Rudrapatnam Brothers @ RR Sabha 26.08.2017

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Sivaramakrishnan
Posts: 1582
Joined: 02 Jan 2010, 08:29

Rudrapatnam Brothers @ RR Sabha 26.08.2017

Post by Sivaramakrishnan »

RasikaRanjani Sabha
Mylapore, Chennai
26.08.2017

Rudrapatnam Brothers
R N Tyagarajan & R N Taranathan - Vocal
V V Srinivasa Rao - Violin
K V Prasad – Mridangam

esruti – 1 kattai (C)
Time: 05.00 – 07.30 pm.

The event was special to me for two reasons i.e., I have been waiting to listen to the brothers in a full-time concert for quite a few years (after their very brief slot at Sri Tygaraja Aradhana at Tiruvaiyaru a few years back) and it was the first program I was attending at the much awaited and recently renovated mutistoreyed state of the art, haloed Rasiakaranajani Sabha at Mylapore.

1. Darbar- Varnam –Chalamela jesevura -Aadi
2. Saraswati- Saraswati namostuthey-Rupaka-GNB
3. Sahana-Ee vasudha - Aadi-Tyagaraja
4. Pantuvarali-Visalaakshim Viswesim-Misrachapu-Dikshitar
5. Poornashadja- Lavanyaraama-Rupaka-Tyagaraja
6. Kalyani-Etavunara-aadi-Tyagaraja (Main)
7. Khamas- Modijesa-Aadi-Javali-Pattabhiramiah
8. Darbari Kaanada-Govardhana giridhara- Aadi-Narayana theertha
9. Anandabhairavi-Ramanamapayasake-Purandaradasa
Mangalam

Music of veterans are caharacterised by adherance to sampradaaya, choice of ragas, kritis etc. Rudrapatnam brothers, no exception to this, presented a soothing concert starting with the Darbar varnam. ‘Saraswati namostuthey’ seemed to be a prayer to the Goddess of fine arts represented in the Sabha mascot for a grand second innings of the organisation. The few rounds of swaraprastaras- especially the ‘single avarti’ ones - at the pallavi were quite appropriate.

Sahana was soulful and the kriti Ee vasudha had an old world charm about it. The swaraprastara for the Pallavi passage was fine.

The ‘Sub main’ was Pantuvarali with a customary alapana and the Dikshitar kriti that followed fitted in well. Sreenivasa Rao gave a fine alapana return.The niraval was at the Pallavi sahitya, perhaps intended at displaying a three-tier Kalpanaswara at ‘Visalakshim’, ‘Viswesim’ and ‘Sadaa’. The violinist’s returns for swaras were rather subdued. Prasad supported the laya patterns well.

Lavanya Rama of Tyagaraja came in as a breezy interlude.

I expected a SuddhaMadhyama raga for ‘Main’ but it was Kalyani! The aalapana was well shared by the vidwans. Ok, I thought it might be to accommodate a Syama sastri kriti, but it was again Tyagaraja’s time tested Etavunara! The rendering was neat and precise with Niraval and swara at ‘Sreekarudagu Tyagaraja kararchita’. Sreenivasa Rao returned the passages quite well. The swaraprastaras were simple and capped with a suitable korvai for the finale. K.V Prasad rendered a compact Tani for the eduppu at Arai idam -Aadi taalam (2 kalai). His speciality is total attention to Naadam, and excellent decibel discipline.

Modi jese - the celebrated javali in Khamas- had that old-world charm. Darbari Kaanada offered a sharp contrast and the Narayana Theertha tarangam came in fine. An Anandabhairavi version of ‘Ramanama payasa ke’ followed.

A very good concert missed by many young-stars of today. May be all their dates are sold out with the onset of the festival season!!

When I was leaving the venue, I noticed that a dance programme was happening before a large audience in the auditorium at First floor. Rasikaranjani is set to garner lot of events in the forthcoming Season.

vijay.siddharth
Posts: 358
Joined: 14 May 2017, 13:08

Re: Rudrapatnam Brothers @ RR Sabha 26.08.2017

Post by vijay.siddharth »

The Rudrapatnam Brothers are amongst my favourite artists, but their concerts aren't very full - their Narada Gana Sabha concert in December 2015 (Nasikabhoosani main - the first concert where I sat on stage :D ) had 32 people in the entire, Brobdingnagian, Sadhguru Gnananda Hall! Gnanamosagarada, Ramayya!

Am curious now - how were the acoustics of RR Sabha? How was the seating? Where would you rank it amongst Madras sabhas?

Sivaramakrishnan
Posts: 1582
Joined: 02 Jan 2010, 08:29

Re: Rudrapatnam Brothers @ RR Sabha 26.08.2017

Post by Sivaramakrishnan »

v.s,
Acoustics: Very good. (Bose system)
Seating: Good (but needs to get seasoned!)

Basement car parking facility is a bonus. So be an early bird. Never ever contemplate roadside parking if you come in own vehicle.

varsha
Posts: 1978
Joined: 24 Aug 2011, 15:06

Re: Rudrapatnam Brothers @ RR Sabha 26.08.2017

Post by varsha »

How was the seating? Where would you rank it amongst Madras sabhas?
Coming back to a favourite topic..
Rasikas who take a seat in the Narada Gana Sabha balcony ( especially if you are late and the lights are dim)
...
Do not panic if you feel your pants are getting wet . A good many seats have stagnant water from leaking roofs .Terrible.

Nick H
Posts: 9379
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 02:03

Re: Rudrapatnam Brothers @ RR Sabha 26.08.2017

Post by Nick H »

I don't understand where this new sabha building is? I guess I'll find it.

Should have seen this concert. Speaking of my dislike of most Bro and Sis acts, no less than Smt RV herself told me to see these bros.

Sivaramakrishnan
Posts: 1582
Joined: 02 Jan 2010, 08:29

Re: Rudrapatnam Brothers @ RR Sabha 26.08.2017

Post by Sivaramakrishnan »

Nick H wrote: 29 Aug 2017, 16:38 I don't understand where this new sabha building is? I guess I'll find it.
It is located in the lane opposite to Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Mylapore - just a furlong from there.

vijay.siddharth
Posts: 358
Joined: 14 May 2017, 13:08

Re: Rudrapatnam Brothers @ RR Sabha 26.08.2017

Post by vijay.siddharth »

Nick H wrote: 29 Aug 2017, 16:38 I don't understand where this new sabha building is? I guess I'll find it.
Here is a graphical illustration: https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Bharati ... 325295!3e0
Nick H wrote: 29 Aug 2017, 16:38 Speaking of my dislike of most Bro and Sis acts
Why is that so? I feel that some 'Bro and Sis acts', like Ranjani Gayatri (upto the second half), Malladi Brothers, and so on, had an immense amount of appeal and classicism and manodharmam too...

Nick H
Posts: 9379
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 02:03

Re: Rudrapatnam Brothers @ RR Sabha 26.08.2017

Post by Nick H »

Location... Where the old one was, right? Just didn't know they were rebuilding it. Thanks.
Why is that so?
Because when two people are singing together in perfect coordination it seems to lack spontaneity. I suppose... a single person might sing a gamaka that was just as measured, practised and precise as a duet, but when the sis/bro is singing along precisely, it seems to emphasise it. And I get bored. Here's an odd thing: I'm talking about singers: instrumentalists don't seem to have the same effect on me. Don't know why.

I am talking particularly of those that sing in sync, and not of the bros/sis that take musical conversation to the stage. That can be a different matter.

Of course, there are, among them, those that specialise in producing much noise and physical drama. That is worse-squared than a single individual doing it. :twisted:

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