Topic started by Diwakar on Thu Oct 7 18:05:42 .
All times in EST +10:30 for IST.

Should a musician sing/play a krithi as originally composed or can he/she take liberties with the compositions?

Should the creative juices be allowed to flow only in the singing of ragas and in the kalpana swaras?

Responses:

• From: lakshman (@ ppp7772.on.bellglobal.com) on: Thu Oct 7 19:30:55
  
  I think there are two schools of thought on this. One group will insist on following the exact pathantara of the composer and the other is not averse to innovations. Let us consider the kriti Bhavayami raghuramam by Svati Tirunal. Originally the whole kriti was set in a single raga and it was Semmangudi Shrinivasa Iyer who made it into a ragamalika which is now very popular. Similarly the song Gajavadana Beduve gauri tanaya by Purandaradasa has been heard in many ragas like Hamsadhvani, kedara, gaula etc. All of these sound very pleasing to the ear. I suppose it depends on the personal taste of the individual. In any case some of the sangatis of songs (like darini telusukonti)are the result of the artist's expertise in manodharma and these are deviations,for sure, from the original notation that Tyagaraja used.
  
  
• From: Narayan (@ 194.193.249.33) on: Fri Oct 8 04:13:04
  
  Lakshmanan: Reg:Purandara Dasa Krithis, Most of his Krithis are being sung in different Ragas.
  
  You can read the note about DKJ i had written in the section "D.K.J" (Kakinada Uppuma). DKJ used to say this when performing in a group singing "Kamalambha Navaavarana" Krithis. He says it tastes best when you do not go over the limits but only improvise while singing...The composer know best and i think there is nobody now who knows music better than St Thyagaraja/Dikshitar and S.Sastri.
  
  
• From: Diwakar (@ 206.175.177.168) on: Fri Oct 8 12:54:47
  
  Lakshmanan :
  
  Though there is some basis for your view that the decision is left to the individual, the composers might not welcome these innovations :-).
  
  The kutcheri format is, IMHO, designed to provide the artistes with the creative avenues required by way of raga alapana and the kalpana swaras. The RTP, a rarity nowadays, is another option.
  
  I feel that as far as singing the krithis goes, it is best to stick to the original.
  
  
• From: Puduhai Sreeram (@ 134.243.96.152) on: Fri Oct 8 15:50:26
  
  While it is OK to set the tune for compositions for which the ragam is not known, it would be better to not alter it if it is set to a ragam by a "uththama" composer (like the trinity). For instance, ragams for most of Annamacharya's krithis were not known and only later was it set to ragams. Some of Puranadara Dasar Krithis have suffered the fate of "raga alteration" - mOshahOdEnallO, originally composed by Dasa in Atana is often sung in shuba pantuvarAli.
  
  I feel that at least the compositions of uththama vAgEyakara's compositions must be sung in the ragam to which it is set. It is mentioned that Dikshitar has built in some mystical chantings in some of his compositions. These chantings are to be properly intoned and are hence set to such ragas. Anyway, this point is moot as far as Dikshitar compositions are concerned as he mentions the raga (raga mudra) in *almost* all his compositions.
  
  Besides, some of the compositions have some history behind it. Obviously, you can not sing Sastry's dEvi brOva samayamidE or Tyagaraja's nAdupai palikE in a "happy" ragam such as dhanyAsi or mOhanam, no? ;-)
  
  
• From: ramaswamyg (@ ) on: Mon Nov 18 23:19:51
  
  recently i heard a song in VENKATESHA SUPRABHATHAM in that there is a song of BHAVAYAMI sung by Svati Tirunal. Can you arrange to send me the complete stothram.
  
  thanking you
  
  ramaswamy
  
  

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