Cleveland Aradhana 2016 (March 23, 2016 to April 3, 2016)

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 01 Apr 2016, 20:15

Heard Padma Sugavanam start with the durbAr varNam and then panthuvarALi (Again, Sundara Rajan!), ST's sArasAksha paripAlaya. Strong and pleasing voice. A pity, I missed almost all of the concert, but was here to hear her sing entaTi kulukE which she delivered so well. The last sangathi was just perfect, I thought. Sound was off until the end, but when it came, Sundaram was saying that Padma is Seetha Rajan's student. Keeping to the Semmangudi way, he praised her.

The youngsters--Kamalakiran tirelessly and expertly playing for seniors and juniors. VVSubramanyam even asking him whether he could play a duet with him, Sundaram said! Kamalakiran, how proud are we!

Janani Iyer! Tirelessly playing tambUra for the young and the veterans! Bless you!

I see, Sundara Rajan . Our posts crossed!

Sundara Rajan · Post by **Sundara Rajan** » 01 Apr 2016, 20:20

It was interesting to hear from RamAkAnth about the relationship between MSS and Rudraparnam family. Although I had attended several concerts of MSS supported on the violin by R.K.Venkatarama Sastry, It is news to me that he wouldn't accompany her to the US on religious grounds ! Also about Devara nAmas.

Sundara Rajan · Post by **Sundara Rajan** » 01 Apr 2016, 20:27

After the AndOlika varnam by HMB, he is singing Biahari composition "EkadantaM" of Dikshitar.

Sundara Rajan · Post by **Sundara Rajan** » 01 Apr 2016, 20:31

All these years, when he was singing along/beside his father, we couldn't hear his strong voice, as we do now.

Sundara Rajan · Post by **Sundara Rajan** » 01 Apr 2016, 20:37

His third item is the kaikavAsi raga ( of nEEthimati-mEla 60 ) composition of T: vAchAma gocharamE manasa

Sundara Rajan · Post by **Sundara Rajan** » 01 Apr 2016, 20:56

Next is HarikambOdhi AlApana followed by "rAmA nannu brOvarA"

Sundara Rajan · Post by **Sundara Rajan** » 01 Apr 2016, 21:12

Extensive neraval and swara at usual "meppulakai kannathAvu"

Next is SyAma sAstri's famous Ananda bhairavi composition "OH JagadambA"

Sundara Rajan · Post by **Sundara Rajan** » 01 Apr 2016, 21:21

I am surprised to note that he has to constantly depend upon his tablet for even this famous & popular kriti !
Next is T's nEnenduvedakuthurA in karnAtaka Behag

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 01 Apr 2016, 21:29

I"m glad you are listening and writing about this concert, SR.

Yes, Ramakanth has a voice which is very pleasing, and today, he is bringing his father to our minds, with a depth to it which is appealing.

Either sound is not right with the mike for the violin, or is Murari underplaying? With all the emotiveness in Ramakanth's voice, the replies and playing together are not very forthcoming.

Good to see Dr. Rohan Krishnamurthy on the mridangam, one of the early ones among the north american crop of young musicians. A pity I won't be around when he plays tani with Shree Sundarkumar at that! Must be a special one.

I am going to be away for a while...

Sundara Rajan · Post by **Sundara Rajan** » 01 Apr 2016, 21:45

After about 15 minutes of AlApana in Dharmavathi rAga, he follows with JayachAmaraja Wodayar's 'DurgAdEavi samrakshamAm"

Sundara Rajan · Post by **Sundara Rajan** » 01 Apr 2016, 21:48

neraval and kalpana swara at the pallavi line DurgAdEvi

rshankar · Post by **rshankar** » 01 Apr 2016, 21:56

Sundara Rajan wrote:It was interesting to hear from RamAkAnth about the relationship between MSS and Rudraparnam family. Although I had attended several concerts of MSS supported on the violin by R.K.Venkatarama Sastry, It is news to me that he wouldn't accompany her to the US on religious grounds ! Also about Devara nAmas.

Could you please elaborate on this?

Sundara Rajan · Post by **Sundara Rajan** » 01 Apr 2016, 22:04

rshankar: Mr. RamAkanth mentioned that although MSS & Sadasivam requested him very earnestly, RKV refused to accompany MSS to her UN concert and hence VVS accompanied her. I was already in the US and attended her concert in Chicago in 1966 (67?) and had wondered about then young VVS accomapanimemt. I did not Know about the religious belief of RKV. That is what I meant. Hope that clarifies.

Sundara Rajan · Post by **Sundara Rajan** » 01 Apr 2016, 22:05

Ramakanth sang dEvarunAma in nAdanAmakriya at the finish.

rshankar · Post by **rshankar** » 01 Apr 2016, 22:13

Sundara Rajan wrote:rshankar: Mr. RamAkanth mentioned that although MSS & Sadasivam requested him very earnestly, RKV refused to accompany MSS to her UN concert and hence VVS accompanied her. I was already in the US and attended her concert in Chicago in 1966 (67?) and had wondered about then young VVS accomapanimemt. I did not Know about the religious belief of RKV. That is what I meant. Hope that clarifies.

Thank you. It is interesting that Sri RKV accompanied her in the early years , and his grandson, Sri RKSK accompanied her during the last years!! A sort of fitting symmetry.
And what was the information about the dEvarnAmas?

Sundara Rajan · Post by **Sundara Rajan** » 01 Apr 2016, 22:33

I was at my lunch break !
I am only quoting Mr. RamAkAnth. RKV turned down the offer because it was against his strict Hindu observance not to cross the oceans !

He also mentioneed that MSS contacted RKS to learn DEvaranAmas from an authority on the subject as RKSrikantan . When RKS offered to go to Madras for the purpose, MSS instead went Bangalore and stayed there and learned from him several compositions that she presented in her concerts.

kvchellappa · Post by **kvchellappa** » 01 Apr 2016, 23:10

It is nice of Cleveland committee to see Rohan's merit and separate it from his father's pointless diatribe. Not many organisers would do that.

Sundara Rajan · Post by **Sundara Rajan** » 02 Apr 2016, 00:20

Bharat Sundar started his concert with SwAthi's karnAtaka kApi rAga varNam sumasAyaka.
What a voice he has ! He dedicates this concert to late KVN.

Sundara Rajan · Post by **Sundara Rajan** » 02 Apr 2016, 00:36

2. Diksitar's rAmanAtham bhajEham in this year's oft repeated panthuvarALi.
neraval at kumAra guruguhamahitham

Sundara Rajan · Post by **Sundara Rajan** » 02 Apr 2016, 00:37

3.YadhukulakAmbdhi AlApana ( indicative of heccherkA ?)

Sundara Rajan · Post by **Sundara Rajan** » 02 Apr 2016, 00:41

My guess was right. sometimes it is possible to guess the following song from the way of the AlApana, although it may not be right always !
3. Heccherika rArA hE rAmachandra of T in Yad.KAmbodhi

Sundara Rajan · Post by **Sundara Rajan** » 02 Apr 2016, 00:48

4. Tanjavur Sankara Iyer's kuthalavarALI composition "kandavarku kanavilum"

Sundara Rajan · Post by **Sundara Rajan** » 02 Apr 2016, 00:50

5. thOdi AlApana now.
After 20 minutes of AlApana & violin return, now thAnam for 5mintes followed by pallavi "dasarathabAla rAmachandrayyA dayAnidhE"

Sundara Rajan · Post by **Sundara Rajan** » 02 Apr 2016, 01:41

After about 15 minutes of pallavi and swaram 8 minutes of Thani Avarthanam completed the RTP.
6. ThAyumAnavar's rAgamAlika composition: "paNNEn unakkAna pUjai" stating with sindu bharavi. I may have heard KVN sing this rAgamAlika.

Sundara Rajan · Post by **Sundara Rajan** » 02 Apr 2016, 01:45

6a. followed by Thanjavur Sankara Iyer's manaukkuganthath murugan rUpam in Sindu bhairavi

Sundara Rajan · Post by **Sundara Rajan** » 02 Apr 2016, 01:49

The entire program was very enjoyable, ably supported by nAgai Sriram, Balaji and the Kanjira vidvan

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 02 Apr 2016, 02:18

That was K.V. Gopalakrishnan, SR...

Sundara Rajan · Post by **Sundara Rajan** » 02 Apr 2016, 02:52

Gayatri VenkatarAghavan started her concert with
1. namO namO ragukulanAyakAin nAttai- AnnamAcharya ?
2. entharA neethana in HarikAmbOdhi of T
3. simmEndramadyamam rAga AlApana followed by
ninnE nammithinayya of Mysore vAsudEvAchAr

kvchellappa · Post by **kvchellappa** » 02 Apr 2016, 02:57

She noted your mind and chose SM, sir.

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 02 Apr 2016, 02:58

See Mysore Srikanth playing for the first time this year at Cleveland. Like his playing a lot.

Sundara Rajan · Post by **Sundara Rajan** » 02 Apr 2016, 03:02

Neraval & swaram at usual pannagEndrasayana
Next was a quick "amba nee iRangAyenil" in atANa of sivan.

Sundara Rajan · Post by **Sundara Rajan** » 02 Apr 2016, 03:03

KVC; You mean instead of PanthuvarALi. I will hold my breath until after the end!

Sundara Rajan · Post by **Sundara Rajan** » 02 Apr 2016, 03:15

ksheerAsagarasayana vakshsthala in mAyamALavagowla of SyAma sAstri.
at the end f the song Gayatri announced that this was a composition of Mysore Sadasiva Rao. I went by the mudra of kAmAkshi etc. Stand corrected.

Sundara Rajan · Post by **Sundara Rajan** » 02 Apr 2016, 03:27

Rather fast paced chErarAvthE in RitigauLa of T was next.
Following extensive AlApana in samkarAbharNam, she is singing popular
sarOjadalanEthri of SyAma sAstri.

Neraval and swara at the usual predictable place: sAmagAna vinOdhini

Sundara Rajan · Post by **Sundara Rajan** » 02 Apr 2016, 04:03

I may be biased ! When I closed my eyes and listened to her Neraval and swaras,
I heard vintage MSS's voice- so much resemblance.

rshankar · Post by **rshankar** » 02 Apr 2016, 04:04

kshIra sAgara Sayana vakshasthala vihAriNI - isn't that a composition of the Maharaja of Mysore?
Smt. MSS used to preface it with a beautiful viruttam/SlOka - mukhE tE tAmbUlam!

Sundara Rajan · Post by **Sundara Rajan** » 02 Apr 2016, 04:16

I was not not sure of the composer. I thought it resembled SyAma Satri's compositions, but Gayatri announced that the composer was Mysore Sadasiva Rao.
The wordings of the composition as sung was different from the one you have referred.

Sundara Rajan · Post by **Sundara Rajan** » 02 Apr 2016, 04:18

The concert ends wit two Hindi bajan/abhang.
It was an enjoyable concert.

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 02 Apr 2016, 04:23

rAm bhaj, guru nAnak.

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 02 Apr 2016, 05:23

Suguna Varadachari, vocal support: Padma Sugavanam and Brinda MAnickavasagam.
Raghavendra on the violin, MA Easwaran mridangam and Toronto Karthik on khanjira.

Started with VarNam neranammiti, kAnaDa.
inta parAkA, mAyA mAlavagoWLa--neraval at kanna talli taNdri

A very lively janaranjani nADAdina mATAlu, Raghavhendra's matching reply. Neraval at talaku ochina bhAda. We think of Harimau often, miss his presence. Once he commented this was not an apt line at all for neraval. Well, the veteran sings it, and musically perhaps it's suitable, though not for the lyrics, as he seemed to frown

VAchaspathi rAgA. kanTa jutumi (NedunEri's speciality).

kvchellappa · Post by **kvchellappa** » 02 Apr 2016, 05:25

MS is her manasika guru. In many places I have heard MS in her rendering generally. GV also sang Mukhe te tambulam of Sankara.

maduraimini · Post by **maduraimini** » 02 Apr 2016, 05:36

Now I hear a good Devagandhari alapana.

cienu · Post by **cienu** » 02 Apr 2016, 05:42

Sundara Rajan wrote:ksheerAsagarasayana vakshsthala in mAyamALavagowla of SyAma sAstri.
at the end f the song Gayatri announced that this was a composition of Mysore Sadasiva Rao. I went by the mudra of kAmAkshi etc. Stand corrected.

She must have said Mysore Maharaja as this is a composition of His Highness Jayachamaraja Wodeyar

maduraimini · Post by **maduraimini** » 02 Apr 2016, 05:46

The Devagandhari song was Dikshitar's rarely heard 'ShalivAtishwaram Bhajeham'. Next is Gopalakrishna Bharathy's 'Satre vilagi irum pillAi' in Poorikalyani.

Sundara Rajan · Post by **Sundara Rajan** » 02 Apr 2016, 05:54

I went back to her announcement at the end of the song and she DID ANNOUNCE IT as a composition of MYSORE SADASIVA RAO. She may or may not be correct. I reported what she said !
CIENU: I guess you may be at the Cleveland ArAdhana. If so, please check with Gayatri and do report the result. Thank you

Sundara Rajan · Post by **Sundara Rajan** » 02 Apr 2016, 05:58

Yes. I do not remember hearing that dEvagAndhAri composition of Dikshitar before ! It was nice to hear the rAga elaboration as well the song.

cienu · Post by **cienu** » 02 Apr 2016, 06:01

Sundara Rajan wrote:I went back to her announcement at the end of the song and she DID ANNOUNCE IT as a composition of MYSORE SADASIVA RAO. She may or may not be correct. I reported what she said !

I am sorry Sri Sundara Rajan. I did not mean to question what you had reported.

In that case I feel Smt Gayathri may have inadvertently said the same because both have the Mysore prefix

I am now in Washington DC

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 02 Apr 2016, 06:15

Cienu,
Thanks for the input. I did not hear 'Chamaraja Udaiyar'. Like Sundara Rajan, just Mysore something--short syllables. MaharAjA it could have been.

MKR would have left today. Any of the youngsters reading this, please check and let us know!

maduraimini · Post by **maduraimini** » 02 Apr 2016, 06:18

A very elaborate Todi alapana. She announced, even though many artists have sung Todi before, this song was a request and that's why she is singing Todi. She sang ' Endu daginAdo'. I have not heard this kriti of Sri Thyagaraja. The violin is very nice.

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 02 Apr 2016, 06:18

Thanks Maduraimini! The MD dEva gAndhAri song--I was going ballistic over Sri what?!! Haven't heard itat all.

As for endu dAginADO?--a pet song. Savoring it...Now, neraval in ala nADu kanaka kaSipu...conjures up the whole scene in HiraNya's palace...