Meanwhile, I had an opportunity to watch Sri Madugula Nagaphani Sarma,
performing the avadhAnam at Houston last week. Every time he was rendering a
poem, either prepared de novo or extracted from the previously synthesized
texts, he sang in a particular rAga and laya. In fact, while snythesizing a
poem de novo, he was humming for a while. That explained! This Sarma had a
thorough understanding of samgIta sikshaNa and poetry and he could comfortably
perform the marriage between both.
IMHO, a number of poets either have little or a little bit of smagITa ~nAnam
(please don't get me wrong! I said it is my opinion.). After listening to
Sri Sarma rendering poetry in musical manner, how much samgItam plays a role
in poetry.
Again I ask a question - Why poetry as opposed to prose, attracts some
people (lovers of literature)? (If it is a personal preference, what is that?)
Is a poem easy to remember?
if so
Is n't a rAga easy to remember and follow?
if so
Does chandassu and rAgA go together?
One more digression!
One may say that the YakshagAnAs have chandassu. Each gAnam has a definite
rAgam. Therefore, the meter and music go hand in hand with.
I still remember my childhood when I used to attend pamDitA gOshTi where
pamDitulu used to sing poems. I used to notice different rAgAs specific for
each poem.
Another digression:
I have come across one our family friends at Detroit. She writes stories and
essays in Telugu and well-known. I haven't seen any lately. I asked her what
is she working on now. She said that she is working on gEya rAmAyanam and she
is finishing it now. I heard her singing a part from her rAmAyaNam.
Afterwards I had asked her method of writing and she told me that she always
writes lines with a well-set tune and the rhythm (poetic) fits in the musical
notes. BTW, she sings fantastic.
Prasad Tumuluri, who also writes poetry has a set tune for each of his pieces.
He also told me the same thing. With out a tune, he wouldn't attempt to write
a poem or a gEyam.
All those poetry lovers, please watch Sri Sarma performing the avadhAnam.
Any poetry he, whether chandO or nachamdO, he can do. Speciality with this
avadhAni is his excellent samgIta ~nAnam and voice.
Long ago, I saw a Telugu Poetry Book (written by not well-known poet of
kuddigAm village of Srikakulam) with poems on the ilavElpu of the poet.
Each poem was ear-marked with the chandO style as well as a specific rAgam.
Did anybody see such rAgA assignments?
regards
pAlana
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Disclaimer: Opinions expressed above are not those of the CAS.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------