Concert Reviews and Other Important Posts that was Posted in sangeetham.com -2004 to 2006

[rajeshnat]

Aparna Balajee@Naada Inbam on Dec 17th,2004
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1. ???
2. Mamavatu Sarasawati (S)- Hindolam- Vasudevacharya
3. Etula BrOtuvO - Chakravakham(R) - Thyagaraja
4. Aparadha Mulla- Lathangi (RN) - Patnam ???
5. Nadupai Palikeru - Madhyamavathi- Thyagaraja
6. Raga Sashi Vadana- ???-- Thyagaraja
7. Ekambrisha Nayaki(RNST) - Shanmughapriya ???-- Dikshitar
8. Karunai Deivame - Sindhu Bhairavi -- Sivan ???

Having known that Aparna Balajee is the daughter of OST, I wanted to listen to her . Overall she is ok ,she has got a good voice but felt her Neraval and Swarams were bit disconnected and not gripping . Also she taps so hardly the talam that it is very irritating at times . Lathangi was to me a mix of Saveri and Kalyani . She was accompanied by Deepa Ramachandran (sishya of Mullaivasal Chandramouli)in violin and Sankaranarayan in mridangam (disciple of Raja Rao). The violin was not upto the mark but the mridangam was good.

The highlight to me was the hindolam swaram and Shanmughapriya krithi (never heard of Dikshitar krithi in Shanmughapriya ).

[rajeshnat]

Sanjay Subramanyam@MA on DEC 22,2004
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Accompanied by Mysore Manjunath- Violin Mridangam -- Neyveli Venkatesh???
1.??? - Kanada??? -- ??
2.??? - Mohanam ??? -- ??
3.Kanchi Kamakshi- Todi ???- Shyamasastri
4. Sujana Jeevana (R)- Khamas- Thyagaraja
5.vElayyA dayavillaiyA enakkaruL sheyya manamillaiyA (RN)-Saaveri - Koteeswara Iyer
6. Chakkani Raja (RST)- Kharaharapriya- Thyagaraja
7.Vararagalaya- Senchukambodhi - Thyagaraja
8. RTP "Kaanakidaikumo Sabesan Dharisanam Kandal Kalitherumo" - Subhapantuvarali -
Swarams in Subhapantuvarali were followed in Kannada ??? + Atana + Sahana + Sindhubhairavi
9. Thillana - ???--- ???
10 Mukthi Alikkum Thiru- Kuntala Varali or Shenjurruti ???--- Gopalakrishna Bharathi
11. Mangalam
I just entered to hear the third todi krithi I guess of Shyama Sastri . Wonderful raga alapana of Khamas followed and a great soulful rendition of a pure Sujana jeevana followed . The next piece alapana was very good and the song was fantastic . However the neraval was quite short that too considering Sanjay did not have any more neravals in the concert . Kharaharapriya raga alapana was very good , but there was a dissapointment as there was no neraval in chakkani Raja. The swara prastharam in Kharaharapriya was only good in the last stage , followed by an average tani

Ofcourse after vararagalaya , yesterday's clearly the best piece was the RTP . Subbapanthuvarali raga alapanai was grand (12 mins)but the Tanam was outstanding (8 mins) . The ragamaliga swarams ((close to 20 mins)was very good especially the Sahana and Sindubhairavi . I could not recognize the tillana ragam but was rendered very well . The last GB krithi was wonderful and gave a good finish to the 2 1/2 hour concert .

I am always amazed hearing Sanjay singing RTP (especially Tanam is outstanding) and Viruttams . Also raga alapana is always ranging from good to very good. But on the negative side (hearing him for atleast 6 to 8 concerts in the last 3 years ) , Sanjay does not give an elaborate neraval and swara prastharam treatment especially to the main krithi that he is singing . Also a good thing about Sanjay over the period of few concerts that he does not lift up his neck away from the mike which he used to do too often few years before.

Mysore Manjunath violin was ok till kharaharapriya , but picked up well with Tanam . Mridangam accompaniment was average sometimes lacking the pause that is needed .

p.s 1 and 2 , I heard that it was a Kanada varnam and mohanam krithi . Also if some one can fill up tillana ragam and confirm the Mukthi ALikkum ragam that would be great.

[SrinathK]

TM Krishna@NGS on Dec 2004
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Accompanying Krishna was Ramanujacharayulu- Violin ,Vellore Ramabhadran--- Mridangam

1. Started with Varnam Sarasija nabha ninnu?? - Kambhoji- ?
2. Chandram Bhaja (RS)- Asaveri- Dikshitar
3. Badalika Deera - Reetigowlai (R) - Thyagaraja
4. NeeVada NeeGAna- Saaranga - Thyagaraja
5. Bala Gopala (RNST) - Bhairavi - Dikshitar
6. Pahi Pahi Jagan Mohanakrishna- Naadanamakriya -- Naarayana Theerthar
7. Madubari Tala Venura - Khamas-- ??
8. Mangalam , beginning with Ramachandra -- Kurinji -- ???

I was little late to the concert and I heard the varnam only half way thru . Krishna settled for a slow Prayogam , wonderful Asaveri Krithi Chandram Bhaja. The Ghamakam with Dikshitar's Aksharam was immaculate and the swaram in Asaveri was rendered wonderfully and took the whole NGS crowd to a rapturous appalause ,(First time I am hearing an Asaveri Swaram, I have only heard a short krithi...)

Then Reetigowlai alapana was rendered very well. Then just I was expecting a popular krithi like Dwaitamu Sukhama or Janani Ninuvina , I heard for the first time Badalika Deera. Little dissapointed not to hear a swaram in reethigowlai .A quick wrap up in raga saaranga was very average.
The alapana of Bhairavi was fantastic. Average followup by Ramanujacharya . Bala Gopala was rendered with great bhavam but the Bhairavi Neraval and the Swara Prastaram was very good. Excellent support by VelloreRamabhadran especially during Bhairavi . Then the tani followed was very good. OVerall Balagopala lasted for 55 minutes with 15 minute alapana, 10 minute neraval , 10 minute swaram and 10 minute of Tani.

All the threee songs that followed were very good, especially the Nadanamakriya . Came out with a feeling of hearing a very good Bhairavi Neraval and Swaram , but easily the best for me was the lovely asaveri krithi and the swaram . Vellore Ramabhadran's gentle silken touch was always suiting the slow prayoga - manodharma rich krithis that Krishna rendered. I am always amazed with Vellore Ramabhadran's style where throughout the concert he never over bangs the mridangam.Also considering there was no other pakkavadyam support , Vellore Ramabhadran's stamina at his age is a great delight to watch (hopefully he teaches a lot of youngsters not to overbang mridangam...).

On the other side just felt krisha could have gone atleast another slokam or a RTP

I remember this concert very well. Not only was the support of VR memorable, but that alapana and the neraval in Bala Gopala was just amazing, especially the final round. It might have also been the first time I heard asAvEri in a live concert, with swarams added. The pAhi pAhi jagan mOhana krshNA was beautiful. Somehow after all these years some concerts stick out in memory.

[Vocalist]

TM Krishna@NGS on Dec 2004

I remember this concert very well....Somehow after all these years some concerts stick out in memory.

Sure; perhaps it is the fact that it was released as a commercial recording by Charsur (or made available for listening) that did not stick out in memory.

[SrinathK]

@Vocalist, I attended that one live. And no, I didn't realize it was released commercially. Thank you.

Ah, those were the days were you had to squeeze in your preparations for the half yearly exams while trying hard not to miss your favourite artistes...

[rajeshnat]

TN Seshagopalan@Narada Gana Sabha on DEC 24,2004
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Accompanied by VV Ravi- Violin Mridangam -- Vellore Ramabadhran Ganjira-- Neyveli Venkatesh

1.Vanajakshi Ero - Kalyani -- Poonchi ?????
2.eevasudAni vanti dhaivamo (S) - Sahana --Thyagaraja
3.Sadbhaktiyu galaya chesi (RNS)- Aananda Bhairvi- Poochi
4.Bhagayaneyya (NS)- Chandrajyothi- Thyagaraja
5.SriRajagopala (RNST)-Saaveri - Dikshitar
6.Tiruppavai ending with Thoomadhi Madathu Sutrum- Hamir Kalyani - Andal???
7.Tumaja Yeja Mane (Bhajan???)- Piloo???? - ???
8. Viruttam starting with "Aanirai Mei kavi" - Shankarabharanam + Subhapantuvarali ??? + Bhageshri + Hamsanandi + Maand
9. BegaBaro - Maand --- ???
10 Thillana - ???- ????
11. Mangalam

TNS started with a scratchy voice with a kalyani varnam . Having accustomed with his voice problems , his voice picked up and he sang a wonderful Sahana krithi with very good Sahana swaram. Then an elaborate Vilambakala style - slow prayogam Aananda Bhairavi followed with a good followup by Ravi in violin . Just as I was tossing whether it would be a well known krithi like Ojegadamba or Mariveri , TNS surprised with Poochi Krithi which I have never heard . The Neraval is in the line "Bhanukoti chankasha Bhava Bandamu" . He sang the swarams in both speed for the aananda bhairavi. Then an often extinct Chandrajyothi was sung which was good .

Just when I was anticipating that his voice problems was over , when TNS started with Saaveri , his voice cracked too often. Still he managed an OK Saaveri Krithi ,also there was quite a slip of Sruthi in Saveri which slowly worried me. Neraval was just good but the rest of saaveri krithi was not good . Tani followed and was just ok . Too feeble play by Vellore Ramabadran and the Kanjira player totally dissapointed .

Tiruppavai in Hamirkalyani was just good and the Tumaja Yeja Mane Bhajan was not ok . Viruttam in four ragams was definitely more than good but again the Bega Baro finish was just ok(deviation from Shruthi) . Thillana was too fast and I could not get the ragam , except at the end it was like Sindhu Bhairavi, felt he could have avoided altogether.

Also all the accompaniments were playing plain , not much to cherish. Overall TNS(even though one of my favourite) had a dull concert today .But on the positive side ,as always TNS is an encyclopedia , he always teaches me either a new krithi or sings a rare ragam . For me hearing the Aananda Bhairavi Krithi by Poochi was always a new experience and also hearing Chandrajyothi was good to refresh the cornucopia of ragams in carnatic music .

[rajeshnat]

R Suryaprakash @Music Academy on Dec 25,2004
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Accompanied by Satish Kumar- Violin Mannarkoil Balaji- Mridangam and Madipakkam Murali- Ghatam.The Kirthanais that he rendered are
1. Varnam- Pantuvarali ???? - ??
2. Orajoopuchu- KannadaGowlai- Thyagaraja
3. Narasimha Mamava(R,S)- Aarabi - Swati Tirunal
4. Rama Rama Kali- Rama Kali -Dikshitar
5. Intha Sowkya (RST)- Kaapi -Thyagaraja
6. RTP "....Hare Krishna"- Shankarabharanam with swarams in Shankarabharanam + Nayaki + Behag -?????
7. Chidambara Natha - Hemavathi - ????
8. Karthikeya - Valaci - ???
9. Viruttam "Manam Kulira ....Isai Kuyil Varuvaro "-- Pantuvarali + Mohanam + +Dhanyasi + Jonpuri - From the film Shakunthalai???
10. Eppo Varuvaro - Jonpuri - Gopalakrishna Bharathi
11.Mangalam

Went late to hear the ending phrase of Orajoopuchu. A very neat Aarabi alapana unfolded with a nice rendering of the swati tirunal krithi with a good swaram . An aboorva ramakali raagam (hearing for the first time) followed . The ramakali sounded definitely hindustani was little like Basant Bahaar to me (Can someone throw some light about ramakali ??? , I see that this ragam is janya of mayamalavagowlai).

Then MMI style Intha Sowkhya followed . Excellent manodharmam exhibited in the swarams for Kaapi . Good followup by the young violinist in the swarams.His RTP in Shankarabharanam and the pallavi line ended with Harekrishna .Tanam was quite impressive . The swarams in RTP in the raagam Nayaki and Behag was wonderful , but however returning from Behag back to Shankarabharanam did not show that much contrast . Would have been happy if he had taken one more contrasting raga for swarams in RTP and then come back to Sankarabharanam.

Hemavathi and Valaci was gripping , but definitely the dedication to MS Amma with the beginning line Manam Kulira in the film Shankunthalai was excellent. Especially singing the line " Isai Kuyil Varuvaro " in the ragams Dhanyasi(was outstanding) and Jonpuri was a fitting tribute to the immortal MS. Customary MMI finish Of EppoVaruvaro followed . Overall 2 hour concert was very good , especially the viruttam and the sarvalaghu style kaapi swaram, and hearing an apoorva Dikshitar masterpiece in the ragam ramakali.

Support of Violin by the young chap was just good in Kaapi Main piece , but picked up very well in Shankarabharanam . Mridangam/Ghatam could have been better , especially found it inadequate during Kaapi swara prastharam.Certainly Rasikas of mmi/tvs should watch out for R Suryaprakash, for his versatile choices and sarvalaghu style of swarams.

[rajeshnat]

This post is what I wrote as the ending post for Year 2004
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I attended the following in this music season.I would note rate them m as each of them have their plus and minus

1.Sudha Raghunathan in MFAC (very memorable, especially the RTP in 6 bhairavis.)
2.TMKrishna@NGS (Very Memorable Asaveri of Chandram Bhaja)
3.Sanjay@MA (Memorable Tanam of his RTP in Subhapantuvarali)
4.Aruna Sairam @ MA (Very good Mohanam ,though not very memorable)
5.Suryaprakash R@ MA (very memorable RTP and InthaSowkhya in Kaapi)
6.Sikkil Gurucharan@MFAC (very memorable Kiravani of Kaliyuga)
7.TNS@NGS (not that great at all,though he is always my favourite, I wish I had a chance to hear him more than once)
8.TVS@NGS (memorable Sarasasama dhana in kapi narayani)
9.Dr Ganesh@BGS (memorable Sambho mahadeva in Pantuvarli )
10.Aparna Balajee (not that great , but a fairly good shanmughapriya)
11. OST@BVB (good slokam in bhagesri)

Perhaps ,the best I cherish is that I got introduced as a rasika to some very good performers like Suryaprakash (in particular) and got a good orientation of Sikkil gurucharan who I feel has got tremendous potential.

On the awareness/ knowledge front.
Heard few aboorva ragams like <b>Ramakali ragam</b> krithi in Dikshitar and <b> Maruva ragam </b> krithi in Dikshitar (courtesy of Suryaprakash) and Jyothiswaroopini Ragam krithi by Koteeswara Iyer(courtesy Dr Ganeesh) .

Overall, this season was little minus when compared to last year,I see growing canteen distractions and mobile interference picking up more .


OPINION INVITED ON A HUMBLE SUGGESTION???
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SINCE SOME OF US LIKE ME WORK , IT WOULD MAKE SENSE TO HAVE A CONCERT starting at 9 pm and ending at 11 to 12 pm . This way more rasikas will work , can go home , have dinner and most importantly beat the traffic jams and can alleviate parking constraints . I am sure this may not be welcome by all , just feel that beating traffic and attending concert is a big strain for coming to concert . DO you think musicians and organizers will consider this good idea???

[rajeshnat]

happy newyear 2005 for sangeetham.com rasikas

[rajeshnat]

TM Krishna@Sastri Hall on 24 Feb 2005
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Organized by PSN disciples
Accompanying Krishna were ???- Violin , Arun Prakash--- Mridangam , ?????---Ghatam
The concert was followed after felicitating vocalist BV Raman .

1. Sri Narada Naada - Kaanada- Thyagaraja
2. Vaa Muruga Vaa (R)- Begada- Spencer Venugopal ????
3. ElivataaRama (RNS) - Mukhaari - Thyagaraja
4. Makelera Vicharamu- Ravi Chandrika- Thyagaraja
5. Endukku Dayarudhura (RST) - Todi - Thyagaraja
6. Itu Saahasamula - Saindhavi - Thyagaraja
7. Kaana Vendamo - ShreeRanjani -- Papanasam Sivan
8. Oruthi Maganai Pirandhu - Behag -- Andal Tiruppavai ???
9. Mangalam


The concert started with an excellent rendition of Kaanada , followed by a fairly elaborate Begada Alapanai. An average Vaa Muruga vaa followed . The best piece to me was TMK's handling of Mukhaari in his vilambakala style . Mukhaari brimmed with great bhava with a wonderful swaram .The fast Makelera followed .Todi alapanai was unfolded very well , but however the krithi was not upto usual TMK's Todi standard .Consipicous was absence of Neraval in Todi, and also the swara prasthanams was more fast and did not very much match the alapanai elaboration . Tani followed ,ghatam was good but definitely Arun Prakash Mridangam support was not upto the mark inclusive of Tani.

Krishna wrapped up with a fairly unknown Saindhavi (hearing for the first time). Sree Ranjani krithi was rendered in a very slow fashion. Behag followed just indicating whether could that be a last song .Just as Cindrella disappearing @ 12 , Mangalam unfolded at 9pm . OVerall concert lasted less than 90 minutes with 10 minute Tani. The highlight was me hearing an unknown Sandhavi and a lovely Mukhaari.Felt TMK could have elaborated with atleast 3 more krithis.

The concert was preceded by talk which certainly ate the concert time . VV Sundaram , Srimushnam Raja Rao and one person who claimed to be descendent of Kavi Kunjara Bharathi stretched a lot . BV Raman Sir did not speak that long and PSN sir was very sweet not to talk much.

Overall dissapointed with less than 90 minute concert !! May be it was just an exhibition concert I donot know.Carnatic music needs a lot more time for elaboration.

[rajeshnat]

Sikkil Gurucharan@Asthika Samajam,thiruvanmiyur on 03 Mar 2005
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Held not in the usual kalyana mandapam opp thiruvnamiyur tank , but in a hall (closer to that) - Mar 24 ,2017 update

Accompanying Gurucharan were Nagai Sriram- Violin , Srimushnam Raja Rao--- Mridangam .The songs that Gurucharan rendered were

1. Varnam(Ninnu Kori) - Vasanta - ?????
2. Gana Nayakam Bhajeham (RS)- Rudrapriya/Poornashadjam - Dikshitar
3. Parvati Kumaram (RS)- NattaiKurinji - Dikshitar
4. Naadharu Santhanan - Vaagadeeshwari - Koteeswara Iyer
5. Kalyaana Rama (RS)- Hamsanaadam - Oothukadu
6. Eppadi Manam Thunindhadho (S) - Huseni - ???
7. Nilavati Sukhada - Ravi Chandrika- Thyagaraja
8. Chakkani Raja (RNST) - Kharaharapriya -- Thyagaraja
9. Karpooram Narumo - Khamas - Nachiar Thirumozhi
10.Sundaraganuthe - Jonpuri - ???
11. Tillana - Behag - ???

Great concerts always starts excellently, this was no exception , the vasanta varnam set the flow quite well, but the Gana Nayakam Bhajeham was very good, though during alapana I was mistaken as Kharaharapriya. The nattaikurinji raga alapana was excellent and the krithi swaram was short and crisp .As a listener the Vaagadeeshwari ragam was new to me and was nice.

The best to me was the next 2 krithis.The Hamsanaadam alapana and swaram was outstanding and Oothukadu's krithi was a quite a revelation to me than the usual Bantureeti . Then Gurucharan soaked himself with wonderful Bhavam in Huseni Raagam . Personally hearing this Huseni krithi for the first time ,it is just lovely as it always settles somewhere in between Bhairavi and Mukhaari , and makes you to keep on guessing whether it is Mukhari or Bhairavi or Huseni,though I luckily settled myself to Huseni.

The usual fast song preceding the main krithi in Ravicandrika was very good . The Kharaharapriya alapana was lovely but the Neraval in Chakkani Raja was not as elaborate as what this great piece has usually accustomed the listener . Gurucharan kalpanaswarams in Kharaharapriya was excellent .The khamas was nice but however the last 2 two was not that great especially the Behag tillana .

Having watched Nagai Sriram for close to 2 years , like Gurucharan he is certainly star on the rise . Wonderful followup everywhere especially in Chakkani Raja. Raja Rao certainly added his manodharmam everywhere and certainly took the concert to great heights . Raja Rao's sensitve fingering in Nattaikurinji and Huseni was very memorable , but his Tani was just good (certainly heard a better one).

Overall an excellent 2 and 1/2 hours concert by Gurucharan! Hearing him for the second time ,it looks like his notable strength <u>is not </u> rushing his concert too fastly towards Tukkadas, but always giving a wholesome carnatic concert experience.

[rajeshnat]

R Suryprakash@Sastri Hall on 10 Mar 2005
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Accompanying were MA Sundareswaran- Violin , Tiruvarur Bhaktavatsalam--- Mridangam , Kanjira-Trivandrum Rajagopal ???

1. Varnam Sami Ne Kori Ke ??? - Pantuvarali ??? - ???
2. Nada tanumanisham(S) - Cittaranjani - Thyagaraja
3. Ehi Trijagadeesha (R) - Saaranga- Thyagaraja
4. Pavi Pulayil Indha Ooril Vandhu Endan - Todi- ???
5. Sarasa Sama dana (RNS) - KaapiNarayani- Thyagaraja
6. Neela Mela Gathram - Gopikavasantham - Dikshitar
7. Kaana Kan Koti (RNST) - Kambhodhi - Papanasam Sivan
8. Kaana Vendamo - Shree Ranjani - Papanasam Sivan
9. Neela Kantanae Dheera Karunakarane - Yaman / Yamuna Kalyani ??? -- ???
10.Kodayile Ooraginra (Viruttam) - Pantuvarali + Bilahari + Kaapi + Neelambari + Madhyamavathi + Bhimplas -- ???
11.Maname Kaanamum Maravathe -- Bhimplas -- Papanasam Sivan ???
12.Maaye - Tharangini - Dikshitar
13.Mangalam

Suryaprakash started with an excellent varnam , which was quite close to Pantuvarali. Traces of MMI flashed when he rendered Naada Thanumanisham. Swaram was crisp and excellent. Then the Saaranga krithi was not that good . Todi was nice but certainly alapana in KaapiNarayani was refreshing . Again the Neraval (Ithavum Matu) and swara prasthanam was certainly in the same style as his Guru's guru MMI,

An aboorva Gopikavasantham was nice but certainly the main piece Kambodhi was just good .Partly because of excessive percussion sound by Bhaktavatsalam .It was difficult to appreciate Suryaprakash in Kambodhi. The Shree Ranjani was nice and The Neela Kantanae was a nice Thukkada .

His popular viruttam in raagamaliga was oujtstanding particularly Pantuvarali ,Kaapi and Bhimplas . His finish in Maname in Bhimplas and Maaye in Tarangini was very nice.

Violin was more than good , but certainly Bhaktavatsalam Tani and Kanjira was always excessive sound that disturbed the sowkhyam that one always expects in a Carnatic concert . Particularly with my high expectation of Bhaktavatsalam (like him a lot especially when he had played for Maharajapuram) , I at times felt he was playing a tavil than a miridangam , especailly during tani and Kambodhi main piece.

Overall just a good concert , hearing a alapana in Kaapi Narayani and Gopikavasantham was a new experience .

[rajeshnat]

Sanjay Subrahmanyan@Sringeri Temple on April 08th ,2005
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Varadarajan - Violin
Tanjavur Ramadas - mrudangam

mAmava sadA janani - kAnaDA - rUpakam - ST (RNS)
ninnADa nela - kannaDA - Adi - T (RS)
kAru bAru - mukhAri - Adi - T (R)
nItu mahima - hamsAnandi - Adi - HMB (RS)
edu Ta nilicitE - sankarAbaraNam - Adi - T (RNS)
taniyAvardanam
jAnaki pathE - kharaharapriya - Adi (preceeded by a slokam 'janaki rAmA...')
kaNDu danyanAdE - bEhAg - rUpakam - kamalEsha viTTala (R)
nI ninaindhAl AgAdathu - darbAri kAnaDa - Adi
nI nAma rUpamulakku

KAnada was a flashing start , but certainly mukhari alapanai and Hamsanandi swaram and alapanai was the best . Personally Shankarabharanam alapanai and krithi was just ok, and the swarams were just good.Post Tani liked the Darbari KaNada viruttam a lot, felt Sanjay could have sang more ragams in the viruttam. Tanjavur Ramadas and Varadarajan was just ok,felt the support was not that great . Heard lot of new krithis(all the post tani krithis) and kAru bAru in Mukhari which was a soul filled rendition.

Overall a good concert, just felt the organizers or Sanjay could have atleast extended till 9 pm instead of sharp 8:45pm Pavamana and stretched the viruttam with few more ragams, but his outstanding mukhari still rings in my ears .

[rajeshnat]

Nisha Rajagopal@ RagaSudha on April 24th,2005
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Accompanied by Hemamalini - Violin ,Ranganathan- Mridangam and Rajagopal- Kanjira.The Kirthanais that she rendered was

1. Sarasoodai (Varnam) - Saaveri - Patnam Subramanya Iyer
2. Swaaminatha Paripalaya(S) - Nattai - Dikshitar
3. Yeh Papamu Jesite Rama (R)- Atana - Thyagaraja
4. Raama Ikanannu Brova (RS)- Sahaana - Patnam Subramanya Iyer
5. Emani PogaDuduraa- Varunapriyaa/Veeravasantam-Thyagaraja
6. Needu Charanaule Rama (RS)-- Simmhendramadhyamam- Thyagaraja
7. mAkElarA vicAramu - Ravichandrika - Thyagaraja
8. koluvamare gada (RNST) - Todi - Thyagaraja
9. Raamanai Ninaithu Namamai Sollida-- Jonpuri - Appadurai
10. Nanati Baduku -- Revati - Annamacharya
10. Mangalam

Nisha started with the popular saaveri varnam , and her voice really adjusted with a crisp swarams in Nattai .
The rare Atana followed which was just average . Her Sahana alapanai did sound atleast to me more like Devagandhari (could be my ignorance), but from the violinist reply appeared completely as Sahana .The swarams in sahaana were lovely . The Varunapriya was good, but the best came next . Nisha's simhendra madhyamam alapana was excellent and her swarams in this rare krithi was just very good . MakelarA was good and I liked her Todi alapana. Felt Nisha could have given a better neraval in the lines chikkuni gunamula as I felt Todi could have been more elaborated . The swarams was nice .

After a brief talk by SVK , the concert had a great finish. Jonpuri was outstanding and the composer Appadurai (if I had got it right) was in the audience . Revati gave a good finish to the concert . Overall hearing Nisha for the second time , this was very good concert with memorable Simhendramadhyamam and jonpuri krithi with the composer in the audience. The accompaniments were just good , neither obtrusive nor taking the concert to a greater level.

[rajeshnat]

R Suryaprakash@Sastri Hall on 08 July 2005
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Accompanying were Kumbakonam MR Gopinath - Violin , Guruvayur Durai-- Mridangam ,
Ghatam -Rajagopal


1. Varnam ??? - KedaaraGowlai - ???
2. Tatvamariya Tharama - ReethiGowlai - Papanasam Sivan
3. Paridanammichitte (RNS) - Bilahari - Thyagaraja
4. Sri Sathyanarayanam(RS) - Subhapantuvarali - Dikshitar
5. Kani Karum Gunanee - Kaantamani- Dr Srivastava
6. Koluvaiyunnade (RST) - Bhairavi - Thyagaraja
7. Chidambaram Natha Tiruvarul tha tha - Hemavati - ???
8. RTP "Sarasa Dala Nayana Harekrishna" - Kedaraagowlai + (swarams in Behaag + Darbari Kanada + Kedaragowlai)- ???
9. Madurai Arasalum Meenakshi - Darbari Kanada + ??? -- ???
10.Note - Sankharabharanam -- HMB
11.Mangalam

I was late and missed the first two . Bilahari Alapanai and Neraval was very good , but could not hear the swarams in Bilahari as I had to leave the hall for few minutes . Subhapantuvarali raga alapana was good filled with pathos and as expected Sri Sathyanarayanam followed . The swarams were nice too .

An aboorva raagam Kaantamani krithi by Dr Srivastava was sung by him which was good . Bhairavi alapanai was presented in a very leisurely fashion and progressively picked up speed . Felt Suryaprakash could have sang even the Neraval but his swara prastharam was excellent . Flashes of MMI appearing at most times . A fairly racy hemavati was nice too .

But the icing in the cake was his wonderful RTP in Kedaragowlai . Raagam Kedaragowlai and Suryaprakash open throated way of singing went very well . For me hearing this Sarasa dala nayana was my first live experience , having only heard a vintage recording of SSI . Taanam was very good but the swara ragamaligai was a downpour with MMI touch every where . Even though he took only Behaag , Darbari Kanada and Kedaragowlai for swaram each was sung for atleast 4 to 5 minutes . Outstanding RTP , it still lingers .


After a brief and interesting speech by DR Srivastava ,Suryprakash took up a very good Tukkada "Madurai Arasalum Meenakshi" which was not just a filler towards mangalam . I heard this tukkada for the first time and the tukkada lines had lyrics like Place of workship - Goddess name (like Anaikaval -Akhilandeshwari, Thiruverkadu - KarumariAmman). Darbari Kanada though repetitive after RTP, but certainly went very well with the song . Also had a ragam like Sindhu Bhairavi in this tukkada .Popular MMI note was sung and Mangalam followed .

As described by Dr Srivastava ,Violinist MR Gopinath was very good , always sticking within the clear raagam boundary,never overdoing and had flashes of brilliance in Kedaaragowlai , Bhairavi and Subhapantuvarali . The Ghatam artist was good not appearing as a sideman to Mridangam . The Mridangist was just average to good till Bhairavi , but was very good from Tani onwards .


Overall a great 3 hour concert .50 minute RTP and the tukkada "Madurai Arasalum" is very memorable. Also nice to get educated about Kaantamani .

[rajeshnat]

Malladi Brothers@Egmore on 09 July 2005
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Accompanying were VL Kumar- Violin , Vellore Ramabadhran-- Mridangam ,
Ghatam -SV Ramani

Having never heard the brothers a live concert , this was my first experience of hearing them live. The krithis they rendered were


1. Erana Neepai(Varnam) - Todi - PSI ??
2. NaadaSudha RasamBilanu (RS) - Aarabhi - Thyagaraja
3. AmbaParadevate (RS) - Rudrapriya - Thanjavur Krishnaswamy
4. Kanni Todi Deve Channi ???? - HariKambodhi ??? - Thyagaraja???
5. Raama Mindhi Vaa Shyamam(RNS) - Poorvikalyani- Annamacharya
6. Kripa Joochudu Kuvelera - Chayatarangini- Thyagaraja
7. Karpagambike Amba kadaikkan - Bilahari - Papanasam Sivan
8. Upacharamoolanu (RNST) - Bhairavi - Thyagaraja
9. Santhana Gopala Krishnam - Kamaas -- Dikshitar
10.Slokam "Santhakaram Bhujaga Sayanam" - HamirKalyaani
11.Followed by Swari Sosarvada Hariya ??? - Hamirkalyaani - Purundaradaasar
12.Paluketa Neladalli Pavalinchamu ???? - Abheri ?? - Annamacharya ???
13.Sarvam Brahmammayam - Madhuvanti -- ???
14.Adinadula ??? - Surutti -- ???

The brothers started with a brief Alapana and as expected popular Todi Varnam of Erana Neepai followed . Todi set the tempo of the concert quite well. The Taller Brother sang a very nice Aarabhi alapanai . The swarams were neatly exchanged and was quite good . The popular Amba Paradevate was sung with correct pace and was a delight . The next krithi which I am assuming it is Harikambodhi was also little like Suddasaveri but overall was very mediocre

The best followed was the elaborate Poorvikalyani , the Not tall brother took up the raga alapaanai and was wonderful. The Neraval in the lines "Swetha Vanitha Samatam" was beautiful and both brothers gave an outstanding Neraval and Swaram . Also hearing for the first time,this Annamacharya krithi was a special treat to me .

Chayataringini was quite fast paced and the Bilahari was a tamil filler to this concert . Bhairavi raga alapanai was taken up very well , the pallavi and Neraval was fantastic . However the swara prasthanam was just average in the first half , but however did turn out very well towards the later half.

Hamir Kalyani Slokham was average , felt he could have gone with more ragams in this slokham . Abheri was good but their famous Sarvam Brahmamayam was excellent . The finish in Surutti could have been better.

Overall both brothers synchronize well and it is not that one brother is just merely supporting another . The taller brother has more higher pitch and the other was having a more lower pitch. The venue had big speakers and also had an echoing effect and was quite upsetting all of us .But irrespective of whether it is a small hall or Narada GanaSabha / Music Academy , looks like the brothers can acclimitize to the situation and bring more sukha anubhavam by singing in a controlled pitch when they both sing in a higher pitch (I may be wrong , but just a humble opinion).

Vellore Ramabhadran was very good , Violin and Ghatam was average . Tani was just good . Overall came out with an impression that the brothers are very good and can always learn fairly hear new krithis especially of Annamacharyas

[rajeshnat]

Master Balamuralikrishna@Egmore on July 16,2005
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Accompanying BMK Jr were violin - Charumathi R ???? Mridangam - Trivandrum Balaji

A very established vocalist once said that Master BMK is a guy to watch among the youngsters , certainly he was. The krithis that he rendered were

1. VanajAkshi Ne(Varnam) - ReethiGowlai - VeenaKuppier
2. gaNaRAjena Rakshitoham (RS) - Aarabhi - Dikshitar
3. Lekena Ninnu - Asaveri- Thyagaraja
4. Cede Buddhi Manura(RS) - Athaana- Thyagaraja
5. Shankari Shamguru(RNS) - Saaveri- ShyamaSastri
6. Sree Parthasarathee Naa (S) - SuddaDhanyasi - Dikshitar
7. KsheerasAgara SayanA - Devagaandhari - Thyagaraja
8. Sreekantha Nee - Bhavapriya- Thyagaraja
9. Pahi Jagajanani(RNST) - Vachaspathi -- SwaatiTirunal
10.Sammayamiddhe RArA Swaami - Behag - ???
11.Tillana (Deem Da Deem Da Thirana, had lines like Thirumamayilai)- Surutti - ??


Without knowing anything about Master BMK , certainly went to hear his concert for the first time . BMK started with an excellent alapanai in Reetigowlai and gave a flying start to his concert. A well rendered Aarabhi followed and heard this apoorva dikshitar krithi for the first time . His voice was well settled and the swarams in Aarabhi were very nice . This was followed with Asaveri Krithi which was just good . The Atana Swarams were fantastic . The Saaveri alapanai was lovely and his voice strength was abundant . Neraval in the lines "SaamaKrishna Sodhari Samalesha Sodhari" and swarams was very mature and saveri notes were everywhere with no slippage and dull moment.He just gave me a first impression that he should be coming with an illustrious SSI lineage

The Sudda Dhanyasi krithi (which I almost forgot) was little shade below average , but when he started with a devagandhaari in a vilambakala style , I was more sure that he was connected with SSI in a big way. Reminisces of SSI flashed again with him when he sang a fast paced Bhavapriya .

The main krithi was in Vaachaspathi which is certainly my first experience as a main krithi, having heard only more popular Kanta Joodumi krithi as filler . The raaga alapanai was close to 20 minutes and certainly could guess that it was very close to Kalyaani but not Kalyaani . The Neraval in the lines "Mohana Daregatri Muni Samudaya" in this Krithi was presented beautifully by this lad . The Swarams were also very good and was not rushed at all. Also moving to Prathi Madhyamam as a main krithi did make the concert more complete.

BMK wrapped with a Behag krithi and a Surutti tillana , both were average. Later I came to know that he is a sishya of PSN and certainly is a torch bearer of SSI tradition . On a sidenote , his mannerisms in stage were like TM Krishna . Overall BMK is just 20 years , but his voice breadth is simply too good. He effortlessly goes up and his voice does not appear like a teenager . Came out with a feeling that this lad is going to make it big soon, ofcourse with his guru's (PSN) guidance and guru's guru(SSI) blessing .

The Violinist , a very young girl played good(Saaveri was very good) and the Mridangist playing was just good .

[rajeshnat]

Maharajapuram Ramachandran@VaniMahal on 23 July 2005
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Accompanying were M R Gopinath- Violin , Tiruvarur Vaidhyanathan -- Mridangam ,

1. Neram Nammithi- Kanada - Poochi Srinivasa Iyengar??
2. Vinayaka Vinayaka (S) - Aarabhi - Sachidananda ???
3. Anudinamulanu (RNS) -Begada - Thanjavur Krishnaswamy
4. Nee daan meccikoLLavEnDum(RS) - SriRanjani- Oothukadu
5. AanandAm amrithavarshini(RN) - Amrithavarshini- Dikshitar
6. Bhogendra Sayinam - KuntalavarAli- Swati Tirunal
7. Mohana Rama (RST) - Mohanam- Thyagaraja
8. Nalinakanthi Mathim - Raagamaligai - Madurai Krishnaswamy
9. Brief Slokham "Sree Ramachandra" - ??-- ???
10.Followed by Raamam Bhaje Shyamam Manasa - ???- ???
11.Brief Viruttam in the lines "Kuzhal Osai" - Madhyamavathi -- Yazhpaanam Veeramani ???
13.Aadadu Asaiyadhu - Madhyamavathi -- Oothukadu
14.Mangalam

Ramachandran started like his father a famous kanada raagam varnam which was just good, but definitely the Vinayaka krithi in the pancha ratna ragas were fantastic .His voice mellowing during the 5 swarams was very nice . A heavy Begada raagam was executed quite well and the neraval in the lines "Kanakana Ruchi" was very soothing. Swarams were just good in begada . Felt he sensed the audience like his father and took up Sriranjani. The alapana was excellent and the krithi nee daan meccikoLLavEnDum was grand. In particular when he started the swarams he started like Ma Ni Da "Nee Daan MecciKollavEnDum" implying Manidha was wonderful.

Perhaps the best piece was his raga alapanai in the raagam Amrithavarshini. His base voice was so much in line with this raagam and I was really moved by his rendering . Particularly after taking the master piece of Dikshitar , the Neraval in the lines "Sree Guruguha Janani" was out of the world . Took up a good filler in Kuntala varali .

Mohanam raga maligai was very good , the swarams were just good in Mohanam. The mega ragamaligai Nalinakanthi Mathim was outstanding all the way from the first Nalinakanthi raagam to the 14th Nayaaki Raagam . There was a brief slokham in the lines "Sree Ramachandra" and took up a short filler Raamam Bhaje Shyamam Manasa .Ramachandran took up a brief Viruttam in the lines "Kuzhal osai",which I was told quite long time ago that his dad Santhanam had tuned the lines of Yaazhpanam Veeramani (IIRC) and ended with the popular Madhyamavathi Krithi Aadadu Asaiyadhu.

The Violinist was very good particularly in SriRanjani and Mohanam . The percussionist was giving an excellent support .His rolling of his right hand did elevate the concert of Ramachandran , however his Tani was just good .Overall a great 2hours and 45 minute concert .Always like the pisuru illatha base voice of Maharajapuram Ramachandran.

[rajeshnat]

TV Ramprasadh@VaniMahal on 23 July 2005
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Accompanying were ??- Violin , KV Prasad-- Mridangam ,?? - Kanjira

1. Sreeragam Varnam ???
2. Janaki Ramana - Sudda Seemanthini - Thyagaraja
3. SriSami Vagadeeshwaram ??? (R)- Devagandhaari - Dikshitar
4. Ananda NadanamAduvar Tillai (RS) -Poorvikalyani- Neelakantha Sivan
5. Amba Kamakshi - YadukulaKambodhi - ShyamaSastri
6. Nera Nunchi Nannu(S) - Maalavi- Thyagaraja
7. Kaligiyunte(RNST) - Keeravani - Thyagaraja
8. Krishna Nee Begane Baro - Yamuna Kalyaani ??? - ???
9. Tillana "DirAna thomtha dirAna" - Senchurutti- ???
10.Mangalam Jayamangalam - Madhyamavathi -- ???


My first experience of hearing TV Ramprasadh started with me hearing just last few lines of Janaki Ramana . The Devagandhari raga alapanai was taken as a brief sketch and heard this dikshitar krithi for the first time. Poorvikalyani alapanai was very good and took up this SSI popular krithi and was rendered quite well.Swarams in poorvikalyani were just as gripping as his alapanai.

An apoorva Swarajathi in Yadukula Kambhodhi was beautiful and certainly was apt to his rich bass voice. He took up the fairly fast krithi in Maalavi and sang a quick swaram at the end .Then the main piece in Keerawani was very good ,he progressive got better with a great neraval in the lines "Bhaguda Sri Raghu Ramuni Padamula". Swarams in Keeravani was very good. OVerall cherished the concert till Keeravani. The concert certainly sagged in his Yamuna Kalyaani ,Senchurutti and Madhyamavathi . OVerall felt he could have given a better post tani concert .

The accompanist a young violinist was just average to good . The kanjira lad was playing very well in Tani, but certainly could have supported better the violinist. Prasad showed his experience and really helped to uplift the concert. However the Tani was little too long for the 2.5 hour concert. OVerall Ramprasadh gave a superb Keeravani , Yadhukula Kambodhi apoorva Swarajathi gives me a first impression that he definitely has a good vidwat. Always felt his diction was great.

[rajeshnat]

Ranjani/Gayathri@Music Academy(Minihall) on Aug 07,2005
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The occasion was dedicated to only singing Devi Krithis. The sisters were supported by HN BHaskar - Violin , ArunPrakash - Mridangam and Khanjira -- ?? .Here are the krithis.

1. Varnam -- Ranjani --???
2. SaraseeRuga Sanapriyae Amba (RS, S) - Naatai- ???
3. Mahalakhmi Karuna - MaadhavaManohari - Muthuswami Dikshitar
4. Amma RavAmma (RNS) -kalyani- Thyagaraja
5. Devi Brova Sammayamidhe - Chintamani - ShyamaSastri
6. Taaye TripuraSundari - SuddaSaveri ??- ???
7. Kamalambike Amba (RNST) - Todi - Muthuswami Dikshitar
8. Viruttam "RangaMuthanga Payangame Valarkinra rajamani Deepame...." --- Kharaharapriya
"Ninrum Irunthum....." -- HameerKalyaani + SindhuBhairavi
9. Karunai Deivame Karpagame - Sindhu Bhairavi- Madurai Srinivasan
10.Bhagyada lakshimi barramma - Madhyamavathi - Purandaradasar


Went little late just to hear that the varnam was in ranjani. A brief raga sketch in Naatai was followed with this kirthi which I heard for the first time. The Swarams in Naatai were very nice . There was a just a very little sruthi lapse in Maadhavamanohari between the sisters. Kalyani alapana was started by Ranjani in the lower sthayi and Gayatri took up in the higher sthayi, both were very good . Amma Ravamma was sang ok , but the Neraval in the lines "Thamarasu Tala Netri Thyagaraju" was fantastic . The swarams that followed the Neraval though good was not as great as Neraval

The sedate Chintamani was taken up which was good . The Sudda saveri ??? krithi was also good . But the days second best was Gayatri only singing the raga alapana of Todi. An outstanding Todi raga alapana was followed by Dikshitars Kamalambike . The Neraval "Sakhale Guruguha Sarane " was very good and the swarams matched up quite well .

The Viruttam again taken up by Gayatri,started in the lines "Rangamuthanga Payangame " was sung beautifully in Kharaharapriya and was awesome . Then the same lines "Ninurm Irunthum ..." was sung in two ragams . They were Hameer Kalyani (had quite a bit of tinge of Saranga) and SinduBhairavi was excellent . As I had expected , Karunai Deivame Karpagame was taken up in SinduBhairavi and was good . THe popular Bhagyada Lakshmi Barramma was just good .

The accompaniments HN Bhaskar in Violin was very good . The Kanjira artist (???) could have certainly played more . Arun Prakash's mridangam was not upto mark most of the time . Felt he was extremely passive and always had a rigid and predictable pattern for all the songs .I was particularly upset when he made the Neraval lines of both Kalyani and Todi appear as though it was a slokham/viruttam. His pattern of not playing for a long time in the Neraval , and then just touching with few fingers in the lower pitch of Neraval and then going in a predictable flow in the higher pitch needs correction . Arun could have certainly lifted the concert to greater heights with more participation.

OVerall a great Kharaharapriya + Sindhu Bhairavi Viruttam and a lovely Todi alapana. On a side note , the sisters can take efforts to sing more little more than 2 hours 15 minutes .Certainly not nitpicking them , but if two are singing I guess 2 and 1/2 hours can atleast be a minimum norm.

[rajeshnat]

Sanjay at PS High School for Naadopasana on Saturday 13th August 2005.
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Sanjay Varadarajan Arun Prakash

An RTP spanning 65 minutes so beautiful and leisurely. His raga alapanas were full of brilliant imagination and execution. In short a simply breathtaking concert. Any regrets--yes there was time only for one thukkada . Even that was rendered with so much feeling. We were truly lucky to be there and hear such a great concert live. The list:-

1.Sivalokanathani --Mayamalavagowlai (S)
2.Jaya Jaya Padmanabha Manirangu (R)
3.Sri Panchanadiham Sahana (R)
4.Nee Vanti Deivamu Bhairavi (R) (N) (S)
5.Daarini Telusoknti Suddha Saveri (R) (S) (T)
6.Paramugha Kanada (R-sketch)
7.Shankarabharanam (RTP) Raagamaalika Varali Hindolam Ananada Bhairavi
8. Karpuram Naaarumo-Khamas
9. Naadi Thedi Bhagesri
10. MANGALAM

The Shankarabharanam RTP was in the lines "Ananda Nadamidum Kanaga Sabesanani nee Ninai Maname" . With a great Raga alapanai, I would particularly mention that Sanjay really presented this ragam in great style , particularly when going in the higher Stayi , he stayed in Sankarabharanam ,never trespassed into Kambodhi. Tanam was brilliant (Sanjay's Tanam is always awesome). Varadarajan played a beautiful raga alapanai in sankarabharanam and a quite good Tanam.

Sanjay started in the lines Kanaga Sabesanai Nee Ninai Maname and slowly traversed upto Ananda Nadamidum Kanaga Sabesanani nee Ninai Maname and finally back . But the surprise and to my excitement , he took the same pallavi lines and traversed in Varali, Hindolam and Aananda Bhairavi and then back in the reverse order .The Swarams were brief and elegant and he built up slowly in all 4 ragams and fairly in medium speed greatly exposing the beauty of each ragam . In a nutshell, a well deserved long thunderous applause was definitely a small tribute to the way Sanjay sang this one hour RTP.

On the flip side , when Sanjay sang the alapanai of Bhairavi , I was more sure that it was Mukhari (I do know Bhairavi and Mukhaari is close , but I still felt it was mukhaari)and it was a little surprise to hear a Bhairavi Krithi. THe neraval in the lines was also great . The Sudda Saveri raga alapanai was also great. The swarams in Dharini Telusukonthi was average. I came to the concert only to hear the manirangu krithi, and I was told that Sanjay sang an atana varnam and Sivalokanai .

Arun Prakash was good and his tani was also great .But certainly the RTP is certainly one that I would cherish for a long time. Keep it up Sanjay !!!

[rajeshnat]

Rudrapatnam Brothers@Sastri Hall on August 14th,2005
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Accompanied by Nagai Murali- Violin and Mridangam - Mannargudi Easwaran
This concert was organized on behalf of Maharajapuram Viswanatha Iyer trust. Incidentally this concert was a thematic concert dedicated to only <b> Oothukadu Venkata Kavi </b> compositions.

The brothers rendered the following krithis.

1. Ekadantha Vinayagam- Naatai
2. Senapate namostute(S) - Gowlai
3. Madhura Madhura Venu Geetha(R,S) - Atana
4. Bala Sarasa Murali (R,S) -Keeravani
5. ???? - (R,N,S) - Kalyaani
6. Jagathi Raamabhi Raama Seetha - Kanakavasantham
7. Sarva jiva dayapari (RNST) - SuddaSAveri
8. Muttukrishna - Senjurutti
9. Tillana (Nada Dhim Tara tom tirana ???) - ??
10.Kataye kataye Rasane - Surutti
11. Mangalam

I have never heard these brothers . Both brothers are equally supportive and neither seems to dominate the other . Almost all the krithis,excepting the Senjurutti and Keeravani were new to me . Starting with a brisk nattai and the Gowlai krithi charanam to me was little unique . The swarams in Gowlai were very nice . The brothers brought up a very good alapanai of Atana and the swarams were perfect . The best piece to me was their Keeravani rendition ,here a lot of swara sahithyam was in plenty (I think it is a masterpiece of Oothukadu) .

The next Kalyaani alapanai was leisurely . Could not connect the starting lines of the krithi, The neraval lines in "Narada Muni Vinute Sujjala Vadana Charithe" was good . The next krithi in the raagam Kanakavasantham was new to me , if the brothers had not told the raagam I would have assumed it as Naagagandhari. This was a good fairly fast paced filler . The Sudda saveri krithi with the Neraval in the lines "Dheena Jana Rakshini" and the swarams were average to me . Good finish in Senjurutii and the tillana (I thought it was Jonpuri ,some one next to me told me it was Deshyatodi...) was average. Surutti finish was ok .

Nagai Murali's violin tone was excellent , no scratches . His bowing in Atana and Kalyaani were the best . Easwaran really did a great job , he controlled his aggression and definitely lifted the concert and made us appreciate oothukadu better . Particularly the mridangam was adjusted to suit the sruti scale of the brothers is nowadays practiced by only very few mridangists.The brothers appear to me as they dont sing to gallery and looks like they excel more in Madhyamakalam type of singing. OVerall a good concert , in knowledge a very good concert.

[rajeshnat]

Raagam Sisters@Egmore on Aug 15,2005
----------------------------------------------------
Cannot recollect the names of the violinist, Mridangam and Ghatam artist

The sisters Shivaranjani and Nalinakanthi rendered the following Krithis

1. Sri Ganapathini - Sowrashtram - Thyagaraja
2. Swaminatha Paripalaya(S) - Naatai - Dikshitar
3. Tulasi Dala Mulache(RNS) - Mayamalavagowlai- Thyagaraja
4. Panchashat Peeta Roopini - Devagaandharam- Dikshitar
5. Bantureeti Koluvu - Hamsanaadam- Thyagaraja
6. Caala Kalla LAdu (R) - Aarabi - Dikshitar
7. Nee Daan Mechi KollaVendum - Sriranjani - OVK
8. KanakaShaila Viharini - KuntalaVarAli- ShyamaSastri
9. Marundeeshwarane SivaShankarane Harane (RNST) - PoorviKalyani -- ????
10.Malayalam Krithi - Raagamaligai - ???
11.Enthayum Thayum Magizhnthu - Patadeep ??? - Bharathi
12.Jayati Jayati Bharatha Mata - Kamaas - Mayavaram Vishwanatha Sastri
13.Enna Kavi Padinaalum - Neelamani - Adisesha Iyer
14. Tillana - BrindavanaSaranga - Balamuralikrishna
15. Apadhara Ninai ??? - Sowrashtram - ????
16. Mangalam


I went to hear the sister's concert for the first time . The sisters started great with the lovely sowrashtram. Followed up with the dikshitar's Krithi in Nattai with good swaram. Looked like the kutcheri tempo was well set . Shivaranjani gave an excellent mayamalavagowlai raga alapani followed with the popular Tulasi Dala Mulache .The neraval in the lines "Saraseruga Punnaga Champaka Padala" was fantastic and the swarams that followed were verg good (just reminded me of DKJ).

The Devagandhaaram maintained the tempo of the concert , but felt the Bantureeti was a shade below what followed till then. Nalinakanthi gave a fairly longer alapana in aarabhi making me think as though it was a main krithi. The long alapana was followed with a very short krithi , which refreshed my memory after a long time. The Oothukadu master piece that followed was just good , particularly the singers singing the second caranam "kattam enni kayitrai"was a new experience to me . The kuntalavarali was sung with good bhavam

The main Poorvikalyani alapana by Shivaranjani was good . The krithi which I again heard for the first time was quite good . THe neraval in the lines "Virumbhiya Anaithume Vanangidum Kamadhenu" was very good , with each sister taking from a different word in a phrase was excellent. Swarams that followed was just good, though not as good as the neraval.OVerall till this point the concert was between good and very good.

After the tani, all the tukkadas were quite rushed ,with only ennakavi being nice to me . THE malayalam krithi starting in the lines "Ullagan Ayera Nazh ???"was quite long , but the sisters did not maintain adequate alankaram. The enthayum Thazhum also followed the same pattern as Malayalam krithi(I am assuming it was in Patadeep). Jayati in Kamaas was quite good. The Enna Kavi was the best tukkada . The tillana in Brindavanasaranga was not good at all , the raga swaroopam did not come out well at all and was very rushed . The last sowrashtram was just ok.

Overall cramming 6 tukkadas with few being fairly long in 30 minutes certainly dipped the concert and hopefully they will plan well so that they donot cram too much . But certainly on the positive side , the sisters appear to have quite a lot of stamina and overall they do have immense potential.They both almost equally contribute and their diction is also good (particulary Sivaranjani). The violinist lady was below average ,mridangist was good , but definitely the Ghatam player performed very well . Tani was just good.

[rajeshnat]

TM Krishna@PS High School on Aug 20th, 2005
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Accompanied by RK Shriramkumar- Violin , Mridangam - Neyveli Narayanan and Kanjira- Purushotaman. Krishna rendered the following krithis.

1. Kamala Jadala Vimala - KalyAni- ???
2. Sobhillu Sapthaswara(S) - Jaganmohini - Thyagaraja
3. Ee Vasudha Nee Venti Deivamu(R) - SahAna- Thyagaraja
4. Narasimha Natcha Parabrahma(S) - Mohanam - Dikshitar
5. KanAkambari (R) - KanAkambari - Dikshitar
6. Naama(Raama) Kusumunale(S) ???- Shreraagam- Thyagaraja
7. Amba Kamakshi (RNT)- Bhairavi - ShyamaSastri
- - - - Had to leave ,some one else can fill up - - - -

Krishna started with a farily good KAlyani. Sobhillu Swarams were very good . Sahana raaga alapanai was fantastic.Krithi rendition was slow and moving . Could not listen to Mohanam as I had to leave . Kanakambari raga alapana was outstanding and sang the krithi in a vilamba kala style . The next krithi , I could not enjoy much(only heard the start), as I had to leave . The Bhairavi alapanai was very good . The Neraval was alternating between the lines "Shyama Krishna Sohadari " and another line(I forgot) . Some one told me that he was taking one in Shadjam and another in Panchamam. Nevertheless even though I could not appreciate the Shadjam / Panchamam shift myself , I enjoyed it a lot . I was expecting a lovely swaram but krishna preferred to skip Swaram. Tani was very good.

Overall Narayanan's Mridangam especially for Bhairavi was fantastic , Excellent laya patterns. But felt Narayanan did not have that much azhutham in the way he played for some songs . Purushotaman was just good . Shriram caught up with law of average and was just ok.

On a side note, the sabash and bale was very less from TM Krishna . Overall a good to very good concert , had to leave as the work demanded to after Tani.

[rajeshnat]

TM Krishna@KrishnaGanaSabha on Aug 21st, 2005
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Accompanied by M A Sundarewaran- Violin , Mridangam - Arun Prakash and Ghatam- Suresh . Krishna rendered the following krithis.

1. Viriboni(Varnam) -Bhairavi - ???
2. Janaki Ramana(S) - SuddaSeemanthani - Thyagaraja
3. Cheta Sri Balakrishnam(RS,S) - Dvijavanthi- Dikshitar
4. Shamkari Shamguru(N,S) - SAveri - ShyamaSastri
5. Vaa Murugaa Vaa (R) - Begada - Spencer Venugopal????
6. Orajoopuchu Idhu Nyayama - Kannadagowla- Thyagaraja
7. Endukku DayaRAdura (RNST)- Todi - Thyagaraja
8. RTP "SarAsa Dala Nayana Hare Krishna" - Kamaas-- swarams in Aananda Bhairavi + KalyAni + DhanyAsi + KamAs
9. Shringaram (Ragamaligai)- Slokham - ???
10. Sapasya Kausalya Vishnum - Jonpuri - ??
11. O Sashi Naamati - Mukhaari - ???
12. Idhu Dane tillai Sthalam - Behaag - ??
13. Niraimadhi Mugham Enum Oliyile - HamsAnandi -- ??
14 Pavamana --

Krishna started with the populat Ata Talam Varnam and gave a great start. The Janaki Ramana becoming almost very popular with swarams was outstanding to me . A brief Dvijavanthi raga alapana was quite good and the Cheta Balakrishnam was quite nice (I found little traces of Yadukula Kambodhi in the first half of the swaram). After singing dvijavanthi in a very slow pace , took the popular SAveri krithi and sang in a fairly fast pace . The neraval in the popular "ShyamaKrisha Sodhari Shyamalesha Sahodari" was quite good with a good swaram getting built up.. Begada alapanai was extensive and the krithi was just ok . Kannadagowla krithi was expectedly fast but here Krishna was bordering on little vottam .

Todi alapanai was very good . The rare krithi (atleast to me) was taken and Krishna built up quite well . The Neraval in the lines "Thyagaraja Vinutha Taraka Charita" was quite good and the swarams were also nice . But the day's best was the RTP . IIRC, I have never heard a kamaas RTP at all . The raga alapanai was very short . Tanam in Kamaas was simply outstanding and was in Kanda chapu talam. Krishna sang swarams in two speed in al the 3 ragams .(Particularly Aananda Bhairvai was most impressive)

Krisha gave a SSI finish with the popular Shringaram . I guess he started with Mayamaalvagowlai/NaadanamaKriya (very good, could not make up what it was) + SahAna + Varali + DarbAri KAnada ??? + Jonpuri. The Sapasya Kausalya in Jonpuri was sung very well.The next OSoshi Naamarthi in Mukhaari did not come out that well . A brief Behag raga sketch followed with Idhu Dane Tillai Sthalam was good . Hamsanandi was just good . OVerall a very good concert to me.

Sundareswaran's Violin was very good , especially in the taanam and in dvijavanthi was outstanding.Particularly when he played todi it was nice ,but looked he played as though he was playing taanam in between. Arun Prakash was just good(always feel he can play more) . Ghatam Suresh was very good.

My Critical Comments:
-------------------------------
I just thought Krishna got over with his excessive bale and sabash . But today especially during Tani there was just over doze of it . That too when they just start tani , can't understand why he should say that many Bale and Sabash . He just being 29 years , I feel that should not become a habit.

Also when he sang RTP,after announcing it was kanda chapu talam, he was thumping so hard and at times Arun Prakash not playing , looked like there was this sukhaanubhavam feeling that I was beginning to lose.

On a side note , persuaded and went with 4 of my families senior citizens(3 are very knowledgable) , most of them felt at times he is just bordering on exceesive sound .The most knowledgable among the four felt that he was not and one has to appreciate his natural style. I personally felt he was a little yes , but maybe Krishna can move the mike a little away. But unanimously all of us felt there was little too much Bale , Sabash and other gesticulation.

[rajeshnat]

R Suryaprakash@NGS(Mini) on 27 AUgust 2005
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Accompanying were MA Krishnaswamy - Violin , Murugaboopathy -- Mridangam and Ghatam -???? . THe occassion was Gokulashtami , understandably the krithis were for that occassion


1. Deva Deva Kalyamithe (N,S) - MAyaMAlavaGowlai - Swathi Tirunal
2. Balakrishname BhavayAmi- Gopikavasantham - Dikshitar
3. Vasudevayani (RS) - KalyAni - Thyagaraja
4. Samiki Sari Yevere Krishna - KedAragowlai - Papanasam Sivan ???
5. Sri VenugopAla (R,S) - Durbar - Koteeswara Iyer
6. Kani Karam Gunanee (S) - Kaantamani- Dr Srivastava

7. Taaye Yasodhe (RNST) - Todi - OVK
8. RaajaGoplam Bhajeham- Mohanam - Dikshitar
9. "Aala Brindavanamum Atho En Ethirile"- SindhuBhairavi-???
10. Devaki Tan Kula Kuzhandai - AanandaBhairavi + Vasanta?? + Bhimplas + Pharaz??? + Neelambari
11.KrishnA Mukundha MurAre - ??? (mishrapahadi) -- ??
12.Mangalam


Suryaprakash started with a beautiful MayaMAlavGowlai , Neraval in the usual lines "JathaRoopa " and swarams were very good. Gopikavasantham was just good . Then gave a very good kalyAni alapanai . Looked to me that Suryprakash did try to bring his voice to form with 2 diagonally opposite approaches. One by attacking with racy MayAmalavagowlai and then settled for the shanta kalyAni(unless a singer tries how would they know which is fine) . Sarvalaghu downpour started with excellent swarams in Kalyaani. Post kalyAni his voice was in full form. The mani pravala krithi in KedAragowlai was just good

Liked the Darbar alapanai a lot with swarams being very good . His guru's(Dr Srivastava) Kaantamani was sung which I thought it would be a good filler . Surprisingly he came up with a very good swarams (never heard swarams in Kaantamani)

But the icing in the cake was his Taaye Yashoda in Todi .

<Someting unique and specical about the Neraval in the main krithi>
Little detour and a certain frame of reference from how we all hear a traditional neraval line in a main krithi will help. Atleast to most of us , taking a neraval line in a main krithi and in a pallavi line of RTP are equivalent.(Would like to hear if there is any difference ???). I know of atleast one illustrious Madurai mani who sings the Intha Sowkhya in kaapi as a main krithi ,where he always refreshes his memory by sequencing the swara-rAgamaliga and then ends up with the nearaval line in that raagam.Of course the line at the end of the swaram will just highlight the raagam that he handled before !!!

Suryaprakash took the long line "kAlinil shilambu konjak-kaivaLai kulunga muttu mAlaigaL asaiyat-teru vAsalil vandaan" for full close to 4 or 5 minutes in Todi(sounded a very good TOdi, but nothing unique and special).Then to my surprise he just <u>carried out the same Neraval linesin quick succession without losing the sarvalaghu style to Behaag , Kaapi and Malayaamarutham(each again for atleast 2 to 3 minutes)</u> . In each of the neraval lines, he took 2 words as a pivot . What I mean as a pivot if you listen to any one singing this popular neraval line (mmi is my frame of reference) one generally stays longer and brings the Todi rasam in just 2 words Kalanil Silambu !Here Suryaprakash took Malaigalai Asaiya as a pivot in Malayaamarutham . I cannot recollect what he did for the middle two as during this two it did not strike me . In short,he sang the neraval lines in all 4 ragams for full length and also as a pivot, without refreshing the memory with swarams. I am not sure if any one else has done that (Opening up as question, most of you know more???). This is an outstanding manodharmam to me .

After that he took the 4 ragams for a short swara pattern , 1/2 short swara pattern and finished with a long swarams in todi .

</Someting unique and specical about the Neraval in the main krithi>

THe mohanam Dikshitar krithi was very good . The Sindhu Bhairavi was excellent. On the flip side, I personally feel the ragamaligai tukkadas that Suryaprakash sings needs certain more alankarams . Aananda Bhairavi and Neelambari intrinsically accomodates more alankArams. Pharaz was something I identified at the end of the concert ..Krishna Mukunda Murari was a great finish to the concert .Some one told me it is MishraPahaadi , but for me it was quite close to KuntalavArali , though not kuntalaVArali.

Murugaboopathy was very good . I especially liked when he played during violin returns after allowing the ghatam artist to play for some time in the return. MA krishnaswamy definitely lifted the concert .He communicated and drew a clear raagam boundary , always presented with a jeeva swaram in all the raaga maligai teasers of Suryaprakash .

Overall an excellent concert , particularly Neraval manodharmam in an open throated Sarvalaghu of the main krithi was outstanding to me.

[rajeshnat]

Gayathri Venkataraghavan@SKGS on 01 September 2005
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Accompanying were Padma Shankar - Violin , Delhi Sayeeram -- Mridangam .

I was very late , missed the first 45 minutes(first 4 songs) of the 2 and 1/2 hour concert. I got the first 4 song list from a fellow rasika.
1. Karuminipa - SahAna - ???
2. Ninne Bhajana - Nattai - Thyagaraja
3. Ini Oru Kanam - Sriranjani - PapanAsam Sivan
4. NaradaMuni - Pantuvarali - Thyagaraja
5. Smara Sadha Manasa Gopalam (R,N,S) - Bilahari - Swati Tirunal
6. Ninnu Sevinchi (R,S) - Yadukula Kambodhi- Subbaraya Sastry
7. Sripathe Nee padhe - Naagaswarali - Thyagaraja
8. Upacharamoolanu (R,N,S and T) - Bhairavi- Thyagaraja
9. Varuvai Varuvai - Raagamaligai (Saaramathi + Tillang + Revati)-???
10.KrishnA Nee Begane - Yamuna Kalyaani - VyasavarAya
11.Jo BachudhAnanda Jo Jo Mukunda - KarnAtaka KApi?? - ????
12. Mangalam

The Bilahari alapanai was quite good . The Neraval was nice and the swarams were average to me . When she particularly sings a krithi in the raagams that have rich Bhaavam , I like a lot . YadukulaKambodhi raga alapanai and swarams were very moving and excellent.The popular Bhairavi krithi was presented in an immaculate fashion , particularly the Neraval "Kamitha Palamu" just suited her rich voice strength . Swarms were also good . In the ragamaligai , I particularly liked the tillang and Revati very much. The last in the karnataka kapi gave a good finish to the concert . NaagaswarAli and YamunaKalyAni were average to me !!!To whatever extent I listened ,She gave a very good concert.

Delhi Sayeeram(IIRC ,he is sishya of Tiruvarur Bhaktavatchalam )was very good,not overbanging at all . Padma Shankar gave a good support .

[rajeshnat]

Mambalam Sisters@NGS(Mini Hall) on 04 September 2005
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Accompanying were Hemlatha - Violin , Kallidakurichi Sivakumar -- Mridangam and Kanjira - KS Rangachari.

IMHO,THe best of excitements in carnatic music live concerts ,is when you hear new krithis for the first time . Also the excitement gets doubled , when you are little skeptic about the performers to start with. My skepticism was natural as this was my first concert experience of Mambalam Sisters.

This combo happened when Mambalam Sisters sang krithis which were composed by Swami Haridoss giri(I was assuming that Swami Haridoss Giri only sings Bhajans and there may not be much scope for pure carnatic classicism).

1. Vigna Rajam Bhoopasmaye - Begada
2. Gnana Skandam Bhavaye (S) - Reetigowlai
3. Namami Gnana Nanda Gurum (R N S) - Todi
4. Gowri Manohari Kaamakshi - GowriManohari ???
5. Sree Jagadheeswari Raja Raajeshwari - Hindolam
6. Sree Maha Tripura Sundari (R S) - KalyAni
7. Saradha Peeta Nilayam - Sindhu Bhairavi

The singers looked very very promising. The Neraval in Todi was in the lines "Pinakini Nadhi Teera Vaasam". As the concert was just for 1 and 1/2 hours,let me be a plain rasika and reserve the comments for future longer concerts. Incidentally the kanjira artist is their father and the violinst is their sister.

[rajeshnat]

Vijaysiva@Bangalore (Indranagar) on November 09th 2005
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Acccompanied by RK ShriramKumar- Violin, Mannargudi Easwaran- Mridangam and Ghatam - young lad Giri Udhappa????

I had a long standing wish to hear a live concert outside Madras that too in bangalore , I had a chance to try in Bangalore. This was my first experience of also hearing VijayaSiva in a live concert outside of madras.

1. ElaNeepai - Todi - PSI??
2. Vidhulaku Brokeda(N,S)- MayamAlavaGowlai - Thyagaraja
3. Birana Varalicchi(R, N and S) - KalyAni - ShyamaSastri
4. Nee Dayache Rama - yadhukulaKAmbodhi - Thyagaraja
5. Pari Pahimam Para Vasudevam - Jaganmohini - Mysore Vasudevacharya
6. Nadachi Nadachi(R ,S and T) - Kharaharapriya - Thyagaraja
7. Purahara Nandana - HameerKalyAni- Dikshitar
8. RTP- Nattaikurinji
9. Mathada Paredheno Ma Ramaa - Khamas -???
10. Suvakshongham Kumbham(almost every few lines had a Bhaje Sharadham line ) - Raagamaligai -???
11.Vetta Veli Thannil -?? - ??
12. Thillana - Bilahari ??? - ???
13. Tiruppagazh- Hamsanandi
14. Pavamana Mangalam with a small slokham at the end

All songs were little more than good , only Hamsanandhi was below average to me .The excellent piece was the Neraval line in "Kamalagowri Vaageshwari"of Mayamalavagowlai. The Raga alapanai of Kharaharapriya and NattaiKurinji was outstanding . The Nattai Kurinji tanam and Swarams of Kharaharapriya were excellent. IMHO,Particularly the pallavi line of "Sathyananda SaAnanda Nithyananda Govinda" was a carefully taken by Vijayashiva so that every word stayed within Nattaikurinji(try humming).

On the flip side , looked like Vijayashiva should have avoided singing a Jaganmohini as it is so much overlap with MM Gowlai.RKSK faithfully avoided over performing , but just occassional more manodharmam than the singer was just a teaser to inculcate more beauty to the ragam. The ghatam artist a local lad played very well , looked certainly not as a stop gap for a ghatam artist who did not turn up from Madras. Mridangist as usual callibrated well , but today I felt his tani was in little excess to the concert.

If I am a performer , this is what I would learn from this concert

Coming from a lowest to highest

Diction was perfect , which I think almost most would know as he is a student of DKJ.

No sabhash and no bale , just 3 or 4 when exactly the violinist or percussionist deserved , that too at the end .

All the thalams and counts were not loud thumping in his thighs

Perhaps the most important to me,he kept the mike atleast 45 cms away from his mouth.

About the sabha:
-------------------------
IndiraNagar Sangeetha Sabha was nightmarish for me to find , as there was no address mentioned in the newspaper , but certainly it is a top class sabha .Neatly shaped , excellent acoustics .The soundman was outstanding , he was as faithful as the tambura artist. He never moved out of his seat.

[rajeshnat]

Mambalam Sisters@SKGS on Sept 8th,2005
---------------------------------------------------------
Hearing them for the second time . As usual they were accompanied by her sister and father on Violin and Kanjira respectively. Donot know the Mridangist . The krithis they rendered were

1. Mohanam varnam (I was just late)
2. Tulasi Dala Moolache (N S)- Maayamalavagowlai - Thyagaraja
3. Dasaratha Nandana - Asaaveri - Thyagaraja
4. Sesha Chala Nayakam (R N S)- Varaali - Dikshitar
5. Narasimmudu Udaya - KamalaManohari - Mysore Sadashiva Rao
6. Durga Devi - Navarasa Kannada ??? - HMB
7. Elera Sree Krishna (R S T) - Kambodhi - Thyagaraja
8. RTP in SuddaDhanyAsi with raagamaligai swarams
9. VaamaniyamChalitha Virokhya ??? - Bhageshwri - Jayadev
10. MuttuKrishna Me Mudam - Shenjurruthi - OVK
11. Slokham - Mishra Sivaranjani - Tukkaram
12. Mangalam

All krithis were good with only the Durga Devi being very average . The Highlight to me was an RTP in suddhadhanyaasi. The pallavi line of RTP was "Govardhana Giri Dhari Murari Ma Pahi" . The Raga alapanai and the swarams in SuddaDhanyaasi and Mohanakalyani swarams were outstanding. However maybe due to my ignorance ,their Bahudaari swaram ended up in my ears as little Hindolamish .The HamsaNandi was average . Also nice to hear few rare ragams like KamalaManohari and rare krithis like Elera Sree Krishna in Kambodhi . Their finish in Shenjurruthi and Mishra Sivaranjani was grand.

One Critical Feedback:
Standard disclaimers apply!!! If a solo carnatic vocalist sings let us assume the average accepted sound of all rasikas is 1X . If two share a platform I would be a fool to expect the same 1X as they both have to sing and not murmur (In tamil they sing Munagardhu). The sisters were consistently 2 X . Though Krishna Ghana sabha has to take a lot of blame , but still for me not just the mm gowlai , even asaveri sounded too loud . That to me looks like there is an excess vocal amplification. Somewhere close to 1.5 X is great to me. But nevertheless a very good concert and a selection of fairly not that easily heard krithis is very much appreciated !!!

Has anyone heard an RTP in SuddhaDhanyaasi???

[rajeshnat]

Sudha Raghunathan@SKGS on Sept 18th,2005
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She was accompanied by Raghavendra Rao - Violin, SkandaSubramaniam ???- Mridangam && Raman - Morsing

1. vanajakshi(Varnam) - Kalyani -Pallavi Gopala Iyer??
2. Mahaganapathim (S)- Nattai - Dikshitar
3. Mariyada Gataya -Bhairavam - Thyagaraja
4. Dinamani Vamsa (R S)- HariKAmbodhi - Thyagaraja
5. Ma Ramanan - Hindolam - PapanAsam Sivan
6. Shree Vishwanatham Bhajeham - Ragamaligai - Dikshitar
7. Bantureeti Koluvu (NS) - HamsaNAdam - Thyagaraja
8. BalaGopala (R N S T) - Bhairavi - Dikshitar
9. Sinamadayate SeeriVizhade - Bahudaari - Dandapani Desigar
10.RTP - Mohanam
11.Slokham "Jayutu Jayutu Dhevo" - Yamuna KalyAni - ??
12.followed by Bhavayami GopalaBaalam - Yamuna KalyAni - Annamacharya
13.Venkata Chala Nilayam - Sindhu Bhairavi - Purandaradasar
14.Kurai Onrum Illai - Sivaranjani - Rajaji
15.Thillana in Surutti
16. Mangalam

Sudha started with Vanajakshi Varnam which was just ok . Nattai followed with the popular krithi and swarams were done quite well. Bhairavam was average . Harikambodhi alapana was only identifiable when the violinist played , but when sudha sang it appeared to swing from Sankarabharanam to Kambodhi and back(ignorance if any regretted). Swarams was just good and the Hindolam krithi was quite good .Suddha till now was not in best of form and her voice was not shaping at her best

But what came from sudha from the megaragamaligai was stunning. Excellently presented this complex krithi. The brief neraval and quick swaram in Hamsanadam was very good . The Bhairavi alapanai was excellent . An excellent Neraval in Neela Neeradha Shareera" brimmed with lot of bhaavam. The swarams was very good but certainly not as great as neraval.

THe Bahudaari krithi was presented quite well(hearing for the first time) . The best was her RTP in Mohanam . Raga alapanai and Taanam was outstanding . The swarams in mohanam was just very good. However other two ragamaligai swarams in Hamsanandhi (Outstanding) and NattaiKurinji lifted to great heights. The RTP pallavi line was "Madhava Kesava Govinda Hare Narayana Ma Pahi Krishna"

Tukkadas were all good . Started with a slokham "Jayutu Jayutu" in Yamuna KalyAni,ended predictably with Bhavayaami. Sindhu Bhairavi was very good . The popular Rajaji's Kurai Onrum Illai is almost becoming a newly found penultimate mangalam for almost all musicians nowadays. Surutti Tillana was average.

Violin by Raghavendra Rao was very subtle and he played very well, though not sure if he had used the male side of violin as much as female side. Mridangist stroking was good and little feeble till the first half . I especially liked his taanam playing . To give an opinion about Morsing is just above my head!!

OVerall I always like 3 hour + concerts not just for offering more scope to sing , but also provides musicians enough time to recuperate if needed .

The MLV in Sudha is always stunning, especially in her stamina and more importantly her outstanding mega ragamaligai dikshitar Krithi all the way from sreeragam to bhoopalam and back.

[rajeshnat]

Sangeetha Sivakumar@SKGS on Sept 19th,2005
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She was accompanied by ??? - Violin, Nellai Balaji ???- Mridangam

1. Chalamelara(Varnam) - NattaiKurinji-??
2. NinnuJoochi Dhanu Daiti (S)- Sowrashtram - Patnam Subramania Iyer?
3. Devi Brova Samayimidhe - chintamani - ShyamaSastri
4. Nadupai Palikeru (R N S)- Madhyamavati - Thyagaraja
5. Evari Mata (R N S T) - Kambodhi - Thyagaraja
6. Sevikka Vendumayya - Andholika - GopalakrishnaBharathi
7. RTP - MAyaMAlavaGowlai?(may be Jaganmohini) + swaraRagamaligai
8. Hari Tumaro Hara - Darbari KAnada ??
9. Venu Nathava Maadu followed by Yathava Raya(popularized by MLV ) - Basanth Bahaar??? - ???
10. Mangalam

I heard her a month ago in FM radio and was very impressed with her classicism and so I went to hear her for the first time.
She started with the popular NattaiKurinji Varnam(good) and followed with a beautiful sowrashtram piece . The Swarams of Sowrashtram was fast and very nice . She took a Devi Brova Samayamidhe to cool down her pace which was just ok.

An outstanding submain Madhyamavathi Raga alapanai followed and the Neraval in the lines "Ajanu Bhagu Yutha" was fantastic . swarams in Madhyamavathi was just good . The constraint of performing a short concert made her to race immediatly to main krithi, as I assume she also planned to sing a RTP . It was refreshing for me to hear Evari Mata than other krithis of Kambodhi. An excellent Kambodhi alapanai was superb and Neraval in the lines "Bhaktha ParAdhi" was also nice . Swarams in Kambodhi was not that great .

The surprise to me was she singing an RTP in MAyaMAlavaGowlai . The raga bhavam (assuming I have understood Bhavam completely) of MM Gowlai was superb. Taanam was quite short but very comforting to nerves .The Pallavi line "MAya Deetha Swaroopini Nannu Brovave Amba" was superb winding with swarams in KalyAni + Vasantha (lovely) and KarnaRanjani??? . I liked the fact that at the end she did not rush with gallery tukkadas . Both were good,especially the popular MLV's Kanada Krithi was a nice climax .

I would like to hear more to pass a firm opinion , but certainly she has the laya sense and her voice does not appear to shriek as quite a few female voices. I am assuming SKGS double standard of not giving much time to weekday performer as compared to weekend performer was overcome very well by Sangeetha with a richness of carnatic classicism. Mridangist was good , violinist madam was average.

Has anyone heard an RTP in MAyaMAlavagowlai

[melam72]

Has anyone heard an RTP in MAyaMAlavagowlai

TK Rangachari has sung an RTP in Mayamalavagowla, as has Komanduri Seshadri (in an all-Gowla raga concert). Both are available in Sangeethapriya.

Even Abhishek has sung one in MMG, though I don't know if a recording exists.

[Gadolinium]

Smt. MSS has rendered a RTP in mayamalavagowla with a beautiful pallavi line "Mal Marugane Murugane Guhane Umayaal Magane Arul Thiru"

It used to be available in Sangeethapriya, not sure if it still is.

[parivadini]

There is one by S.Rajam too.

[rajeshnat]

Pantula Rama@IITM on Sept 27th,2005
-----------------------------------------------
She was accompanied by MSN Moorthy - Violin, Malekaveri Balaji - Mridangam

1. Vathapi Ganapathim (S) -Hamsadhwani- Dikshitar
2. Naada Loludai (R)- KalyAna Vasantham - Thyagaraja
3. Raaja Raaje Rajithe - niRoshTa -HMB
4. MarivErE dikke Varayya (R N S)- Shanmughapriya - PSI
5. Paluke VEmiNa - Poornachandrika - Thyagaraja
6. Mohana Rama (RST) - Mohanam - Thyagaraja
7. Naan Oru Vilayatu - Navarasa Kannada - Papanasam Sivan
8. Tillana (Geethu Dhurithu) - Dhanashree - Darbari KAnada
9. Mangalam

Went to hear pantula Ramaa for the first time . She sang a good Vathapi Ganapathim with very good swarams . Outstanding KalyAnaVasantham alapanai , with a very good and short krithi followup . Felt she could have gone with swarams also . The popular HMB NiRoshTa was sung very well with a very racy swarams at the end . Overall till this point I thought she had the ability to control and sing quite well restraining from shouting .

IMHO,that restraint did make me feel that she did not go enough to upper sthayi for a ragam like Shanmughapriya (apologies if I am incorrect) . Nevertheless the swarams in Shanmughapriya and the neraval in the lines "Sannutanga Shree Venketeasa " was quite good . Poornachandrika was average to me . Mohanam ragam and the song rendition was very good . However her swarams in Mohanam was just ok to good . Certainly did not dwell on the entire beauty of Mohanam and there was little restraint here too . Sivan's Naan Oru Vilayatu was ok . Dhanashreee tillana provided a small shock to me (hey, the concert was only for 1 hour and 45 minutes) . So that shock made me focus very little away from the dhanashree tillana .

OVerall her voice is rich and there were quite lovely brighas especially in niRoshta and Hamsadhwani . It reminded me a lot of MLV amma . Violin was very good , though it was little scratchy in mohanam return . Balaji is one Mridangist who is improving a lot . His use of both hands in the percussion support was excellent in all songs and lifted the concert. Top class auditorium.

One thing I did not like:
The concert was scheduled to start at 7:15 pm . Instead it started at 7:40 pm . The concert ended at 9:25pm . When I walked out of the concert hall asked one guy why was the concert short , that guy replied that she is going to Madurai . I cannot validate any of that statement, but always would be nice if Pantula Ramaa had explained why she is either late or leaving early to the audience (I am assuming the concert was not scheduled for 1hour and 45 mins, may be some organizer in IIT can clarify on that).

[rajeshnat]

Gayatri Girish@Freedom Hall on Oct 2nd,2005
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She was accompanied by Sanjeev - Violin, Tiruvarur Vaidyanathan- Mridangam and Anirudh Athreya - Kanjira

The theme of the Mudra concert "One Raga , One Krithi and Tukkadas". The raga elaborated was KalyAni.
1. Gnana Nanda Mayam - short slokham in KalyAni
2. Raaga Alapanai in KalyAni for 40 minutes
3. Violin Return for 12 minutes
4. KamalAmbAm Bhajare -(N, S, T) - Dikshitar
5. Tani

Tukkadas were
6. Payumoli Nee Enakku - Raagamaligai- Subramania Bharathi
7. Irakkam Varamal - BehAg- Gopalakrishan Bharathi
8. Bhajan (Vasemera Mainame Nandlala???) - Raagavardhini ??- ???
9. Ponnar Meniyane - Senjurruti - Sundarar
10.Tillana "RanganAtha Bhavani Seivai" - Candrakowns -???
11.PavamAna

About her Kalyani :
Gayathri Girish started a very brief slokham and continued with her clear,non repetitive KalyAni alapanai . She definitely gave a superb alApanai . Violin return was just ok . I have a liking to this ragam depending on the krithi that is handled . The best to me is VasudevayAni and the other side of the spectrum to me is krithi like Endukku Nee Manasu . But nevertheless KamalAmbAm Bhajare stays more towards VasudevayAni , so my mood was more receptive.

She presented this krithi with a clear rendition of the sAhithyam , also my first experience of hearing the neraval in the lines "MAnasa KamalAmbAm Bhajare" was very good . The swarams were quite good to start , but just when I thought she was ending the swarams with not much detail , she gave a superb surprise of taking the rudra chakra and detailing swarams in all the other 5 melakartha ragas of that chakram. Her rishabapriya , lathaangi and CitrAmbari(very short) were very good, but her VachAspathi and Kaantamani were average . Her swaram went back to a more detailed kalyAni , but there was little excessive Kanakku which IMHO , played little spoilsport to her overall KalyANi . Nevertheless after her kanakku, she did give a good finish to kalyAni.

About her Tukkadas :
Her payumoli started with Mishra Kamaas , KalyAna Vasantham, AmirthavarShini and SindhuBhairavi,but however her manodharmam did take a little beat during the transition as she was referring the notes . BehAg and Senjurruthi was good . Her Bhajan was just ok . The best tukkada to me was her Tillana in Candrakowns.

About the Accompanist
The tonal quality of violin was significantly poor, possibly he only had a main KalyANi to adjust and I am assuming it was not done on time . Mridangist was quite supportive with clear strokes and did guide the young lad on Kanjira , but somewhere in the middle of the concert ,one audience suggested little excess volume to the mridangist and that did partially negated the the concert as a whole. Tani was just average.

About Mudhra
As I walked out , I could hear the singer thanking Mudhra for providing a platfrom for detailing the raga . Just one vent , they should also publish the rAgam in newspaper prior to the concert. Overall a very good kalyAni and an average tukkada concert.

[rajeshnat]

Due to paucity of time earlier in July could not post . Will continue from now on.

===========================

TN Seshagopalan@SringeriTemple(Madras) on Oct 11,2005
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Whenever I hear TNS , I always have one uncertainity and one certainity in my mind. The uncertainity is whether his voice would be in form and the certainity is his encyclopediac vidwat will give me an experience of a brand new krithi (in a live concert) or an unknown raga. His voice was in great form and he was accompanied by V L Kumar on Violin and Mridangam by MS Varadhan. All the songs were based on the presiding deity.


1.Sri Raja Mathangi Chamundeshwari - SuddaDhanyAsi-- HMB
2.Short Slokham followed by Sree Shankara Guru Varamu (S)- NagAswaravali ? -- ??
3.Mathe Maragada (RS)- KhamAs- HMB
4.Mamava Sada Janani (RNS)- KAnadA - SwatiTirunal
5.Sarasa Dhala Nayane Sharadha Amba- Saramati - HMB
6.Akhilandeshwari (RST) - Jujavanthi - Dikshitar
7.Devi Unnai Saran Adaindhen- SindhuBhairavi - ?
8.Slokham ending with Sarva Mangala Mangalye - Raagamaligai ending with Madhyamavati

TNS gave a great start with the SuddaDhanyAsi varnam, especially his voice in the higher speed was perfect . A short slokham praising Shankaracharya was followed by an excellent krithi . Though I was mistaken NagAswaravali raga for BahudAri (not that used to Nagaswaravali), for a significant portion of the krithi, the swarams were very good . KhamAs alapana was just elaborated in correct measure and the krithi was also good . The swarams in KhamAs were just good.

The best piece was his KAnadA . Alapana and Swarams were outstanding , a perfect blend of melody with exceptional classical purity. The Neraval was in the lines "Amba SAma Ghana??" was very good. Saramati is a usually forgotten raga did turn out to be a good filler . ANother downpour of excellence started with his jujavanthi raga alapana, TNS superbly explored this raga. Swarams was another stellar effort . Sindhu Bhairavi tukkada was very good . The ending slokham was very emotive in appeal.

Violinist was average till KhamAS , but picked up very well from KAnadA . The Mridangist MS Varadhan did give very good support . His Tani was just good. 3 out of 8 were very new krithis to me (KhamAs, Nagaswaravali and Saramati). Looks like I will remember this KAnadA and jujavanthi for a long time. An excellent concert overall.

[rajeshnat]

R Suryaprakash @SringeriTemple(Madras) on Oct 12,2005
=================================================

Accompanied by MA Sundereswaran - Violin , Srimushnam Raja Rao- Mridangam and Vaikkom Gopalakrishnan - Ghatam. As it was heavily raining Had to choose to sit in my house before the idiot box or to goto a concert as it appeared as a great ensemble . Did choose the later,though little dissapointed as the concert started 45 minutes late as the Mridangist was not on time (understandtably may or maynot be due to rain ???)

1.slokham (Thirumalin Sodhari) - Keeravani --
2.Devi Neeye Thunai Then Madhurai (S)- Keeravani - PapanAsam Sivan
3.SArasaMukhi- GowdaMalhar- HMB
4.Pahi Mam Sree RAja RAjeshwari (RS)- Janaranjani - MAha Vaidhyanatha Iyer
5.Vijayambike (RNS) - VijayaNAgari - HMB
6.Raagam Taaanam and Main Krithi "Maragatha Vallim" (RST)- KAmbodhi - Dikshitar
7.Sringeri Matha Sree Matha - Durga - ?
8.Slokham "Vande Matharam Bhagavathim"- Raagamaligai (BehAg + Darbari KAnadA + Ranjani + SindhuBhairavi + Madhyamavati)
9.Karpagame - Madhyamavati - PapanAsam Sivan

Suryaprakash started with a brief high pitched , open throated slokham . Followed with the popular Sivan Krithi with swarams being excellent . The excellence of the ensembled team was evident from the first krithi. MMI - TVS Baani was very much evident in the populat GowdaMalhar Krithi . A detailed alapana in Janaranjani followed , i could not get that as possibly due to my ignorance of not hearing a alapana of Janaranjani. The Swarams of Janaranjani were just ok.

The best piece was the VijayaNAgari, excellent alapanai and simply stunning return by the violinist . The neraval in the lines "SangIta rUpiNi gaurI " and swarams was outstanding , particularly the gamakam glides by MAS in Parur style did lift the concert . A detailed Kambodhi alapana was followed by Taanam in 3 ragas with superb touches of layam by Srimushnam. Taanam ragas were in Kambodhi (very good)+ Kaapi (outstanding) + PoorviKalyAni (average).When I was expecting Pallavi , Suryaprakash surprised me with a detailed Maragatha Vallim as a main krithi. The swarams was again in the sarvalaghu MMI bAni was very good,though I have heard a better one of Suryaprakash before.

The Durga was a good filler and was just ok. The last slokham was a great finish particularly in DarbariKAnadA. Srimushnam was outstanding , superb sense of anticipation and his Tani was very high in manodharmam . Vaikkom played an excellent tani ,though during the krithi his support was just good. Unfortunately his mike was replaced late. Overall an excellent team effort.

Quick Question
In today's concert , it was a surprise to hear a Taanam followed by Main Krithi . I did ask one of my elderly relative to clarify on this as I was not sure whether the sequence is correct within the tradition of the concert . He said that Semmangudi has even done once for Dakshinamurthe where he preceded with Taanam in five pancharathna krithi ragas and is especially done in Navarathri concerts in Kerala . Is that correct ?

[rajeshnat]

PadmaSeshadri Sisters@TTD,Temple on Oct 18,2005
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Hearing these sisters (Ranjani and Randhini) for the first time. They were accompanied by Melakaveri Krishnamurthy - Violin and Nellai Balaji - Mridangam. Most of the numbers that they sang were new to me

1. ??? - I was Late
2. PranamAmyaham Sri Gowri Sutham (S) - Gowlai - ?
3. Venkata Mudayanai - Bilahari - Nadopasana Sreenivasan(Big surprise to me)
4. Thiru Veetula Mirasi Deva Devudu (RNS) - SuddaDhanyAsi - AnnamAcharya
5. Neekena Daya Raghurama Chandra - KathanaKuthoohalam ??- Mysore Vasudevacharya
6. Kai Kooda Venume Kanda (RNS) - LathAngi - KoteeswaraIyer
7. MayAmma - Ahiri - ShyamaSastri
8. EvarUrA ninnu Vina (RST)- Mohanam - Thyagaraja
9. Narahari Bhesha NarayanA- Soorya ?? - Rukmini Ramani ???
10.BhavayAmi Gopalam - yamunaKalyAni - Annamacharya
11.Tillana - KarnaRanjani - KS Raghunathan . Had lines "Sree Kanchi Kamakshi Madurai Aalum"
12.Mangalam

The best was their Sudda DhanyAsi and Mayamma was at other extreme. The sisters synchronize quite well when it is a fast krithi (KathanaKuthoohalam?? and Gowlai), but if the krithis require more alankaram and bhAvam ,they are average (Ahiri and YamunaKalyAni). Lathangi was sung quite well with a good neraval , but the main Mohanam did turn out average .

I appreciate that they took less popular krithis for ragas like suddaDhanyAsi, Mohanam and Lathangi and also composers like Nadopasana Sreenivasan (average Bilahari) ,Rukmini Ramani(Soorya was quite good) and KS Raghunathan (In the tukkadas liked the karnaranjani tillana a lot).Violinist was less than average. Nellai Balaji played quite well for the song , but Tani was average. Overall average concert , but very good in taking rare kriths and composers . Shri TRS , their Guru did bless them in their concert.

On a side note , one singer was singing alapana like ta dA ri na and not ta da ri na, which was quite strange to me.

[rajeshnat]

Smt Vedavalli @NGS (Mini) on Oct 30,2005
----------------------------------------------------

She was accompanied by RK ShriramKumar - Violin and Vellore Ramabadhran - Mridangam. The occassion being described as a Muthuswami Dikshitar Day , predictably all krithis were of of Dikshitar

1. Vathapi Ganapathim (NS)- Hamsadhwani
2. Sri Nathadi Guruguho Jayati (NS) - MaayaMAlavaGowlai
3. Sri Kalahasti (RS) - Huseni
4. SriVidya RAja Gopalam - Jaganmohanam
5. Subramanyena (RS) - SuddaDhanyAsi
6. Ehi Annapoorne- PunnagaVarAli
7. ?SriVamshavathi Sivajuvathi?- ??
8. Raagam Taanam in Shanmughapriya
9. EkAmesha (N,S) - Shanmughapriya
10.PranAthARthi HarAya- SAmanta
11.Slokham in the lines "Naagamithanam Naajatyan Yogam???" - SAveri +SahAna + VarAli +KAnadA + ShreerAgam
12 Shree Abhayamba - ShreeRAgam

Overall the concert was just good . Nice to hear some very rare ragas like Jaganmohanam + Samanta . Perhaps the best to me was that I heard the first live Abhayamba krithi of Dikshitar. Interestingly the Abhayamba Krithi was in manipravalam. All krithis were measured . The swarams of MM Gowlai , rAga alapana of Huseni and the neraval and swarams of Shanmughapriya were little above good .

Shriram kumar provided a very good support , definitely helped the singer at the right time and provided a very soothing support . Vellore Ramabadhran was quite good till first half , but certainly Tani was less than average . Overall this concert was like a smooth sail to me. On a side note , prior to the concert Shri krishnaswamy of NGS talked quite well about Dikshitar .

[vijay.siddharth]

Vamsavathi Shivayuvathi is in the ragam Vamshavathi - the 50th raganga ragam, IIRC

[rajeshnat]

Gayatri Girish @NGS on Nov 15,2005
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She was accompanied by Smt ???(The board mentioned no name) - Violin and Tiruvarur Vaidhyanathan - Mridangam and Umashankar - Ghatam. The occasion was a homage to Harikesanallur Muthiah BhagAvathar by the harikesa trust started by the disciple parambaras of HMB, fittingly all krithis were of of HMB.

1. Gnana Nanda Mayam- Brief Slokham in SuddaDhanyAsi
2. Sri RAja MAthangi- SuddaDhanyAsi
3. Siddi Vinayakam Sevakam - MohanaKalyAni
4. Sharanam VijayaSaraswati (RS) - VijayaSarAswati
5. Giripriyam Gangadharam - Kathana Kuthoohalam
6. Sarasa Dhala Nayane - SAramati
7. Manamu Kavalenu Thalli (RS)- SahAna
8. sharavaNabhavA samayamidirA - Pasupathipriya
9. Meenalochani AmbA - Todi
10.MoovAsai Konda Tirumal (RNST)- Kharaharapriya
11.Raaja Raaja Rajithe - Niroshta
12 Tillana - had lines "Padmanabha DhAsa" - HamsAnandi
13. Mangalam Bhava Tude - PantuvarAli

Yesterday's concert , Gayatri to me showcased of how much she has picked up HMB krithis after undergoing tutelege with Shri TNS. Her Sruthi and layam was little off with this great sudda DhanyAsi piece, made me just feel she is sometimes like TNS , just give her 2 krithis to settle . MohanaKalyAni was quite short but definitely took her to the right shruti track.

The next VijayaSarAswati (created by HMB), was very good, though simply could not notice any difference between SimhendraMadhyamam vs VijayaSarAswati, only because this rAgam was completely new to me . During the swarams , I just felt there was a little tinge of SubhaPantuvarali . Her next Kathana Kuthoohalam was fast , just enough for me to know that there is another krithi other than RaghuvamsaSudha in this rAgam.

SAramati was average . SahAna rAga alapanai was good , but however the krithi and swarams were below average and certainly did not bring the entire charm of SahAna. Pasupathipriya was fast and nice . Her Todi filler was just ok , possibly because it always needs more time .

If the concert's success is generally measured with the main krithi , then she was very good . The alApana was superb covering the entire beauty . Neraval in the lines "Mukundan Ennum Tirumal Munivar Thozhum" was dealt very well with excellent manodharmam. Swarams was quite good , though not completely as detailed as rAga alApanai. Niroshta was nice . I liked the tillana very much and the last krithi in Pantuvarali was quite good .

Violinist madam was average till Kharaharapriya , played quite well for Kharaharapriya. The Mridngist was quite good when the song requires extensive korvai , but particularly during SahAna and SAramati that he was playing little excessively and did suppress the singer's gamakam. A case of what Shri UKS says "Not graduating from Taalam to Krithi to Singer" The Ghatam artist was today just good , most of the times was overshadowed by the mridangist. Tani was quite good .

Overall it was just a ok to good concert in presentation , but certainly to me a nice song list , popularizing many krithis which are generally taken up only during these occasions!!

[rajeshnat]

Suryaprakash@MFAC on Dec 17th,2005
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He was accompanied by Pakkala Ramadass - Violin and Melakaveri Balaji - Mridangam and Umashankar - Ghatam.

I have been attending atleast 2 concerts a week for the last 2 years, but alas the work played a spoil sport for me from Nov 15th forcing me to work in all days till I had a break to what I enjoy the most.Listening live Vocal Carnatic Music

Listening to Suryaprakash always reminds me of only Sarvalaghu and MMI/TVS . But today he gave a different color with a Brindavana Saranga as a main krithi and a Nattaikurinji RTP.

1. Anudinamulanu - Begada - ???
2. SadaNanda Tandavam (R,S) - BahudAri - Achutadasar
3. Amma Ravamma (N) - KalyAni - Thyagarajar
4. Saravana Bhava Guhane -Kannada - ??
5. Soundarajam Asraye (RS) - Brindavana Saranga - Dikshitar
6. ManavyAlakim (S) - Nalinakanthi - Thyagaraja
7. RTP - Nattaikurinji - "Engalathu Nattai Kurinji Enbar"
8. Tani
9. Short Viruttam - Sindhu Bhairavi
9. Sivaperuman Kripai Vendum - Surutti - Papanasam Sivan??
10.Vishweshwaru - SindhuBhairavi - Swathi Tirunal

I was late just to hear the closing lines of Begada . BahudAri raga alapanai was lovely with a characteristic and clear start in the distinct phrase of BahudAri . Krithi was executed in the grand sarvalaghu style with superb kalpana swarams. The Amma Ravamma krithi was quite good with Suryaprakash trying with a very good neraval . Interestingly the Neraval was very elaborate and had some contours of a kalpanaswarams.

The next kannada served as a good filler . Suryaprakash taking Brindavana Saranga was quite a welcome change atleast personally to me. The raga Br Saranga was elaborated in a grand style with a very good krithi and swarams . Nalinakanthi was sung very well with a very nice sarvalaghu swarams

The presssure of a 2 hour concert with the singer deciding to sing an RTP is quite difficult to handle .Suryaprakash handled very well in the raagam , though I felt his taanam could have been little slower . The pallavi line was executed excellently with very good swarams in NattaiKurinji. Just when I was expecting Nattai and Kurinji as the next ragamaligai swarams , the swarams in HameerkalyAni (outstanding) and Surutti (very good) kept me in ecstasy for a while . His customary finish of taking a popular old tamil legendary melody went just ok with me . The viruttam in Sindhu bhairavi went well and the popular ST krithi was a good finish to the concert. Suryaprakash always exhibits very high manodharmam and looks to me as most of his krithi selection and pallavi swarams in RTP are onspot decision.

The violinist Pakkala ramadass was just average to me. The mridangist Balaji was excellent all thru the concert ,excellent usage of both sides of mridangam. The Ghatam artist was just good .

[rajeshnat]

Malladi Brothers@BGS on Dec 17th,2005
-------------------------------------------------

Malladi Brothers was accompanied by Mysore Manjunath- Violin , Mri - Trichy Sankaran and Ghatam -Suresh
Till about last year , I did not care to have any preference on the percussionist when attending any concerts . But of late with a feeling that 50s and 60s is a special era of CM having crept in , longing to listen to Trichy Sankaran in a live concert was the main pull for me to go to this concert .

1. Era Napai - Todi -PSI
2 VAta Venkatatimata Varan Dhaivamu (S)??? - Vasantha ?? - Annamacharya??
3. evarikai avatAram ettitivO (R,S)- devA manOhari - Thyagaraja
4. Ninnu Vina Gatina - bAlahamsa - Mysore Sadhasiva Rao
5. Arunachala NAdan ?? - SAranga -???
6. Ksheenamai Tiruga (R N S T) - MukhAri - Thyagaraja
7. Idhadhu PAdam Thooki - KhamAs - Papanasam Sivan ??
8. Slokham "Sree RAghavan Dasarathmajam" - KApi
9. Janaki Ramana - kApi - VanamAlai Jeeyar
10. Sarvam Brahmam Mayam (R) - Madhuvanti -???
11. Mukthi Mukhundhedhi ??? -Senjurutti - NArayana Theerthar

The concert started with an excellent todi piece . The swarams in the Vasanta was lively with both brothers , even though I found the krithi very average . The rAga alapani of devamanohari was nice though had a lot of traces of MadhyamAvati . The swarams for this krithi were again nice with traces of madhyamAvati. The balahamsa krithi dipped the concert quality a little . SAranga was quite nice , but felt it could have been elaborated little more


The best piece of the concert was the MukhAri . The alapana was lovely with no traces of bhairavi . The icing in the cake was the neraval and the first half of the swara prasthanam . It looked to me these brothers had a game plan to use the laya brilliance of Sri Trichy Sankaran . This particular krithi with Trichy Sankaran just reminded me of the famous SSI 1960 concert.

What followed after MukhAri was tukkadas which appeareed to me more like I have another kutcheri tomorrow , i have to wrap it up soon . Having got a prime evening slot with time at their disposal ,I felt the brothers could have given an RTP or an elaborate viruttam. Their Madhuvanti was lovely though it looks like their krithi Sarvam Brahmam Mayam is too repetitive (in the last 3 years , almost all concerts I hear the same krithi)

Mysore Manjunath played quite well , expecially in Mukhari. The day's best was sri Trichy Sankaran's layam . Fantastic Tani with so much of imagination and almost no repetition . His play during the Neraval of Mukhari kept me so engaged and to me he was subtlely pushing brothers to deliver more and more neraval and swara prasthanam. If excellence breeds excellence , than to me Ghatam Suresh fitted very well .

[rajeshnat]

I also made this post some time during end of 2006 in some other thread - Just recycling that part alone

----------------------------------------------------------------------

I dont remember hearing trichy sankaran in a live concert in 80's and 90's till I went to Malladi Brothers(Trichy Sankaran was the mridangist) concert on Dec 17th,2005.I posted the concert review in sangeetham.com. One interesting incident involving Trichy Sankaran(I did not post in sangeetham then)...

The concert was held in sivagami petachi auditorium in alwarpet. I had a good feeling of sound adjustment, certainly it was little loud as Malladi brothers + Trichy Sankaran + Ghatam Suresh , all are good aggressive artists. Some time during the end of third krithi evari kai in devamanOhari , one gentleman ( Television personality who is known to give good voice to lot of documentaries )walked all the way from the center to the dias and said " Sahitya is completely supressed by pakkavadhyam."

The malladi brothers tried to call the soundman who came down from the first floor (where I was sitting) to the dias and did some adjustments. Totally 10 to 15 minutes lost , felt like Trichy Sankaran was unnecessarily redcarded .

Trichy Sankaran face was furious , he did not utter a word and let Malladi Brothers handle it . For the next 2 songs (balahamsa + saranga), the tiger(Trichy Sankaran) was little less aggressive. I felt "O My God , I came to hear Trichy Sankaran(India's top mridangist brain drained to North America ). Another rasika who had his private reason went like Sankharabharanam Somayajulu "Sharadha" and killed my expectation."

Then Malladi Brothers then sang Ksheenamai as a main krithi . The Laya specailist must have felt a SSI experience and gave a scintallating support for the main krithi and Tani and was ably supported by Ghatam Suresh. At the end of the concert(too much rain outside), I overheard Trichy Sankaran telling I have a duty to duly support the singers , even though I was angry I had to keep calm.

[rajeshnat]

Saketraman@SKGS on Dec 18th,2005
---------------------------------------------

Accompanied by Mridangist- Trivandrum Balaji and Violin - Satishkumar

Heard for the first time Saketraman in a live concert .
1. Arunodayame Anbin (RS, S)- Bowli - ???
2. Orajoopachu (RS,S) - kannadagowlai - Thyagaraja
3. Kandan Seval Anro (R)- Nattaikurinji - LGJ
4. Manasuloni (R,S)- Hindolam - Thyagaraja
5. Paramukhamelera ?? - Surutti - Thyagaraja ??
6. Yetaunara (RNST) - KalyAni - Thyagaraja
7. Viruttam(Divyaprabhandam??) "Agalu Kille" - Kedaragowlai + Desh + HamsAnandi
8. Srinivasa Tiruvenkata - Hamsanandi - P Sivan

A 1 hour 50 minute concert by Sakethraman was overall excellent . Even though it may be not be fully correct to pass the judgement after hearing only once ,his plus points appear to be his sruthi Suddham . I did not find any deviation in any raga in its pure sense and He appears to me as someone who has immense potential . His best to me was his kalyani alapanai , hindolam swaram and Desh portion of viruttam. Also hearing LGJ krithi was a new experience to me.

Trivandrum Balaji was very good , really adjusting the layam to the singer . Satishkumar got caught up with law of average.

[rajeshnat]

VijayaShiva@MA on Dec 24th,2005
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Accompanied by Violin - Lalgudi Vijayalakshmi and Mridangist- P.SathishKumar

1. Viriboni Varnam - Bhairavi- Pachimariyam
2. Sri Nathadi (N,S) - MaayamAlavagowlai - Dikshitar
3. Nee Vada Ravi Kula (RS)- Begada - Thyagaraja
4. O Jagadamba - AanandaBhairavi - ShyamaSastri
5. BrovaBarama(RN) - BahudAri - Thyagaraja
6. KamalAmba(RNST)preceded by a slokham - Todi - Dikshitar
7. RTP - Poorvikalyani "Parama PAvana RAma pApa Vimochana RAma"
8. Viruttam had lines "Sivaperumane Yaan Unai Thodarnthu" - SahAna + DhanyAsi ?? + KAmbodhi
9. Arumarundhu Thani Marundhu Ambalattil Kandane - Kambodhi - ???
10. MAle Manivanna - KuntalaVarAli - ThirupAvai
11. Poovel ???? - Madhyamavathi ??? - ????
12. PavamAna

A very good 2 and 1/2 hour concert.. The elaborate Raaga alapanai of Begada and the MMGowlai bearing DKJ school stamp were easily the best. Todi Alapanai was elaborate but felt the swaraprastharam and Neraval was just good.Having only 1/2 an hour at the end of Tani , the rush of RTP and viuttam within that time did take a certain dip in the overall quality (Looks like this is inevitable for any artist)

Critical comments:
Felt VijayaShiva could have kept the mike little closer .Also today's musician should strive to sing a submain with R, N and S . Having split a submain as two krithis with RS and RN (in today's case Begada and Bahudari) instead of one RNS takes certain extra time which automatically reflects in the reduced time of RTP and viruttam.The accompanist were average!!

[rajeshnat]

TN Seshagopalan@Music Academy on DEC 25,2005
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Accompanied by M.Chandrasekaran- Violin Mridangam -- TK Murthy Ghatam-- TV Vasan

Shri TNS is always a learning musician who tries new krithis and always willing to experiment . Even though I am not sure if he is singing them for the first time , 3 were brand new to me . They were Emani maaTaaDitivO a thyagaraja krithi in TOdi, an RTP in hameerkalyani , and an yadhukulakambodhi krithi which I have not heard

1.Inthachalamu - Begada Varnam
2.Marivere Gati(RS) - Aananda Bhairavi- ShyamaSastri
3.Yevvare RamaiyA- GangeyaBhoosani- Thyagaraja
4.Namoraya Venkataramana ????? - YadhukulaKambodhi - Annamacharya ???
5.Emani maaTaaDitivO (RNST)- Todi - Thyagaraja
6.RTP in HameerkalyAni with raagamaligai swaram
Pallavi line "MAmAyan Madhavan Vaikunthan Sriman Narayanan" was from Tiruppavai
7.Slokham Sayankale ManaAnthe - Raagamaligai in about 7 ragas
8. Tillana - SindhuBhairavi - OVK
9. Pavamana

A typical TNS start with a significant voice problems in Begada . The kutcheri got set with his lovely Aananda Bhairavi , with a very different swarapatterns that I have not heard before. Gangeyabhoosani being rare,I enjoyed that too . YK kambodhi brought in little serene mood to me .

Todi AlApanai was fantastic ,he traversed pretty well in all octaves. Particularly he sang the alapanai in full throated , closed mouth bringing in different contours of the majestic Todi (there were atleast 3 rounds of applauses from crowd). Just when I was expecting a Dikshitar krithi , he sang this krithi Emani maaTaaDitivo which did drive some crowd away, but not the majority who stayed . His Neraval in the line "rAja Virajulu Surulu" was excellent . HOwever excess kanakkus and with Shri TKMurhty struggling to handle the swarams in Todi was not good at all.

The best piece was a HameerkalyAni Taanam , particularly when he sang the second half of Taanam in such great speed , I enjoyed the best. The pallavi was nice with raagamaligai swarams in Subhapantuvarali + ??? + Gowlipantu.

The slokham Sayankale was started in VarAli and when the line "Navarasa Bharathaiyee" was sung , shri TNS showed again his vidwat in quickly singing in atleast eight raagas (Mohanam,Mukhari, KuntalaVarAli, neelambari,Bowli, Bilahari, kaapi and SindhuBhairavi).This exercise in quick succession was well appreciated by the crowd . OVK-Tillana was average.

Tani was ok ,but overall felt the percussionists could have done a better job. Shri MC played very well , though it was little scratchy

2 quick questions:
I am told by an elderly gentleman that the todi krithi was first sung by embar vijayaraghavachariar, someone can clarify.

Has anyone attempted a RTP in hameerkalyAni

[rajeshnat]

Carnatica@ MA on Dec31st 2005/Jan1st 2006
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I was there from 11:05 pm to 1:45 AM, I will be brief in time chronological order. All were roughly 10 to 15 minutes

1. TN Krishnan- his son- UKS -"Swara RAga sudha"-- very average
2. Ramani - Flute - "Dharini Telusokonti"- Very good . Appreciate his sense of urgency in playing quickly , not taking too much time to settle.
3. RK Srikanthan - "Paraloka Sadkarane Manasa"??- PantuvarAli ?? -quite good
4. Bombay Sisters - "Arul Purivay Karunai Kadale"- Hamsadhwani - less than average .
5. OS Arun - "Shyama Shyama Aach Aaye Shyama "- Bhajan - just ok
6. Stroke of midnight- All the musicians assembled and sang "Entharo Mahanu"- pancharatna SrirAgam krithi - It was nice

After this,there was less music and more of a "I am a musician , give me a chance as I have joined"

7. Surprising Rev Jasper Raj - was praying for 10 full minutes . "Let there be peace , no war , no hatred" . I was confused whether I came for music or am I attending a Santhome church mass !!!

8.Malladi Brothers - "AvatAra Raghupathi"- KamAs -ok

9 . Manakkal Rangarajan - "O rangasayee"-KAmbodhi . I wish some one told that he has only 10 minutes and he cannot make it with this long krithi

10. Sikkil Sisters - They took full 5 minutes to set the sruthi . A krithi in the ragam ShyAma was played -- not good at all .

11. Musical Mimicry -- good , appeared far better than the last two .though I wished Carnatica stayed with CM.

12. R Suryaprakash - Good classical carnatic music after about 45 minutes . He sang the popular ragamaligai viruttam "Kodaiyille of sgkittappa" and sang the jonpuri krithi Sattva Guna Bodhan

13. Felt drowsy . I thought Saindhavi was a carnatic singer . Surprising there was no percussionists/ violinist and sang "Mannavan Vandanadi "- old tamil song . perplexed again as to why this song was sung.

.....

Overall Impression as Of Oct 12,2017
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I wrote another 20 lines way back in Jan 2006 after the above 13 points . I have decided not to post that subjective review of post .

What I wrote then was nothing uncivil , but this thread of mine had so much heat generated then . I recollect few young performing parents came on me , few more musicians also came upon me- this thread turned too uncarnatic .I have also saved in my notepad lot of replies that i did for sashikiran , manakkal sriram , few parents and few other musicians with anonymous ids too , but I guess the artists took it way too personally and just MAY BE MAY BE I should have not written atleast 2 or 4 lines out of these 80 lines .

When you boil the ocean in one post with many artists , you end up having more unimaginable heat .

Thinking about it now on Oct 12 2017
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Carnatica is still holding now this New Year Mela and If i recollect it right this was held in Music Academy way back in 2006. Now they are holding it in vani mahal. Sashikiran carnatic landscape has changed a lot in these 11 years from 2006 to 2017 , Now Sashi can hold it in vanimahal calling all artists , that performing community is so huge now.He need not have mannavan vandanadi in kalyani he can call one upcoming singer and even ask them to sing kamalAmbam bhajarE , but which artist he has to pickup for kamalAmbAM bhajarE is his problem (As they say for every solution there is a new problem )