Post Music Season Murmurs

This has been published with a few minor changes by Sruti (India's premier music magazine) in its January 2009 edition.



The season is over, at least for me as I have wound up my 4 day sabbatical in the temples of Carnatic music. There are several aspects to drinking in the nectar of good music. The aspect of humour is not lost on me..

RASIKA DEMOGRAPHICS:

• There are many kinds of rasikas. They come in all types of sizes and shapes (literally and of course, figuratively!). There are those that are die-hards and are single minded. They come armed with snacks, water, medicines, books to read during those bald patches. They are there from 8 am to 10pm not getting distracted by the mere mortals and their noises. For them, food, wonderful canteen food it may be, is just sustenance for the body (and perhaps, mind, if they are being a bit generous!)



• There are those whose natural state is to be in constant motion between Sabhas, the inveterate sabha-hoppers! They seem to always feel that they need to be at some other concert when they are attending one concert. I have overheard several whispering to their tolerant better halves, " Aval ROMBA nalla paduvala! Ange poyi avaloda Thukkada kekkalama?" (I believe she sings very well. Shall we go and listen to post thani items?). They are for ever flitting from concert to concert like butterflies while doing worse than them in the bargain!



• And, then, there are those who talk more than they listen. They have apparently been veterans on the sabha circuit for the last 50 years ..generally, a number bigger than your age. They break into ecstasy of their own nostalgic recollections of yesteryear musicians. Typically, the conclusion is in favour of the yesteryear musicians. "Ayyo idenna Sankarabharanam! Anda avar inda alapanai rendu mani neram paduvar" (Oh! How great is this Sankarabharanam? That great musican used to sing this for 2 hours). When the ecstasy doubles, they even do a parallel concert for the benefit of their unfortunate neighbours.



• I am afraid that I become close friends sometimes with the "Find the Raga or perish!" types. We can lovingly call them buzzing bees. The moment the musician begins, they enter into a long and soporific humming phase. They won't give up until they land on the name of the raga in time. I feel like ending their agony by whispering the raga to them (unless I myself am buzzing!). There was one person who announced the name as 'Pashupatipriya' after a long bout of buzzing. I had to tell him politely, "Sir, it is Pahadi, by the artist's own admission".


• There are those folks who seem to spend more time outside the auditorium than inside - The casual wanderers. In case they are caught in their non-native state, actually enjoying the main composition, they shudder into normalcy and walk out crossing and stepping on the entire row full of listeners once the thani (tala solo) begins. Thani means a bio-break or a coffee break for these.
  

As you can see, Rasika demographics is a fertile area for further research.

Concert Humour:

• There are those who build the raga with their voices and hands. They are builders. There is a good dose of calisthenics and it all slowly culminates when they literally put a roof on top of it when they reach the thara panchamam (Pa in higher octave). It is an easy glide from there. Not recommended for acrophobiacs!


• Whoever said that alapana (raga elaboration) is supposed to employ Tha, Da, Ri and Na as the primary syllables. I have heard Rarra, lalla, Hummm, Vivvivvi, uhwwvonn (almost unspeakable) and it was the ultimate when I heard 'Thu Thu' (the sound associated with spitting). I am not a puritan, but, at the least, the guideline in a music concert should be aesthetics.


• Musicians can get lost (they are supposed to, aren't they?) during their performances. A good dose of thigh slapping and rocking around the center of gravity (Man, they rock!) in jerky gyrations are all amusing. I don't have an opinion on this...as long as they don't do a Michael Jackson!


• And, of course, there are numerous lyrical slips.


• I noticed the following in concerts. "Nada sudha Rasam Pilanu" (Nada Sudha Rasambilanu), "Pakkala Nila Padi" (Pakkala Nilabadi), "Valli Devasenobheda" (Valli Devasenopeta). They almost always lead to jarring and unintended set of meanings.


• I found these in the special supplements produced by The Hindu. You can tell that I literally devoured these during the breaks.


• "Bamamani Janaki Sowmitri" (Bhamamani ...) in Rama Katha (Madhyamavati); "Sarasooda" (Sarasuda) in Saveri; "Palukavemi Na Deivama" (....Daivama) in Purnachandrika; "Tharaloni ni saati" (Dharaloni...) in Mari Vere (Latangi); "Vadera Deyvamu" (...Daivamu) in Pantuvarali; "Soga Sukha" (Sogasuga) in Sriranjani; "Tharahasa mukham buruhe" (Darahasa...) in Sri Saraswati (Arabhi), "Vinaradana" (Vinarada Na) in Devagandhari. I wish more people refer to authentic texts before their public performance.
  

All in all, the music came through despite all the idiosyncrasies of the raskisas (listeners) and the musicians. Music has such ennobling qualities that it does come through, come what may..

- Krishnaprasad

Music Season - 29th December 2008

Lec Dem - the one and only one - Drama music from AP, TN, Karnataka

A popular drama practitioner/Vidvan Sri Meegada Ramalinga Swamy (Visakhapatnam, Andhra), Sri Arimalam Padmanabhan
(Tamil Nadu) and Sri Balakrishna Bhat (Yakshagana, Karnataka) presented their individual specialties.

It was thrilling to hear old Telugu Padyam with dialogues interspersed, after a long time...e.g. "Bava, Eppudu vachithiveevu....bava Krishna". I liked the passion and love with which the Sri Padmanabhan presented with a lot of excamples. Time was the culprit to cut him short. Sri Bhat demonstrated the Yakshagana to taped music. The folk dance form obviously borrows from Bharata natyam etc. and lends it a larger than life treatment. I had to leave to get the tickets for Sanjay's concert and head to Visakha Hari's Harikatha in earnest.

Visakha Hari - Sri Ranga Mahatmyam - Part 3 - Krishna Gana Sabha

This was well worth attending and brought tears to many (including to 'Yours Truly') listening to how Kaveri was born, how Ranganayaki, Tayar were brought to Sri Ranganatha and the phala shruthi (fruit of listening to the Hari Katha).

A few take-aways from her Hari Katha today:

• This was all based on Sri Ranga Gita and with several other references from other puranas and Classical music lore.
• Lalgudi Jayaraman himself was there (he was the guru of Visakha) to bless and felicitate her.
• She was also a CA Gold medalist, we were told. She is a humble person (always refers to Anna, Hari katha guru as having said something that she is sharing with us) with a love for her art.
• You can see the wonder in her eyes and ease in her singing. Her fluency and knowledge of the puranas is simply stunning!
• Agastya = Kumbha tanaya (this comes in Vatapi kriti ..'pura kumbha sambhava muni vara prapujitham'
• Kaveri = Sahya kanyaka (born from Sahya mountains where Agastya did penance)
• She is widely available on You tube and on DVDs a few of which I picked up.

She rendered the following kritis in the course of her story:

1. Ranganathude - Tyagaraja (Sowrashtram)


2. Hiranmayim - Dikshitar (Lalitha)


3. Vellai Thamare (Abheri/Bhimplas)


4. Slokam (Kharaharapriya)


5. Phanipati Sayi


6. Vatapi (Hamsadhwani)


7. En palli kondirayya (Mohana) (why are you lying down?)


8. Bhagyada (Madhyamavathi)


9. Mahalakshmi (Sankarabharanam)


10. Yare Rangana (Hindolam)

I felt blessed to have been able to attend this almost on a lark.

Sriram Gangadharan (Academy) and Shubashree Ramachandran (NGS)

It was either too lound, grating voices, or musical calisthenics (Visakha gave an example "pattinile mallayuddham pannuvargal silar"!)

Bombay Jayashree - Narada Gana Sabha

This concert was even better than the one at the Academy. I was sitting in the wings of the stage and was able to enjoy it at close quarters. She was in top form and the last Thillana in Pahadi (slow unlike typical thillanas) was a clincher. What honey like voice, finesse and shruthi and such lack of frills. Music alone is enough to make a statement as I said yesterday. Hall was fairly full (around 80%).

1. Tatvam Ariya Tharama (Ritigowla)


2. Darini Telusukunti (Suddha Saveri)


3. Hiranmaym (Lalitha)


4. Manavyalakincha radate (Nalina Kanti)


5. Kaligi Yunte kada (Kiravani)


6. RTP (Khamas and Bhageswari)

"Guhane Siva Balane Vadivelane Mamayil eri varum" misra nadai, chathusra Roopaka
with ample dose of swaras in Hamsanandi, Sindhu Bhairavi.. There were forward and reverse sweeps a few times through this string of ragas.
7. Kanda nal (Kalyana Vasantham)
8. Thillana (Pahadi)

I overheard a knowledgeable foreigner saying that this is real music and not the acrobatics that he hears everywhere. He also mentioned TMKrishna favourably. He did not like twin raga RTP and he felt that it was a spoiler though each raga is wondeful by itself..You can not have a fruit salad with RTP..Good metaphor..about time too for dinner!

Sanjay Subramaniam - Academy

He is in good form. Got in late and tot out early due to my preoccuation with flight changes that I was in the middle of. I am the loser ..not Sanjay

He sang (while I was listening):
..

1. Arulvay Angaiyar Kanniye (Simhendra Madhyamam)



2. Nanni Vidachi (Ritigowla)



3. Raasa Vilasa lola (Kambodhi)

...
It was full house and saw TM Krishna slipping out of the concert 30 min before the end of the concert.

I call it a season now. I will follow this up with a piece on music season related tidbits, hangover and humour and such later..

- Krishnaprasad

Music Season - 28th December 2008

Lec Dem 1 - AKC Natarajan and BM Sundaram - Nagaswaram and Clarinet

Being an ignoramus on this subject, I learnt a lot from this session. First of all, they established with proof of several ancient works that it is NaGaswaram (not NaDaswaram).

• Nagaswaram was limited to temples
• Word Kattai (for pitch) came into parlance after introduction of harmonium in 1700s
• Clarinet was altered by AKC (70 years of music in him!)
• Nagaswaram has 2 reeds while Clarinet has 1
• Clarinet was used by Mozhart etc in his symphonies and is a foreign instrument like violin
• Clarinet was a mandatory instrument for Sadr (Natyam)

Dr. Pappu Gopala Rao (authority on tantra sastra according to the person in my next seat) concluded: A for AKC, B for BM Sundaram and C for Clarinet!!

I had to rush out to head to the Harikatha by Smt. Visakha Hari in Krishna Gana Sabha.

Sri Ranga Mahatmyam - Visakha Hari - KGS

Excellent music, full of bhavam and clean diction and enunciation.
Weaves several carnatic and devotional songs into the story and precedes the song with the context and meaning. It heightens the experience for the listeners. She moved me to tears with her passionate exposition of how Sri Ranganathan came about to what is now called Sri Rangam.

Fortunately, I did not get the tickets. So, I could sit under the shade of a tree on the far side away from road noises and listen to their kind audio/video feed.

Few notes:

• There are 32 things not to do (Aparadham) in a temple environment (no gossip, shop talk etc.)
• Several sayanams (sleeping posture) e.g Yoga Sayanam, Jala Sayanam, Bhoga Sayanam etc.
• Greatness of the creator is expressed through the greatness of creation. When you get fascinated by the ocean, for example, think about the creator of such a wonderful and essential water body.
• Raghu is the ancestor of Rama (Manu-Raghu-Aja-Dasaratha-Rama)
• In Srirangapura Vihara (Dikshitar, Brindavana Saranga), the phrase "Pankajapta kula jalanidhi soma" = "Kamalapta kula Kalasabdhi Chandra" (Tyagaraja, same raga) word to word.
• In Jagadananda Karaka, charam starting with "Padavijitha mouni" depicts bala kandam.
• In Rama Nannu Brovara, there is a reference to how every one including ants queue up to go to Vaikuntam along with Rama when Rama makes an offer to take his subjects
• She ended the program (part 2 - missed part 1 due to misunderstanding) with O Rangasayee in Kambodhi

Anahita Ravindran 12 Noon

This is totally a teen concert. Mridangam player looked like a 6th grader. Ghatam player was very spirited and gifted. The main artist rendered all compositions except one (Amba Para devate in Indrapriya) with maturity. Good, robust voice.

1. Mamava - Varali
2. Paarvai onre podume - Surati
3. Amba para devate - Indrapriya
4. Birana Varalichi - Kalyani
5. Marulanna mata - javali - Kapi

Very pleasant, satisfying concert overall.

Saraswati Prabhu (related to some one in the sabha)

The less said the better..Perhaps, she was nervous. Lot of top voice singing, unstable swara sthanas. She should keep practising...

1. Senthil - Varnam -Neelambari
2. Anandamritakarshini - Amrithavarshini
3. Anuragamule - Saraswati
4. Ganamurthe - Ganamurthi
5. Pakkala - Kharaharapriya
6. Enna Tavam -Kapi
7. Viruttam-Behag
8. Tillana - Bhageswari

Ranjani & Gayathri - KGS

They are obviously quite popular these days. Very clear, pure, soft music with melody (not harsh dramatics) as the motif. They got off to a great start with Kalyani varnam and Gowla kriti. Good concert planners.

• I wish they put a bit more gravity (Azhutham) in their music. It is too frilly and gossamer like..does not last long before it diffuses and becomes one with the atmosphere! (that's a lot of poetry for one night!)
• I wish they don't sing 'Sowka' for 'Chowka' in their 'Korina Varamosagu' kriti
• I wish they realize that 'sowkhyam' (pleasant ease) comes through assimilation and mindset, practice ..not by lowering the volume to the ground. ('putting one's ears to the ground' has a new meaning now!)
• Both of them are equally talented and balanced unlike what happens in typical duo concerts
• Their mandram (bass) is very thin and not highly developed yet
• Every note and phrase was suffused with raga bhavam. Hats off!
  

They rendered the following:

1. Vanajakshi (Kalyani)
2. Sri Maha Ganapathi (Gowla)
3. Maa Ramanan (Hindolam)
4. Korina Varamosagu (Raamapriya)
5. Amba Nilambari (Nilambari)
6. Lalithe (Bhairavi)
7. Kalala nerchina (Deepakam)
8. RTP (Sahana) Ini Oru Kanam(sic) Unnai Marave Ina Kula Thilaka (Khanda jati Adi with different nadai in each half

..missed the rest in order to head out to Neyveli concert.

Neyveli Santanagopalan - Narada Gana Sabha

One of the best concerts I have attended besides TMK, Jayasri. His music speaks..no frills and dramatics needed if you have good music to bank on. Violin by VV Ravi was out of this world. Why don't we hear him more?

Neyveli Sir was in pretty good form. He enjoys his music...we can easily tell.

1. Viriboni - Bhairavi
2. Vatapi - Hamsadhwani
3. Nija Marmamulanu (Umabharanam)
4. Kaaranam Kettu Vaadi (Purvi Kalyani)
5. Marivere (Anandabhairavi)
6. Pullu Silambi (Sankarabharanam) have not heard this before..wish he selected weightier kriti
7. Teliyaleru (Dhenuka)
8. Virutham (Bhageswari)
9. Naadi Thedi (Bhageswari)
10. Maasil Veenayum (Behag)
11. Aadum Chidambaramo (Behag)
12. Tiruppugazh - Madhyamavathi
13. Tiruppugazh - Hamsanandi

Bit more time on the roads riding autos than I like..but, all in all, I stayed put all day in Krishna Gana Sabha to optimize road travel and listen to Ranjani Gayathri in stead of Sudha Raghunathan. Lunch was brief and not up to par. What can I say? I have been spoit by the Music Academy Canteen. They set benchmarks even in canteen fare! No problem, I will make up for all that I missed. There is always a TOMORROW!!

- Krishnaprasad

Music Season - 27th December 2008

Lec Dem 1 - Sangita Kalanidhi TK Govinda Rao on Perisami Thooran's compositions

Unfortunately, I could only hear only two of his demonstrations as I had to battle with the authorities to get some ticket for TM Krishna's concert in the evening. Finally, I was lucky to get a seat in the mini hall with a audio/video feed.

Sri TKG presented:

1. A composition in Kiravani
2. Nenjam Eni - Husseni?

Obviously, we are there at the lec dems not for the great performances, voice etc..TKG sir's erudition and context of his times are what I wanted to capture, some hints of it at least. I am sorry to have missed the rest.

Lec Dem 2 - Tiruchi Thayumanavan - Konnakkol

Amazing and spirited performance from who looked like septuagenarian. He supposedly has several sishyas who made it big on the music scene. His 'sol' (verbal syllables for rhythm instruments) was so robust and crisp. I really enjoyed him articulating various ways of punctuating the tala cycle with interesting patterns of rhythmic syllables.

The most interesting part was when he showed how the 'konnakkol' would be like when accomanying for a few specific kritis. A lot of work goes on on the side line to make the main performance succesful.

Veteran Concert - Charumathi Ramachandran

I remember listening to her during 1980s in Hyderabad. She is evidently past her prime, but, there were a few flashes of brilliance for us to capture.

Her disciple as pinpattu (vocal support) was quite good. A budding artist, I am sure. Enjoyed most of the compositions before Charumathi's voice gave way during RTP. Krishna Nee Begane Baro (Yaman) was delightful especially the way both sang it in tandem and alternately.

1. Mayamma (Ahiri)
2. Chitra Ratna (Kharaharapriya) lovely and rare piece
3. Orutti Maganay Pirandu (Behag) prefixed by a slokam
4. RTP (Atana)
Mohana Rama Lavanya Rama Rama Rama Dasaratha nandana dasarathi
5. Malayalam lullaby in what sounded like Arabhi
6. Muralidhara Gopala (?)
7. Na Mritya (Nirvanashatkam - Hamir Kalyani, Darbari, Sindhu bhairavi)
8. Viswesvara (Sindhu Bhairavi)

Interesting element of RTP was the way each phrase was suffixed with the composition starting with that phrase ..during swara phase. (Mohana, Purnashadjam, Simhendra Madhyamam, Asaveri, Todi)

My only grouse is that it is disturbing how she chose to do neraval on 'Mitri vaibhavam' in stead of sowmitri vaibhavam... Bad choice. (Lyrical purity police alert!!)

Amritha Murali - 12 Noon

Phenomenal concert. Excellent rendering, sukham (ease), modulation and diction and high quality music.

1. Raghupate (Sahana)
2. Soundara Rajam (Brindavana Saranga)
3. Vara Narada (Pantuvarali)
4. Sankaracharyam (Sankarabharanam)
5. Virtuttam (Behag, Kapi, Manji)
6. Varugalamo (Manji)

Each and every piece was weighty, delicate, subtle and pleasant all at the same time. Certainly, some one to watch out for next year.

She should try not to appear to labour with clenched teeth while singing..hard to correct perhaps.

R. Suryaprakash - 2PM

He appeared extremely confident and enjoying the limelight and his presence at the academy. He overdid it several times especially during his RTP and fell flat on a wrong foot (note). Very jarring..

1. Anu Dinamu (Begada)
2. Manasuloni (Hindolam)
3. Pahi Sri Rama Ramana (Atana)
4. Kava va (Varali) - started from Anupallavi and at a brisk pace..good!
5. Marakatavalli (Kambodhi)...never heard it..great piece by Dikshitar
6. RTP (Shanmukhapriya)
etc.

I hope he focuses on not projecting everything he knows on the stage. More humility and balance will do him a world of good!

Aruna Sairam - 4:15pm

I know I am going to upset the throngs of Rasikas who love her music. I am really sorry to say that I am not one of them. I love her tukkadas but, I am unable to grow to like her heavier pieces, neraval, swara kalpana, alapana etc.. She seems to focus on impressing the lay rasikas who are ready to break into applause every time they hear her crashing with a loud thud at the end of several swara patterns (korvai). Alas! the more the volume the more the noise and the less the signal (I mean music) S/N ratio is low!! Besides, her voice was grating and harsh till the end of her RTP.

Some of her earlier pieces were uncharacteristically slow, but did not exude sukham (pleasing ease).

1. Ninnu Kori - varnam in natakurinji
2. Sri Manini - Purnashadjam?
3. Narahari (Simhendra Madhyamam)
4. Raka sasi vadana (Takka)
5. RTP - on Trinity of carnatic music (Todi)
followed by 11 ragas in which she featured their famous compositions.

Tyagaraja (5), Dikshitar (3), Syamasastri (3)

It was a bit tedious and not well strung together. They appeared to be hanging loose on the RTP framework as if it were an after thought.

6. Brindavanam (Kurinji)
7. Savare (Malkauns)
8. Viruttam (Shanmukha priya, Hamsanandi etc.)
9. Enna kavi padinalum (Siva Ranjani)


TM Krishna 7pm.

First time, in my experience, the concert started 15 min late due to chaos and delays caused by rasikas of Aruna Sairam swarming her on the stage to congratulate her. No big deal...we can wait...reading the Hindu supplement or Kutcheri buzz.

Amazing concert. His voice seemed to need lot of hot water (or whatever!) this evening..perhaps, due to grinding schedules during the season. His alapanas, swaras were mind-boggling and enertaining. Amazingly enough, he also excels in slow compositions caressing notes literally.

1. Intha paraka (Mayamalavagowla)
2. Karuna elaganti (Varali)
3. Na jeevadhara (Bilahari)
4. Mangala devate (Margadarshi)
5. RTP - Bhairavi
6. Idu thane thillai sthalam (Behag)
7. Viruttam (Ananda bhairavi, Kharaharapriya, ?, Khamas)
8. Karpuram narumo Kamala Pu Narumo (Khamas)

Na Jeevadhara was scintillating and the alapana was very sedate appropriate for the song. The piece in Margadarshi was exotic ..very hard to croon or repeat. Has both Madhaymas, he said.

He chose to sing Viriboni in 2 speeds (with some additional chitta swaras that people don't generally perform) before he took up a line for exploration. I personally would have preferred a regular pallavi loaded with rhyme and poetry. The line he chose did not have much lyrical beauty.

Behag piece among the thukkadas was extraordinary.

What a classical singer he is? Perhaps, old masters were like this!!

- Krishnaprasad

1.

Music Season 2008 - 26th December 2008

Just arrived from Bangalore in yesterday. Bright and early, I marked myself present at the Academy, the temple of the Music season, literally. Facilities and hygiene are very good. Things are much more structured too as regards the tickets for the prime time shows. They even gave us free coffee while we were waiting for our 'token' to get the tickets at 7:45 AM. I was impressed.

LecDem1- Sangeeta Sarvartha Sara Sangrahamu presented by Smt. Rajasree Ramakrishna. Sri V. Sriram has an excellent coverage of this at http://sriramv.wordpress.com/2008/12/

Lec Dem2 - Bodhaka award was presented to Mrs. Kalyani Sharma from Mumbai. Her students presented 5 kritis very well.

1. Jagadananda Karaka (Natta) [Sorry to have heard Mrs. Janaki Krishnamurthy introducing this as Jagada....Argh! "Jagada" is not a word by itself!]
2. Sri Sukra Bhagavantam (Paras)
3. Ma yamma (Natta Kurini??)
4. Ni Sati (Sriranjani)
5. Sri Venkata Girisham (Surati)

The voices (good strong voices unlike the filmi voices of some of the youngsters) were good and sruti was super sharp and aligned all through. I really loved the Sukra Bhagavantam song for its beautiful, insightful words and clear diction with which the singers rendered it. With stress, word splitting and modulation in the right places, even the Jagadananda Karaka and Sri Venkata Girisham sounded so much refreshing and better.

I waited till the very end despite being late for the concert by Bombay Sisters at the main hall.

Bombay Sisters - 9:30 AM

I heard only a few pieces of their concert as I was late coming in from the Lec Dem.

Vinayakuni (Madhyamavati)
Saarasa mukhi (Gowda Mallar)
RTP (Shanmukhapriya)

I used to be mesmerized by their voices, coordination, dasara padas and the general effect in 1980s. It has been a long time since I heard them again. A bit laboured due to age perhaps. They seemed past their prime and there was a general lack of ease and melody (sukham). E.g. Gestures toward the ceiling replacing the tara sthayi notes!

I stayed through, out of deference for the veterans.

Prasanna Venkataraman - 12 noon

Some of the pieces I noted were:
1. Aparadhamulanniyu (Lathangi)
2. Tedi Tedi (Todi) interesting!
3. Nadopasana (Darbar)

Very Spirited performance. His voice gave way a bit, but, a very crisp performance and kept the audience glued to their seats. Excellent enunciation (Umkaram etc.) though the voice was a bit nasal, but, that did not detract from the performance.

With practice, he will develop more ease.

TNS Krishna - 1:45PM

I heard just 2 pieces (Ritigowla varnam and Ninnu Vina Mari in Purvi Kalyani) before deciding that my time was better spent by taking a brisk walk to Narada Gana Sabha for that much needed exercise. While I was there, I caught an hour of wonderful music by Akkarai sisters (violin duet).

Akkarai Sisters (Narada Gana Sabha)

Kriti in Mukhari
Saravana Bhava (Ravikiran's composition in Bilahari)
Sarasa Samadana
E Tavunnara (Kalyani)

Akkarai Subhalakshmi even song a bit of Saravana Bhava to help the audience with the new composition.

Excellent music!

Bombay Jayasri - 4:15 PM (Back at the Academy)

Most awaited concert as far as I am concerned.

1. Sarasiruhasana (Natta)
2. Ni Bhajana (Darbar)
3. Sri Balasubramanya (Bilahari)
4. Ganamurthe (Ganamurthi)
5. Rama Nee Samanamevaru (Kharahara Priya)
6. RTP (Ranjani)
7. Velane Siva balane (Behag)
8. Raase Viharathi (Sivaranjani?)
9. Thillana - Thom Thom Thakka (?)

B.Jayasri seemed to have taken first 3 to 4 piece to warm up. I sensed a bit of hesitation and caution as she started out. May be, I was tense!!

Kharahara priya was phenomenal. Though the RTP raga alapana was done with Ranjani only, she did tanam in Ranjani follwed by Begada and Hindolam. However, the big surprise was that the pallavi had swaras in the above 3 ragas plus one more -Brindavana Saranga followed by the 3 ragas in reverse order AND a few more ragas (Kapi etc.) which was AGAIN followed by all these in forward sweep finally ending in Ranjani. It was a treat!

I love her swara kalpana and how the notes are suffused with raga bhavam in every ounce of them.

Finally, her thukkadas were out of this world for their melody, diction, pace and selection.

My friend, Anand who attended it with me said she was a musical Goddess. There are many perhaps who think so too. A wonderful experience overall.

Hyderabad Brothers - 7 PM

1. Chalamela (Nata Kurinji)
2.Manasu Nilpa (Abhogi)
3. Prarabdhamitlundaga (Swaravali)
4. Korina Vara mosagu (Ramapriya)
5. Triloka Maatha (Paras)
6. Balagopala (Bhairavi)
7. RTP in Hamsavinodini
8. Valapu Dachu (?)
9. Etthanai Sonnalum (Saveri)
10. Tillana (Madhuvanti?)

Pleasant surprise. They sang well - though Sri Seshachari (Younger one) dominated from RTP onwards with Sri Raghavachari just joining the shadjam and Panchamam sometimes.

Their strength is their understanding of the lyrics and wonderful pronunciation (Uchharana). They knew it and leveraged it.

Some of the oddities I must mention:

• Sri Seshachari kept looking at notes almost 95% of the time. It was not somehow decorous to do that for the musicans at their level
• Sri Seshachari was a bit jumpy and quick to comment. He would even imitate the violinist's sincere essays and I thought, it was a bit distracting. He would even have a long conversation with the mridangam player while violin was playing.
• It was hilarious hearing them commending their accompanists by 'Adi' (that) and 'Bagundi' (very good) etc..To hear these in the tamil capital was hilarious and cute!

All in all, a wondeful beginning for my season of concerts. A great day for sure!

- Krishnaprasad

The name of this season is Music!

Music is in the air and I devour every article, review that happens to pass before my eyes. Music season has already started and through Sanjay Subramaniam's blog (www.sanjaysub.blogspot.com), I came to know that Mr.V. Sriram is blogging ( http://sriramv.wordpress.com/) away actively on the music season focused mostly on the early morning lec-dems at the Academy. I had a fill of that today and am totally caught up with what has happened over the last few days. A good dose of history and priceless context for the great and ancient art of the world!

Recently, I had also come across an article in the Mint magazine (http://www.livemint.com/Articles/2008/12/12234510/Carnatic-music-now-in-new-medi.html) and I stumbled upon a young student in the US (Mr. Sai Prasad Viswanathan) who has been contributing to a database of the compositions of the Trinity which has several compositions sung by several illustrious legends. A great reference and an inspiring benchmark.
Here are the links:
http://tributes.sangeethapriya.org/thyagaraja/
http://tributes.sangeethapriya.org/dikshithar
http://tributes.sangeethapriya.org/shyamakrishna

Best,
- Prasad