The experience of participating in the College Orchestra was something different which I never had earlier in my life !
Nothing to claim big about the orchestra as it was a group of few individuals and with barely any worthy instruments to play, but the basic minimum was there (just to play as a "Chamber" music) !
But what can be worth mentioning was the experience of efforts of dissecting the IR songs and trying to assemble and reproducing them to create "something like IR song"!
The songs selected to be played for the Annual day functions were the raging hits of that year like "Pani vizhum malar vanam, Ilaiya Nila, Kanne Kalaimane, Kodai Kala Kaatre, Alli thandha boomi, etc."
While I was a half-baked as far as Carnatic music and swarams etc are concerned, w.r.t WCM I was total zero!
It was really humiliating that you don 't know what are these chords, Majors and minors meant and what are the significance, etc.
Though, you play the song, you don't know how to reproduce the notes and communicate to others.
The way the fellow orchestra members looked, smiled and chuckled, it virtually meant "bloody , from where you have come! " (even though they never told that openly).
Thus, in spite of my belief & attitude that "I know so many things of IR and his songs" I got exposed to my "ignorance" of technical marvelous of IR !
I was literally shattered ! All my egos were just vanishing like thin air !
I cannot even understand IR songs, forget about understanding IR !
How much of my life was already got wasted and practically no chance of even making an attempt in future !
All such thoughts were rambling in my mind !
To many of you, it may appear funny, that the person who discuss and talk so many things about IR and still feel "empty" on technical side ?
Yes Sir ! One must atleast witness (if not able to participate), the "Efforts" that are put in any orchestra where IR songs are "tried" to be played!
I deliberately use the word "try", because, people can only "try" but never succeed cent per cent !
At later in my life, through my association with IR yahoo club etc, I am vindicated of my feelings ! Many of those technical experts in the club members are the outcome of such college orchestra experience ! Believe me, itÂ’s a fact !
In spite of all these, the joy of even reproducing those songs with the minimum accuracy as possible, can't be measured!
Invariably, every member of the orchestra was virtually in ecstasy and tears when some difficult & wonderful phrases were attempted and the sound emanated as in the song !
Also, on the day of actual performance, the practicality of how a song can go wrong in a hall due to other facts like sound system etc., in spite of your best of efforts, that also I experienced!
The same people who appreciated and applauded ealrier on one moment, booed and yelled when things went haywire!
Thus the bubble of "musician" inside me, which took shape quickly earlier, "died" instantly in the same year !
Though I didn't know what to do at that moment, but I promised to myself, that,
"Someday I will certainly educate myself on music in general and WCM in particular and find out what these musical terms etc are meant ! "
1 comment:
Ah.Wat a encouraging feeling to know that you also learnt it all after college.Me also in the same position even spending two out of college and discontinuing from learning violin at a young age just to realise that so many years.Brighter side is its never too late.
From your previous post, I was reminded of one of the most irritating facts that we face.That is IR not being recognised properly in classical music community.More than he has run into problems with them i guess.Though i decide not to give a damn, most of the times i cant help it.
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