We are playing world music, not ethnic music sitting on floor: L Subramaniam

New Delhi [India]: Violin virtuoso L Subramaniam is a crusader of global music with a strong background in Carnatic classical music, western classical music, and orchestration. He has been experimenting with new ideas and developed the global music concept. 

In an exclusive conversation, he spoke about global music and how he started working on the idea. 

He said, “In late 60s, whenever they talked about classical music in the West, they thought Occidental classical music was Western classical music. Everything else they put under one carpet saying world music, which included Indian classical music and Chinese traditional music, African traditional music. Every genre of music came under world music, which I was not happy because we have one of the, probably the oldest classical system in the world.” 

He continued briefing about the traditional Indian music and added, “We had Carnatic, and initially the Carnatic system started from Vedas. After that, around the 12th, 13th century, the Mughals invaded, then the music took some of the Persian influences, and we have now two beautiful systems, Carnatic, and North Indian. So whenever they said ethnic music, we said we are playing world music. I used to always say in interviews on television, we are not playing ethnic music or folk music sitting down on the floor.” 

“The tradition of sitting down is because instrumentalists, vocalists, everybody was sitting down and performing. So this is one of the oldest classical systems,” he added. 

His brilliant technique and profound knowledge of Western and Carnatic music have allowed him to work on groundbreaking records and collaborations with artists such as Yehudi Menuhin, Stephane Grappelli, Stevie Wonder, Jean-Pierre Rampal, Herbie Hancock, George Duke, Tony Williams, and Billy Cobham. 

He shared how he started using the term “global music”. 

To popularise the other forms of music in the world, he started the Lakshminarayana Global Music Festival. It was established in 1992 by L Subramaniam and Viji Subramaniam, in the memory of his late father and Guru Professor V. Lakshminarayana. 

While talking about it, he shared, “I created that and started doing festival with that term (global) where I called Western classical musicians. People like Lord Menuhin has been part of it. I started my Lakshminarayana Global Music Festival.” 

Although sitting down and performing was considered part of traditional music but Subramaniam’s effort changed the notions and internationally acclaimed artist such as American-born British violinist and conductor Menuhin performed with him while sitting down. 

He recalled, “When we played in UN, he sat down. And for the 40th year of India celebration in UN in New York, I sat down and played. He also sat down and played a piece I wrote for him.” 

Over the years Lakshminarayana Global Music Festival has come to be one of the most significant festivals of global music. 
As for biographical details, L Subramaniam was born to Prof V Lakshminarayana Iyer and Seethalakshmi on July 23, 1947. 

He created several musical compositions for ballet performances for well-known dance companies such as the San Jose Ballet Company, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, and the Mariinsky Ballet. 

He also composed music for films including ‘Salaam Bombay’, ‘Mississippi Masala’, ‘Little Buddha’ and ‘Cotton Mary’.