Palghat Raghu

Carnatic Musicians
sankirnam
Posts: 374
Joined: 07 Sep 2006, 14:18

Post by sankirnam »

BTW.... to anyone who was at Raghu sir's felicitation on the 5th (earlier this month) at NGS... is there any way of getting a copy of that documentary video that was shown? Indira Menon got some really RARE footage in that (including a video of Chembai with a very young PMI... and a video of GNB with LGJ and Raghu!!)

gsn
Posts: 81
Joined: 30 Oct 2005, 07:04

Post by gsn »

For those who have not already seen this, please visit www.palghatraghu.com .. The videos feature an incredible thani by Raghu sir. What a magician the man is!

I echo Sankirnam's thoughts; has anyone recorded the Raghu sir felicitation? if so, can the video footage of Raghu sir with LGJ sir and GNB please be shared?!

kadambam
Posts: 104
Joined: 12 Jan 2007, 04:10

Post by kadambam »

PR is probably the musician's musician among mridangists.

thathwamasi
Posts: 274
Joined: 12 Aug 2006, 01:15

Post by thathwamasi »

pgaiyar

Sorry for my awefully late response. Just saw your post requesting thani avartanams. I shall post them once I get internet reinstated at my home which would take atleast 2 weeks.

Thanks
T

pgaiyar
Posts: 113
Joined: 27 Jan 2007, 07:59

Post by pgaiyar »

15-Feb-08

To : Thathwamasi

Dear Sir:

Thanks. Please post those 2 thanis when you are comfortable. God bless you.

Regards

P. G. Aiyar

mahesh_narayan
Posts: 228
Joined: 22 Aug 2006, 20:51

Post by mahesh_narayan »

Here is a nice article I found on Raghu Sir:
http://www.vijayalakshmysubramaniam.com ... traghu.htm

I didn't know Manoj Siva learnt from him for as long as 15 years !!!.

mohan
Posts: 2806
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 16:52

Post by mohan »

Thanks Mahesh - ithink this article was also published in Sruti

semmu86
Posts: 960
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 09:39

Post by semmu86 »

are there any avaliable recordings of semmangudi mama with raghu sir?? i have not heard that combination.. why is it so??

venkatpv
Posts: 373
Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 22:23

Post by venkatpv »

sure there are. i have heard atleast 2 or 3. i found one at http://www.sangeethamshare.org/gvr/SSI_ ... s/SSI_LGJ/

although the mridangist's name isn't mentioned, it does sound like Palghat Raghu.

semmu86
Posts: 960
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 09:39

Post by semmu86 »

thanks a lot venkat... if only somebody can confirm it 100%
Last edited by semmu86 on 27 Nov 2008, 19:43, edited 1 time in total.

Ragjay
Posts: 208
Joined: 12 Oct 2006, 17:10

Post by Ragjay »

Hi the concert referred has Trichy Shankaran .This concert was held on7/7/1972 at SKGS. It is not Raghu Sir There is one concert Of SSI with Lalgudi and Raghu. Bye Ragjay

coolkarni
Posts: 1729
Joined: 22 Nov 2007, 06:42

Post by coolkarni »

..
Last edited by coolkarni on 29 Nov 2009, 15:46, edited 1 time in total.

semmu86
Posts: 960
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 09:39

Post by semmu86 »

thanks a lot coolji.. looking forward to them

ananth krishna
Posts: 34
Joined: 01 Nov 2008, 16:37

Post by ananth krishna »

you r very lucky trevandrum sir to be the follower of that great personality palghat raghu.you r blessed with the chance to learn under him.

pgaiyar
Posts: 113
Joined: 27 Jan 2007, 07:59

Post by pgaiyar »

29-Nov-08

Dear Shri. Coolkarni:

Namaskarams. Please upload a SSI-Palghat Raghu track preferably with a Thani. God bless you.

Regards

Guru

coolkarni
Posts: 1729
Joined: 22 Nov 2007, 06:42

Post by coolkarni »

....
Last edited by coolkarni on 24 Nov 2009, 10:16, edited 1 time in total.

prashant
Posts: 1658
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 09:01

Post by prashant »

Request duly noted, Kulkarniji :-)

Sreeni Rajarao
Posts: 1283
Joined: 04 Feb 2010, 08:19

Post by Sreeni Rajarao »

Kulkarni Sir!
The Nedunuri rendition and accompaniements were exquisite! Thanks!
Sreeni Rajarao

pgaiyar
Posts: 113
Joined: 27 Jan 2007, 07:59

Post by pgaiyar »

To : Mr. Kulkarni

Dear Sir:

I have not come across any SSI concert with Raghu. I once checked with Mr. PSN as well years ago and he opined even he doesn't remember any with Raghu. But if Raghu has accompanied it might be Kuchi mridangam and the nadham will be distinct. If the year is known it is relatively easy to confirm. God bless you/family.

Regards

Guru
5-Dec-8

appu
Posts: 443
Joined: 20 May 2007, 09:46

Post by appu »

I have never known Raghu Sar to play on a Kucchi mridangam.

coolkarni
Posts: 1729
Joined: 22 Nov 2007, 06:42

Post by coolkarni »

..
Last edited by coolkarni on 24 Nov 2009, 10:15, edited 1 time in total.

bilahari
Posts: 2631
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 09:02

Post by bilahari »

Appu, carnatica's website lists SSI's 1992 Navarathri Mandapam concert with PR: (SSI18) http://www.carnatica.net/ramanathan/music/ssi-tapes.htm

This is the singular reference to an SSI-PR association I found on the net!

ignoramus
Posts: 197
Joined: 21 Aug 2006, 21:25

Post by ignoramus »

Coolji

the concert 116 of SSI -PR with the RTP and thani, i think is PR himself. The korvai the mridangam plays (i think 2nd round) is something which i have heard him play long back. Experts , please chip in

pgaiyar
Posts: 113
Joined: 27 Jan 2007, 07:59

Post by pgaiyar »

7-Dec-8

Dear All:

I thank Mr. Ku(Coo)lkarni for the uploads. If anyone has the AIR excerpts (SSI-TNK-PR-92-Navarathiri Mandapam) in mp3 format which is being cited here, please upload atleast the RTP if not the full concert to listen. Raghu used Kuchi long ago and occasionally. It is only Kappi ever since. 60's witnessed him playing Kuchi sometimes I was told.

Regards

Guru

bilahari
Posts: 2631
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 09:02

Post by bilahari »

Pardon my ignorance, but what are "kuchi" and "kappi"?

prashant
Posts: 1658
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 09:01

Post by prashant »

http://sangeethamshare.org/hariharan/Ne ... andari.mp3

Raghu Sir's accompaniment for the swarams is just awesome... Kulkarni has posted aparAdhamulanniyu from the same concert on another thread...

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

Post by Nick H »

Kuchi and kappi are varieties of mridangam, involving a slight change in right-hand head. You would have to look very closely to see any difference, but there is a noticeable difference in sound, the kutchi mridangam having more vibration, and the kappi being closer to the sound of tabla.

Kutchi mridangam has small slivers of reed inserted radially under the top-most layer of skin. These give a slight snare effect, hence the vibration. Kappi has the two layers held slightly apart by tiny particles of grit.

bilahari
Posts: 2631
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 09:02

Post by bilahari »

Thanks nick. Do the majority of mrudangam artistes lean towards one or the other?

sankirnam
Posts: 374
Joined: 07 Sep 2006, 14:18

Post by sankirnam »

There is no majority, but each mrudangist will have their own individual preference. Raghu sir used to use kucchi in the 60's and 70's and switched to kappi sometime in the 80's. Palghat Mani Iyer only ever used kappi, as did Thanjavur Upendran sir. Karaikudi Mani also only uses kappi.
UKS sir used to use kappi, but now only uses kucchi. Sankaran has only used kucchi, as far as i know.

This should help get some orientation as to what kappi and kuchi mrudangams sound like.

vijay
Posts: 2522
Joined: 27 Feb 2006, 16:06

Post by vijay »

I thought most mrudangists preferred Kuchi. Isn't that supposed to be easier to play? (not sure where I got that fomr though - probably some previous discussion)

cienu
Posts: 2387
Joined: 04 Feb 2010, 11:40

Post by cienu »

sankirnam wrote:There is no majority, but each mrudangist will have their own individual preference. Raghu sir used to use kucchi in the 60's and 70's and switched to kappi sometime in the 80's. Palghat Mani Iyer only ever used kappi, as did Thanjavur Upendran sir. Karaikudi Mani also only uses kappi.
UKS sir used to use kappi, but now only uses kucchi. Sankaran has only used kucchi, as far as i know.

This should help get some orientation as to what kappi and kuchi mrudangams sound like.
Dr T K Murthy too uses Kappi only if I am not mistaken.
Last edited by cienu on 07 Dec 2008, 21:29, edited 1 time in total.

sankirnam
Posts: 374
Joined: 07 Sep 2006, 14:18

Post by sankirnam »

Yes, cienu you are right.

Vijay, most artists will take kuchi mrudangams with them when they come on foreign tours, since kuchi mrudangams are more forgiving to wear and tear on the valanthalai. If one or two pieces of the black "saadam" fall out, the overall nadam is not disturbed much. But in kappi, if one piece even starts vibrating a little bit, the nadam will be disturbed and extraneous noises will come (like a faint rattling or "ssssh" sound).

pgaiyar
Posts: 113
Joined: 27 Jan 2007, 07:59

Post by pgaiyar »

8-Dec-8

Dear Mr. Coolkarni:

I listened to the RTP Thillai of SSI uploaded by you. In my view as someone who has followed Raghu for many years it is close to Raghu, but not him it seems. Sollus are sounding close, the nadham(Kattai) is also close but the fingering differs. The Korvai ignoramus talks about is played by many leave alone Raghu. By the way he is a genius and not an ignoramus. I request ignoramus to upload the SSI-TNK-Raghu-92-Navarathiri-AIR Excerpts if he has or anyone has. In my view SSI would not have relished Raghu as Raghu's talam keeping is deadly and the main artist has to sweat it out making it not comfortable. That is/was Raghu. Only musicians like KVN/DKJ/MDR/Ramnad Krishnan/S.Balachandar can gel with Raghu. Raghu's famed thani in 1967(KVN-MSG-Raghu-Bangalore Manjunath-MA) is Kuchi and only he can do such thrikalams. Any mridangam player is capable of thrikalams, but in the third speed/kalam it is Raghu who will show the way. God bless Raghu sir and all the members of this forum.

Regards

Guru

ignoramus
Posts: 197
Joined: 21 Aug 2006, 21:25

Post by ignoramus »

dear pgaiyer

can you elaborate on the fingering which makes you doubt it is not PR? it sounded pretty close to me. dont want to argue , but i have not heard too many people play the korvai which i mentioned. not sure whether it was the 2nd round, the final korvai too is almost closely his, especially the improvisations in the 2nd and 3rd repeats - just asking. by no means argumentative.

bilahari
Posts: 2631
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 09:02

Post by bilahari »

Yes, pgaiyer, KVN-PR and MDR-PR are both combinations to cherish!

sankirnam
Posts: 374
Joined: 07 Sep 2006, 14:18

Post by sankirnam »

115 and 117 are tough to identify because it is just playing for songs... but since 116 is a thani, it is very easy to tell... cleanly you can identify Raghu sir's playing at his peak. Kanjira is V. Nagarajan.

ignoramus
Posts: 197
Joined: 21 Aug 2006, 21:25

Post by ignoramus »

Sankeernam

Agree with you on the song support. But again, 117 seems PR from his way of playing to the song - maybe i am dead wrong. What is your call on 116? looked PR to me, pgaiyer says quite close - but no.

coolkarni
Posts: 1729
Joined: 22 Nov 2007, 06:42

Post by coolkarni »

..
Last edited by coolkarni on 29 Nov 2009, 10:18, edited 1 time in total.

ignoramus
Posts: 197
Joined: 21 Aug 2006, 21:25

Post by ignoramus »

Coolji

we do have !!

sankirnam
Posts: 374
Joined: 07 Sep 2006, 14:18

Post by sankirnam »

Ignoramus, as far as I can tell, 116 is Raghu sir only, with V. Nagarajan playing kanjira. The mohara korvai is the giveaway.

And yes, Coolkarni, please keep them coming! :)

pgaiyar
Posts: 113
Joined: 27 Jan 2007, 07:59

Post by pgaiyar »

Dear All Laya aficionados:

I listened to 116 and the Kanjira player could be the late V.Nagarajan sir. Again the treble/cut i.e., salangai nadham which was/is unique to VN is not there. VN's muthaipu/theermanam is legendary and it is also not there. I still am not sure whether the player is Raghu sir. Raghu's fingering is something different from the whole lot and the akshara suddham is also different. In mridangam parlance it is called adaichu vasikkaradhu, something Pazani Anna is/was famous for. Raghu's kalam is also legendary. If you listen to his playing for the Pallavis the way he play Tisram. The Thom of Raghu is also cast in the Pudukkottai school. In sum it could be Raghu sir but it may not be also. I have checked many times with PSN and he always opined Raghu sir's accompaniment to SSI????, well I don't recollect any of them. Only Raghu can identify. God bless you all.

Regards

Guru

coolkarni
Posts: 1729
Joined: 22 Nov 2007, 06:42

Post by coolkarni »

..
Last edited by coolkarni on 29 Nov 2009, 10:17, edited 1 time in total.

ram
Posts: 705
Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 22:48

Post by ram »

:)

Coolji,

With your permission, I will come to your place when you are free and listen to it at leisure. I was just able to listen to it intermittently with you the other day and do not have access to rapidshare to download the clips you uploaded. Though it is difficult to sometimes distinguish the Tanjavur school maestros, especially during the early years of their playing, there are (almost always) places that reveal the identity of the player.

Thanks once again for sharing these gems with us. May your tribe grow by leaps and bounds.

Ram

ignoramus
Posts: 197
Joined: 21 Aug 2006, 21:25

Post by ignoramus »

Coolji

Anything for you, i will ask Rahu sir next week when i am on vacation, maybe we will go together

sankirnam
Posts: 374
Joined: 07 Sep 2006, 14:18

Post by sankirnam »

Like Ram says, it is usually the mohara korvai (the final korvai) of the thani that usually gives away the identity of the mrudangam artiste. Once you listen to enough thanis of the past masters you get familiar with the famous korvais and the ones that each artiste was comfortable playing.

mahesh_narayan
Posts: 228
Joined: 22 Aug 2006, 20:51

Post by mahesh_narayan »

ignoramus, any inputs from Raghu Sir yet?

Any more SSI-Raghu tracks, please share (tani would be awesome !!!).

ignoramus
Posts: 197
Joined: 21 Aug 2006, 21:25

Post by ignoramus »

not yet, i shall try for the next weekend. on vacation as of now.

ksrimech
Posts: 1050
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 04:25

Post by ksrimech »

May be this is question late by a year or so? I didn't know if you have seen it.
Did anyone see the Palghat Raghu Documentary released after the music season of 2007-08? It has videos (yes videos) of chembai vaidyanAta bhagavathar with MTC and MMI (video from the 40s, I guess), KVN with MC and PR (video from the 80s) and g nA bAlasubrahmaniam with LGJ and PR (video from the 60s). Amazing stuff. LGJ looks very handsome .
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQ4NiMWAWzc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Mm6dHgY ... re=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IsDD_I8g ... re=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzZorUCb ... re=related

bilahari
Posts: 2631
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 09:02

Post by bilahari »

Thanks for the link, ksrimech. Very good, interesting documentary about PRR. Didn't know about his association with Alla Rakha till now, nor his accompaniment to Ravi Shankar. And those vintage video clips were really nice as well. Particularly enjoyed Chembai. Do his grandsons perform regularly?

ksrimech
Posts: 1050
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 04:25

Post by ksrimech »

bilahari wrote:Particularly enjoyed Chembai. Do his grandsons perform regularly?
Chembai: Along with ARI (still haven't seen a video of him) were the two artistes, whom I wanted to see (& listen) him sing. :). I love the kuDumi of chembai mAmA.

abhIshEk raghurAman performs often! I don't know about the mridangist grandson, ananta R. kRSNan.

Post Reply