ART FORM FIRST – MISSION FIRST – INSTITUTION FIRST

(EXCERPTS FROM THE EDITORIAL – SAMUDRA MAGAZINE, April 2009 Issue)

SEETHA RAJAN – Spirit and Persona

“Music or any fine arts has come to thrive today, mainly with the support of various institutions which work for its development and propagation. Some organizations have stood the test of time and kept above amidst several odds while some others have gone into oblivion after a point of time. But, its is a matter to ponder as to why in spite of starting off with a big bang and being in the hands of being experienced and committed people, some organizations have closed down for good. The answer lies in the fact that these institutions have stood on the strength of its own merits and ideals, then it automatically keeps moving and thrives successfully. Here, the individuals who work for it to think of only uplifting the stature to the organization and not in promoting their own self. Thus, the people behind it set high standards and goals for the institution and work towards raising its quality. Once these people move out of the scene, the new team follows the path set.”

“Even when it comes to the projection of the arts, when an artist truly understands and feels that he is just too small in front of the mighty art form, his aim will only be to put the art in the forefront and himself remain a vehicle to present the same. Thus, in the process, the artist vanishes and only the art and its values and aesthetics are projected, Here again, I would like to mention a concert of Smt Seetha Rajan that I heard recently on “Vivadi Ragas.” From her expression, one could get a feel about her fascination and passion for what she was communicating. When she mentioned how amazingly Muthuswami Dikshitar had handled the Vivadi ragas in the most exquisite and aesthetic manner, you could sense her pride in being a part of this great tradition of Karnatic Music but at the same time, there was also an inherent humility that she was only a medium to convey some of the things  that she had researched and discovered in his compositions, Also, when she sang each kriti, there was no attempt to project her own artistry – it was a sincere effort to make rasikas get a peek into the tonal architecture of the works of the great composers. As an audience, you could really experience with ecstasy the contours, movements, form and beauty of each composition in full measure, while Smt. Seetha painted their picture with complete involvement. Every Sangati was a reflection of the loftiness of Karnatic music and all the value that it stands for. I suppose that if every artist thought about this art in these lines i.e, presenting the essence o f the art imbibed and not the individual artist, fascinating and inspiring facets, each time they are presented.”

“The wealth of music that has been handed down to us by our great composers and musicians is indeed so vast and a lifetime is not enough to grasp and assimilate even a fraction of it.”

VIVADI RAGA CONCERT  ------------  Smt. Seetha Rajan

FRIDAY,  27^th   March, 2009 ------------ MUSIC ACADEMY, Chennai