On a Saturday morning, my grand niece ensured I take her to this special concert in the outskirts of Bengaluru.
G Ravikiran was accompanied by R Hemalata (violin), Arunprakash (mrithangam) and Chandra(?) Sharma on Ghatam.
I must thank the organisers first of all for organising a special 4 hour Dikshitar focussed concert by G Ravikiran who I learn is a Dikshitar expert and has been doing service to that field as well.
It was a delightful fare for 4+ hours - when I could soak myself in the divine fervour of Dikshitar-vaal. Even for an ignorant listener me, it was moving.
I loved the way Sri Ravi sang each Kriti and the wonderful way by which Sri Arunprakash accompanied - it was melody and bhakthi laden.
I am not musically well equipped to take down technical notes - here is the list my grand niece (lakshmi) jotted down:
1) sri muladhara - sri - (S)
2) pavanatmajaagacha - nata - in jhampa talam
3) sri nathadi - mayamalavagowlai - adi (R,N,S)
4) sri matrubhutham - kannada (S)
5) sri ramam (?)
6) himagiri kumari (?)
7) chethahsri - dwijavanti
8) Bhakthavatsalam - vamsavati
9) sri valmika lingam - kambodhi (R,N,S)
10) sri viswanatham
11) meenakshi memudam dehi
to me the highlight was the slow chethasri, the vibrant kambodi alapanai and neraval and the blissful meenakshi in a different paadantharam announced as gamakakriya.
a Saturday made worthwhile - thanks to the organisers.
the concert was peppered with snippets about dikshitar and his kritis by the artists.
superlative experience.
- murari.
G Ravikiran for Ranjani Fine Arts
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MaheshS
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Re: G Ravikiran for Ranjani Fine Arts
Sri Ramam - Narayana Gowla
Not sure about Himagiri as there are two songs, one in Amruthavarshini and one in Ravikriya.
Not sure about Himagiri as there are two songs, one in Amruthavarshini and one in Ravikriya.
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narayara000
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Re: G Ravikiran for Ranjani Fine Arts
Gonna guess it is the one in Ravikriya since it is a favorite in G Ravikiran's concerts.
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kssr
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Re: G Ravikiran for Ranjani Fine Arts
Yes. It was ravikriya. - 42nd raagaanga ragam. Dont mistake me. I am not a specialist. It was announced by the artists.
The programme was a lecdem.
1. Started with an initial 40 minutes slide presentation. Life of MD-main temples on which he sang, some during actual visits and others by maanaseeha visits, etc.,
2.Dr. Hemalatha, the violinist of the day gave a very impressive talk on the MD scheme of ragas. First there were two Venkatamahims first one in 1626 AD and the next around 1750 AD. How a melam does not represent a ragam; melam is a structural pattern; ragam is one which can be used for composing songs- very interesting. This school calls their melams as ragaanga ragams (hope I am correct here- not explicitly said)
3. She said that there were only 19 known melam during 17th century. Some of these were dropped in due course eg:-vakra raagams and in its palce new ones added. During junior Venkatamahims time there were around 20. These were extrapolated and 72 defined. Whichever set of ragams that have a particular set of 7 swarams, were bunched and the name of the most POPULAR ragam among them was given to this bunch.
4. This system recognises the need for a few strong and a few weak notes among the 7. Only then the music made by the set will be musical. If all seven notes are there in both aarohanam and avarohanam, there will be no emphasis on any one and hence will sound less musical.
5. She is a real scholar. These events highlight the knowledge of these artists so that many more can benefit from that.
6. Arun Prakash on mridangam emphasised that the mridangam vidwan should know all the kritis to make an impressive accompaniment. Also, the saahityam sung by the main artist should be audible to the audience (hinting that it should not be loud banging all the time- also explaining his style of playing)
7. Coming to the concert portion itself, it was certainly very impressive. Ravikiran has musically grown steadily over the years and it could be seen in the rendition.
8. Speciality of each song explained as follows:
a. Nattai. It should only be in mishra jampa thalam 7+3. Attention was drawn to the ending phrase of each line which has three syllables. Once told, it really felt amazing.
b. MMG: the first song of MD - first line Sree nathaya is in 3 speeds of sarali varisai and janta varisai. Anupallavi highlights alankaram. Dr.H asked us to check the website ibibli.org
c. many other details about kshetrams and so on
9. Begada and Narayanagowla were very well rendered.
10. Chetasri was toooooo dragging- super slow. IMHO totally killed the beauty of dwajavanti.
11. Final piece was Meenakshi memudam in gamaka kriya, as per SSP notation. It was far away from purvikalyani. We should take it as "oh! That Meenakshi memudam, is it? Ok Ok" Also both artists said that the names of ragams as specified by the composer is to be maintained. I have heard same rendition by TMK at Gayana Samaj a few years back. I felt let down. After listening to both versions, I think the one in Gamakakriya is just a diamond. The one in Poorvikalyani is a cut and polished diamond which glitters. I would prefer artists to sing in Poorvikalyani after announcing that although it was composed in Gamakakriya he/she is singing in PK as it is more popular and better identified with the song.
Special thanks to Ranjani fine arts for coming up with such innovative knowledge based programmes in addition to the regular entertainment based concerts. Sincere thanks to Dr. H and Ravi for sharing very valuable details with the audience. I am sure it must have taken years for them to acquire this level of knowledge. We benefit based on the age old adage "Katralil Kettale nandru" .
The programme was a lecdem.
1. Started with an initial 40 minutes slide presentation. Life of MD-main temples on which he sang, some during actual visits and others by maanaseeha visits, etc.,
2.Dr. Hemalatha, the violinist of the day gave a very impressive talk on the MD scheme of ragas. First there were two Venkatamahims first one in 1626 AD and the next around 1750 AD. How a melam does not represent a ragam; melam is a structural pattern; ragam is one which can be used for composing songs- very interesting. This school calls their melams as ragaanga ragams (hope I am correct here- not explicitly said)
3. She said that there were only 19 known melam during 17th century. Some of these were dropped in due course eg:-vakra raagams and in its palce new ones added. During junior Venkatamahims time there were around 20. These were extrapolated and 72 defined. Whichever set of ragams that have a particular set of 7 swarams, were bunched and the name of the most POPULAR ragam among them was given to this bunch.
4. This system recognises the need for a few strong and a few weak notes among the 7. Only then the music made by the set will be musical. If all seven notes are there in both aarohanam and avarohanam, there will be no emphasis on any one and hence will sound less musical.
5. She is a real scholar. These events highlight the knowledge of these artists so that many more can benefit from that.
6. Arun Prakash on mridangam emphasised that the mridangam vidwan should know all the kritis to make an impressive accompaniment. Also, the saahityam sung by the main artist should be audible to the audience (hinting that it should not be loud banging all the time- also explaining his style of playing)
7. Coming to the concert portion itself, it was certainly very impressive. Ravikiran has musically grown steadily over the years and it could be seen in the rendition.
8. Speciality of each song explained as follows:
a. Nattai. It should only be in mishra jampa thalam 7+3. Attention was drawn to the ending phrase of each line which has three syllables. Once told, it really felt amazing.
b. MMG: the first song of MD - first line Sree nathaya is in 3 speeds of sarali varisai and janta varisai. Anupallavi highlights alankaram. Dr.H asked us to check the website ibibli.org
c. many other details about kshetrams and so on
9. Begada and Narayanagowla were very well rendered.
10. Chetasri was toooooo dragging- super slow. IMHO totally killed the beauty of dwajavanti.
11. Final piece was Meenakshi memudam in gamaka kriya, as per SSP notation. It was far away from purvikalyani. We should take it as "oh! That Meenakshi memudam, is it? Ok Ok" Also both artists said that the names of ragams as specified by the composer is to be maintained. I have heard same rendition by TMK at Gayana Samaj a few years back. I felt let down. After listening to both versions, I think the one in Gamakakriya is just a diamond. The one in Poorvikalyani is a cut and polished diamond which glitters. I would prefer artists to sing in Poorvikalyani after announcing that although it was composed in Gamakakriya he/she is singing in PK as it is more popular and better identified with the song.
Special thanks to Ranjani fine arts for coming up with such innovative knowledge based programmes in addition to the regular entertainment based concerts. Sincere thanks to Dr. H and Ravi for sharing very valuable details with the audience. I am sure it must have taken years for them to acquire this level of knowledge. We benefit based on the age old adage "Katralil Kettale nandru" .
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arasi
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- Joined: 22 Jun 2006, 09:30
Re: G Ravikiran for Ranjani Fine Arts
kssr,
kETTuk kaRpadum nanRE (Listen and learn is good too)--particularly for the less-enlightened rasikAs like me!
G. Ravikiran is a dedicated artiste, no doubt. Good to hear that he is getting better and better. He sticks with his CM discipline, though his career I'm sure is quite demanding. The best to him...
CEtasri bAlakrishNam is a challenge of a kriti. nidAnam should not drag you into limbo region. With a gentle reining in, it can come alive. There is an You Tube version of it by the 'charioteer'. The gait of it is charming and brings the adoration of child KrishNA into song with liveliness
kETTuk kaRpadum nanRE (Listen and learn is good too)--particularly for the less-enlightened rasikAs like me!
G. Ravikiran is a dedicated artiste, no doubt. Good to hear that he is getting better and better. He sticks with his CM discipline, though his career I'm sure is quite demanding. The best to him...
CEtasri bAlakrishNam is a challenge of a kriti. nidAnam should not drag you into limbo region. With a gentle reining in, it can come alive. There is an You Tube version of it by the 'charioteer'. The gait of it is charming and brings the adoration of child KrishNA into song with liveliness