Veteran
Music Critic Subbudu (PV Subramanyam) interviews
GS RAJAN
for The Statesman, national daily of India.
Time and
again we have seen that when a foreign scholar or artist takes interest
in one of our national assets, we look at it with new appreciation and
realize its worth. Max Mueller the great Indologist was an example of
someone who did more for the study of ancient India than any indigenous
scholar. Similarly, it took an Annie Besant to interpret the Bhagavad
Gita, and a Romain Rolland to write about Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and
Swami Vivekananda. The instances of our talented artists being ignored
in India till they make it big in the West are many. In this context
I remember writing in these columns some years ago in a review of GS
Rajan's musical presentation, that if this Carnatic flutist and composer
had been born in the West, his talent would have been nurtured and encouraged
and he would have become a great composer.
Last month,
when he went on a tour of several countries in Europe, sponsored by
the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, he seems to have got some
of this kind of recognition from the West. To accompany his flute recitals,
he took along with him a mridangist and a guitarist. This just goes
to show that with all his training in chaste Carnatic music, being the
son of Carnatic musicians Gayathri and Guruvayoor Srikrishnan, as well
as a product of Rukmini Devi's Kalakshetra, Rajan cannot resist the
urge to do something "risky" and experimental!
That he
was successful was made clear to him when the public responded to his
music with loud ovations and when a maestro like Zubin Mehta, who was
the Guest of Honour in one of Rajan's concerts in Munich, remarked,
"It gave me great pleasure to hear Mr. GS RAJAN on the occasion of India's
Republic day in Munich. Mr. Rajan creates a beautiful sound and is most
imaginative in his way of developing the raga he has chosen to interpret.
I know that he will have a life full of beautiful music and I wish him
all the best."
Rajan began
his European tour with a concert in Budapest's prestigious auditorium,
Pesti Vigado, which was packed. He also performed in Gyor, Berlin, Dessau,
Frankfurt, Brussels, Luxembourg, Marseilles, London, Alicante and Valladoid.
'It was
a memorable experience when a group of European musicians presented
my orchestral compositions which I call Raga Symphony, in Brussels'
'Espace Sanghor'. Not only the audience appreciated my Western score
based on Indian ragas, but even the musicians were happy to have played
something new, and we made some good friends,' says Rajan.
On why he
took a guitar player as his accompanist instead of a violinist, he says,
'It is not really a new concept as the Carnatic music system has always
made use of instruments from other genres. Once even the violin was
considered foreign to Carnatic music. Now we are used to the Violin,
Mandolin, Clarinet, Saxophone, Santoor, and even Keyboards playing Carnatic
ragas. This is why I thought of taking Shri Joy Vincent who plays Carnatic
music on the Guitar banjo, as one of my accompanists on this tour. And
the audience and Western musicians were astonished to see the gamakas
coming from a Guitar banjo.'
Rajan is
all praise for some of the organizations that presented his recitals
in the various cities he visited. 'In the absence of an organization
like the ICCR in many countries, the Indian Embassy identified a reputed
organization that was interested in hosting groups from India. Such
arrangements in fact bring about closer ties between India and lovers
of Indian art abroad.'
Not that
all such arrangements are perfect. At one venue, where an Indian Association
was playing host, it turned out that the hosts wanted to share the stage
with the guests, by sandwiching Rajan's recital between the amateur
performances of their talented tiny tots! But such episodes can be set
right with proper monitoring by the Indian Missions, feels Rajan.
'The success
of presentations abroad also depends on the interest taken by the officials
of the Indian Missions. I met a couple of dedicated officers in Brussels
and Madrid. The Minister in the Indian Embassy at Brussels, Mr. S Chakravarti
is not only an enthusiastic official but also a music lover with a great
knowledge of Indian traditional and regional music. This made our visit
to Brussels even more enjoyable. In Madrid too, we were really well
looked after thanks to Mr. Sanjeeva Babu who takes a special interest
in Indian artists. The ICCR needs such people in the Indian Missions,
since these missions are the ICCR's mouth and ears outside the country.'
Meeting
Spanish artists engaged in the Indian arts was an eye opener for Rajan.
'In Valladoid, I was surprised to meet a couple who had undergone training
in Bharata Natyam and Kathakali at Kalakshetra, Chennai and Kerala Kalamandalam,
respectively. There are many young musicians interested in learning
Carnatic music. I understand that the ICCR is coming up with a center
in Spain soon. In fact I feel the ICCR should consider such a center
in Dessau, Germany, too, where there are a lot of people interested
in Indian music, especially since it is the birthplace of Max Mueller.'
With his
background of working in the Sangeet Natak Akademi, he would even be
an ideal candidate to work at such a center, and the idea of working
in one of the cultural capitals of Europe appeals to him. 'With my fourteen
years of experience working at the Sangeet Natak Akademi, I am positive
that I will be able to not only teach music but also help in art administration,'
says this versatile musician, who has also learnt vocal music under
the late MD Ramanathan.
For talented
Carnatic musicians, Chennai is considered the place to be. But Rajan
has not been seen rushing to this musicians' Mecca for the Madras Season.
'It is not that I do not want to perform there. But my ego will not
permit me to join the crowds knocking on every Sabha Secretary's door
for a chance. Also, my approach to music is different. I cannot drive
my music on the Carnatic Highway!'
Now that
2002 has started on a globetrotting note for Rajan, he plans to 'stay
home for some time and practice my flute as well as try out some new
compositions before taking up new projects or assignments.