SANJAY SUBRAMANIAM IN RAMNAD KRISHNAN CENTENERAY CELEBERATIONS- 18/3/18

[CRama]

The family of Ramnad Krishnan deserves accolades for organising some of the finest concerts in connection with the Centenary Celebrations of the illustrious Ramnad Krishnan who held considerable influence on the current stars of Carnatic music as they have expressed in various occasions. The concert of Sanjay on the Sunday morning hours in the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan organised by Kartik Fine Arts can be ranked among one of the best concerts of the star musician. The hall was full before the start of the concert at 10 A.M. He was accompanied by his regular team of accompanists- S.Varadarajan, Neyveli Venkatesh and Alathur Rajaganesh (Ganjira). The list of songs.
• Palayamam Deva Parvathy jaane-Pada varnam- Poornachandrika-Adi –ST
• Brovasamayamide-Gowrimanohari-Garbhapurivasar- Adi. (S)
• Sree Krishnam bhajare re manasa- Rupavaty- Rupakam. MD
• Ekamranatham bhajeham-Poorvikalyani-Adi. MD (R,N,S)
• Vidajaladura-Janaranjani-Adi. T (R)
• Enna Punniyam seythayo nenjame-Huseni- Misrachapu. Sivaramayogi.
• Koniyadina na pai- Kambodi-Adi. Veena Kuppier (R,S)
• Tani
• Mohanakara Muthukumara-Nitimati- Rupakam-KI
• Vande Mataram- Slokam- Saveri, Sahana, Kalyani, Begada, Suruti.
• Oori varemi jesetare- Javali (??)- Suruti.
• Nijagadasa yadunandane-Ashtapadi-Sindubhairavi.
• Slokam-Madhyamavathy
• Mangalam.

Like many of the musicians singing in this series, Sanjay also very thoughtfully selected the ragams/kritis associated with Ramnad Krishnan. Sanjay started the concert with a rare pada varnam of Swati Tirunal. In this context it is worth mentioning that the opening of Navarathri Mandapam and Kuthira Malika to young musicians by Prince Aswati Tirunal Rama Varma is yielding desired results- More and more musicians are singing Swati Tirunal Kritis and many musicians like Sanjay are exploring unheard kritis and popularising them. The varnam is in Telugu and I am hearing for the first time. It is interesting to note that the charanam line conveys the Ragamudhra- not usually seen in many varnams. Sanjay sang the last Ettugada swaram in Melkalam also and the varnam ended with the refrain of the pallavi- which is not usual with the other varnams. The second song is from the kitty of Brinda Mukta and Ramnad Krishnan and decorated with sufficient bouts of kalpana swarams. The song in Rupavaty of Dikshitar also is a rarely heard one having a chittaswaram revealing the vakra sancharams of the ragam.

Poorvikalyani was the first ragam taken up for elaboration which was presented along the characteristic pidis of the ragam in a delectable manner. After the raga delineation, Sanjay sang a lovely virutham Karuvutra naal mudal un padame kaanpadarku before the Dikshitar kriti Ekamranatham, which is also not very common one. Neraval in the charanam lines Panchakshara manthra roopam Prasanna roopam and the following swaras were gripping. Janaranjani was next taken up for elaboration- a ragam which is synonymous with the legendary Ramnad Krishnan. The alapana bore the distinct stamp of the ragam without any confusion with its cousin Poornachandrika.

After the filler in Huseni, ragam Kambodi was presented in all its splendour revealing the myriad hues of the ragam, his voice in good stead negotiating the three octaves with natural ease and a display of his manodharmam and long experience. Koniyadina na pai was presented well in a leisurely kalapramanam with full fidelity to the authentic sangatis. Skipping neraval, he lashed into the kalpana swaras at the pallavi. The swaras had a few vyavaharam laden phrases and some nadai variations also which were presented without loss of aesthetic values.

The virutham Malon maruganai preceded the kriti Mohanakara muthukumara. The ragamalika slokam was presented with oozing raga bhavam and the song in Suruti is also a rare one. Fortunately Sanjay eschewed the unmusical phrases.

S.Varadarajan was in top form. His alapana of Poorvikalyani, Kambodi and the ragamalika slokam were much enjoyable and brought out the raga bhavam quite eloquently with the choicest phrases with appreciable thick and thin shades. Neyveli Venkatesh with his long experience of accompanying Sanjay embellished the concert with his deft strokes and presented many nice patterns while filling the gaps in the course of the various kritis. There was clarity and variety in the sollus employed and Alathur Rajaganesh complemented well. Alathur showed his craftsmanship in the tani which the audience enjoyed much by repeated cheers.

An excellent concert for two hours and forty five minutes.

[keentolearn]

Nice review!
I was at the concert, and enjoyed it, too.
Does anyone know the lyrics of the javali? Oori varemi. I can't find anything online.

Than you!

[keentolearn]

correction - thank you!

[CRama]

I too googled, but could not find any info.

[sureshvv]

Grand Kambodhi. As he was getting to the end of the alapana, he gave an indication of the kriti to follow by singing the chittaswaras in it, also popularized by "Sampoorna ramayanam" (kailai nathanai kavarnda ragam). Venkateswaran would have loved it!

[keentolearn]

I've just spent a couple of hours trying to find " Oori varemi jesetare- Javali (??)- Suruti". Without any luck, though in the process, I followed several threads here, and read many lovely padams and javalis, and the involved discussions around some of them!

Is there no-one who knows anything about oori varemi jesetare? I'm now dying to know what it means, and why it's so tough to locate!

[kvchellappa]

kaccheri Kaiyedu gives this entry:
oori varemi - javali- kedara gowla - dharmapuri Subbarayar

Googling I found this link:
http://www.sangeetasudha.org/othercompo ... /jp25.html

[keentolearn]

Thank you, Sir.
It's such a pretty javali! So light and playful, compared to many others of his.

[Govindaswamy]

Were not such vulgar jAvaLis and padams composed for dance by prostitutes to please their clients.

[Govindaswamy]

Most of jAvaLis and padams are erotic and vulgar. Were they not cpmposed for dance by prostitutes to please their clients.

[rshankar]

Most of jAvaLis and padams are erotic and vulgar. Were they not cpmposed for dance by prostitutes to please their clients.

Most of them were composed by men....who are the women (prostitutes or not) you are referring to?

[keentolearn]

Here we go again! Just say the words "Padam" and "Javali" and people feel duty-bound to bring up "obscene", "vulgar" etc.

[sreebeecane]

Most of jAvaLis and padams are erotic and vulgar. Were they not cpmposed for dance by prostitutes to please their clients.

Hmm. With such a delightful name, I think you should stop seeing the world with Victorian morals. Just a humble suggestion from a rasika.

[sureshvv]

Were not such vulgar jAvaLis and padams composed for dance by prostitutes to please their clients.

Yep. Clientele included the Good Lord!

[arasi]

Being a woman, some of the lyrics have offended me over the years, I don't deny. However, the musical quality and rAga nuTpam (finesse) in them are priceless, I realize.
Ravi,
A bit of personal history here that you are aware of for those who don't know it. My reaction to some of the lyrics over the years (and no victorian attitude on my part !)...Arun's statement that we barely have songs (Bharathi being among the exceptions) of a man's love for a woman in CM--we have many in the movies--? I had a year or so of composing songs of that nature. Reluctant though I am to promote my product, I have to say that Suryaprakash gave excellent expression to the sentiments of men of different kinds and of age, about the women they loved--by singing in the CD engirundO vandAi...
Rap my knuckle if you consider this self promotion

[Ranganayaki]

Rap my knuckle if you consider this self promotion

No, it's very nice, what you say! I think it is appreciation, you seem to be thankful to Sri Suryaprakash for what he has done with your work.

[MaheshS]

Concert available on YouTube.

[keentolearn]

Arasi, "for those who don't know" you said - I'm new and I didn't know you're a composer. I am going to try and get EngirundO vandAi. WiIll contact you if I run into trouble getting.

MaheshS - thanks for the link.

[arasi]

Keentolearn,
Thanks for your interest.
MaheshS,
Thanks for bringing the concert