O S Thyagarajan , Rasanveshanam Concert 07 May 2016

Vocal : O S Thyagarajan

Violin : Vittala Rangan

Mrudangam : B C Manjunath

List:

01. enduku nIrdaya – harikAmbOji – Thyagaraja ( O,S )

02. sundaratara dEham – pantuvarALi – Thyagaraja ( N,S )

neraval & swara @ ‘rAgAdi samhAram rAghavam udAram’

03. nArada gAnalOla – aThANa – Thyagaraja ( S )

04. karuNA ElagaNTe – varLAi – Thyagaraja

05. rAmA nI samAnamevvaru – kharaharapriya – Thyagaraja (N,S )

neraval & swara @ ‘ paluku palukulaku tEnEloluku mATalADu’

06. sItA manOhara – rAmamanOhari – Thyagaraja

07. kSINamai tirugA – mukhAri – Thyagaraja ( A,N,S )

neraval & swara @ ‘Edi jEsina jagannAthuDu shrIramuna ‘

08. ika kAvalasinadEmi – balahamsa – Thyagaraja ( S )

09. sattalEni dinamulu – nAganandini – Thyagaraja

10. E tAvunara – kalyANi – Thyagaraja (A ,N,S,T )

neraval & swara @ ‘shrIkaruDagu tyAgarAja karArchita’

11. kANa vENDAmO – shrIranjani – Papanasam Sivan

12. sadA enna hrdayadalli – behAg – Vijaya Vittala Dasa

13. vinAyakuni – madhyamAvati – Thyagaraja

14. mangaLam – saurAStram – Thyagaraja

Rasanveshanam series of concert is back after a long time, and this time with another big name  known for his traditional approach to music. As Sri Sachi mentioned in his ‘kick-off’, O S Thyagarajan , disciple of T M Thyagarajan, sang at the residence of V Thyagarajan, a concert mostly of Thyagaraja compositions. OST on his part had a free flowing concert. Neraval for 4 compositions, kalpana swaras for 7 kritis, two brilliant alapana , one in mukhari and the other in kalyani, made the day memorable.

Concert started a bit uncoordinated between the three players and it took 3-4 songs and a few tweaking of mike before it seemed smooth. Manjunath probably took a while to adjust or as some one mentioned there was a shruti alignment issue with the main singer. First one hour or so, it wasn’t in top gear. But from kharaharapriya onward, it sorted out by them.

OST, as expected presented his concert almost entirely on Thyagaraja compositions, as the musical world was elebrating the 250th birth centenary of the composer. The mix was intelligent. Few heavy ones in mukhari, kalyani and kharaharapriya with few rare ones in balahamsa, rAmamanOhari, nAganandini etc.

Mukhari and kalyani stood out for their detailed treatment and the way he went about them. Both mukhari and kalyani alapana were awesome. Largely done in short spurts of phrases in medium tempo, gradually singing few longish akara phrases he brought about the intrinsic beauty of mukhari to the fore. I notied, he did not attempt too many higher octave ‘sancharas’ in either kalyani or mukhari. Vittala Rangan’s mukhari was equally brilliant. He played a few mesmerising takes in his turn creating instant responses from the audience. Kalyani was largely structured in the similar fashion but was mostly around the ‘intellectual feel’ of the ragam than the ‘evocative feel’ of the raga for most part. He, however,closed the alapana with a nice melodious phrase. Both mukhari and kalyani neraval was traditionally structured in two speed,  followed with two speed kaplana swaras.

HE sang for full 3 hrs and paced his concert very well. I did have my moments of doubt when he moved on to 6 kritis in succession without an alapana, but I think that was deliberately done. HAving said that, I would have still preferred another alapana on that day, given the overall build up and responses. Post main, Manjunath played a tani avartanam to his credit playing some improvised patterns. I am not a great fan of one-man tani avartanam.

He sang a couple of kritis before looking at his watch and concluding, indicating it’s sharp 8:00 pm to Manju. That was 3 hrs of intense, break-free music to a record attendance for a ‘home concert’. He is coming back to the same area in exactly one week, to sing again at Ranjani Fine Arts.

PS : It would be grave injustice on my part if I do not acknowledge the hosts of the evening. As always, Sri Thyagarajan and his family made excellent arrangements and they probably had one of the largest turn out of their home concert ( under the Pranava Arts). My sincere appreciation to their efforts.

 

Bhagyalakshmi Chandrasekharan , Veena Concert for Rasanveshanam @ Pranava Fine Arts 22 Feb 2015

Veena : Bhagyalakshmi Chandrasekharan

Mrudangam : Sri M Gururaj

List:

01  sAmi daya jUDa ( varNam ) – kEdAragauLa – Thiruvottiyur Thyagayya  ( O )

02  shrI mahAgaNapati ravatu mAm – gauLa – Dikshitar ( A,S )

03  kumaran tAL paNindE tudi – yadukulakAmbOji – Papanasam Sivan ( A )

04  saraswati namOstutE – saraswati –  N S Ramachandran ( A )

05  manasu karagadE svAmi – kAnaDa – Pranesha Vittala ( A )

06  sadAnanda bhakti – raghupriya – Koteeswara Iyer ( A , chitta svaras )

07  RTP  – kIravANi – khaNDa tripuTa  x 2 kaLai , +1 eduppu

tAnam in kIravANi, nAta, gauLa,Arabhi, varALi and shrI

pallavi line ‘ vANi gIrvANi kIravANi , vINApANi mAm pAhi ‘

rAgamAlika svaras in ‘madhuvanti , gurjari thODi, brindAvana sAranga , rEvati ‘

tani Avartanam

08  chinnam chiru kiLiyE – rAgamAlika – Subramanya Bharati

09  karuNai daivamE – sindhubhairavi –  Madurai Srinivasan ( O )

10  SrI rAma rAma rAma ( utsava sampradaya kriti) – nIlAmbari – Thyagaraja  ( A )

11  karuNa jaladhE – nAthanAmakriya – Thyagaraja

12  shLOkam ( mantra pushpam )

Beyond the familiar dozen or so of the popular and the crowd-puller artists -with all respect to them-, are a vast treasure of musical legacy and richness that are not reached beyond a few closed group. There are brilliant musicians of various schools, lineage and practice to be listened and appreciated. One of the basic principles of ‘Rasanveshanam’ is to go beyond the established names and seek out to these gems. It was in pursuit of one such idea that the names of the likes of Vid. Bhagyalakshmi Chandrasekharan cropped up. After successfully completing one year and five concerts, this small group of enthusiasts entered into the second year with a masterly concert yesterday at Sri Thyagarajan’s residence, jointly organised with his ‘Pranava Fine Arts’.

Personally, I have listened to vidushi Bhagyalakshmi Chandrasekharan on four previous occasions in the past two years. My admiration towards her music only grew each time I listen to her. The concert of yesterday was no different.To hold an instrumental concert, that too with no other accompaniment apart from the sole mrudanga , for nearly 3 hours itself is a commendable, transporting  every one in the audience to an entirely different world. Some intrinsic fingering techniques, two finger with two different and simultaneous shrutis, the ‘beyond the frets’ playing and near to the main bridge and many other playing styles which goes beyond my grasp of things.

A huge one hour fifteen minutes of Keeravani pallai, sort of, encompasses the entire music to me. The rest of the kritis, each were a gem, would be discussed around and along with the keeravani that she played yesterday. An elaborate alapana, both technical and melodious passages in keeravani was awesome. The tanam was even better. After a 4 speed tanam playing in the main raga, she switched to the ‘ghana panchama raga’ beautifully gliding from one to the other. Pallavi was again sung in detail with trikalam in both pallavi and svaras. The ragamalika svaras had even better things to offer starting from madhuvanti to gurjari thOdi ( very similar to shubhapantuvarali and I remember she clarifying the difference in an earlier concert) , ending with rEvati.

She started her concert with kEdaragauLa varnam before starting of on a journey which pinnacled at the Keeravani Pallavi. Each steps in the 3 hr journey was memorable. Short Gaula alapana before the Dikshitar composition and the svaras of gaula were class. The other thing I notices in her alapanas in general was the first few strokes and phrases were so impactful, they immediately brought out sounds of admiration from the listeners. Gaula, Yadukulakamboji, saravathi, kAnada and neelambari ; each were rich with ‘raga bhava’ in the initial take itself. Yadukula kamboji and kAnada were of special mention. She also played a detailed raghupriya alapana, which kept all of us guessing, before she herself came to our rescue. She said, she had added ‘chittasvaram’ for this composition, wondering whether we in the audience will approve the same. 42nd Melakartha , raghupriya isn’t very familiar but the chittasvaras were good.

Gururaj played very subtle through out the concert. We were asking him to accompany her during tanam, which he politely refused, indicating he would go with the decision of the main artist. She was too immersed in her music to take notice. He played a short tani avartanam in khanda triputa, keeping the overall serene mood of the evening intact.

Post main was even more melodious. the instrument literally sang chinnnanchiru kiliye , karunai daivame and the utsava sampradaya kriti. The short neelambari alapana was also very nice. She concluded her concert with the regular ( I heard her play this in most of her concerts) nAthanamakriya and the manthrapushpam ending with Om shanti, shanti shanti :

 

Aishwarya Vidya Raghunath @ Rasanveshanam Concert, 13 July 2014

Vocal : Aishwarya Vidya Raghunath

Violin : Nalina Mohan

Mrudangam : Anoor Ananthakrishna Sharma

List:

01. sarasUDa ( varNam ) – sAvEri – Kottavasal Vnkataramana Iyer  ( O )

02. nijamarmulanu – umAbharaNam – Thyagaraja ( S )

03.  dEvi brOva samayamidE – chintAmaNi – Shyama Sasthri ( O,S )

04.  rAma ika nannu brOva – sahAna – Thyagaraja ( A,S )

05.  vara nArada nArAyaNa – vijayaSrI – Thyagaraja

06.  SrI venkaTa girISam – surutti – Dikshitar ( A, N )

neraval @ ‘alamElumangA samEtam anantha padmanAbham atItam’

07.  entha nErchina – udaya ravichandrika – Thyagaraja ( A )

08.  kaddanu vAriki – thODi – Thyagaraja ( A,N,S,T )

neraval & swara @’ addampu chEkillache muddugAru mOmu chUDa’

09.  ninnu jUci (padam) – punnAga varALi – Kshetragna

10.  krishNA nI bEganE bArO – yamunA kalyANi – Vyasaraya

11. mangaLam – saurAshtran – Thyagaraja

SLOkam ( mangaLam kOsalEndrAya) – madhyamAvathi

One couldn’t ask for anything better on a Sunday evening. Well, except for the extension of the time. However, all that is good has to come to an end, for us to reminiscent and relish those memories. Aishwarya, last evening, provided one such images of lasting impressions. The spirit of ‘rasAnvEshanam’ is this. There is no musical, physical, spiritual boundaries between the artists and the listener. Yesterday’s concert was in one such settings. The music poured from the artists where straight transcended to the heart of the listener, sitting in close proximity, proving instant feedback of appreciations almost verbally.

Aishwarya sang brilliantly. Every thing was presented with utmost precision and care, as one could see in her untiring attempt to reach perfection of each sangatis, each notes, each phrases of her alapana. Very pleasing to see in a youngster, these qualities of perfection, sense of proportion and professionalism.

On such a day when everything fallen in place perfectly well, there is no need to specifically look at each of the kritis presented. Her alapanas of sahana, surutti, sudha dhanyasi ( short) and the grand thODi were immensely rich and meticulously progressed. Thodi alapana had a special mention – what a stupendous alapana that was – winning wholehearted appreciation from everyone in the audience. Kaddanu variki was grand to its stature, with some rollicking neraval and a thrilling kalpana swaras.

Her voice was in top form, which was evident from the first varnam. Short , unusual swaras for umabharanam was a novelty. Her mettle of tradition and knowledge was showcased in a brilliant chintamani with some outstanding swara prasthana. She sang sahana with a good alapana and few rounds of swaras, surutti had an classy neraval, sandwiching a fast paced ‘vara narada’ between two pleasing ragas.

Kaddanu variki will be the talking point for a while. One of the outstanding rendition I’ve heard in the recent times. This young lady, with this capabilities and calibre will be a force to reckon with in the coming years. Nalina Mohan complimented the creative abundance of the young artist tremendously through out. Her surutti and sahana alapana were very good. Anoor Ananthakrishna Sharma was in his usual sublime touch. It was a pleasure listening to him yesterday as he s to me everytime I attend his concerts. He played an intricate tani avartanam post the thodi kriti.

Already exceeded over three hours, the post main was rather quickly wound up with a kshetragna padam in punnagavarali and a devarnama. Thre request, as expected, was to continue for another 30 mins, from the audience. However, the ‘prasadam’ to the body was equally important. The host of the evening Karthik and Mangala, provided a sumptuous treat at the end of the concert.

Fabulous concert by the young vidushi. Wishing her all the success in her musical career.

 

Abhishek Raghuram at “Rasanveshanam” Concert , Utopia, Near Airport 30th March 2014

Vocal : Abhishek Raghuram

Violin : H N Smitha

Mrudangam : Anantha R Krishnan

Song List:

01.  viribONi ( varNam ) – bhairavi – Pachimirium Adiappa

02.  vAtApi gaNapatim bhajE – hamsadhwani – Dikshitar ( A (short) , S )

03.  vinatA suta vAhana – jayanthasEna – Thyagaraja ( A,S )

04. AdamODi galadE – chArukESi – Thyagaraja

05. mInAkshi mEmudam dEhi – gamakakriya ( pUrvikalyANi ) – Dikshitar ( A,N,S,T )

neraval & swara @ ‘ madhu mada mOdita hrdayE sadayE, mahAdEva sundarESa priyE’

06.  mAyamma yani nE – Ahiri – Shyama Sasthri  ( started at anupallavi )

07.  rAma deivamA rAgarAga lObhamA – surutti – thyagaraja

08. mangaLam – saurAshtram – Thyagaraja

Rasanveshanam  was an idea nourished amongst a few dedicated listeners of carnatic music to experience the music in its true sense, within a closed circle of ardent listeners and in an environment which give ample scope of expression to the artist and the ambiance of uninterrupted absorption to the listeners. The drift between the artist and the rasika has to fade away and the aspect of ‘oneness’ with the music where everyone is a participant has to evolve. Abhishek Raghuram’s concert was the  first step in that direction as it had to start with one who is on a path of exploration and personal experience of this music form beyond the established pattern. And what a way it begun …

Abhishek, physically unwell after a mishap few days ago, did perform ( probably against the medical advice) with his characteristic fervor. A majestic endeavor ably supported by H N Smitha and a scintillating Anantha R Krishnan, in a place away from the rush and hush of the city. A select crowd of chosen few were to be treated with awesome music from the artists. The hosts ( Arun and Meenakshi ) were equally awesome in their hospitality.

Concert started with a bang, viriboni was brilliant, a start giving us the glimpse of what is to follow for the rest of the evening. A short hamsadhwani alapana ( no violin turn) preceded ‘vAtapi ganapatim’ with some interesting sangatis incorporated to the pallavi line as well as the charanam before some masterly swara kalpana to finish with aplomb. Jayanthasena alapana was the first to elaborate, probably the longest I’ve heard. Got us scratch our head for a while, before hints vinata suta appeared in the alapana. H N Smitha did a commendable job on her return. Charukesi filler was apt before a giant main in the form of Dikshtar’s masterpiece.

Purvikalyani alapana saw him exploring some new depths ( or heights, if you may) of the raga, especially in the higher octaves. He seemed to thrive on one phrase after the other, trying out new nuances of the raga, new possibilities with extempore creativity. An alapana to remember for a long time. Smitha’s return were rather subdued after the brilliance of Abhishek, threading the regular melodious phrases of the raga, done with careful hands. Meenakshi memudam dehi was a splendid affair. He marveled all through the kriti, picked neraval line at ‘madhu mada modita’ and did some clever musical wordplay around ‘mahAdEva sundarESapriyE’. Kalpana swara was elaborate in two kalam, showcasing his wizardry with the intricacies of the swara patterns and mechanics. Some of those takes probably was a bit too hot to handle for Smitha, but she did her best to live upto the singers creativity.

Anantha R Krishnan was the live wire of the day. He played phenomenally well through out, adding another feather in his cap with s stupendous tani avartanam. Post main was short as he wounded up the concert with a moving ahiri and a rarely heard surutti kriti of Thyagaraja.

A Splendiferous treat to the music lovers and a brilliant start to ‘rasanveshanam’.

See also :  http://rasaanveshanam.blogspot.in/2014/03/brilliant-start-to-rasaanveshanam.html