Importance of veenai - LecDem by Neyveli Santhanagopalan

These are my notes from a lecture demonstration at Parthasarathy Swamy Sabha on December 22, 2017, about "The importance of Veenai" by Neyveli Santhanagopalan. Notes are in manipravaalam, a mixture of Tamil and English

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Thyagayya cut short his unja vritti because he wanted to listen to Kuppayyar play veenai, says Neyveli Santana Gopalan.

If you want to listen to a singer, first visit their house and see if at least there is an old dusty unused veenai in some corner.

Why do you come to see an old lady like me, asked Veena Dhanammal, of Tiruvavaduthurai Rajarathnam Pillai? Do you want me stop acquiring jnanam, retorted Pillai.

My father and guru TN Seshagopalan are both vainikas, it's a tradition to be proud of. Vidwans know its value. Do singers appreciate the veena, he asks? Can someone from the audience answer, he asks. Veenai is closest to human voice, answers a voice. The music played on veenai is very visible, says another (hand and finger movements, I suppose). Like good batsman can read an outswinger from the bowler's grip?

Now coffee break, he says taking a sip

Neyveli's aadhaara shruti is subtle humor

வேயுரு தோளி பங்கன் மிக நல்ல வீணை தடவி .... ஆ தமிழ்!

உத்தம காயிகன் வீணை மாதிரி பாடவேண்டும். கயிறு மாதிரி இழுக்காதே, வீணையை தடவ வேண்டும் என்பார் (யார்? என்மனார் புலவர்)

Baluswamy Deekshithar brother of முத்துசாமி Deekshithar who introduced western violin to carnatic music, adopted violin play from veena.

அளந்து பேசினால் சுவாரஸ்யமா இல்லை. உண்மை பேசினால் அளவா பேசறது கஷ்டம்.

The measure of a Rasika is how well he has trained himself to listen, and he should train himself by listening to the veena. Like an endoscopy helps us to trust a doctor, the veenai helps us to appreciate good music.

I have a relative who quotes Shakespeare, wrongly from start to finish. Crucial that we listen to the right sources.

Sings a few phrases like Madurai Mani Iyer, very short phrases, very close to veena he says. Simple and elevating was Mani Iyer music or Brindamma music.

Now a few swaras in the GNB style. If we sing well, we can say பலே to ourselves. Some musicians aren't happy when we appreciate them. How does one deal with that?

He plays better than me, he is from a veenai paramparai, he says of his shishya.

Veena helps us to get out of scale based thinking into swaroopa based thinking

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