. This renewal is important and must continue for the Season’s value to stay. I even noticed some youngsters making notes on their ipads. More from this generation is welcome. As the artiste and accompanist pipeline is well-buffered, an audience resurgence is the next wave waiting to happen. More work needs to be done by all constituents, not the least in terms of better ambience and audio quality at a number of venues. Meanwhile, the diehard will look forward to the next Season as enthusiastically as ever.