M S Sheela @ Sree Ramaseva Mandali, Fort school, 04 May 2016

Vocal : M S Sheela

Violin : Nalina Mohan

Mrudangam : H S Sudheendra

Morsing : B Rajashekhar

List:

01. ninnE kOriyunnAdi (varNam) – kAnaDa – Thiruvottiyur Thyagayya

02. garuDa gamana samayamidE – nAgasvarLAi – Thyagaraja ( A,S )

03. E mani pogadugurA – vIravasantam – Thyagaraja

04. nAradamuni vedalina – pantuvarALi – Thyagaraja ( A,N,S )

neraval & swara @ ‘ nArAyaNa nAmamulanu pArAyaNa moralincuDu’

05. paTTiviDuvarAdu – manjari – Thyagaraja

06. sarasvatIm bhagavatIm – hamsavinOdini – Jayachamarajendra Wodeyar ( A )

07. teliyalEru rAma – dhEnuka – Thyagaraja ( S )

08. vara rAga layA – chenchu kAmbOji – Thyagaraja

09. shrI chAmuNDEshvari pAlayamAm – bilahari – Mysore Vasudevachar

10. rAma kathA sudhA – madhyamAvati – Thyagaraja ( A,N,S,T )

neraval & swara @ ‘bhAmAmaNi jAnakI saumitrI ‘

11. hAgE irabEku samsAradalli – mOhanam – Purandara Dasa

12.  mElukO  shrI perundEvi maNavALA  – bhauLi – Alluri Venkatadri Swamy

13.  karuNA jaladhE dAsharathE – pIlu – Thyagaraja (not sure if it is the same song)

14. bhAgyAda lakSmi bArammA – madhyamAvati – Purandara Dasa

15. mangaLam – saurAshtram – Thyagaraja

I haven’t attended many concerts this Ramanavami season. Of the 10 odd concert that I manage to be part of, this one, undoubtedly was the best. She was in her elements. Almost everything was perfect in planning and execution. The supporting team was so prompt and apt with their participation.

Some days, it is difficult to select what was your pick of the day. Yesterday was one such. Outstanding pantuvarali , fabulous swara for nagasvarali, nice hamsavinodini alapana ( though I’ve heard her sing this many times and every time I mistook it for ravichandrika), very intelligent selection of shorter pieces – be it veeravasantam, manjari, dhenuka or chenchu kamboji – which helped in cleverly pace the concert, marvelous madhyamavati , especially the neraval and brilliant and elaborate kalpana swaras …you decide.

Having caught in the web of Bangalore traffic, I could reach the place midway through the varnam. As we settled in and ready to receive, she started a nice little nagasvarali alapana. Cracking rounds of kalpana swaras set the stage for the remaining of the evening. After every detailed exposition, she sandwiched with a short piece, very intelligently selected. Veeravaantam was done after nagasvarali and before pantuvarali. Classy pantuvarali alapana by both vocalist and violin followed by a impressive nAradamuni vedalina. As I always maintain, apantuvarali or purvikalyani upfront in the concert gives it an uplift. Crisp neraval and a very very impressive kalpana swaras. Awesome stuff. A detailed hamsavinodini alapana, very elaborate and scholarly exposition.

Couple of short pieces in quick succession. Dhenuka was very moving, including the swaras she sang at the end. Even the swaras were sung in unhurried leisurely way. A chit was forwarded to her and she enquired ‘bilahari?’. I guessed the requester probably wanted bilahari as main.  Though she obliged  the request, it was not main. This session probably could have worked better.

Madhyamavati main was a fitting tribute to Thyagaraja, whose 250th birthday was yesterday, as I see in few posts. In fact, she sang most of the kritis of Thtagaraja’s compositions. Alapana was grand, meticulous clearly build and progressed as one would expect. Nalina Mohan too did a commendable job. Rama katha sudha was no surprise. She sang very detailed neraval and even bigger kalpana swaras. Some intelligent swara patterns, impressive laya intricacies which was fabulously supported by the percussion team was pleasure to watch. Rajashekhar on morsing was having a field day, bringing out some unheard sounds and techniques with the tiny instrument. once during the neraval, he played without using his right hand – using only mouth – for an entire cycle of neraval. Occassionally, he got carried away, over enthusiasm taking the control over restraint, caused minor trouble to the violinist. However, the percussion duo played a good tani avartanam.

Post main had a series of shorter pieces. I am one who likes some innovation here. Instead of singing 5 compositions mixing it with shlokams or ugabhogas would have made better appeal to me. However, having witnessed a fabulous concert, I have no complaints this time.

 

M S Sheela @ Nadasurabhi – R K Srikantan Remembrance Concert , 20th July 2014

Vocal : M S Sheela

Violin : Nalina Mohan

Mrudangam : H S Sudheendra

Morsing : Gururaj

List:

01.  chalamEla (varNam) – darbAr – Thiruvottiyur Thyagayya

02.  SrI Sankara guruvaram – nAgasvarALi – Maha Vaidyanatha Iyer  ( A,S )

03.  amba vANi nannu – kIravANi – Muthaiah Bhagavathar ( N,S )

neraval & swara @ ‘varavInApANi vAgvilAsini’

04.  sarasvatim bhagavatim nmAmyaham – hamsavinOdini – Jayachamarajendra Wodeyar ( A )

05.  patti viDuva rAdu – manjari – Thyagaraja

06.  bhOgIndra SAyinam – kuntaLavarALi – Swathi Thirunal

07.  cEsinADella marachitivO – thODi – Thyagaraja ( A,N,S,T )

neraval & swara @ ‘ AsakonnaTTi nannala pincuTaku mundu‘

08.  SLOkam ( ayi murali mukunda smera vaktra aravinda ) – mOhanam

antarangadalli hariya kANadava – mOhanam – Purandaradasa

09.  nindAti chandanam indu kiraNam – hamsAnandi – Jayadeva ( A )

10.  pibarE rAmarasam – yamunA kalyANi – Sadashiva Brahmendra ( O )

11.  krishNanA koLalinA karE – sindhubhairavi – P T Narasimhachar ( short sketch)

12.  Tatta tadhimi tadhimiki enata hari adinane – madhyamAvati ? – Purandara Dasa

13.  mangaLam – saurAshtram – saurAshtram & madhyamAvati – Thyagaraja

When you listen to the seniors, those with many years of teaching and performing experience, you witness the ease at which they sing. There are no physical exertion, there is no violent body movements, no contortion of face to get a sangati in place. It comes as a breeze to them. Such an effortless ( to the external) way of singing. Another beautiful concert by the vidushi. A Concert in remembrance to the legend who left us earlier this year, his prime disciple delivered a fitting tribute to her Guru.

Vid M S Sheela, conducted a series of lessons to students on the swarajathis of Shyama Sasthri, over last 2 months in Nadasurabhi. This months program, started with she and those who trained by her performing these swarajathis in a group singing format. I am not a great fan of ‘goshti gana’, even if they are singing the ‘pancharatna kritis’. I cant stand those multi-shruti orchestra with each artist vying to better the other.  But, this was fantastically coordinated. They were singing in unison and at no place, there was any misplaced voice. All credits to them. They sang thodi, yadukula kamboji and the bhairavi masterpiece, before leaving the stage to the main performance,

I was expecting her to continue from where she left, but she decidedly wanting to make the two performances separate, starting all over again with a varnam. A brisk , sweet alapana of nagasvarali came in soon. The also sang an interesting rounds of kalpana swaras.  A lively ‘amba vAni’ came in with some outstanding neraval singing. playing with those word-combinations ‘varaveena’, veenapani and ‘vagvilasini’ she created some fabulous effects to the neraval. A second speed swaras added to the overall impact of the Muthaiah Bhagavathar composition.

Longish hamsavinodini alapana was very good to listen. Nalina Mohan’s returns were equally impressive. Two quick fillers, a not often heard manjari kriti and the staple kuntalavarali came in before the main. Thodi alapana was grand and majestic. She did not stretch it beyond 8-10 minutes but was very effective. Cesi Nadella was a pleasant surprise. Neraval and swaras with some intricate patterns were befitting the main. H S Sudheendra was very supportive through out the evening. Some of his plays during the neravals were very attractive. A decent tani avartanam followed the main.

Post main was as brilliant. A devarnama in mohanam, a perennial favourite of Sri R K Srikantan was very apt. A short alapana followed by the Ashtapadi of Jayadeva was very very moving. And the next was even more fabulous. Arguably, the best ‘pibare rAmarasam, I’ve heard for a long long time. Oh, what an impact she made in these three songs. A memorable evening. Beautiful concert…

 

M S Sheela @ Nadasurabhi 18 Sept 2011 – Thematic concert on Karnataka composers

Vocal : M S Sheela & 5 of her Desciples

Violin : C N Chandrasekharan

Mrudangam : B C Manjunath

Ghatam : Phanindra Bhaskara

Thematic concert on  Karnataka ( Mysore State) Composers

Song list:

01  intha sowkhya ( varNam) – pantuvarALi – Mysore Sadashiva Rao

02  gam gaNapatE namO –  hamsadhwani – Muthaiah Bhagavathar  ( O, S)

03  nIkeppuDu dayavuchunu – AbhOgi – Mysore Sadashiva Rao ( A, S )

04  srI chAmuNDEswari pAlayamAm – bilahari – Mysore Vasudevachar

05  amba brOvavE – dharmavathi – Bidaram Krishnappa ( A,N,S )

        neraval & swara @ ‘ maha bhairavi gowri srIkrishNa pOshiNi’

06  saraswatim bhagavatim namamyaham – hamsavinOdini – Jaya Chamarajendra Wodeyar ( A )

07  shAradE shubhra hArE – shAradapriya ( rathipatipriya) – Mysore (Veena) Venkatagiriyappa

08  nI kELa daya rAdu rAmachandra – kadana kutUhalam – Mysore Vasudevachar

09 annapUrNESwari akhilESwari – kharaharapriya – Muthaiah Bhagavathar ( A,N,S,T )

       neraval & swara @ ‘ sannuta guNa shAlini ambA’

10  kamalamukhiyE kamalAlayE – mOhana kalyANi – Gopala Dasa

11  thillAna ( nadir tanOm tanOm tanana dhim ) – naLinakAnthi ? – T Chowdaiah

12 mangaLam – saurAshtram / madhyamAvati – Thyagaraja

Smt M S Sheela and team presented a very good concert yesterday at the Heritage Academy Hall, for Nadasurabhi. It was announced as a thematic concert on Karnataka Composers. Prior to the start, she explained that she has choosen composers not from the  Haridasa group, but the 19th and 20th century Mysore State composers. 

The stage was full with 5 of her desciples accompanied her ( physically and musically) and “added colour and content’ if I borrow KSSR’s words.  They joined their guru during kriti and were largely non intrusive ( against my initial fear of being noisy as in chorus singing).  The audio levels of the vocal was slightly high though.

Concert started with Mysore Sadashiva Rao’s Pantuvarali Varnam.  Moving on to HMB’s hamsadhwani kriti and a short set of swaras, she started the first alapana in Abhogi, which was very good. Neekeppudu was good and the swara that followed was brilliant. After the familiar ‘Sree Chamumdeswari’ , Bidaram Krishnappa’s masterpiece in Dharmavathi was taken up as sub-main. The alapana was good, C N Chandrasekharan’s return was very good. Krithi and the neraval at ‘maha bhairavi’ was beautiful. Jayachamarajendra Wodeyar’s hamsavinodini was preceded with a short alapana, which was very interesting.  Veena Venkatagiriyappa’s not heard kriti in sharadapriya came ( she explained that this raga has the same scale as ratipatipriya) before what I describe as “kadana kolahalam’. There was noise all over with each of them trying to out do the other.  A rare low point in the concert.

Main kharaharapriya alapana was grand and so was the violin return. Muthaiah Bhagavathar’s Annapurneswari akhileshwari is a heavy weight kriti, filled with Sangati’s at every line ( possibly).  Smt MS Sheela and her desciples, I thought, did a fabulous job.  The same continued through neraval and kalpanaswara.

B C Manjunath and Phanindra gave a spirited tani avartanam. Manjunath was excellent through out, especially during neravals and swaram. During the kritis, I had a feeling that he was over doing a bit ( he was not loud at any point). Phanindra, despite a low volume level, did produce some good supportive play.

Post main had a mohanakalyani kriti, supposed to have set to tune by Sheela herself, and a thillana of Chowdaiah. In all, a very well thought out and prepared thematic concert by M S Sheela.

 

M S Sheela @ Essae Music Foundation 04 Sep 2011

Vocal : M S Sheela

Violin : Charulatha Ramanujam

Mrudangam : Anoor Ananthakrishna Sharma

Morsing: Pramath Kiran

Songlist:

01 sarasijanAbha ( varNam) – kAmbOji – Swathi Thirunal

02  tuLasI dalamulachE – mayAmALavagauLa – Thyagaraja ( N,S )

        neraval&Swara @ ‘ sarasIruha punnAga champaka pATala kuruvaka’

03  nAda tanumaniSam – chittaranjani – Thyagaraja

04  himAdi suthE – kalyANi – Shyama Sastry ( A,N,S )

        neraval & Swara @ ‘SyAmakrishNa  sOdari gowri paramESwari girijA’

05  singAra vElan vandAn- Anandabhairavi – Papanasam Sivan

06  nI kELa dayarADu rAmachandrA – kadana kuthUhalam – Mysore Vasudevacharya

07  sari evvaramma – bhairavi – Shyama Sastry ( A,N,S,T )

        neraval & swara @’ mAdhava sOdari gowri’

08  gOpAla gOkula vallabhi – ??  – Tulasidas

09  ugabhOga ( dIna nAnu samastha lOkakkE ) – ?

       toreDi jIvisa bahudE hari ninna charaNa – ??  – Kanakadasa

10  kamalamukhiyE kamalAlayE – mOhana kalyANi – Gopala Dasa?

11  krishNana koLanina – sindhu bhairavi – Pu Thi Narasimhachar

12  ta ta tadhimi tadhimiki  –  brindAvana sArang? – Purandara Dasa

13  mangaLam – saurAshtram , madhyamAvathi – Thyagaraja

Yesterdays concert at Essae Music Foundation by M S Sheela and team , continued in the line of the high quality concert you always witness at this place.  Kalyani and Bhairavi, two bigger pieces of the day were brilliant. The supporting artists were outstanding.

After the kAmboji varnam, she quickely settled into mayamalavagaula ( this krithi has been a repeat for me these days, 3rd I guess in last 4-5 concerts). The predictable neraval and swara at sarasiruha punnaga were good. After a quick filler nada tanumanism ( I liked the way she sang namAmi mE manasA shirasA) , came a very good kalyani alapana. Himadri suthe was a surprice, as I was more or less tuned to BhajarE rE (?).  Both neraval and swara were very good.  The short Anandabhairavi kriti and a not heard before kriti in kadanakutuhalam came in quick succession before the grand bhairavi.  Sheela was good at her alapana with some brilliant passages, however Charulatha was fabulous in her return. It was one step better that the vocalist, if I may say so.  Interesting choice of a kriti for main , set in Khanda jhumpa tala. Sheela did a phenomenal job during neraval and swara to the loud appreciation from the crowd, equally supported by Charulata and Ananthakrishna Sharma.

Anoor Ananthakrishna Sharma, as usual in his sublime form. He continued the great support into the tani Avartanam with the young morsing vidwan, even though it was slightly longer to the comfort. Post main had a series of kannad kritis, and the mohanakalyani piece, set to tune by Sheela herself was very good. A very good concert at Essae music by M S Sheela.