Sreevalsan J Menon @ Ragasudha 29.10.2017

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

Sreevalsan J Menon @ Ragasudha 29.10.2017

Post by Sivaramakrishnan »

Ramnad Krishnan Centenary Celebrations
Ragasudha, Mylapore, Chennai
29.10.2017, 6-8.30 p.m.


Sreevalsan J Menon-Vocal
Edapally Ajithkumar-Violin
Balakrishna Kammath-Mridangam
Vaikom Gopalakrishnan-Ghatom


e-sruti: 1 kattai (C)

The concert was part of the ongoing birth centenary celebrations of the renowned master of music Ramnad Krishnan who could probably be hailed as the torch bearer (among Vidwans) of the Dhanammal Bani if not T Brinda's music of nuances.
Sreevalsan, a disciple of Neyyattinkara Vasudevan who was a sishya of Ramanad Krishnan richly deserved the slot in the Centenary events and he did full justice to the opportunity.

1. Natakurinji -Chalamela-Varnam
2. Goula-Pranamaamyaham-Mysore Vasudevachar
3. Bahudari- Brovabharama-Tyagaraja
4. Rudrapriya- Lavanyarama- Tyagaraja
5. Pantuvarali-Siva siva siva ena-Tyagaraja
6. Bhairavi - Raama Raama Praanasakhi- Kshetrajnar Padam (Main)
7. Paras- Smarasundaranguni-Javali
Nee nnama roopa -Mangalam

Sreevalsan made a humble submission of the greatness of the music of RK and its relevance even after about 50 years of his times. As a 'Prasishya' (what a beautiful usage!) he considered his task a grat honour but rather ambitious. Any music aspirant found RK's music worth emulative for its impeccable quality. In this context, Menon gave brief and relevant remarks at the beginning of each song.

A brief aalapana of Goula was followed by Pranamaamyaham for which niraval and swaras were sung at Sritabhakthapaalakam. Aalapana of Bahudari was marked by several niceties of RK. However Niraval was formed with words chosen from Anupallavi and charanam (Sreevasudeva, Karunaakara) which was obviously an imagination of the singer. Lavanyaraama provided a smooth interlude before Siva siva in Pantuvarali. Edappalli Ajith on the violin gave excellent support. Kammath and Gopalakrishnan supported brightly on the Mridangam and Ghatam.

Sreevalsan sprung a pleasant surprise by selecting the celebrated Bhairavi padam Raama Raama Praanasakhifor the main item. The aalapanan contained many of RK prayogas. Niraval and swaras were sung for the pallavi which has a rather peculiar eduppu after 5 maatras. The percussion team presented a compact, well balanced tani.

The concert concluded with the Paras Javali-Smarasundaraanguni. The conspicuous absence of the pratimadhyama note at one point in the anuppalavi and charana, rather famed by members of the Dhanammal school, was rather surprising!

Sreevalsan concluded the concert with an unhurried rendering of Mangalam.

A concert that matched the theme well.

rajeshnat
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Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 08:04

Re: Sreevalsan J Menon @ Ragasudha 29.10.2017

Post by rajeshnat »

Sivaramakrishnan wrote: 30 Oct 2017, 14:31
Sreevalsan, a disciple of Neyyattinkara Vasudevan who was a sishya of Ramanad Krishnan richly deserved the slot in the Centenary events and he did full justice to the opportunity.
SRK
I did not know that Neyyattinkara Vasudevan was also a disciple of Ramnad Krishnan, I was only aware of semmangudi connection. Thanks for the review , planned to attend this concert but had a family function , it is so rare to hear this lovely musician - sreevalsan menon , he needs far more opportunities in chennai.

gardabha_gana
Posts: 1033
Joined: 24 Dec 2006, 07:44

Re: Sreevalsan J Menon @ Ragasudha 29.10.2017

Post by gardabha_gana »

Any recording on parivadini or similar?

gardabha_gana
Posts: 1033
Joined: 24 Dec 2006, 07:44

Re: Sreevalsan J Menon @ Ragasudha 29.10.2017

Post by gardabha_gana »

BTW - Rudrapatnam brothers saluted their manasika guru "Ramnad Krishnan" during their concert at Gayana Samaja. Will post the report shortly.

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

Re: Sreevalsan J Menon @ Ragasudha 29.10.2017

Post by Sivaramakrishnan »

The organisers had videographed the concert.


mahavishnu
Posts: 3341
Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 21:56

Re: Sreevalsan J Menon @ Ragasudha 29.10.2017

Post by mahavishnu »

Sivaramakrishnan sir: Lavanya Rama was in Poornashadjam (from the video and in keeping with Ramnad Krishnan's style).
Not sure if it is ever sung in rudrapriya (unlike Dikshitar's gaNanAyakam)?

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

Re: Sreevalsan J Menon @ Ragasudha 29.10.2017

Post by Sivaramakrishnan »

mahavishnu,
Sorry for the inadvertent error!
Lavanyarama is (and was sung) in Poornashadjam.

Venkat Ramachandran
Posts: 72
Joined: 05 Feb 2015, 16:47

Re: Sreevalsan J Menon @ Ragasudha 29.10.2017

Post by Venkat Ramachandran »

But even Sreevalson mentioned it as Rudrapriya ,during the concert

ram1999
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Joined: 26 Nov 2015, 17:20

Re: Sreevalsan J Menon @ Ragasudha 29.10.2017

Post by ram1999 »

Lavanya rama was particularly a favorite of Ramnad Krishnan. His version is beautiful and soaked in melody.

ram1999
Posts: 534
Joined: 26 Nov 2015, 17:20

Re: Sreevalsan J Menon @ Ragasudha 29.10.2017

Post by ram1999 »

What a beautiful concert this was. Being Outside of India, I got the opportunity to listen to this in YT. Amazing Amazing. Beautiful voice, a humble musician and choice of ragas and kritis to showcase Ramnad Krishnan's music was just fabulous. The bhairavi was TOP CLASS, the alapana and the padam rendition, hearing such a fabulous bhairavi in a long time.

The other concert in this series was of Sriram Parasuram. WHAT A BRILLIANT ARTIST HE IS ! His anecdotes and short speeches were extremely informative. The hamir kalyani was top class with a lot of hindustani touches and apparently Ramnad was greatly influenced by the the styles of the Ustads Bade Ghulam Ali Khan Saheb and Amir Khan Saheb. Another top class Bhairavi but this was a Pallavi. He also mentioned that the Dhannammal School did not give too much importance to complex / complicated pallavis and the school believed strongly in the aesthetics. A SPLENDID CONCERT OF OVER 2 1/2 HOURS. A MUST LISTEN.

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