Top 10 chittaswarams

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prashant
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Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by prashant »

nA morAlakinCi - dhanyAsi [vINA kuppayyar] has an explosively beautiful CiTTaswara which astutely exploits the symmetries available even in a rakti raga like dhanyAsi. Sadly this song is more or less absent from the concert stages today.

Several Dikshitar songs have beautiful ones - The CiTTaswara of saraswati chAyAtarangiNi is happy and bubbly; that of nIrajAkshi serious and grand, with several of the MND jumps that characterise the Dikshitar interpretation of this raga. I also enjoy the one appended to guruguhAdanyam in balahamsa. The palindromic CiTTaswara of kamalAmbAm bhajarE is a treat.

The Cittaswara of Annasvami Sastri's shri kAmAkshi in sArangA is another classic. It drips with the essence of sAranga without showing the shuddha madhyama even once. Pure genius.
Last edited by prashant on 18 Dec 2015, 22:57, edited 1 time in total.

prashant
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Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by prashant »

@narayan - Many more for bEgaDA; a very CiTTaswara friendly raga!

The sparkling little CiTTaswara for kuppayyar's inta parAkEla [rupaka]

,,grgm,pdm,g | rs - grgm,pdpSn[2] || RS - GRGM,GRS - n[2], | dp - grgm,pdm,g || mr - [inta parAkEla]

SSP has one for shri mAtAh which has the delectable PNDM prayoga, and one for tyAgarAjAya as well which ends with a majestic flourish: pdpSpR - tyAgarAjAya.

prashant
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Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by prashant »

prashant wrote:@narayan - Many more for bEgaDA; a very CiTTaswara friendly raga!

The sparkling little CiTTaswara for kuppayyar's inta parAkEla [rupaka]

,,grgm,pdm,g | rs - grgm,pdpSn[2] || RS - GRGM,GRS - n[2], | dp - grgm,pdm,g || mr - [inta parAkEla]

SSP has one for shri mAtAh which has the delectable PNDM prayoga, and one for tyAgarAjAya as well which ends with a majestic flourish: pdpSpR - tyAgarAjAya.
pUrNaCandrika has one more nice one - for GNB's varada nipuNa.

jodha
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Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by jodha »

Dr.BMK - Arabhi- mahadevasutham maham.Some of HMB compositions like vanchathonu,himagirithanaye,sudhamayee had good chittasvaarms.Also I vote for the chittaswaram in veenaabheri and pahimam srirajaarjeswari (janaranjani).brochevaravarura in khamas another great.

sureshvv
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Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by sureshvv »

I would think that the most significant aspect of a chittaswaram is its tala. Can chittaswaras be transplanted to a different raga? Has this been attempted?

varsha
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Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by varsha »

tmt - karunanidhi illalo - todi

harimau
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Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by harimau »

Sri Jalandharam - Gambhira Nattai - Sri Jayachamaraja Wodeyar

SrinathK
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Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by SrinathK »

Sri Jalandharam Ashrayamyaham's Chittaswaram is the "moto perpetuo" of the lot.

TheListener
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Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by TheListener »

Semmangudi mentions in the 1987 Academy concert that the chittaswaram for Nenarunchinanu was composed by Thirukkodaikaval Krishna Iyer.

But I also 'very vaguely' remember reading somewhere a while ago that GNB also had composed chittaswaram for that krithi. Not sure, if that was a different chittaswaram or my memory is wrong. If someone has more info on this to refute or confirm, that will be great.

shankarank
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Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by shankarank »

HMB's caraNam Vijayasaraswathi in Vijayasaraswathi rendered by TNS has a good one.

narayan
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Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by narayan »

Since the question was about a top ten list, I vote for the raka sasivadana (takka) cittaswaram sung by S. Sowmya, presumably composed by S. Ramanathan.

Rsachi
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Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by Rsachi »

Sringaralahari! Nilambari at its best, with taut rhythm.
Many versions on gaana.com

Sivaramakrishnan
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Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by Sivaramakrishnan »

sureshvv wrote:
bala94ms wrote:Suresh Sir,
I haven't heard Chittaiswaram rendered for Bhogeendra Sayinam. Any Audio links ?
Bala.. I am afraid I might have misremembered the charanam as Chittaswaram :oops:

Thanks sureshvv for raising the query!

ganeshkarthik
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Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by ganeshkarthik »

saravanabhava- pasupathipriya. Muthiah bhagavathar

SrinathK
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Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by SrinathK »

Also the chittaswarams for GNB's composition in Kuntalavarali - Ninnu Pogada tharama.

And speaking of GNB composed chittaswarams, just 3 words -- Vara Raaga Laya. I need not say any more. 8-)

harimau
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Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by harimau »

There is a Sankarabharanam krithi by Mysore Sadasiva Rao.

It contains two chittaswarams, one for the anupallavi and one for the charanam.

One of them is ornamented with gamakas and is in Carnatic style.

The other one is sung with plain notes and resembles a Western tune.

For the life of me, I can't recall the name of the krithi.

Lakshman
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Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by Lakshman »

Is it shrI SaNmukha janaka?

keerthi
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Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by keerthi »

There is a Sankarabharanam krithi by Mysore Sadasiva Rao.

It contains two chittaswarams, one for the anupallavi and one for the charanam.

One of them is ornamented with gamakas and is in Carnatic style.
It is nannu brocuTakevarunnAru by Mysore Vasudevacarya.

Speaking of two ciTTasvara-s, srI mInAkSI gauri in the rAga gauri, by muttusvAmi dIkSitar, has two ciTTasvara-s - one each after the pallavi and anupallavi [the so called samaSThi caraNa]. Both are ornamented with gamakas, and are in Carnatic style.

anandmurty
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Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by anandmurty »

Absolutely love the chittaswara in guruguhAya in sAma. Hadn't heard this in renditions by Vijay Siva and others but came across it in a lecdem by Vid. T.S. Sathyavathi on Dikshitar.

https://youtu.be/gyME2kMJM2o?t=2453

Both the chittaswara and her explanation are sparkling and a total treat.

HarishankarK
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Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by HarishankarK »

I vote for Amba Paradevate and
Nannu Brochutaku (the western based cittaswaras are amazing and one of a kind). Sowmya sings this composition very well combining the carnatic kriti and western swaras very ably.

kartik
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Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by kartik »

Palaya Maam Siddhi Vinayaka by Sadasiva Rao in SuddhaDhanyasi (great lyrics too),has chittaswarams in 3 charanams.

kartik
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Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by kartik »

Among ragas that are attempted lesser, Koteeswara Iyers "Va velava"in Tanaroopi has delighful chittaswaram.

varsha
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Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by varsha »

http://www.mediafire.com/listen/ucdd5aa ... ni-PRR.mp3
I cant get past a cittaswara without pausing to think of this thread :shock:
Puducode Kr

Purist
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Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by Purist »

#48 Varsha, That was vintage stuff Varsha. Quality recording too. Do you have the link for the whole concert?, would
be thankful .

varsha
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Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by varsha »

PART OF 4- SONG EXTRACT OF AIR CONCERT
LGJPRaghu-Calicut-AIR-1983
WILL POST OTHER THREE

semmu86
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Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by semmu86 »

varsha wrote:http://www.mediafire.com/listen/ucdd5aa ... ni-PRR.mp3
I cant get past a cittaswara without pausing to think of this thread :shock:
Puducode Kr
Absolutely wonderful!! What a beautiful Thodi! Thanks very much Sir

Purist
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Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by Purist »

varsha wrote:PART OF 4- SONG EXTRACT OF AIR CONCERT
LGJPRaghu-Calicut-AIR-1983
WILL POST OTHER THREE
Thanks, in anticipation


srikant1987
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Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by srikant1987 »

Nice topic! =)
prashant wrote:nA morAlakinCi - dhanyAsi [vINA kuppayyar] has an explosively beautiful CiTTaswara which astutely exploits the symmetries available even in a rakti raga like dhanyAsi. Sadly this song is more or less absent from the concert stages today.
You can hear it in Karaikudi vainikas' concerts, like Smt Kalyani Ganesan or Smt R Ramani.

Purist
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Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by Purist »

Thanks for the link Varsha. Looks like a sangeeth sammelan relay. Full of bhava and saukhyam with LGJ icings.
Appreciate your uncanny ability to identify and preserve such gems.

Meenalochani
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Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by Meenalochani »

I am interested in getting the chittaswarams for the song "Sada Saranga Nayane" in Ranjani if available with one of the members. Thank you.

One of my favorite chittaswarams is for the song "Neekelana yeda nischalamu" in Devamanohari.

CRama
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Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by CRama »

Once I heard KVN singing the chittaswaram of Nannu brochutaku along with Ninne nammi nanu (Thodi).

rahm221
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Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by rahm221 »

Thanks Varsha for the vintage recording

bhaskan
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Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by bhaskan »

Namaste. Can anyone share chittaiswarams for Sharavanabhava in pasjupathipriya?

Regards

Bhaskaran
nbhask@gmail.com

Ranganayaki
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Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by Ranganayaki »

munirao2001 wrote: 17 Dec 2015, 12:44 Vallabha Nayakasya-Begada-Mudduswamy Dikshita- Semmengudi Mama (I do not know, whether he popularized it or he set them, excuse me for my ignorance and not checking, but posting. Varsha and others giving access to the resources, a highly commendable actions.

munirao2001
Just wondering if the interlude referred to here can be called Chitteswarams. It goes deem takita thom, ga ma ri ga, tarikita thom, etc.

ajaysimha
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Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by ajaysimha »

among the one i have heard,
the best one is "ninne bhajana in nattai by thyagarajar"
the janta prayogams in the chittai swaram make it more crisp.
but i'm not aware of the composer for cittai swarams for this composition.

rbharath
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Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by rbharath »

A nice topic. I love the cittai swarms sungs for the following kritis.

1. The list has to start with gajavadanA sammOdita vIra. I cannot put anything else above.
2. The second is also a tODi. endu dAginADO. Too good that one is.
3. niravati sukhadA
4. sObillu saptaswara
5. tAyE tripurasundari
6. telisi rAma
7. The swara sahityam of sarievarammA
8. The swara sahityam of Annaswamy Sastri's inkevarunnAru in sahAnA
9. The one sung with chandram bhaja mAnasa


The chittai swaram which Rama mami sang for vAraNa mukhava tuNai varuvAi, was very good too..

ajaysimha
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Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by ajaysimha »

who were the trend setters in composing chitta swaras for krithis ?

i could just figure out just a few, if any more please let me know

shyama shastri, subbaraya shastri, annaswami shastri and tenmatam brothers (shyama shastri school)
(specialized in composing chitta swaras and its counter part sahityam)

mysore vasudevacharyaru and mysore sadashiva rayaru (mysore composers)

Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer (i just know the CS's for gajavadana sammodita and bhavayami raghuramam. Any more ?)

CRama
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Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by CRama »

GNB for Vara ragalaya
Karakudi Sambasiva Iyer for Sobillu saptaswara

RSR
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Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by RSR »

'chittaiswaram ' is integral to the original composition. ( it is created by the composer himself). and not something that is added by the vocalist. By that definition, very few of the examples will qualify for that term unless, it can be conclusively shown that the original composers of the kriti had provided the swarams , themselves.

SrinathK
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Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by SrinathK »

Anything by Kadyanallur Venkataraman. His chittasawaras for kOva rAgO (valaji) and sadA sAranga nayanE are amongst my favourites.

But gajavadana sammOdita is special alright. How many G variations can one chittaswaram do?

RSR
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Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by RSR »

I should add that 'tunesmiths' for pre-1930 kritis by orthodox composers , where the notations did not exist, thus giving the freedom to the tuners to give body and swarams as built-in feature , is allowed.

ajaysimha
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Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by ajaysimha »

CRama wrote: 10 Jan 2020, 21:14 GNB for Vara ragalaya
Karakudi Sambasiva Iyer for Sobillu saptaswara
SrinathK wrote: 12 Jan 2020, 11:50 Anything by Kadyanallur Venkataraman. His chittasawaras for kOva rAgO (valaji) and sadA sAranga nayanE are amongst my favourites.
thanks CRama and Srinath for the info.
SrinathK wrote: 12 Jan 2020, 11:50 But gajavadana sammOdita is special alright. How many G variations can one chittaswaram do?
and semmangudi mama singing it in his inimitable style gives it more beauty :D

ajaysimha
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Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by ajaysimha »

ramamatya wrote: 17 Dec 2015, 09:30 1. Yochana - Darbar - Chittaswaram by GNB
2. Raga ratna malikache - ritigowla - Chittaswaram by Veena Kalahasti
3. Bhavayami - ragamalika - chittaswaram by Semmangudi

Can anyone share me link of the Krithi - raga ratna malikache sung with chittasvara?

ajaysimha
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Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by ajaysimha »

What is the thumb rule to be followed for rendering krithis with both chitta swara and swara sahitha? (Like shastri family krithis)

Just asking to know, as each artist follows a pattern in rendering the same.

#1 Generally followed pattern
Pallavi
Anupallavi
(Chitta Swaram)
Charanam
(Swara Sahityam)

#2 chitta swaram and swara sahityam sung back to back after Anupallavi and swara sahityam alone after charanam
Pallavi
Anupallavi
(Chitta Swaram)
(Swara Sahityam)
Charanam
(Swara Sahityam)

#3 a rare variety, sing both chitta swaram and swara sahityam both, twice, after Anupallavi and charanam.
Pallavi
Anupallavi
(Chitta Swaram)
(Swara Sahityam)
Charanam
(Chitta Swaram)
(Swara Sahityam)

#4 and for composition with multiple charanam (mostly with same tune) should chitta swaram and its sahityam be sung?

To all charanams or to only last charanan?

Please let me know your thoughts.

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