Music And Common Man

Music season is coming to a close.Mostly the concerts were on line only,except for a few.

Music is technically evolved from ‘Dvani’ which has originated from ‘ sound’. Many songs suited to the locations, occasions and occupations had existed even earlier to classification of ragas.

It is evident therefrom that every human being is a ‘born rasika’,though he may not know to distinguish between Ritigowla and Ananda Bhairavi or the subtle difference between
ShanmugaPriya and SimhendraMadyamam.
Everystreet vendor has his own specific tune or un named raga to market his product and the same can be identified correctly by one and all without any controversy.
There is music from cradle to coffin. An infant sleeps inside a cloth swing hung from a bamboo pole fixed to the platform listening to the mother’s lullaby, since it listens to the music of her heart.Does the child know ragam or talam?

We are choked with emotions when we hear elegies.

Yet for the poor labourer working in a construction site,the digging sound of the borewell is ‘Bhupalam’, concrete mixing sound is ‘ Mohanam’ and the sawing sound of the carpenter is’ Saveri’.

A rasika experiences music from a concert hall, whereas the fishermen at lakes and seas and the labourers at the mount gardens revel in the same delight from the natural surroundings. The elite enjoys nature from music and the peasant enjoys music in nature.

Rasikas of classical music form only a negligible percentage of the huge population.
The poor have no concern as to how the musicians delve in complicated challenging ragas and come out unscathed, since their life itself is a big challenge.

The human response to music is initially instinctive and emotive.As soon as we hear any form of music,there is an involuntary reaction.a flicker of recognition.Music triggers images and emotions.It is more about us than about music..Beyond comprehension, grammar and form what makes music intimate is its ability
to reveal ourselves to us...
In this connection folk music has its own significance.Any classical musician is likely to assume that folk forms are less systematized or developed
and are intended to so remain for ever.-
We have to understand that all folk forms are highly evolved-in the sense of its constitution-
and not in the sense of perception.These folk forms are drawn from rural environments,held in temples or local congregations are mostly on social beliefs and practices.
Folk are forms do have a well developed grammar and organized system,not necessarily written down as formal theory.Learning is more by observation than by codified training just like veda studies.Students imbibe the inherent grammar at a subconscious level.
There are various dance forms in Kerala handed over from generations.There are kooththus and Yaksha ganam.In fact 'Sadir' was a ritual based distinct art form practised only by deva dasis,but within a century it has evolved into an aesthetic form of Bharatha Natyam
The remarks of Dr.Harold Powers, a renouned
musicologist are worth observing.
"The classification of folk and classical are purely social.As music forms are appreciated by more people in the higher strata of society,the music gets transformed into classical and aesthetic is
reconstructed"
Extremely insightful remark as evidenced by evolution of Bharatha Natyam.
Jayasala 42