Who is a critic and what is his role?

With respect to carnatic music, Subbudu is the only name synonymous with carnatic music criticism. Anyone who even talks or comments lightly on the performance will be made fun with his name. He is both a respected and sometimes feared person. In my thinking, his writing as well as very presence in the first row of a concert hindered the free flow of imagination of the performer. I have seen concerts take a different tone altogether when he enters and leaves the hall. One who indeed walked the words 'Pen is mightier than sword' ! 

I reiterate that good music will always attract audience. The performer grows leaps and bounds by tuning his conscious nous to the subtle nuances and also the ambiance of the concert hall. Its all about packaging a concert and executing it. 

Having said that, how does the performer improve? By getting the right feedback. 

- By listening to his records himself and see where he can improve

- From a critic, whose feedback has been constructive and helped him improve/progress. If there is no improvement, then choose s different critic friend. 

So,

who is a critic?

Critic is 

- a trained musician who didn't get enough opportunities /didn't have the right environment  or

- one who simply failed in his attempts to reach the required perfection or

- one who does not have the nice vocal chord to go on stage but is a coffee time "tha-tha-ri-na-na" singer.

- a sharp and astute listener. He can repeat exactly what the on-stage musician sang, probably and most of the times a better version

- a scholar in theory

- good in describing music, writes clear and candid essays

- a good friend of the performer. (Not necessarily a Krishna-Arjuna equation ;-))

what is his role? 

To most extent, a critic must be all of these to make a positive and progressive difference to the performance. Performance of his time period for that particular art. As much as he contributes to the performer, he also has a role with the audience. 

He educates the audience and tells them how and what to listen, enjoy, and disapprove. He helps to have an active audience that simply does not sit-through-and-gossip-later types. 

Here is my favorite and own puller - A critic is made, not born. A musician is born, not made.


The famous words ...

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly. So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.  
                                                                            -  Theodore Roosevelt