Trichur V Ramachandran @ Nadasurabhi Annual Festival , 4th Nov 2018

Vocal : Trichur V Ramachandran

Violin : M A Sundareswaran

Mrudangam : V Praveen

Ghatam : G Omkar Rao

List

01 inta cAlamu ( varnam ) – bEgaDa – Adi – Veena Kuppaiyer

02 vara vallabha ramaNA – hamsadhwani – Adi – GNB ( S )

03vallagadAnaka sItA – harikAmbOji – Roopakam – Thyagaraja ( S )

04 smaraNe ondE sAladE – malayamArutam – Adi – Purandara Dasa ( O )

05 sundaratara dEham vandEham – pantuvarALi – Adi – Thyagaraja ( A,N,S )

neraval & svara @ ‘rAgAdi samhAram rAghavam udAram’

06 jananI ninnuvinA – rItigauLa – mishra chap – Subbaraya Shastry ( A,S )

07 E tAvunara – kalyANi – Adi x 2 – Thyagaraja ( A,N,S,T )

neraval & svaras @ ‘ shiva mAdhava brahma gOvinda ‘

08 himagiri tanayE – shudhadhanyAsi – Adi – Muthaiah Bhagavathar

09 muraLIdhara gOpAla – mAND – Adi – Periyasamy Thooran

10 kaNNanE kAnbadeppO – rAgamAlika – Adi – Subramanya Bharathi

11 dikku teriyAtha kATTil – rAgamAlika – Adi – Subramanya Bharathi

12 rAdhA samEtA krSNA – yamunAkalyANi ?? –  Adi –  GNB ??

13 shLOkam ( shrI rAmachandra )  – madhyamAvati

This years ‘Sangeethasurabhi’ recipient, presented a concert befitting his tradition and school in the morning hours at Nadasurabhi, with some remarkable accompaniment. Signature GNB school fare , probably one of the last true torch bearers of that bAni.

An outstanding kalyani was the highlight of the morning. shear brilliance. A classy alapana, despite an occasional issue at higher octaves, with many moments of aha ( knowing my preference to this rAga), splendid affair. Sundareswaran was added to it with his flare and a fabulous return. E tAvunara is a good choice, sang with a lot of intensity, emphasised and repeated the sangatis at many places. He also chose an interesting place for neraval , and by adding the last word of anupallavi to the shiva madhava brahma. Commendable neraval and a cracker of kalpana swaras, growing from the slow short phrases to a super duper finale. Highly impressed with Sundareswaran today. So was V Praveen, and percussion in general.

After a begada start, the first glimpse of the style was the GNB hamsadhwani. But, what brought the concert together and lifted was the harikamboji swaras. A not so impressive malayamarutam was followed with a GNB staple, sundaratara deham. Despite the neraval and swaras at rAgAdi samhAram, it did not really helped to maintain the tempo.  A good reetigaula, brought things back in shape.  Nice little alapana, an unhurried singing of the composition, nice and clear sangatis and commendable kalpana swaras. A good fore-piece before the main.

Post main was few songs which were sung well. Nothing to discuss greatly about. There was a request, which I guess was for rAdhA samEtA krSNA.

Earlier, Nadasurabhi’s President KSS Raghavan presented him with the ‘Sangeethasurabhi’ award in the presence of Vidushi Neela Ramgopal, who spoke about TVR and the GNB school and her admiration. Harini Raghavan, the secretary of Nadasurabhi, reading the citation, gave glimpses of his life and musical tradition. Sri Ramachandran gave one of the shortest acceptance speech, by thanking ( naming) each of his gurus from the early days to his hindustani learning.

 

Trichur V Ramachandran , Indiranagar Sangeetha Sabha 10 Sep 2011

Vocal : Trichur V Ramachandran

Violin : M A Sundareswaran

Mrudangam : Umayalpuram Mali

Ghatam : Ranganatha Chakravarthy

List:

01  intha chAlamu ( varNam) – bEgaDa – Veena Kuppiyer   ( S )

02  vAtApi gaNapatim – hamsadhwani – Dikshitar  ( S )

03  tapakanE vasunA – suddha bangALa – Thyagaraja ( S )

04  paripAlaya sarasIruha – pantuvarALi – Swathi Thirunal ( A,N,S )

        neraval & swara @ ‘ kamalA rasAnanAbja madhupa’

05  kAmAkshi – bhairavi – Shyama Sastry

06  karuNa jUDa rAdA – sahAna – GNB  ( A,  S )

07  vAsudEvayAni – kalyANi – Thyagaraja ( A,S ,T)

 08  eTu nammina O manasA – sAvEri – Patnam Subramanya Iyer

09  sukhi evvarO – kAnaDa – Thyagaraja ( A )

10  ninnu pogaDa taramA – kuntaLa varALi – GNB ( A )

11  muraLIdhara gOpAlA – mAND – Periyaswamy Thooran

12  gOpAla gOkula vallabhi – navaroz ?? – Tulsidas

13  karuNisO rangA karuNisO – Ahir Bhairav ?? –  Purandara Dasa

14  rAdhA samEtA krishnA – yamunA kalyANi – Jayadeva

15  mangaLam – saurAshtram – Thyagaraja

What a beautiful concert. One returned from the concert with an immense feeling of content and satisfaction. It is this differentiate the old masters from the new rush. He was amazing yesterday, just amazing. Look at the list again, the selection of raga, the composers, mxing up of tala, swaras for most of the kritis. To me a well balanced list.

Now to the concert.. He warmed up with the bEgaDa varnam and continued with a short set of swaras. Vatapi came at the right place, with M A Sundareswaran chipping in with some of his intricate plays to lift up the effects. Detailed swaras were a treat to listen. Sudha bangala came quickly, while we were debating between nAyaki or darbar ! Short set of swaras continued. Pantuvarali was the first alapana. Swathi Thirunal kriti was majestic, though the neraval was short ( it was very good and one was hoping for more), but the elaborate swara singing compensated for all. Between TVR and MAS, they entertained the audience with some outstanding swara phrases. Shyama Sasthry swarajati with its beautiful chittaswaras were equally brilliant. An emotive sahana, with another superb return by MAS came in next.

An octagenarian couple sitting next to us wanted Pramod to hand over a chit of request to the singer. Reluctantly, Pramod managed to hand it over after the sahana piece. TVR looked at it and smiled. Soon came the kalyAni alapana with its grandeur. The kriti was a great choice , thanks to the request, of Vasudevayani of Thyagaraja. The  kriti was fantastic, though there was no neraval, he sang an elaborate swara for kalyani, a delight to the listeners. The couple who sent across the chit, later told Pramod that, he had listened to GNB singing this long back in his hostel. One could only thank them at the end of the day.

Tani avartanam was just good, with the ghatam was alost inaudible. While Mail was non intrusive and subtle, the ghatam was not heard at all. Despite he being soft, there was some thing missing from the percussion support. It was sounding as a different track and not part of the overall affair.

Post main had also long with alapana for kAnaDa and kuntaLavarALi. The chain looks long and were interesting in its own way.  A fabulous concert by Trichur V Ramachandran yesterday at Indiranagar Sabha.