Singing along with playing the Veena - including Audio samples

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Sreeni Rajarao
Posts: 1283
Joined: 04 Feb 2010, 08:19

Singing along with playing the Veena - including Audio samples

Post by Sreeni Rajarao »

Please note - I use the words Veena and Veene as interchangeable. Veene is the kannaDa word for Veena.

I have had this topic on my list of threads to open for about 10 years! I am finally doing this now!
I think this is an appropriate time considering all the discussions going on in recent days in other threads in the Concert Reviews section.

I grew up in a home where live music (as in practicing, training) filled the air from the time I woke up in the morning, sometimes as early as 4 am, till about 8 pm, almost every single day - And I remember veena playing and singing along were very much inseparable.

My Father Veene Rajarao (1909 - 1979) trained most of his students learning the veena to sing along while playing the veena. Of course, there were some exceptions!

Coming from the Mysore tradition of veena playing in the early 1900s, Father was a vaiNika-gAyaka, like many of his predecessors and contemporaries. He has documented that Veene Sheshanna (1852 - 1926) was known to be enthusiastic about singing along - at the same time, Sheshanna was realistic about his limitations in singing. Veene Subbanna (1853 - 1938) was known for his fine singing-along capabilities while performing on the veene. He was especially known for his Rama Neeyada in Kharaharapriya and kanikaramunchi in rAga Panchama.
My Grandfather Bhairavi Lakshminaranappa (1878 - 1934) was a gAyaka trained by Mysore Vasudevacharya and sang along with Sri Acharya in many concerts. He was a vaiNika as well trained by Sheshanna.
My Father was known for his vocal performances, as he was for his veene performances. One of the titles bestowed on him was Gayana Vadana Praveena. In fact, his concert at Madras Music Academy in December 1934 was a vocal concert!
I remember from the last few years of his life, his veene concerts typically included him singing along, mostly for the dAsara pada-s that he had tuned, such as jo jo srikrishna in kuranji, oorige bandare dasayya in kapi, Adidano Ranga in Arabhi, bandanene ranga in Sri rAga.

Svaramurthi V N Rao (1912 - 1980), Veene Sheshanna’s Grandson was also a Gayana Vadana Praveena.
In recent times, veteran R Vishveshwaran has continued to delight us with singing along with his engaging veene playing.

It is no surprise that my sister Veena Kinhal (born 1953) was trained in the same tradition. She has continued this tradition. Fortunately, I have several recordings that I enjoy and I am happy to share!

I will share a few recordings, spanning from the year 1991 February to as recently as 2015 November. I will provide some context to the recording(s) being shared, as I believe that is relevant.

1991 February, First Concert in Montreal
After delighting the audience for the first hour of the concert with such gems as pagavari varNa, pranamamyaham in GouLa, Lavanya Rama in Purnashadja, Bhavayami Raghuramam (uploaded on YouTube), manavyala kinchara, Veena Kinhal launched into an Alapane in Saramati. After about 13 minutes Alapane (not included in this recording uploaded here), this was presented…

https://archive.org/details/MokshamugaladaTrimmed

I was not present at this concert. However, everytime I listen to the full recording of this concert, I am delighted when singing along starts for Mokshamu galada in about the 14th minute. The concert continues to a glorious 20 plus minutes of Poorvi Kalyani (gnAnamosagarAda, performed only on the veene) and continues to singing along for dAsara pada-s Jo Jo Sri krishna (uploaded on YouTube also)

https://archive.org/details/VeenaKinhal ... rstConcert

and Oorige bandare dAsayya, Sheshanna’s Behag tillAna, and Mangala (singing along again for mannAru krishnage mangaLa!)

https://archive.org/details/MangalaMann ... eenaKinhal

Sreeni Rajarao

Sreeni Rajarao
Posts: 1283
Joined: 04 Feb 2010, 08:19

Re: Singing along with playing the Veena - including Audio samples

Post by Sreeni Rajarao »

I am hoping other Rasika-s will share recordings from their collection relevant to the topic in this thread.

I will continue with my next segment in this thread.

2009 March, Concert in Troy, Michigan

I was present at this concert - well, I organized it - Birth Centenary Celebrations for Veene Rajarao in Michigan.

Vidushi Veena Kinhal was in a mood to sing along that day - in spite of the cold Michigan weather reminding her voice that this is not sunny San Diego from where She had flown in about 12 hours earlier. 9 of the 14 Items performed featured singing along.

Indiresh Maktal accompanied on mRdanga.

Started with the following compositions of Veene Rajarao:
Swarajati in Hamsanandi, followed by Varna in Shudda Dhanyasi, Saraswati vanajabhava sati in Saraswati raga;

At this point, looks like She had decided to sing along.

Haratanaya Sree in Nata raga (sing along)

namipenayya tyagaraja in Kathana Kutuhala (sing along) .

neekenduku dayaradu rama in simhendra madhyama (sing along, I have shared this recording previously)

https://archive.org/details/VeenaKinhal ... lebrations

Vishweshar darshan kar in sindhu bhairavi (sing along)

rA rA rAjIva locana in mOhana (sing along, I have shared this recording previously)

https://archive.org/details/RaRaRajivaL ... Kinhal2009

Kathana kutuhala again - raghuvamsha sudhambudhi

Nagumomu in Abheri (sing along - sharing this recording for the first time)

https://archive.org/details/11AbheriVeenaKinhal2009

Adidano Ranga in Aarabhi (sing along)

Jo Jo Sri Krishna in Kuranji (sing along)

Veene Sheshanna tillAna in Hindustani Kapi

Mannaru Krishnage Mangala in Vasanta (sing along)

Sreeni Rajarao

Sreeni Rajarao
Posts: 1283
Joined: 04 Feb 2010, 08:19

Re: Singing along with playing the Veena - including Audio samples

Post by Sreeni Rajarao »

I remembered I have heard this one, so searched and found on YouTube:

Vidushi Geetha Bennet

Bhava Priye Bhavani in Bhavani rAga:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=783ivAP576M&t=528s

Gayakpriya rAga:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwbozAgY50w


I know I have heard some beautiful pieces from Vidushi Kalpakam Swaminathan - will search and provide link here in the coming days
Last edited by Sreeni Rajarao on 09 Jan 2018, 05:58, edited 1 time in total.

rshankar
Posts: 13754
Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 22:26

Re: Singing along with playing the Veena - including Audio samples

Post by rshankar »

Thanks, Sreeni! Very nice clips...

Sreeni Rajarao
Posts: 1283
Joined: 04 Feb 2010, 08:19

Re: Singing along with playing the Veena - including Audio samples

Post by Sreeni Rajarao »

Sreeni Rajarao wrote: 23 Dec 2017, 21:34
1991 February, First Concert in Montreal
.... and continues to singing along for dAsara pada-s Jo Jo Sri krishna (uploaded on YouTube also)

https://archive.org/details/VeenaKinhal ... rstConcert

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptB6BpJ9LTU
Added You Tube link to Jo Jo Sri Krishna quoted in Post # 1

Sreeni Rajarao
Posts: 1283
Joined: 04 Feb 2010, 08:19

Re: Singing along with playing the Veena - including Audio samples

Post by Sreeni Rajarao »

Nov 23rd, 2012: Veena Kinhal's short performance in Bangalore.

I was in audience for this performance.

Abhogi rAga: vandipe ninagAnu sundara sree gaNanATha

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cS4TGHVR_0Q

Saraswati rAga: saraswati vanajaBhava sati

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHcwxiOr8Zw

kApi rAga: oorige bandare dAsayya namma kErige bA kandya dAsayya

Sreeni Rajarao

Sreeni Rajarao
Posts: 1283
Joined: 04 Feb 2010, 08:19

Re: Singing along with playing the Veena - including Audio samples

Post by Sreeni Rajarao »

From Post # 2 above.....
Adidano Ranga in Aarabhi (sing along)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5y4j93P2wLw

kunthalavarali
Posts: 425
Joined: 03 Mar 2010, 01:30

Re: Singing along with playing the Veena - including Audio samples

Post by kunthalavarali »

Thanks for the clips.
I am reminded of another Veena/ Vocal artiste from the Mysore school, Neelamma Kadambi who was popular in the concert circuit. Hopefully AIR Bengaluru or Mysore have her recordings in their archives. Lalitha Venkataraman (I think she was from Bombay) also sang along with veena playing in those days.

Sachi_R
Posts: 2174
Joined: 31 Jan 2017, 20:20

Re: Singing along with playing the Veena - including Audio samples

Post by Sachi_R »

Kunthalavarali,
Neelamma Kadambi's veena+vocal recording was broadcast a few days ago on Bangalore AM 612kHz. The recording showed that she had an engaging style, a sweet voice, and a manodharma which showed much spirit.

Sreeni Rajarao
Posts: 1283
Joined: 04 Feb 2010, 08:19

Re: Singing along with playing the Veena - including Audio samples

Post by Sreeni Rajarao »

I hope someone has recorded that broadcast of Vid. Neelama Kadambi's music and will share it. I would love to hear that recording!

Sreeni Rajarao
Posts: 1283
Joined: 04 Feb 2010, 08:19

Re: Singing along with playing the Veena - including Audio samples

Post by Sreeni Rajarao »

Just so I have my uploads all in one thread....

nimma bhagya doddado in bEgaDe rAga

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ri06eZFaL_c

Sundara Rajan
Posts: 1081
Joined: 08 Apr 2007, 08:19

Re: Singing along with playing the Veena - including Audio samples

Post by Sundara Rajan »

I remember reading about singing along with the veeNa earlier in these columns, when some one found it disturbing. Some like me like it, others don't. Decades ago I enjoyed listening live to Maha Vidvan Emani Sankara Sastri when he would sing a few lines here and there while playing his veeNa. I hope some one has some recordings of his for sharing.

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