Visakha Hariji @ NGS on New Year Day 2018

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Vocalist
Posts: 1030
Joined: 19 Feb 2006, 18:53

Visakha Hariji @ NGS on New Year Day 2018

Post by Vocalist »

Difficult to imagine, but I attended the New Year Day concert in 2018 too - it only feels like a week ago when I wrote a review for the New Year Day concert in 2017. That said, if I put this off any longer, I feel another anubhavam worth sharing would be missed.

Narada Gana Sabha main hall, 4pm (ticketed of course), 2hr15min

Visakha Hari vocal/story
Mudikonden S N Ramesh veena
B Ananthakrishnan violin
S J Arjun Ganesh mridangam
Trichy K Murali ghatam

The Harikatha & Carnatic music specialist is at the top of her class in my opinion - the commanding voice, a beautiful sense of pitch, vocal aesthetics, story-telling, and sense of humour are still there. She seems to be is in tune with the pulse of the audience, and at the same time, she manages (and appreciates) what is happening on stage, maintains the spirituality of her story-telling, and delivers such beautiful music. I can't be sure if the auditorium was jam-packed like last year, but it was almost full when I entered. Air-conditioning was very high; some seats are permanently cold I am sure from that temperature - and I wouldn't mind it so much if it froze the mosquitos or mosquito-like insects (but no - they were flying about throughout the auditorium no matter what time of the day it was and no matter what temperature it was as I found this year).

The theme title was "Naradha Bhakthi Suthra". Beginning the concert with Ninne Bhajana in Nattai, she took care to outline the significance of sage Naradha (he was not just as a character providing comedic relief in all of the devotional stories and bhakthi shasthras) and the reverence which should be given to him. Without sage Naradha, stories pertaining to divine children such as Dhruva and Prahaladha would not exist - and epics such as sage Valmiki's Ramayanam and sage Vyasa's Bhagavatham would not exist. The belief that Thyagaraja is Naradha's reincarnation also is of significance, along with the fact Thyagaraja revered Naradha as his guru. She also clearly defined suthras and how they differed from other poetry and prose, with clear examples. She also described different forms of bhakthi, and some of Naradha's bhakthi suthras too.

Some verses from Naradha's bhakthi suthras were recited explicitly as slokas/virutthams at various points of the concert, but overall, she took a more holistic approach by bringing out the essence of his suthras through stories of various saints. That said, there were some times were the suthras could have been more clearly interspersed with the stories - particularly in the second half of the concert. The majority of the compositions she rendered for the evening were composed by Thyagaraja, including Seethapathe (Khamas), a main krithi of Bhakthi (Shankarabharanam), and a conclusion of Kanakanaruchira (Varali). She noted that the Pancharathna was chosen in view of the early start of the Aradhana in Thiruvaiyyaru. Similarly, Sivan's Kana Vendamo (Sriranjani) before the conclusion was very welcome, particularly as the Arudhra Dharishanam festival would fall on the day after the concert. The thani avarthanam by the rhythmic instrumentalists was short and crisp, as were the mini-thanams that were rendered by the vocalist and melodic instrumentalists. The addition of the veena accompanist enhanced this particular concert, and his playing was similarly stunning - the way he kept up with all of the artists while maintaining the integrity of the veena was noteworthy.

What was the musical highlight for me? I still remember from last year her emotional rendition of Arunachala Kavirayar's Kanden Kanden in Bhageshri towards the end of the concert that stole my heart. This year, it was to be when she sweetly sang Thyagaraja's Shri Naradha (Kanada) in the first quarter of the concert - iced with slokas before-hand, and further decorated with swaras after-hand. It made me forget everything and took me to another world; pure bliss.

Concert finished on the dot, and I didn't detect the katha being rushed this time at the end - perhaps as there were many mini kathas rather than a central epic katha. Still, how I wish Naradha Gana Sabha would increase the duration of this New Year's Day concert; I never grow tired of listening to this team of performers!

There is probably a lot more which I could add (like last year, it would mostly be positive I think), but again I didn't take notes so I will leave it there unless there are specific questions.
Last edited by Vocalist on 10 Jan 2018, 19:51, edited 1 time in total.

Jigyaasa
Posts: 587
Joined: 16 May 2006, 14:04

Re: Visakha Hariji @ NGS on New Year Day 2018

Post by Jigyaasa »

Vocalist wrote: 09 Jan 2018, 21:15 Dikshithar's Shri Naradha (Kanada)
SrI nArada nAda sarasIruha bhrnga is a composition of Sri Thyagaraja.

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

Re: Visakha Hariji @ NGS on New Year Day 2018

Post by Sivaramakrishnan »

Vocalist,
Following mentions are seen in your report:

Visakha Hariji/ Hari
vocal/story
Harikatha and Carnatic music

Shouldn't it be
Visakha Hari &
Sangeetha Upanyasam?

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

Re: Visakha Hariji @ NGS on New Year Day 2018

Post by semmu86 »

Unfortunately, It's less of sangeetham and even less of upanyAsam

Vocalist
Posts: 1030
Joined: 19 Feb 2006, 18:53

Re: Visakha Hariji @ NGS on New Year Day 2018

Post by Vocalist »

Jigyaasa wrote: 09 Jan 2018, 22:12
Vocalist wrote: 09 Jan 2018, 21:15 Dikshithar's Shri Naradha (Kanada)
SrI nArada nAda sarasIruha bhrnga is a composition of Sri Thyagaraja.
Apologies; I have corrected this. My mind drifted briefly as I recalled she emotionally referred to Dikshitar's last moments during the concert and I couldn't make up my mind about whether to include it in this report or not, given I myself was running out of time in writing this.

Vocalist
Posts: 1030
Joined: 19 Feb 2006, 18:53

Re: Visakha Hariji @ NGS on New Year Day 2018

Post by Vocalist »

Sivaramakrishnan wrote: 10 Jan 2018, 14:48 Vocalist,
Following mentions are seen in your report:

Visakha Hariji/ Hari
vocal/story
Harikatha and Carnatic music

Shouldn't it be
Visakha Hari &
Sangeetha Upanyasam?
The insertion of "ji" was a very small gesture on my part to add the very significant respect I felt for her after the concert (for a second year in a row).

Her contribution to the concert is certainly "vocal" rather than as an instrumentalist/accompanist - but as this is not just another music kutcheri, I added the reference of "story" which she narrates separately to the music component. Beyond this English distinction I have used, each person may have a different opinion as to what the term or description should be in more authentic terms - I have not been terribly convinced about which is more correct than the other (how different/similar/identical the following terms are in meaning: Harikatha, Harikatha Kalakshepam, and Sangeetha Upanyasam).

If I said "Sangeetha Upanyasam", on the one hand some may argue that more music is not featured than story (which is expected in Sangeetha Upanyasam - even if it is a shortened form of Harikatha), and on the other hand some may argue that entire krithis and manodharmam are being featured (which is not usually found in Sangeetha Upanyasam - it is usually snatches of slokas and krithis devoid of raga alapana, tanam, nereval, swarakalpana, and so forth).

There may also be similar arguments against whether it should be called Harikatha. I think some people believe exponents should stand in Harikatha, harmonimum should be used, certain Namasankeerthana-type formalities should be followed, the division between story and music should be equal (or different to Sangeetha Upanyasam), and tala be kept differently. But, there are also a number of people who will say that these are not requirements for traditional Harikatha in South India.

The reason for my choice was more straightforward: "Harikatha" was the formal term used in the NGS program poster for this concert. :) However, while there is no doubt that Harikatha (or "Harikatha Kalakshepam") intersperses music with the story, I do not think the term guaranteed that the music would be 'Carnatic music' or that elements of a 'Carnatic music' concert would be featured - which is why I added the extra clarification, if it can be called that :? , in this report. :D

(For anyone who read through this, please accept my apologies, as my answer seems to be very disproportionate in length! :|)

rajeshnat
Posts: 9907
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 08:04

Re: Visakha Hariji @ NGS on New Year Day 2018

Post by rajeshnat »

sangeetha upanyasam is either more of music and less of story or Equal music and story right . If story is more than music than you cannot call it as sangeetha upanyasam . Harikatha is always more of story than music. Many years back I attended her and when I asked in this forum or sangetham.com this is what the distinction that came up . I think visaka adding a quality violinist and quality mrudangam artist(usually B ananthakrishnan and arjun ganesh) enhances her delivery . I think she adding a veena artist also means that her story and music can be further trimmed . I am not sure if harmonium can be a distinction between to be categorized as harikatha

By any chance prior to visaka hari i have heard the greatest harikatha exponent TS balakrishna sastri(he speaks with so much of feeling and wit) , unfortunately between these two artists i dont have any clue with only one where I heard the nephew of sengalipuram anantharama dikshitar, whose name i forget now i think rama deekshitar.

Just curious was sangeetha upanyasam term used for any other artist before visaka hari ? Can some one let me know if there were any sangeetha upanyasam artist before? Or is this term sangeetha upanyasam / harikatha distinction is a more marketing thing done by visaka , may be it is just like chitraveena/gottuvadyam. Any thoughts from other forumites especially those who are senior citizens? What does dushyant sridhar calls his discourse sangeetha upanyasam or harikatha?

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

Re: Visakha Hariji @ NGS on New Year Day 2018

Post by semmu86 »

HarikathA is where it requires the performer to STAND and perform. Usually the performing artiste has a "chiplA kaTTai" as the tool for putting thALam while singing in between. Usually, harikathA doesn't allow the performers to refer notes. A vocal support at the max is what the artiste is permitted. There are also other elements in the performance of harikathA, one of them being "avathArikai", where the artiste after singing the pallavi of a krithi for e.g, would explain the meaning of the sAhityam and at the same time the thALam would be in place and the accompanists would be playing in a very subdued tone and the artiste and the accompanists would join for the anupallavi as usual after the explanation for the pallavi is over.

It requires enormous control over sAhityam and Laya.

The ONLY artiste who performs harikathA today as it ought to be, is Shri Kalyanapuram Aravamudhan. If any one of you haven't listened to him, pls do. You would get an idea as to HOW to perform harikathA. I haven't heard Embar Vijayaraghavachariar Live, but from what little pics of him I have seen and from Family elders, he too had performed harikathA standing only.

Sangeetha upanyAsam can be with or without accompanists. Here, the performer is at a liberty to sit and also allowed to refer notes. THIS is the most common form that we get to listen today from the majority of today's artists. Am not sure about Balakrishna Sastrigal either. If he has performed sitting, then that ought to come under sangeetha upanyAsam and NOT harikathA. What most of the artists do today will definitely come under Sangeetha upanyAsam. They are of course at their liberty to call it however they want it to & there would still be takers for that, unfortunately!

rajeshnat
Posts: 9907
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 08:04

Re: Visakha Hariji @ NGS on New Year Day 2018

Post by rajeshnat »

I forgot this thread yesterday just remembered only today
Check the difference of harikatha and other 4 genres there (particularly the 5th post of always_Evolving who is radhika udayshankar)
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=8611

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

Re: Visakha Hariji @ NGS on New Year Day 2018

Post by ram1999 »

semmu86 wrote: 11 Jan 2018, 10:52

Am not sure about Balakrishna Sastrigal either. If he has performed sitting, then that ought to come under sangeetha upanyAsam and NOT harikathA. What most of the artists do today will definitely come under Sangeetha upanyAsam.
Sri Balakrishna Sastrigal has performed sitting (whatever I know of in his later years). Absolutely brilliant!

TNS performs harikatha standing.

Embar / Kalyanapuram Aravamudham - Great harikatha exponents !

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