NZCMS Day 2 - 2/6/19 Sriranjani Santhanagopalan

[MV]

Vocal - Sriranjani Santhanagopalan
Violin - Vittal Rangan
Mridangam - KV Prasad

1) Viribhoni Ata Varnam
2) Thathvamariya Reethigowla PSivan (KS)
3) Kamalamba Dikshitar's Kalyani Navavarnam preceded by Manikya Veena Viruttam to Mahakavi Kalidas
4) NenarunchinAru Malavi Thyagaraja
5) Eppadi Manam ThunindadO Huseini A Kavi
6) Yedhirilla Bhakthiyai Thiruppugazh in Saraswathi
7) KarunAnidhi ilalO Thodi Tisra Adhi SS (R, N @ kOmala mrudu Bhashinee, gAna sadrusha vEni, KS, Thani)
8) RTP in Khanda Triputa Vagadeeshwari
Nee PadamulE Gati yani Nammithi-rAma rAmachandra
KS in KAnadA, KedAram and Karnaranjani
9) Viruttam for ChintAkulam Thavirthu followed by Poonkuyil Koovum Kalki Krishnamurthy
10) Thillana in Niroshta composed by TNS
11) Eppadi KEttAl Kannan ArulvAnO Madurageetham in Bhimplas
12) Hari Chitta Satya Jonpuri PD

[MV]

Sriranjani looking pretty as a picture in a black and teal saree took stage on Day 2. Talk about lineage-her father Neyvelli Sir, his father and his Gurus Tanjore Sankara Iyer, TN Seshagopalan, Maharajapuram. Impeccable!!! And she did them all proud. In the popular Bhairavi Khanda Ata varnam, she attempted the charanam in Chaturasra Ata in Khanda Nadai with the 2 druthams in chatusra nadai. Missed it once and came back to do it all in style. Technique, skill, confidence all there to see
Her 1 avartanam KS for Reethigowla were eloquent and were well mirrored on the violin. MD's navavarnams can be laborious if not sung with all the nuances but Sriranjani had no problems picking off all the right subtleties. And then she melted a few hearts with the Huseini - Sita begging Rama not to go. Her youth and fervour showed with that lightning speed Malavi and that already crazy Chittaswaram in that speed.
I always think Meena Lochani for Sriranjani. I've heard her sing it oh so well and so on. But we are grateful to the Malladis for singing it 'oh so well' the previous day. Because, she whisked out the rarely heard Syama Shastri in Thodi. Her alapana before that found all the sweet spots and more in Thodi. Vittal had much to say there as well. She explained her neraval line 'kOmala mrudu bhashini, Ghana sadrushu vEni' One with a sweet, gentle speech but a strong presence. And with that she took the audience along as she explored the contours and contrasts in the lyrics and raga. KV Prasad played a dream Thani.
She displayed her strong sense of laya in all aspects of that beautiful RTP. Earlier, she had a sankeerna nadai theermanam for the Tisra Nadai Adhi KS for the Syama Shasrtri kirtana. She's game and talented enough to try new stuff!
Her command over the lighter pieces was no surprise after all we had heard. She then sang the Thillana in Niroshta- a raga created by HKM where the lips don't touch srgdns-sndgrs. She pointed out the lyrics by the maestro TNS where the lips don't meet either 'SenthilnAthA GuruguhA' Mastery!!
But the crowd had not had enough so she sang that lovely Madura geetham and PD Jonpuri.
The young brigade is here and how! Both Sriranjani and Vittal ruled it under Shri KV Prasad's benevolent gaze.

[rajeshnat]

Sriranjani looking pretty as a picture in a black and teal saree took stage on Day 2. Talk about lineage-her father Neyvelli Sir, his father and his Gurus Tanjore Sankara Iyer, TN Seshagopalan, Maharajapuram. Impeccable!!! And she did them all proud.

I dont think Neyveli had any guru relationship with maharajapuram , manaseekam perhaps yes. Am I missing something here malathi. Tx for your review, auckland rocks.

[CRama]

Sriranjani looking pretty as a picture in a black and teal saree took stage on Day 2. Talk about lineage-her father Neyvelli Sir, his father and his Gurus Tanjore Sankara Iyer, TN Seshagopalan, Maharajapuram. Impeccable!!! And she did them all proud.

I dont think Neyveli had any guru relationship with maharajapuram , manaseekam perhaps yes. Am I missing something here malathi. Tx for your review, auckland rocks.

Rajesh, it seems you are not able to accept the fact that Santhanagopalan had a brief stint under your favourite star Maharajapuram Santhanam. We had discussed this point earlier also. Now I am reproducing the relevant extracts from Sruti Issue April 2017 featuring the Cover Story on Neyveli Santhanagopalan.

“ On a ride down Sivagnanam Road in T.Nagar, he chanced to see the name plate of Maharajapuram Santhanam and walked into the house. A singing session was in progress and the new teenager was also asked to sing. One thing led to another and Neyveli Santhanam found himself drafted as a disciple to provide pin paattu or vocal support for Maharajapuram Santhanam for a concert at Sree Krishna Gana sabha. His parents in Neyveli encouraged him to continue under the maestro’s tutelage and he remained so for about a year.” (Page 26)

[rajeshnat]

Thank you crama for posting again .You put it in sruti magazine but I am not sure if it was put in rasikas . Thank you

[MV]

Rajesh & CRama,

Manaseekam or real, they were in the house where Sriranjani grew up. Her lineage being the moot point

[arasi]

Sriranjani, she's a blast! I am all admiration for that young woman (from her teen years, of course). She has everything going for her in the matter of talent, khAndAn (vazhi) and in her involvement with her music. With all the assets she possesses, even adversities don't bring her down. A trooper she is, I would say.
I wish I could hear at least that karuNAnidhi ilalO by SS in tODi…
Speaking of young artistes, Vittal Rangan is getting to be an everyone's favorite. Power to him! As with kannaDa songs, Karnataka artistes are heard more these days in Chennai and abroad!

MV, Kiwi Land creeper, thanks for your reviews of the series

[rshankar]

Thank you for the review. For a second there, I thought I was reading one of Suresh's reviews!!

Who is composer of eppaDi kETTAl?

the Huseini - Sita begging Rama not to go.

I think it was the case of sItA alternately imploring and chiding rAmA to not leave her behind. I do not think she ever considers asking him to not follow his father's orders, and not go.....

She explained her neraval line 'kOmala mrudu bhashini, Ghana sadrushu vEni' One with a sweet, gentle speech but a strong presence.

More like "hair/braid (vENi) that resembled (sadRSa) a (black) cloud (ghana)", right?

[MV]

rshankar,
Eppadi Kettal She announced as Madurageetham from Muralidharan
Huseini- yes alternately imploring and chiding sounds right. It is Arunachala Kavirayar composition and the context was quite evident I think. Error made by me in my rush to get all 3 in
Neraval line was as explained by Sriranjani - maybe that was the thought going through her head. She matched it up with a neraval showing sweetness on the one hand and strength on the other. Artistic licence I think which was well taken

[sureshvv]

Thank you for the review. For a second there, I thought I was reading one of Suresh's reviews!!

Alas.. Would have been the one writing it if the concert was even at New Washermanpet.

More like "hair/braid (vENi) that resembled (sadRSa) a (black) cloud (ghana)", right?

Yep... Strong presence