Enya- And Winter came...

Yes. Enya has a new album. The album has 13 tracks maintaining her style and ethereal voice in every track. Each song is pretty in its own way. "While is in the Winter night" is my fav track so far. It is very similar to "wild child" in her day without rain album. The music is the same - "in layers" with her intangible voice filling in the seconds of silence. Track (1) is a video of Enya speaking about the album. "One toy soldier" is a children's song about a little toy soldier who has a broken drum. Overall, the album is very similar to her old albums. I am little disappointed on the whole and was expecting more out of the album.

Dikshitar - Dhrupad ...the connection

Muthuswami Dikshitar was the youngest of the Trinity. (1776 - 1835). He was born in Thanjavur. He was one of three brothers and one sister and hailed from a family of musicians, often compared to the bach family of Germany. Dikshitar moved to Manali from thanjavur, a place near chennai. He came in contact with western music played by the bands of the East india Company. It could have been here that his brother Baluswami Dikshitar first learnt the violin and adapted it to carnatic music. Dikshitar was an avid traveller. During his lifetime, he was spiritually inspired by Chidambara Yogi. Dikshitar went to Varanasi with him. This phase of life which brought him in touch with Dhrupad, whos influence shows in his later compositions.The slow dhrupad style of North Indian music captivated him. This is why his songs are normally slow in tempo and majestic. They bring out the depth and beauty of the raga using ornamentation (gamakas). He also used what is known as Madhyamakala (medium tempo). The hindustani influence is amply reflected in his works like: Cheta Sri (dwijavanti), Balagopala (Bhairavi), Sri Rajagopala (Saveri), Minakshi Me Mudam (Poorvikalyani) and Sri Subramanyaya Namasthe (khambhoji).His kritis are normally in Sanskrit and a chowka kala pramanam. Here are the different speeds in carnatic music to give you an idea of the pace of his compositions - Vilamba laya = chowka laya (slow) Madhyama laya (medium) Druta laya (fast)The Chowka Kala Pramanam is comparable to the Dhrupad style in Hindustani Music. This style is striking in his compositions in ragas like Dwijavathi, Ramkali, Yamakalyani, Hamirkalyani and Brindavan sarang. Dikshitar introduced the Raga "Hamsadhwani" in Carnatic music, the most famous compostion being, "Vatapi". People say he created this ragam, but one can arguably state that he "introduced" it to the carnatic genre based on his knowledge of Hindustani music.

Musicophilia - Oliver Sacks

Our exquisite sensitivity to music can sometimes go wrong. Oliver Sacks describes this concept in his book "Musicophilia". Some of the chapters in this book that are really fascinating. In his years of experience as a neuroscientist, he narrates different case studies; some people who have had more than ordinary responses to music after an accident or just by birth. These include people who develop an obsession to music after a seizure; people who are inflicted with "amusica", a condition in which the person hears music as pots and pans crashing; people who are gifted with "perfect pitch" in which a son can tell if his father sneezes in "D". These are just some of the fascinating stories that are part of this book. Listening to music is not just auditory and emotional; it is motoric as well. Music therapy is also something sacks says that has tremondous potential. This is just because of our sensitivity to sound. People who are autistic, retarded, with subcortical syndromes suc has parkinsonism or other movement disorders respond to music therapy. I highly recommend reading this book, if you are in any way interested in music and the brain.

ShEnkar + electronica

Few days ago, I was sent a piece called "open the door". I was told that I am great fan of the artist and I had to guess his/her name. I took a couple of days but still couldn't identify him/her. There was a tinge of tamilian accent along with american. I could pin point on the genre, being "techno/electronica".
After much effort, I finally was told that it was the violin maestro L Shankar's new album. You can check out his "new" but no so new music here on my space -
I was truly amazed and got a kick out of listening to his "Misery" track.

Cleveland - tyagaraja Festival ' 08

mar 26' 08

Cleveland Tyagaraja festival, is serious for carnatic musicians.  I got to see why this March of '08.Besides singing the pancharatna kritis, also known as the five gems of the composer tyagaraja, i gotto see and interact with great musicians such as sri. r.k srikantan, chitraveena ravikiran and sri. guruvayoor dorai. There were lecture demonstrations, kutcheri's and intense music competitions....read more...

Raga Kalyani

The nature of the raga kalyani is something unique. It has a mood which brings in happiness when I sing. Also, the nature of the raga is such that it creates a mood
for singing other ragas. It is the 65th melakarta. It was called "santha kalyani" in the old scheme and "mechakalyani". in the new scheme. The alapanai typically starts in "pa" or "ga". Janta swaras and Daatu swaras are commonly used in the raga kalyani.
Kalyani is orginally a Middle Eastern scale and became popular in
Carnatic Music in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Shakespeare, Newton and Beethoven

"He who has Art and Science also has religion
But those who do not have them better have religion" said Goethe.

In April 1975 the legendary astrophysicist, Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar, delivered a lecture entitled Shakespeare, Newton and Beethoven, or Patterns of Creativity at the University of Chicago. In his lecture, he ranged over Shri Shakespeare, Shri Beethoven and Shri Newton - each representing the ne plus ultra of human accomplishment in their respective domains.

Eyewitness in Gandhiji's death

This is an interesting video about an interview of an eyewitness of gandhiji's death -

http://youtube.com/watch?v=34jm36ZloOA

I saw Lisa Gerrard in concert at the Concert Hall, 62 West, NY.
She was "Brilliant" - accompanied by the piano and the synth. The ambience itself was rather freaky. Her unique voice along with her grace was an unbeatable combination. She did sing a few Dead can Dance tracks. Though the Dead Can Dance concert (who i saw in 2005 oct at Radio City Music Hall, NY) was one of the best I have ever been to, lisa gerrard solo is an experience that is umnatchable.

I bought myself an organics grape shampoo from italian grapes extract and conditioner from whole foods, union sq.

She, who has eyes like the water lilies (“jalajakshi”),
is exceedingly (“chala”) distressed (“marulu konnadi”)
because of her separation from you (“ninnu edabasi”)

You are her soul mate ("cheluvudaina").
Why are you not coming (“ravademira”) to claim your beloved (“chelia nela”)?

oru dharam shiva chidaram yendru sonnal podhume.
paragathy pera veru punyam panna venduma?

Identity, Immigration, Tradition.

A lot transculture is happening around the world. Is it really hard for people to lose themselves and their belonging? Many express their origins with different methods - art, technology(?) and of course family.
The role of art in social change is becoming more and more popular as artists are using
so many ways to express their sense of confusion.

I came across Siona Benjamin who has an interesting form of expression; whos paintings portray the current self mixed with various cultures and striving to survive in them.

Rasa

Adbhuta (Marvelous)
Hasya (Comic)
Srngara (Erotic)
Bibhatsa (Odious)
Vira (Heroic)
Karuna (Pathetic)
Bhayanaka (Terrible)
Raudra (Furious)

"everything has to do with loving and not loving.
this night will pass,
then we have work to do."
[rumi]

The sudden sense of "moral ambiguity" has been cast upon me. It's a struggle.

Yes, I'm thinking of this, yes I am
to hold the thought so close,
yet in the need to get rid of

Yes, I'm thinking of that, Yes I am
in the event of letting out the steam,
to forget..

Where can I go from today?

I have been listening to Lyudmila Zykina. I liker her style. Its rather nice. She’s one of the most authentic and best performers of traditional music.

http://www.russiandvd.com/store/product.asp?sku=41120&genreid=

its interesting how the violin doesnt play a major role in the orchestra. Ive also been listening to Russian fairy tales - these require a separate blog..

Ever close your eyes

ever stop and listen

ever feel alive

and you've nothing missing

you don't need a reason

let the day go on and on


Only take the time

from the helter skelter

every day you find

everything's in kilter

you don't need a reason

let the day go on and on

In the lazy water meadow I lay me down. All around me golden sun flakes settle on the ground. Basking in the sunshine of a bygone afternoon Bringing sounds of yesterday into this city room.