Salem Gayatri Venkatesan @ Chromepet 22.04.2017

[Sivaramakrishnan]

Sri Ram Samaj
Vasantha Mandapam, Chromepet, Chennai 600 044
22.04.2017: 06.45 -09.15 p.m.

Artists:
Dr. Salem Gayatri Venkatesan-vocal
B Ananthakrishnan-Violin
T R Sundaresan -Mridangam
P.Giridhar Prasad-Kanjira

Sruti (pitch): G# (5.5 kattai)

Ragas & Kritis:
1. Sahana- Varnam
2. Sreeranjani- Palisamma muddusaradey-Aadi (Tisragati)-Purandaradasa-S
3. Ramaa ramana bhaarama-Vasantabhairavi-Tyagaraja(R,S)
4. Jaganmohini-Sobhillu saptaswara-Rupaka-T-(S)
5. Hindolam-Saamaganaloley salalitagunajaley-Rupaka-GNB(R,S)
6. Pantuvarali- Vaaderaa-Aadi-T (R,N,S)
followed by Tani & felicitation of artists.
7. Brindavanasaranga-Kaliyugavaradan kankandadeivamai-Aadi- P Thooran
8. Bhouli: Ekkadi manushajanmam- Annamacharya (tuned by MBK)
9. Hamsanadam-Tillana- Ravikiran
10. Mangalam

It was the first time I was listening to a concert of Salem Gayatri Venkatesan in person and the experience was one of the finest. A prime disciple of TR Subramaniam, she has imbibed the concert techniques of the master in abundance. To me, her voice could be rated best among contemporary female singers. At 5.5 (G#) it never falters and is quite expressive.

The not-so-commonly heard kriti in Sreeranjani, a favourite of TRS was rendered impressively. It was interesting to have the swaraprastaras (@ ‘Sarvaalankaara dayabhushithe’) in sarvalaghu for the tisra gati tala. A ‘TRS style’ indeed! (I understand that the kriti is also sung in other ragas)

Alapana of Vasantabhairavi was something I was waiting for long in concerts. The kriti - Ramaa ramana -too was a bonus as I haven’t heard it other than from the great Nagaswara Vidwan Karukurichi Arunachalam (Forumite CRama however informs me that MLV used to render it and recordings are available).

Sobhillu saptaswara had additional complement of Kalpanaswaras. I don’t think swaraprastara is required for medium/fast tempo kritis which have built-in Chittaswaras.

Saamaganaloley in Hindolam was the next. Aalaapanana and swaras were there, of course!

The ‘main’ was Pantuvaraali with alapana easily traversing up to the taara panchamam without any aberration and excellent voice modulation. Rendering of the kriti (Vaaderaa), neraval and swaraprastara bore the TRS stamp in abundance. The neraval was at Seethapatiyeni (last line of charana passage) with liberal borrowings from the Pallavi making it more meaningful.

Kalpanaswaras were brilliant but it seemed more attention was required to ensure fidility of swarasthaana-s. This is quite possible by saadhaka.

Tani by veteran T R Sundaresan (a senior disciple of Yella Venkateswara Rao) and P Giridharaprasad was good with several permutations in Khanda Nadai. (I wonder why the ‘soundmen’ in general increase the volume of percussion instruments sharply during Tani much to the delight of the artists but with scant regard to the plight of the rasikas!).

The Tukkada segment had the popular Kailyugavaradan (Brindavanasaranga), Ekkadi manushajanmam in Bhouli (coming in more as a tribute to the legendary MBK who popularised it) and a Tillana of Ravikiran in Hamsanadam which I guessed from the word ‘Ravisasi’ in the charana.

In a far flung suburb like Chromepet (and given the narrow lanes and bye-lanes around the venue in Radha Nagar) it is not very easy to organise events with good audience turnout. Secretary Shri. Seshadri deserves praise in this direction. The Sabha, however is one of the oldest in the area and most Vidwans -past and present- have performed there.

[Sivaramakrishnan]

I missed to mention about B Ananthakrishnan (violin). He followed the singer adeptly.
During the felicitation of the artist it was informed that his father has been learning violin (Hindustani) from Dr. N Rajam.

[parivadini]

I missed to mention about B Ananthakrishnan (violin). He followed the singer adeptly.
During the felicitation of the artist it was informed that his father has been learning violin (Hindustani) from Dr. N Rajam.

More on the illustrious father: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V._Balaji

[Sivaramakrishnan]

Thanks parivadini for the valuable link.

[HarishankarK]

She is a very good singer and her pace of song rendition is brisk but still Bhavam is there

[CRama]

Thanks for the beautiful review. I have heard Gayathri Venkatesan once in Vani Mahal and was quite impressed by her TRS bani music. Palisemma by TRS is my favourite piece and the swaras by TRS will be always delightful. She also delivers vyavaharam laden and porutham laden swaras in TRS bani. Good selection of songs.
Sobillu- All artistes have sung swarams for that song in spite of the chittaswaram. MS has sung in many concerts. Semmangudi too.
Ramaramanabharama- MLV has cut 78 rpm record of this song.

[Sivaramakrishnan]

CRama,
Could you tell if TRS / any others had rendered 'Paalisamma' in ragas other than Sreeranjani?

[parivadini]

Could you tell if TRS / any others had rendered 'Paalisamma' in ragas other than Sreeranjani?

I've heard Swami Haridas Giri render this song beautifully in Sahana.

[CRama]

Palisemma- The version of TRS is simply haunting. I have also heard in Mukhari from MSS and in Huseni from RKSreekantan.

[thanjavooran]

Shri sivaramakrishnan,
Thanks for the beautiful review.
With wishes,
Thanjavooran
27 04 2017

[HarishankarK]

Palisamma Muddu Sharade - Bengaluru M S Sheela - Brindavana Saranga

[pattamaa]

sahana version is here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ek5hZdh24H8

[Sivaramakrishnan]

Thank you pattamaa for the link/s

[HarishankarK]

There's a ragamalika version of the same song too. In sangeethapriya by t v ramprasad

Not sure if this is the song that has been tuned most number of times

[CRama]

Not sure if this is the song that has been tuned most number of times

I feel that credit should go to Rama Rama Rama enniro

[HarishankarK]

Rama rama enniro - tilang and vasantha - right? Only two?
Palisemma wins hands down

[HarishankarK]

One song is Gayathi Vanamali
Hamsadwani, Durga, Mayamalavagowlai I know three tunes are there.

[CRama]

Rama rama enniro - tilang and vasantha - right? Only two?
Palisemma wins hands down

TNS has sung this Rama Rama enniro in umpteen ragams. I have heard in Vasantha, Tilang, Shanmugapriya, Hamsadhwani, Panthuvarali, Lalith, Malayamarutham.... I would have forgotten some.

[HarishankarK]

TNS has sung this Rama Rama enniro in umpteen ragams. I have heard in Vasantha, Tilang, Shanmugapriya, Hamsadhwani, Panthuvarali, Lalith, Malayamarutham.... I would have forgotten some.

Sounds like spontaneous on the stage tuning and rendering.

[Sivaramakrishnan]

HarishankarK,
Most likely.
Madurai Somu went two steps further by composing and singing songs on stage.

[melam72]

Sounds like spontaneous on the stage tuning and rendering.

Amarar L Krishnan apparently used to do that.

[ram1999]

2. Sreeranjani- Palisamma muddusaradey-Aadi (Tisragati)-Purandaradasa-S
3.

How beautifully TRS used to render this. And the swaras following the kriti.
Now time to soak in TRS music

thanks for the nice review.