Sangeetha Kalanidhi Smt. R. Vedavalli at FAS, Chembur, Mumbai - 16/9/17

[arunsri]

Smt. R. Vedavalli - Vocal
Smt. Sumithra V - Vocal Support
Shri. R.K. Shriramkumar - Violin
Shri. K. Arun Prakash - Mridangam
Shri. B.S. Purushottam - Kanjeera
Smt. Sumathi Krishnan - Tambura

Fine Arts Society, Chembur - 6:15 to 8: 45 PM - the Annual S.U. Sitaram Memorial Concert

1. shri mahAgaNapati - gauLa - mishra chApu - MD (N at mOdaka prakAshakarO)
2. nE nEnduvedakuturA - karnATaka bEhAg - Adi - thyAgarAja (S)
3. nAdalOluDai - kalyANavasantam - rUpakam - thyAgarAja (a version very different from the currently popular one)
4. shrI rAjagOpAla - sAvEri - Adi - MD (R, N, S at dIrAgragaNya)
5. kshitijAramaNam - dEvagAndhAri - Adi - MD
6. ambA nIlAmbari - nilAmbari - Adi - ponnayyA piLLai (R)
7. sharaNam sharaNam - saurAshTram - mishra chApu - aruNAchala kavi
8. Emani mATlADitivO - tODi - Adi - thyAgarAja (R)
9. RTP simhEndra madhyamam - rAma guNa sImA sitA - chaturashta jhampa (2) - no violin ragam, RKSK started with the tAnam
10. tani
11. alivENi - kuranji - mishra chApu - swAti tiruNAL
12. UrilE kANi -- viruttam in kAmbhOji, sindhubhairavi and suraTi
13. kANavEnDum lakshma kaNgaL - suruTi - Adi - aruNAchala kavi
14. mangaLam

Sublime concert --- excellent support by all
sAvEri kriti - a favorite of the school stood out for the infinite neraval combos she weaved. tODi AlApana belied her age. nilAmbari was a cooling balm for everyone present... RTP aptly set for the occasion was a lesson in tAnam singing. Sumithra and RKSK's trikalam exercises were spot on, what else can you expect from them anyway !

With such an artiste as the captain, one will expect near perfect support from all. Goes to to show, age is only a number. Thank you mami for a fulfilling concert steeped in high musical values that you have always maintained.

[Vocalist]

3. nAdalOluDai - kalyANavasantam - rUpakam - thyAgarAja (a version very different from the currently popular one)

Please elaborate.

[narayara000]

Emani mATADitivO is a rarely heard gem

[arasi]

Thank you, Anusri. A classic concert by a classy vidushi. A few rare gems, indeed.

A couple of corrections: 12 UrilEn kANiyillai (neither a place to call mine, nor a piece of land have I) by toNDaraDip poDi AzhvAr
13 kANavENum laTcham kaNgaL

[gardabha_gana]

Any recording please?

[Narayanan NB]

Was Kalyanavasantam sung with Chatushruti Dhaivatham?

[arunsri]

kalyAnavasantam was janya of kIravANi only w/o the m d n pidis. This version was far better than the melancholy version in vogue today. Mami's version was closer to kIravANi

[SrinathK]

Since you asked : http://gaana.com/song/nadaloludai-kalya ... -vedavalli

kalyANa vasantam used to go like S G2 R2 G2 M1 D1 N3 S - S N3 D1 P M1 G2 R2 S and even combinations like RSNDPM - PMGRSN were possible (and still used sometimes even in the current popular version of Lalgudi). This is one very Keeravani-esque version of it.

As far as I know, this raga has at least 6 (yes, SIX!) different variations. I don't have a recording of the one that had the D2 in it, but for the others listen to the following

1) nAdaloluDai and kanulu tAkaNi by Lalgudi (the melanchony one we all know very well) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFHRHEDm6Uo -- this is very distinct with little keeravANi in it. It even has a GMDM phrase in it.

2) The same thing by Vedavalli mAmi (recording above) - while the aro avaro is the same, the handling of the swaras is much closer to Keeravani. Not only that, it even has phrases that goes P P P D , M (hari harAmta) and D P, M - R G, GR RMGR SN (brahmanandam andavE)

3) kanulu tAkaNi by GNB and MLV (the aro-avaro mentioned above) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwpOX5ugBAo

4) innu dayAbAradE by MLV (similar to the LGJ one, but has a distinct S N D M - P, M G, in the opening) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZoYwKsxIty4

5) nAdaloluDAi by Mandolin Shrinivas (The only difference between that and the LGJ one is the use of a sangati containing RSNDPM - PMGRSN, plus it's more Keeravani-ish) -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWtnjUEoAO0&t=812s

These are all signs of a raga that had at least two forms before one got discarded and the other transformed into what it is today (it is said that the discovery of some old manuscripts and an investigation into how D2 crept into this raga by Lalgudi and other musicians (I can't recall who) was how this raga acquired it's present shape).

[bhakthim dehi]

Both nadha loludai and kanulu takani were composed in some unknown ragam, a janya of gowri manohari. The musical tune that we hear today in kalyanavasantham itself is a later developed one.
So, musicians singing with d2 n3 (I haven't heard anyone) represent the old tradition of singing this composition.

[SrinathK]

You can hear this here :- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PWLvho6BC8 -- So that's variation # 6.

Not only that this have both S R2 G2 M1 and S G2 M1 in it, it even has a RGM-RGS (on manasA) that has husEni written all over it!

[Sivaramakrishnan]

I never knew that there is a different version of Kalyanavasantham (other than the one immensely popularised by Maharajapuram Santhanam through Nadaloludai).

Now everytime I hear Kalyanavasantham I may be compelled to think of this debate.

Podhumdaappa!!

[bhakthim dehi]

Instead of saying different versions of Kalyanavasantham, we can consider renaming the version which has d2 and n3, as it has a different swaram and melodically different too.

[SrinathK]

Maybe we should call it shuddha vasantam ...

[vijay.siddharth]

Shuddha Vasantham is a janyam of Shankarabharanam. Dikshitar has composed 'Somasundareshwaram Bhajeham' and part of his 'Purna Chandra Bimbe' in this ragam

[SrinathK]

Hmm, so the name's already taken. How about vinoda vasantam?

Maybe in the future, someone musicologists will get together and pass a resolution on it... but that's a lot harder than it sounds.

[kvchellappa]

Since it has come after kalyanam, we can call it Seemantha Vasantham!

[narayara000]

As far as I know, this raga has at least 6 (yes, SIX!) different variations. I don't have a recording of the one that had the D2 in it, but for the others listen to the following

I love your analysis of ragas with supporting links. Can you do this type of analysis for other ragas with multiple versions

[narayara000]

Wow, Vedavalli's version and Tadepally Lokanatha Sharma's versions gave a completely different feel than usual.

Vedavalli's sounded just like Keeravani and Tadepally Lokanatha Sharma's gave a strong Gowrimanohari feel.

[CRama]

There may be many padantharam for Nadaloludai. But the one popularized by Maharajapuram, Ramani, Lalgudi only will remain favourite of everybody

[Sivaramakrishnan]

There may be many padantharam for Nadaloludai. But the one popularized by Maharajapuram, Ramani, Lalgudi only will remain favourite of everybody