Author: Indira Menon
Publisher: Roli Books
Year: 2005
Language: English
Pages: 188
ISBN/UPC (if available): 8174360786
Description
A seminal and pioneering work delineating the struggles and triumphs of four contemporary women vocalists belonging to the Karnatak music tradition.
The book traces the careers of Madras Quartet - M S Subbulakshmi, T Brinda, D K Pattammal and M L Vasanthakumari - not merely as consummate artistes with their own individual banis and genre music, but also as trailblazers who played a crucial role in the emancipation of women from a hidebound social set up.
The book highlights the tremendous influence of the Trinity of the 19th century in giving a new format to art music which helped - although only peripherally - to accommodate women in it. The daughters and granddaughters of the early pioneers were to carry forward the struggle to establish themselves on a par with their male counterparts.
Contents
Preface
Acknowledgements
THE BEGINNINGS
The Bhakti Movement
The Early Composers
Royal Patrons
The Trinity
THE TRANSITION KAMAKSHI AMMAL
A Tale of Two Cities
The Devadasi System
The Anti-Nautch Movement
THE PIONEER WOMEN MUSICIANS
Veena Dhanam and Her Contemporaries
Dhanakoti Ammal
Bangalore Nagaratnammal
THE MODERN AGE : TECHNOLOGY AND CULTURAL CHANGE
The Gramophone
The Radio
The Cinema
Voice Culture and the Microphone
From Prince
To Populace
Gurukula in Eclipse
The Social Roots of Karnatak Music
The Trend-Setters and the GNB Phenomenon
THE STRUCTURE OF KARNATAK MUSIC
THE MADRAS QUARTET
Madurai Shanmukhadivu Subbulakshmi
Tanjore Brinda
Damal Krishnaswamy Pattammal
Madras Lalithangi Vasanthakumari
Appendices
Glossary
Bibliography