Celebrating Sampradaya Ludwig Pesch
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INSTITUTION Celebrating Sampradaya Ludwig Pesch he centre appropriately named Sampradaya was inspired by the musical integrity Tand genuine affection of H. Rama- chandra Shastry (my own teacher) and Savithri Rajan (the teacher of my PESCH LUDWIG COURTESY: associate, Michael Nixon). Neither is with us anymore, but happily both lived to a ripe old age and remained devoted teachers all their lives. Their memories are therefore vivid and precious even today. This has to do with their strong personalities and a boundless generosity that enabled them to make lasting contributions to Ramachandra Shastry with Varahur Muthuswamy Iyer (violin), Tinnayam Venkatarama Iyer the lives of all who came in contact (mridanga), Venu Naicker (khanjira) and Madras Parthasarathy (morsing) at the HMV recording with them. They shared everything studio in 1937 they had acquired in terms of music, wisdom, humour, and especially the would not have grown and acquired nor in the form of a modern music right contacts in the world of Carnatic the national and international centre dedicated to such music. Both music: the musicians, scholars and reputation it enjoys today - neither in teachers were living encyclopedias of teachers without whom Sampradaya the sense of “great musical traditions”, Carnatic music and enlightened us about the many personalities, past and Savithri Rajan and Jayalakshmi Ammal living who had shaped this music and endowed it with such grace, depth, vigour, and enduring appeal. It was this appeal which drew us foreign music students to Carnatic music. Did I say “enlightened”? Well, the light emerged from our teachers’ side, the darkness about the nature COURTESY: SAMPRADAYA ARCHIVES SAMPRADAYA COURTESY: of this music was our condition, and what brought us and others together in a common quest was the realisation that the efforts of a few individuals, however dedicated, would make little difference; but the persisting efforts of many over many years certainly would. For this reason we decided to focus on the professional and personal experience of the Carnatic musicians themselves, not our own notions or expectations of what Carnatic music was all about. Soon this vague idea concretised in what has since become a flourishing 21 l SRUTI September 2009 INSTITUTION centre thanks to the most diverse any concessions to mass appeal. The music in proper perspective, contributions and efforts of devoted purpose for which Sampradaya was documentary material was gathered individuals of all age groups, Indians founded, and to which the centre or prepared by way of interviews, and foreigners alike. To begin with continues to be devoted, could be recording and photo sessions, and the beginning, however, it should summarized in terms of simple field trips. Later on, the laborious be recalled that we were saddened questions like “Which factors work of complementing it with by the fact that so little attention have shaped musical life in South additional research data and docu- had been paid to senior musicians India?”, “Who are the exponents of mentary material as well as cata- and less known music teachers and traditional music?”, and “What are loguing needed to be undertaken. scholars. So many of them had the experiences that they can and For outsiders, this work behind spent all their lives to cultivate and wish to share with others?” pass on a particular facet of music the screens is, of course, hardly that they held sacred. How better to Sampradaya provides musicians with comprehensible; but everyone is do justice to their contribution than special opportunities to share their welcome to listen to its outcome by listening to them, and learning experience in any way they feel to be and make use of the archival from them? By also treating them congenial, depending on the nature of materials, whether for personal or fairly in terms of acknowledgement their music, and their own stage in life. professional reasons. For this reason, and decent remuneration for their In the first place, this means listening the establishment of a centre soon concerts and recordings! to the music they treasure most in became necessary, something easier what can be described as “public to conceive than to put into practice. We realised that prestige, commercial chamber concerts”. Thereby they can With help from many members of value and public appeal had no share their precious artistic heirloom the music community of Chennai meaning at all with regard to the and creative genius with like-minded (notably a kindly landlord and true and lasting value of “their” individuals without any distractions landlady, Kalpakam and Maj. Gen. music which, in fact, belongs to all like speeches or any other ceremonial A. Balasubrahmaniyan), this dream of mankind. Fashions come and go, acts. From the beginning, we decided came true and continued to be a but certain qualities are essential to to prepare and document the musical source of strength in South India’s any type of “classical” music. It was experience in all conceivable ways so classical music circles for two the late Savithri Rajan who taught that others could also benefit from decades. It was when this stately us that in South India, such intrinsic it, now and later on. To place this Mylapore home could no longer value or quality is the essence of the concept of “sampradaya”. On Sitting (L to R): T. Sankaran, Mannargudi A. Arumugam Pillai, C.T. Lakshmanan. the basis of this valuable insight, Standing: R. Desikan, Ludwig Pesch and Michael J. Nixon at Sampradaya in 1981 our public activities were presented, with instant and lasting success, under the Sampradaya banner for more than a year before a society of the same name was founded twenty years ago. Max Mueller Bhavan, the German Cultural Institute of Chennai, graciously provided funds and facilities for several years until ARCHIVES SAMPRADAYA COURTESY: the newly founded society could take care of itself with financial assistance from the Ford Foundation. Hundreds of musicians and scholars have since demonstrated in association with Sampradaya, that music which is rare and endowed with a special quality can indeed be cultivated, disseminated without having to make 22 l SRUTI September 2009 INSTITUTION offer hospitality to Sampradaya “Small is beautiful” also applies to documentation remain where they that Leela Samson came forward to Carnatic music. Just “cloning” or belong rather than being scattered in host Sampradaya at Rukmini Devi’s multiplying this or that feature, various archives around the country former office at Kalakshetra. enlarging it out of proportion, re- or abroad. Sampradaya and its visitors now arranging a few notes and rhythms benefit from the same atmosphere ever so cleverly seems to be rather Let us hope a community of friends and in which great musicians, scholars, counterproductive. The flaw of such alumni will grow around Sampradaya teachers and composers have strategies has particularly been to ensure that the centre remains flourished. A bonus is the enjoyment demonstrated whenever Carnatic active into the far future, maintains of green and quiet surroundings. music has reached the discerning high standards in terms of chamber concerts, projects, and workshops of Seen in retrospective, the concept of ears of classical music lovers outside India for the first (and all too often, archival value, and, of course, always combining chamber concerts with remains accessible to those in need of documentation – regarded as “novel” last) time. Foreign audiences don’t listen just to be “impressed” (often musical inspiration and knowledge. at the time when Sampradaya was To achieve this goal, Sampradaya founded – has had a surprisingly at uncomfortably high decibel levels) – they too long to be touched by the also needs financial support from enduring appeal. While this is what those who have benefitted from its we had hoped for, its validity first subtle facets and deeper meaning, the bhava of Carnatic music. In this work in their careers and private needed to be proved. We were used lives. In addition, it needs disinterested to rather morose notions typical sense, it is no different from any other good music. and active involvement in the affairs of Chennai in the 1970s and 80s, of the registered society which for instance, that “classical values” Anybody interested in the history governs the centre and initiates its were losing ground and the younger of Sampradaya will be delighted activities. The continuing activities of generation of musicians had nothing that many among the better known Sampradaya are, after all, an original but “money and instant fame” on musicians of the younger generation contribution to the cultural life of their minds. Now we know for sure have been associated with the projects Chennai, the music and dance capital that, quite the contrary was true in initiated by Sampradaya, or have just of India. No non-profit institution many instances. This not only speaks made good use of its archives. The can flourish without selfless volumes about the cultured youth names of some of them would lend cooperation and interaction with a of South India, it is also the success grace to a Who’s Who in Carnatic discerning public. story of Sampradaya (despite several music in the 20th and 21st centuries. ups and downs), reflecting the self- The strength of this centre lies in its First published in 2001 as Sampradaya: rejuvenating forces inherent in Indian accessibility, especially the fact that The first twenty years, on the occasion of music. Sampradaya’s 20th anniversary (updated the music and its accompanying n by the author for Sruti). 23 l SRUTI September 2009.