Gayathri Venkataraghavan at KGS on 17 Dec 2008

bilahari · Post by **bilahari** » 17 Dec 2008, 21:20

Vocal: Gayathri Venkataraghavan
Violin: Padma Shankar
Mrudangam: Umalaypuram Mali
Khanjira: Alathur Rajaganesh

Krishna Gana Sabha, 17-12-08, 4.30 PM - 6.55 PM

Approximate Songlist:

01. vignarAja - slOkam
viribhOni (Varnam) - bhairavi - aTa
02. hari nEnenDu - karnATaka behAg - Adi (S @ pallavi)
03. mAmava mInAkshi - varALi - mishra chApu (R, N @ amba shyAmE shankari, S)
04. srI shankara - nAgaswaravali - rUpakam
05. O jagadambA - Ananda bhairavi - Adi (R)
06. ini oru kanam - srIranjani - Adi (S @ pallavi)
07. mOhana rAma - mOhanam - Adi (R, N @ maimarachi, S, T)
08. cheDiyAya (?) vinai thIrpavan (viruTTam) - hEmavathi (?), sAma
nArAyana naLi - sAma - Adi
09. vishwEshwara - sindhu bhairavi - rUpakam
10. muDivondril (?) - rAgamAliga
11. ni ri ni ri - pUrvi - rUpakam

A chaste rendition of the Bhairavi varnam always provides some ignition spark to a concert, as it did to GV's concert this afternoon at KGS. Hari nEnendu was rendered remarkably well, with sublime glides to the madhyamam in the pallavi sangathis. Varali was probably my highlight of the afternoon, with GV producing a very unhurried and beautiful alapanai where she used phrases like "mpdpmpdp" and "nsrsnsrs" to good effect, and her in-shruti stops at the special varALi madhyamam was noteworthy as well. The krithi was rendered very articulately and the neraval was particularly good. The nAgaswaravarALI filler was not my cup of tea, but the subsequent O jagadamba was. The Ananda bhairavi ragam was delineated thoroughly, mostly eschewing G3 and the traditional end with N3. The alapanai was quite imaginative, and that is quite an accomplishment for a rAga where the traditional phrases are so
emotive that they probably entice many a musician into not looking beyond into the dark side. First time I'm hearing this krithi in a live concert as well, and her not choosing Mariveragathi was accomplishment number 2 in the same rendition. Mohana ragam was pleasant, the krithi rendered well, but the ensuing neraval
and swaras were too brief for a main and the concert fizzed out thereon, except for a nice viruttam rendition. I also missed an RTP- even a miniscule one would've satisfied me more than the tukkadas sung.

Padma Shankar provided delicate support on the violin, reproducing the pallavi sangathis sung at the end of swara passages in karnATaka behAg and srIranjani superbly, drawing a rare collective appreciative gasp/snort/exclamation from the sparse audience during the karnATaka behAg. Her raga delineations were not rushed, and she dwelled on the gandharam to good effect in her AB alapanai. Her playing is very reminiscent of LGJ and her accompaniment nearly as refined and sensitive as her guru's.

The percussion department was largely adequate, and the thani was standard. There were no fireworks and not much to write
home about here.

A nice concert.

rajeshnat · Post by **rajeshnat** » 17 Dec 2008, 22:37

bilahari
Thanks for your great review . If you can follow the R N S convention closer to song that would be better to read and comprehend immediately in one pass.

I prefer this
03. mAmava mInAkshi (R, N @ amba shyAmE shankari, S) - varALi - mishra chApu
better than
03. mAmava mInAkshi - varALi - mishra chApu (R, N @ amba shyAmE shankari, S)

bilahari · Post by **bilahari** » 18 Dec 2008, 08:13

Noted, rajesh!

prashant · Post by **prashant** » 18 Dec 2008, 09:15

Nice review, bilahari! Thanks.

hari nE nendu is in harikAmbhOji's close cousin, karnATaka bEhAg.

rajeshnat · Post by **rajeshnat** » 18 Dec 2008, 09:32

prashant wrote:Nice review, bilahari! Thanks.

hari nE nendu is in harikAmbhOji's close cousin, karnATaka bEhAg.

I am assuming what we hear from SSI onwards is in karnATaka bEhAg. I do see in the bible that it is also sung in harikAmbhOji (http://www.karnatik.com/c2599.shtml), but not sure if there is any rendition in harikAmbHOji rAga for this krithi available anywhere.

prashant · Post by **prashant** » 18 Dec 2008, 09:36

Definitely possible Rajesh. It is only the MGRGS prayOgA which, I think, distinguished these rAgAs. I might be wrong so corrections most welcome.

prashant · Post by **prashant** » 18 Dec 2008, 09:37

Definitely possible Rajesh. It is only the MGRGS prayOgA which, I think, distinguishes these rAgAs. I might be wrong so corrections most welcome.

bilahari · Post by **bilahari** » 18 Dec 2008, 11:45

Ah, that must be the reason it really didn't sound like a classic Harikamboji a la Dinamani Vamsa. I know precious little about distinctions such as Karnataka Behag/ Kapi vs. Hindusthani Behag/ Kapi. Thanks for pointing it out, prashant! But whatever the ragam, nE nendu is a superb and really melodious composition!

sr_iyer · Post by **sr_iyer** » 18 Dec 2008, 13:20

In practice, sndnpdmgrgs would be a good murchana-avarohana that characterizes karnataka behag (incorporates the prayogas sndnp , pdm as well as mgrgs).

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 18 Dec 2008, 19:36

Bilahari,
Nice to read your review. hope you wil post more.