What
are the strengths and weaknesses of a Carnatic musician from a traditional
background? Has your technique hampered or inhibited you in dealing
with world musicians?
I
feel if you have a strong foundation in Carnatic music, it’s very easy
to adapt to other styles of music. For example, when I was in Dublin, the
tourism manager came with a cassette and asked me to sing an Irish composition
‘Danny Boy’ that day. I sang with my musicians (sarod, flute, tabla) and
it was based on our Indian raga Mohanam. I could easily take the notations
in my own way and my rendering was very well appreciated. We got a standing
ovation.
What
got you interested in singing and composing for dance?
When
I was 18 years old, I started singing for dance. I remember, my first
appearance was for Aruna Subramaniam in Delhi for a ballet, where I sang
a few verses. She knew I was a singer and invited me because they
wanted a male voice. Then other dancers started inviting me to sing
for them. Very soon I became the most sought after singer for dance.
Simultaneously I pursued my solo career. My first major solo classical
performance was when I was 19 years old for the Yuva Mahotsav organized
by the Delhi Administration. While I was singing for them, there
were some dancers with very little knowledge of music. They would
ask me to set music for certain slokas. That initiated me to start
composing and I gradually progressed to more serious compositions.
Which
of your compositions do you think are your best?
Each
musical score for each production is different, so I cannot pinpoint.
It depends on concept of performance. Some were totally traditional
based (like religious themes), some were for children. Snow White and the
Seven Dwarfs was my first experiment composed for Jayalakshmi Eswar.
She was bold in giving me an opportunity to explore my talent. I
felt motivated and knew I was good. ‘Spanda’ for Leela Samson is totally
abstract while ‘Adirohana’ for Anita Ratnam is different. Some scores were
contemporary.
What
do you mean by contemporary?
The
dance may be contemporary in form, but musically it is the classical raga
that we use. We add more space with gaps and fillers.
Why
is it that many musicians of your generation still consider it beneath
their dignity to sing for dance?
I
really don’t think it’s beneath dignity because singing for dance has influenced
and improved my bhava in music. I care for poetry now, the poetry that
I sing, the need to know the meaning so I can explore thevariations and
modulations. It’s not necessary to feel like that and Idon’t know why.
Musicians have always been associated with dance, bothin the past and in
the present. For example, vidushis like M SSubbulakshmi, MLV have all sung
for dance. Even vidwans like LalgudiJayaraman, Balamurali Krishna have
all composed for dance. I believeeven the stars of Madras like Sudha
Raghunathan has been singing fordance in the past. And there are
other musicians who do it discreetlyeither outside India or make a recording
and send it to the artistes.
Name
some of the most challenging and explorative music that you have composed
for dance?
I
find all compositions equally challenging. I don’t indulge in a project
unless it appeals to me. Currently, I’m in a position where I understand
both nritta and natya. So when a dancer approaches me for composing, I
adjust my music to his/her finer abilities. Some like leaps and jumps;
some are good in abhinaya, some in contemporary movement. So my compositions
vary in accordance with the dancer’s abilities.
Name
some of the famous dancers you have worked with. Is there any particular
dancer you most want to work with?
I
have worked with Sonal Mansingh, Yamini Krishnamurthy, Birju Maharaj, Leela
Samson, Swapnasundari, Madhavi Mudgul, Radha and Raja Reddy, Jayalakshmi
Eswar, Saswati Sen, Kanaka Srinivasan and many upcoming dancers.
I have sung for dancers in the age group of 6 to 60. Since I’ve worked
with almost all senior dancers, I have no such particular ambitions.
It
has often been said that your music over shadows the dance.
Your comments.
Nothing
intentional or deliberate. I get deeply involved when I sing.
My variations of sangathis do not disturb the footwork of the dancer.
In abhinaya piece, my variation sometimes convey more than what the dancer
could convey. But I do not understand, if I am overshadowing the
dancer, why am I the most sought after and why am I recommended for any
major dance production which involves or demands major musical inputs?
I don’t want to name anybody but the same people who think that I am dominating
or overshadowing the performer still aspire to work with me. If some
of the critics have felt this way, why do they recommend me? There
are some critics who feel and have openly quoted that dance music
has become
elevated after my singing for dance. Initially when I began my career,
people felt that my singing was too much like concert singing. Then I worked
hard in such a way that I developed my variations such that it did not
disturb the dancers’ interpretation. At the same time, the audience could
also enjoy music, my music. The result was, in Delhi especially, there
would be people who would attend a dance performance to hear O S Arun singing.
Then the critics would recommend me for any production that would require
a singer/composer. Then organizers would approach me directly to sing for
a dance or they’d request the dancer to take me as the singer. So where’s
the question of my trying to overshadow somebody.
Music
makes or mars a performance. Your opinion?
Definitely.
Some singers are able to understand the rasa and deal with the compositions.
Some singers just sing with reference to the counting and repetitions of
the composition. On the other hand, when the singer sings in a mundane
level, they say the musician is below par. When the singer is involved
and tries to be a part of the performance, he’s trying to take the limelight.
Is
there anything special you do to take care of your voice?
Nothing
special.
Is
there any particular discipline that you observe on the day of your concerts?
I
stay cool. I have utter faith in God and I am hard working. |
