Sudha Ragunathan @ Cleveland Thyagaraja Aaradahana 2009

Review the latest concerts you have listened to.
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sarang
Posts: 29
Joined: 28 Apr 2008, 20:34

Post by sarang »

Any updates on this? I am wondering what her list was? From some youtube clips of thani, I figured she sand Akhilandeshwari & Mama Kuleshwaram as main (Thodi-GNB)
Would love hear some thing from people who attended the concert. how was the experience.

Rasika911
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Joined: 09 Mar 2009, 06:11

Post by Rasika911 »

Especially considering there was a rasika meet up at her kutcheri!
No excuses guys :) :P

appu
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Joined: 20 May 2007, 09:46

Post by appu »

I attended the Sudha concert. I cannot seem to find the paper in which I took notes. From memory the only thing I remember is that Sudha started with Bhairavi Ata tala varnam and her main was the thodi RTP. She definitely sang to a packed audience. It just felt everything was very loud. Tiruvarur Vaidyanathan was literally banging on the mridngam. At times Taiko drums could be considered subdued. Vasan on the ghatam could care even less. The moorsing kid (a new inclusion) for that event was however good. The concert did not stand out in any particular manner. I must add Sudha on her own her voice was very cooperative and she hit all notes perfectly.
Last edited by appu on 22 May 2009, 18:40, edited 1 time in total.

sarang
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Joined: 28 Apr 2008, 20:34

Post by sarang »

Are you sure she sang Thodi RTP?? I thought she sang a rupaka thalam kriti of GNB?? I know TNS sang Thodi RTP.
Just verifiying

revanthv552
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Joined: 31 Jan 2008, 22:26

Post by revanthv552 »

I heard that RTP was in Simhendra madhyamam

shishya
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Joined: 08 Jan 2007, 20:02

Post by shishya »

I was there. She sang a kriti in rupaka talam in tODi. The RTP started with Simhendramadhyamam and followed with hamsadhwani, sahana, pantuvarali, darbar and kharaharapriya.

the pallavi line was as follows with respective ragas in the parenthesis:

raghunAyakA (hamsadhwani) raghunandana (sahana) raghuvara (pantuvarali) ramabhirama (darbar) nIsamAnamevaru (kharaharapriya) rAmA (Simhendramadhyamam).

I am a little unsure about the Simhendramadhyamam part. It might have been Shanmukhapriya.
Last edited by shishya on 22 May 2009, 23:50, edited 1 time in total.

keerthi
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Joined: 12 Oct 2008, 14:10

Post by keerthi »

Reminds one of Smt Charumati ramachandran academy pallavi in atAna etc.., doesn't it.. this collage of swatches from tyagarAja krthi-s..?

vasanthakokilam
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Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 00:01

Post by vasanthakokilam »

Oh no, keerthi, say it isn't so :P ( ref: a member here flies off the handle on hearing about such RTP patterns, especially that CR one. Add Sudha to the mix, an explosion may ensue ;) )

sankirnam
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Joined: 07 Sep 2006, 14:18

Post by sankirnam »

I remember hearing a recording of an old Sudha concert from cleveland where she sang TNS's pallavi "Paalinchu Bangaru Kamakshi, Bhagavathi Gunavathi Dharmavathi" in 2 ragams - madhyamavathi for the purvangam and dharmavathi for the uttarangam.

bhaktha
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Joined: 15 Jan 2007, 23:02

Post by bhaktha »

sankirnam wrote:TNS's pallavi "Paalinchu Bangaru Kamakshi, Bhagavathi Gunavathi Dharmavathi"
One of the best pallavis I have ever heard from Sri TNS. I have an old recording at home (on a cassette) where he is accompanied by tiruparkkadal Sri Veeraraghavan, Guruyavoor Sri Dorai, Sri Vinayakram and Sri Harishanker. The concert features an elaborate Sri Rajagopala, followed by the RTP in dharmavathi. The pallavi is set beautifully to k.nadai adi (if I remember correct). Been meaning to convert it to mp3 for long, but I'm sure it's available online somewhere. Definitely a once-in-a-lifetime concert.

sankirnam
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Joined: 07 Sep 2006, 14:18

Post by sankirnam »

Yes, that is one of his famous pallavis. eduppu is 4 matras from samam, and arudhi is 2.5 aksharas (10 matras).

srinivasrgvn
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Joined: 30 Nov 2008, 07:46

Post by srinivasrgvn »

So, we have the concert in pieces! Can somebody post the entire song list and a proper review please? =)

shankarabharanam
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Post by shankarabharanam »

The thodi raga krithi must be Mamakuleswaram, a composition of GNB...

Shalu
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Joined: 24 May 2009, 22:17

Post by Shalu »

Had been to the Cleveland Thyagaraja Aradhana.Sudha’s concert at Cleveland was lively and I must say, absolutely houseful.
I thought she was in great form. Percussion though, was a little on the noisy side... yes.

The concert began began with Viriboni ata thala varnam, followed by a slokam in Nattai and then Jaya Jaya... (Purandaradasar krithi) with a round of swaras
Raka Sasivadhana (Thyagaraja krithi) in takka
Then a brief Harikambhodhi aalaap and Dinamanivamsa with brilliant swaras.... phew! what speed! Bhavayami Raghuramam, the ragamalikai krithi of Swathi Tirunal then i forget what! So engrossed, that the mind simply enjoys without registering the sequence.

Next what I remember is Valaji ragam and Paadhame thunai, (a krithi of Papanasam Sivan) with neraval at Geethame muzhangum and swaras at Sangeethame mamakuleswaram in thodi with ragam, neraval and swaram and then thani avarthanam. The morsingh artiste got a lot of spontaneous applause.
then a longish break with the organiser V.V. Sundaram speaking about the artistes, lauding Sudha a lot. Then the surprise bit of adding on patron members and Sudha pitched in and in a few minutes, the target amount seemed to be achieved. Sudha seems to be a great communicator - no wonder her words had a phenomenal effect on the audience, which showed in the immediate response.
She then seemed to not know how much longer to sing, for which Sundaram posed a question to the audience as to whether there should be an rtp or should she present thukkadas.

And there was a great clamour for rtp (yours truly too raised my voice!:D=D)
Sudha sang a quick Akhilandeshwari - I truly got drowned in this one! Then ragam thanam pallavi in Simmhendramadhyamam. She sang snatches of Hamsadwani, Sahana, Panthuvarali, Darbar and Kharaharapriya.
The Pallavi however, I felt, was a little hurriedly presented, but then it was neat with swaras at various 'eduppus.' This got a huge round of applause.

Bhavayami Gopalabalam was dripping with devotional fervour- there were lots of closed eyes in the audience - so I was not the only one. Then came
Valli Kanavan and Venkatachala Nilayam. I truly missed her Kanda naal mudhalai here. What a finale that would have been!
The concert lasted for more than 4 hours. What was striking was that it had the same fervour and verve from start to finish. This woman has stage presence I must say. She does have the capacity to hold the audience attention throughout. And you know, it was a cute sight to see ace dancer Dhananjayan playing the thambura for one song... Will try to key in the pictures if possible!Trust i have been able to put all the 'pieces' together:)=)
Last edited by Shalu on 24 May 2009, 22:47, edited 1 time in total.

DhwaniB
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Joined: 07 Jan 2009, 19:51

Post by DhwaniB »

Whoah...some commentary this...thanks for the details!Will await the pictures.Her website schedule says there was something in Norway. Does someone have any updates - quite curious on the listenership there :)=)

sarang
Posts: 29
Joined: 28 Apr 2008, 20:34

Post by sarang »

Aha! the reviews are like a feast. Was very desperate to know Sudha had performed.

Yeah strikes a lot similarities with Charumathi's style of pallavi rendering.

Regarding the pallavi: Rama (Simmhendramadhyamam) is Swathi Thiruna's krithi. And hence it is not a pure tribute to Thaygaraja Swami.

Wouldn't it be awesome if someone could post a clip of her rendition? Please....
Last edited by sarang on 28 May 2009, 20:50, edited 1 time in total.

srinivasrgvn
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Joined: 30 Nov 2008, 07:46

Post by srinivasrgvn »

It needn't be a tribute to Thyagarajar. Artistes are free to sing any song in this festival - not only Thyagarajar songs. So, she might have included 'rAma rAma' in simhEndhramadhyamam.
I should say it is an apt raga.

It has the word 'rAma' engraved in it.

simhendramadhyamam!!

:D

sarang
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Joined: 28 Apr 2008, 20:34

Post by sarang »

srinivasrgvn wrote:It needn't be a tribute to Thyagarajar. Artistes are free to sing any song in this festival - not only Thyagarajar songs. So, she might have included 'rAma rAma' in simhEndhramadhyamam.
I should say it is an apt raga.

It has the word 'rAma' engraved in it.

simhendramadhyamam!!

:D
That was for keerthi's post
No artiste is forced to sing anything for that matter!

keerthi
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Joined: 12 Oct 2008, 14:10

Post by keerthi »

srinivasrgvn wrote: It has the word 'rAma' engraved in it.

simhendramadhyamam!!

:D

Is -rama- in simhendramadhyama the same as rAma..?

Then newer pallavis could include drama, melodrama, panorama, cyclorama....

arasi
Posts: 16873
Joined: 22 Jun 2006, 09:30

Post by arasi »

unakku uLLa pERgaL pOdumO pOdAdO enRu--rAmA, drAmA, meodrAmA! in simhEndra madhyamam...
Last edited by arasi on 28 May 2009, 21:20, edited 1 time in total.

srinivasrgvn
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Joined: 30 Nov 2008, 07:46

Post by srinivasrgvn »

sarang wrote:
srinivasrgvn wrote:It needn't be a tribute to Thyagarajar. Artistes are free to sing any song in this festival - not only Thyagarajar songs. So, she might have included 'rAma rAma' in simhEndhramadhyamam.
I should say it is an apt raga.

It has the word 'rAma' engraved in it.

simhendramadhyamam!!

:D
That was for keerthi's post
No artiste is forced to sing anything for that matter!
Don't take it seriously =) . I didn't know you were referring to keerthi's post. I told it because some people think that only Thyagarajar kritis should be sung in Thyagaraja Aradhanas. I just wanted to tell such people. =)

keerthi
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Joined: 12 Oct 2008, 14:10

Post by keerthi »

Aha arasi!

Primates like me can only suggest funny words with rAma in them..

It takes a kavi-hrdayam like your's to arrange them aesthetically in a srotOvaha yathi (a la sam prakAsam svarUpa-prakAsam) and embed it in a pallavi..

I can hear some cheeky singer singing it already..
To the tune dnS, pd-nS, gM-pd-nS, for ra-ama! dra-ama ! melo-dra-a-ma!

cienu
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Joined: 04 Feb 2010, 11:40

Post by cienu »

arasi wrote:unakku uLLa pERgaL pOdumO pOdAdO enRu--rAmA, drAmA, meodrAmA! in simhEndra madhyamam...
Arasi and Keerthi,

Great going :)

bilahari
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Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 09:02

Post by bilahari »

Keerthi and arasi, LOL! For keerthi's pallavi, I suggest it continues with ennai kAtharuLa vA - rAma drAma melodrAma: ndp (ennai) d,pmg (kAtharuLa) mp (vA) ... This shorter pallavi is better for, say, tisra triputa or khanda triputa. Arasi's pallavi is more suited for misra jhampa or maybe aTa.

srinivasrgvn
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Joined: 30 Nov 2008, 07:46

Post by srinivasrgvn »

Don't worry! I'll tune it to simhendramadhyamam and chatusra ata talam! The only problem is, the sahityam will not be heard as it is a Veena! =) =)
Last edited by srinivasrgvn on 29 May 2009, 07:30, edited 1 time in total.

Shalu
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Joined: 24 May 2009, 22:17

Post by Shalu »

Hi-I tried to paste a picture here but am not too sure how to go about this. But I found some pictures in the musician's website - http://www.sudharagunathan.com/season_flavour.html

Akshara
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Joined: 23 Dec 2008, 20:42

Post by Akshara »

Oh wow...this is some review..Shalu is there any recording available of any of these pieces?

Arasi madam...music, poetry, humour...all rolled into one, your rejoinders always bring a smile..

arasi
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Joined: 22 Jun 2006, 09:30

Post by arasi »

Thanks. A smile brings on another smile :)

Shalu
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Joined: 24 May 2009, 22:17

Post by Shalu »

Akshara wrote:Oh wow...this is some review..Shalu is there any recording available of any of these pieces?

Arasi madam...music, poetry, humour...all rolled into one, your rejoinders always bring a smile..
Sorry, I am not in posession of any clips - however am sure they would be up in any of the music shares sites - will get the link if I come across them

Akshara
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Joined: 23 Dec 2008, 20:42

Post by Akshara »

Thanks Shalu - just visited one of the threads in this forum on Kannada compostions and went beserk downloading stuff. Only hope we get to hear Sudha sing some of these as she is one of the few I have heard who has great Kannada diction, truly imbibed also from her great Guru.

vganesh
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Joined: 04 Feb 2010, 16:25

Post by vganesh »

Yesterday there was a telecast in JayaTV and today it was Ravikiran; 30 mins, Intervening with advertisement, comments and some news on USA.

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