Lately, I chanced to see a few TV competitions, that nowadays, range from singing to dance to even weight loss. There used to be a pretty low key singing contest telecasted a decade back or so. The participants were chosen by auditioning their cassettes. The entire season used to offer truly mesmerising experience to the audience. The participants, at time kids, used to be visibly talented. When the judges used to stand up for the verdict and confess their inability to differentially rank them, audience supported unanimously.
But that's history. Today, we have swanky shows know as talent hunt shows. It's unclear though, whether they hunt the talent or hunt for the talent! Majority of the participants are too forgettable even for colony level appearances. The quality of voice - it's texture and range, the ability of conforming to chromatic and diatonic patterns, aligning with the beat and chords, et al, has apparently become a passée. Rather than limiting oneself to the trivial act of striking the vocal chords, participants nowadays shake their entire anatomy offering, purportedly, an audio-visual delight to the spectators. This is, perhaps, to make up for the quality of voice.
Judging too, off late, has become a fashion vis-a-vis a thankless honorary job. Judges are no longer invited cause of their ne plus ultra name in the field of music. The judges are those, whose music is selling in masses. The process of judging also has become a piece of cake. Advent of telecom has given a powerful tool in the hands of the masses: SMS votes. The winner is hence chosen truly following the constitutionally recommended democratic method. Last 60 years nevertheless provide excellent testimony to the very method's perfection.
Art is supposedly the highest point of the culture in any civilisation. If mediocrity and mob rule is the reality of the day, such music is here to stay.
But that's history. Today, we have swanky shows know as talent hunt shows. It's unclear though, whether they hunt the talent or hunt for the talent! Majority of the participants are too forgettable even for colony level appearances. The quality of voice - it's texture and range, the ability of conforming to chromatic and diatonic patterns, aligning with the beat and chords, et al, has apparently become a passée. Rather than limiting oneself to the trivial act of striking the vocal chords, participants nowadays shake their entire anatomy offering, purportedly, an audio-visual delight to the spectators. This is, perhaps, to make up for the quality of voice.
Judging too, off late, has become a fashion vis-a-vis a thankless honorary job. Judges are no longer invited cause of their ne plus ultra name in the field of music. The judges are those, whose music is selling in masses. The process of judging also has become a piece of cake. Advent of telecom has given a powerful tool in the hands of the masses: SMS votes. The winner is hence chosen truly following the constitutionally recommended democratic method. Last 60 years nevertheless provide excellent testimony to the very method's perfection.
Art is supposedly the highest point of the culture in any civilisation. If mediocrity and mob rule is the reality of the day, such music is here to stay.
