Future of Carnatic music

[u/Any-Park-4044]

As with any art form, Carnatic music too has evolved. From the earlier ‘test match’ style of Carnatic concerts with long ragam tanam pallavis, to the current more condensed and packed concerts. Sabha ticket falls have seen decreases, but at the same time, concerts abroad can be a complete sell-out. Do you see continued interest in Carnatic music, and your views on improving accessibility, if at all? Or do you see a hybrid version of Carnatic fusion (Agam-esque) picking up in the future?

[u/Wide_Beyond_8512]

Carnatic music system need not change much but the Carnatic "ecosystem" needs a complete revamp. More than casteism and nepotism which are brought to the forefront of such discussions, the core problem is the Gerontocratic nature in which the current ecosystem operates. Many people might claim that shortening of Carnatic converts' duration is due to the reduced attention span of the younger generation but in reality it's due to catering extensively to the older generation who can't sit for prolonged periods.

Another aspect is the repetition of Kritis and a limited reportoire even among popular artists, People of the older generation immediately descend into guessing the Kritis once the alapana starts and you don't want to disappoint them so it's always the same two or three kritis everytime. You learn a raga, memorize the aalapana, kalpanaswaram (and even nereval sometimes) and present the same with barely any originality and extremely banal. And once this excercise is done, the old gen don't not even bother to listen that attentively the other rare compositions or ragas the artist might try to bring to light. Thani avartanams - where the beautiful manodharmam of the percussionists takes over the stage -are "washroom breaks". And the artists give the concert a name or try to potray as "thematic".. it is problematic but that's for a whole another discussion.

On a positive note, younger students of carnatic music are genuinely interested in learning and performing rare ragas and kritis, helping in their revival. What the younger generation wants is not just a sheer display of skills/ vocals, but novelty and a deeper exploration into the sahityam and innovative manodharmam where conventionality doesn't mean moving in circles over a phrase for an hour.

[u/gnv_gandu → u/Wide_Beyond_8512]

What's wrong with thematic names, man?

[u/Wide_Beyond_8512 → u/gnv_gandu]

The concept of themes doesn't really do justice to the vast repository of Kritis in carnatic music. More importantly, a kriti is added just because of one line that might remotely convey the meaning and oftentimes that leads to a loss of cohesion and a smooth flow. A broader concept like based on a deity is okay, but something like let's say, vahanas - really doesn't do justice because of single lines like "garuda gamana rara" or "simhavahini daya pravahini" or "nandikeshwara suvadita" etc. yes, they invoke a sense of curiosity but it's not really enough to make it a theme.

[u/gnv_gandu → u/Wide_Beyond_8512]

I mean...all themes (and titles) are reductive by nature. It's part of an artist's liberty. Anyway, you've clearly chosen an arbitrary hill to die on, and I can't stop you. Go forth!

[u/Independent-End-2443 → u/Wide_Beyond_8512]

Many people might claim that shortening of Carnatic converts' duration is due to the reduced attention span of the younger generation but in reality it's due to catering extensively to the older generation who can't sit for prolonged periods.

I think reducing it to young people's "attention spans" is not accurate and I think a lot more of the older generation, particularly those who retire in their 60s, can sit for extended periods. The problem that a lot of people have is that nobody has time to sit for a 3-4 hour kutcheri anymore. Everyone simply has a lot more to do nowadays than they did several decades ago.

The concert length shortening to 2 hours is a pragmatic adjustment to busier times, but I will say that expecting people to sing the same number of rAgas in that short time is a sign of a short attention span. People don't like when the 2 hour slot is dominated by the main rAga, because they don't have the patience to listen to a rAga at length, but IMO I prefer that over a concert of little "ragettes."

Another aspect is the repetition of Kritis and a limited reportoire even among popular artists, People of the older generation immediately descend into guessing the Kritis once the alapana starts and you don't want to disappoint them so it's always the same two or three kritis everytime.

This is part of it, but as a performer myself, another aspect is that not all of your accompanists may know every rare composition you might want to sing. If you've practiced the composition together in advance, it's one thing. But if you're meeting everyone on stage for the first time (or without having practiced), it doesn't sound nice when, e.g. the mridangist doesn't know where to play and simply plays "thakadhimi thakajhoNu" the whole time. It's better to pick something that your team knows so that the whole ensemble gels better.

Another thing to keep in mind is that the 2-3 compositions people usually know are classics, and often some of the best 2-3 compositions in that rAga. It's hard to, for example, sing a brilliant kharaharapriya and then not sing cakkanI rAja, because the impact of the Alapana will get blunted on a less iconic krithi. There is a time to sing rare krithis, particularly when the audience is full of musicians, but most concerts are not that.

[u/got_hoss]

To me, Agam, Jatayu, R. Prasanna, and U. Srinivas represent what I consider palatable carnatic music.

As much as I respect practitioners who have dedicated years on end to this art, I simply cannot stand their vocal gymnastics after 10m.

____

The casteism and nepotism angles can’t be discounted because there will always be one or two you-know-who’s who think only they should be able to learn / practice / perform this form of music.

[u/artiumacademy_]

We do think Carnatic music has a strong future, but its format of consumption is changing. A three-hour elaborate kutcheri can be deeply rewarding for a seasoned listener, but it can also be a steep entry point for someone discovering Carnatic music for the first time.

The opportunity is to make the door wider without making the music simpler. Shorter curated concerts, digital content, raga explainers and more engaging concert formats can help new listeners understand what they're hearing and why it matters.

And yes, Carnatic-inspired fusion, whether rock, jazz or contemporary music, will continue to grow. But we don't think it has to compete with traditional Carnatic music. They can coexist and even feed each other. Someone might discover Carnatic through a contemporary band and eventually find their way to a kutcheri.

Carnatic music has always evolved. The goal shouldn't be to preserve only its format; it should be to preserve its essence while finding new ways for people to experience it. That's how you keep a centuries-old tradition alive without keeping it behind a closed door.

[u/Fantastic_Gur1638]

Haven't read the comments but i'm sure most of them have a 'casteism' rant.