Ranjani & Gayatri - Jaya TV

rajagopal · Post by **rajagopal** » 14 Jun 2006, 09:28

Caught a bit of R & G today on Jaya TV. Strong vibrant singing. Excessive and nauseating modulation of voices for evry line of a song. Two tukkadas they sang in Sindhu bhairavi and Hamsanandi. Both sounded like Hindustani music. Similarly structured and rendered with akaaram phrases in the middle. Overall a disappointing experience.

mahesh3 · Post by **mahesh3** » 16 Jun 2006, 07:40

Rajagopal,

Just some thoughts on your post...not necessarily agreeing/disagreeing on what is purely your opinion.

Perhaps, You are right in saying that their tukkadas tend to sound distinctly hindusthani, and they do have an octave variability during krithis...perhaps because of the generally higher shruti Gayathri transcends repeatedly. Yet, having seen them in 4 concerts this year alone, my opinion is that they are among the best young talent that we have today. Theie melody is definitely nice. Sometimes, at the higher octaves, there is potential for them to be overbearing. Yet, there is a divinity/bhakthi element to some of their krithis...very few singers today bring that element of spirituality into their music.

I recently heard a subhapanthuvarali recital of theirs, and I felt something divine stir inside me during that recital ..... And, RG's pallavi selections are just spectacular. In the most rrecent concert, they sang a divine hindolam. True Devotion/spirituality is something that not every singer has, and it always has a way of showing up in their music. But, that is for another thread, perhaps

I am including an MS renedition of Kurai Ondrum Illai, in today's world, it would be termed a tukkada, to relive some of your short term pain

!! What divinity, never took her music for granted, not even tukkadas, even after she had attained everything our material world has to offer.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H53i7bBuZBo

venkatpv · Post by **venkatpv** » 16 Jun 2006, 08:16

mahesh,

i know you mean to relieve his pain!!!

mahesh3 · Post by **mahesh3** » 16 Jun 2006, 08:43

oops, venkat, relieve is right! Good catch

rajagopal · Post by **rajagopal** » 16 Jun 2006, 14:53

mahesh - Their divinity & spirituality is extremely artificial and contrived. They just put on a great show! Of course this is just my personal perception. There is no divinity in singing taans in the middle of a light classical piece. Ad we have 2 or 3 such pieces in every concert. As for their viruttams, the articulation of the tamizh words is completely wrong. Sorry not my cup of coffee!

Vocalist · Post by **Vocalist** » 17 Jun 2006, 09:46

Sorry, couldn't resist. A number of modern female artists (eg; Sowmya, RG) make pronounciation errors, which can be a pain, but there are exceptions as always (eg; Nithyasree, Aruna). I raise this point because I don't understand why there would be errors when they all have had gurus that pronounced it right to begin with.

I personally don't think RG's music is contrived. Their voices are melodious, though I question the claim of 'perfect shruthi' - I thought otherwise! They have room for improvement also in kalpana swaras. I think they also need to improve their repertoire. Overall, I felt that their music was appealing, at least in the CM sense. I'd prefer their concert over Bombay Jayashree, definitely.

I cringe when people use examples of Hindolam, because I haven't ever heard a bad rendition, yet.

gundakriya · Post by **gundakriya** » 17 Jun 2006, 11:25

mahesh - Their divinity & spirituality is extremely artificial and contrived. They just put on a great show!

Amen to that! Glad that there are ppl out there who can see thru the hype and call the bluff...

A number of modern female artists (eg; Sowmya, RG) make pronounciation errors, which can be a pain, but there are exceptions as always (eg; Nithyasree, Aruna).

Sowmya & RG make pronunciation errors while Nityashree & Aruna don't? :cheesy: Dude, just what are you smokin'? Care to substantiate your points?

Vocalist · Post by **Vocalist** » 17 Jun 2006, 15:44

Sorry mate! In my mind, I was specifically referring to rendering Viruthams in particular. Should've mentioned that. Still doesn't make sense?

I have heard Nithyashree "mispronounce" in actual krithis, like Aruna & Sowmya & RG & everyone LOL!! Eg; Nithyashree in her album mispronounced Sabhapathikku as Sabhapathikki, YET, she rendered it the correct way in concert. Sowmya has mispronounced in her Tamil Melodies CD too.

But I haven't heard Aruna or Nithyashree mispronounce in viruthams. Nithyashree's viruthams (rAgamAlikA) were pronounced and rendered well on more than one occasion. One starts as "Pullai Pirandhaalum..." and I have to remember the other one. In contrast to Sowmya's "Kunitha Puruvamum" & RG's "Thaayir Syrindha" (hello? are they trying to pronounce syringe? It's sirandha!), Nithyashree's was better by far. That said, I am not criticising Sowmya/RG's melodic aspect in viruthams. They sound good musically, but lyrically, *cringe*!! Wheras, Nithyashree renders the virutham the 'right' way, sounding good both lyrically and musically.

RG have sung some beautiful viruthams apparently in a CD, but I can't comment as I haven't heard them yet. If I do later this year, I'll mention what I think on both aspects - musical & lyrical.

vasanthakokilam · Post by **vasanthakokilam** » 18 Jun 2006, 03:03

Here are some album and concert clips of Ranjani Gayathri.

http://www.ranjanigayatri.com/audio/audio.html

vasanthakokilam · Post by **vasanthakokilam** » 18 Jun 2006, 04:05

I just noticed that the R&G concert showed up in the Jaya TV archives in Num TV. It will be there for the next two weeks. Those who have access to numtv can watch/listen and form their own impressions. I just checked with numtv support and you can be a walk-in user with broadband access, pay $2.00 and access the archives for 8 continous hours. There are a few other concerts on Jaya and Raj which can occupy you for the 8 hours.

vasanthakokilam · Post by **vasanthakokilam** » 18 Jun 2006, 04:08

As for their viruttams, the articulation of the tamizh words is completely wrong.

rajagopal, can you explain that a bit more? For illustration purposes, if you can listen to the virittam sample in the link I provided above and if you detect the same problems, then we will have something concrete to go by.

mahesh3 · Post by **mahesh3** » 18 Jun 2006, 08:54

Thanks VK for those links. Naadiya Porul Kai Koodum is such a mesmerizing, devotional virutham, and in that album ("Rama Bhakthi"), they launch into teliyaleru rama (Dhenuka) right after the virutham. It is one of my favorites to play early in the morning, along with a Nattai renedition of Shankara Pahimam by Malladi Brothers. Keeps the mind so fresh and so pure.

Vocalist · Post by **Vocalist** » 18 Jun 2006, 16:11

Was just listening to the Ragam Tanam clip in Shanmukhapriya. I wasn't impressed at the excessive modulation of the voice. At 2.59 she brings out the beauty of her voice with an open throat "aa", but then swallows this by 3.02 making it unpleasant (to me). Unfortunately, this is not the only place where she does this. There are other unpleasant instances which just make me cringe when listening to it. "inge oru kaal, ange oru kaal" - one foot on one boat and another foot in the other boat, just choose 1 for heaven's sake!

6.41 onwards goes uphill though. The opening of the Tanam begins at about 7.00 and goes to the end of the clip at 8.03. 6.41 onwards is definitely worth listening to.

bala747 · Post by **bala747** » 04 Jul 2006, 12:31

I heard RG twice. Once in Singapore and once in Chennai. Both times they were very impressive. Whether the bhava is real or contrived is secondary to me to the obvious fact that they have immense talent.

My mother says that they sing like males rather than females in terms of their styles (not sruthi). I personally don't see any problem with that but she says it sounds too jarring. My mother is even more critical than I am!

The one thing I think RG need to work on is their choice of krithis/RTPs. They still have some way to go in expanding their repertoire, but that is the easy part. The talent is obviously there. (And they dispel the popular myth that women have no laya gnanam).
I never liked Nityasree's efforts to bring paint down from the ceiling (if only she would curb that there would be no stopping her), nor found Sudha, Sowmya and their ilk to be really worth much. (I mean they are not BAD singers, but nothing really outstanding about them).

In my opinion however the best female duo is the team of Radha-Jayalakshmi. They had some fantastic concerts between them (they now have a concert on VCD available. Spectacular Keeravani in that) but somehow you never hear much about them when discussing female artistes. They certainly were the best duo around for a long time. (And they can teach Hyderabad Brothers a thing or two about tandem singing).

Vocalist · Post by **Vocalist** » 04 Jul 2006, 18:04

Btw bala747, how many times did you hear Nithyashree, Sudha, Sowmya & the ilk...?

Comparing RJ & RG is comparing MSS & Bombay Jayashree (for instance, compare their renditions of Papanasam Sivan's tOdi piece, Kartigeya! Sudha, MLV, TNS, MSS etc. in comparison shine right through!!)

Of course, it's not the same as comparing Nithyasree with DKP and Sudha with MLV. I remember hearing Sudha singing a Poorvikalyani alapana in a concert one, and for a while, I could feel MLV's voice when she went down to the lower notes for a few minues. Similarly, a lot of the notes & rAgAs (with the exception of Madhuvanthi) that Nithyashree touches reminds me of DKP's ragamalika swarams. (Eg; ragamalika swaras that were rendered in DKP's singapore concert were also rendered in Nithyashree's RTPs in the same tAlA).

Anyhow, I don't think any female artist in the 'famous artist' circle lacks 'immense talent'. I think that it's just a matter of how often they show bursts of ' the spectacular' that counts (you have to be there at the right place and the right time to listen to it). In the three concerts and three albums i've heard RG in, just as Nithyashree's shrillness gets in the way of some, RG's contrived style, lack of depth and riduculously tiny repertoire gets in the way of me seeing anything so wonderful. But then again, not even the female trinity (MLV, MSS, DKP) were perfect so perhaps we shouldn't expect anywhere near the same from today's generation. Alas, if only it were that easy!

srkris · Post by **srkris** » 04 Jul 2006, 19:49

In my opinion Ranjani & Gayatri sing exceedingly well, at least in the concerts I have heard. One of the reasons is their natural no-nonsense approach, no melodrama, no artificiality, no high-handedness, just wholesome music. I used to previously hold Sowmya in great esteem, but that place is now occupied by RG. Among the women, the Priya Sisters were good too, though I havent listened to them of late.

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 04 Jul 2006, 23:04

A woman's point of view here: Above all, I am proud of them all, the way they have overcome obstacles (generated by society) in finding their places on the concert stage.
Speaking just of the younger set, I was thrilled to hear Sudha Raghunathan in her early years--her imagination and presentation grabbed me. I saw another MLV emerging, but somewhere along the way, I felt that it was not to be. After hearing a few 'formula' concerts of her, I thought, though she is capable of much more, she is contented with what she delivers, for her own reasons.
Then I heard R&G. Again, I was excited. Heard them several times over the past years, but of late, feel that they are perhaps going the same route--comfort zone(?)--lack of interest in widening their horizons, for their own reasons...

coolkarni · Post by **coolkarni** » 06 Jul 2006, 06:01

bala said

in my opinion however the best female duo is the team of Radha-Jayalakshmi. They had some fantastic concerts between them...

a sample of a wonderful todi alapana by them
http://rapidshare.de/files/25018518/04- ... -Thodi.mp3

Vocalist · Post by **Vocalist** » 06 Jul 2006, 17:46

"no artificiality...just wholesome music" -

Interesting view.

I like arasi's views on Sudha & RG on account of their balance - valid and clear reasoning.

Overall, I still imagine Sudha being the first of the mentioned female artists to reach 'kalanidhi' status though. Though she has her own areas to improve on, her manodharma is probably the best in all, and same with her repertoire (if she stopped repeating kurai ondrum illai etc.) Aruna Sayeeram has a great style, if she stopped the kalinga narthana tillAnA etc., she would beat Sudha. Priya sisters are pretty great - their singing reminds me a lot of Sudha's singing, so they aren't too far behind, but not sure of their repertoire as I haven't heard them lately either.

Nithyashree is outstanding in RTPs and viruthams , but there are some occasions where there are hopeless items too (and of course the crowd who think she's too shrill) - manodharma doesn't suffer too much seeing it follows DKP/DKJ bhani closely. To say she shouts or shrieks is pretty biassed - real shouting is in Shankaran Namboodiri's interest.

Sowmya, I think, is still in an experimenting phase. RG are a little too mixed between styles making it so strange - again experimenting with nothing spectacular. I think Unni follows S.Ramanathan's style much better - especially in tOdi. Her Sahana is very beautiful, and there aren't that many impressive ones out there (though Oh Oh Kalame is praised to the sky, I don't see why the rendition so great still - maybe I heard him on a bad day) Sanjay's durbAr was better though, IMO.

Bombay Jayashree is WAYY too nasal, and needs A LOT of help with the hackneyed tOdi (Karthigeya-Papanasam Sivan) as it is appalling on the concert stage, time and time again. Though, she is talented, she sang an outstanding Huseni (Eppadi Manam-Arunachala Kavi), which beat Sanjay's rendition in my view (previously, I thought Sanjay's was unbeatable). Her RTPs aren't bad either.

I haven't heard enough of Gayathri Girish - but her Bhairavi certainly needs a lot of work. Her Khamas is soothing, but then again, whos isn't! I haven't heard enough of Charulatha Mani just yet to comment further. M.S.Sheela has an impressive technique.

Overall, ALL of them are impressive and disappointing in their own way.

bala747 · Post by **bala747** » 07 Jul 2006, 08:31

Bombay Jayasree had sung the same Thodi here in Singapore (and yes, it was Kartikeya Gangeya) as well. I didn't even bother reviewing that concert here.

Vocalist, I have heard enough of Sudha, Sowmya etc to form an opinion. I don't find anything wrong with their music per se, but neither do I find anything outstanding about it.

Same with Nityasree. Nityasree has a much better voice range than DKP had (well I am saying this with some caution as I have only heard DKP concerts when she was pushing 60 I think) but the laya gnanam and the chastity of rendition missing. It seems like DKP's music with arms and legs cut off and decorated with tinsel.

RG and RJ are no comparison. RJ were far better in terms of repertoire and imagination.

The best Kartikeya rendition I think is MSS's. the neraval in "Maalmaruga shanmugha muruga guha" is sublime.

Vocalist · Post by **Vocalist** » 07 Jul 2006, 20:51

DKP's voice was heaps better when she was young - my grandmother mentioned that once. She felt Nithyashree's singing reminded her of DKP's, but some disagree here...In any case, I think the bhava in Nithyasree's singing will be more evident when her voice hardens and matures with age.

I've heard enough Karthigeya renditions to realise that MSS & Sudha are the only ones who sing it well enough. They both use the same line for nereval, but are different in the way they interpret/handle it, yet remain impressive. Bombay Jayashree should stick to film music - it's certainly better than mutilating so many items on stage.

rshankar · Post by **rshankar** » 14 Jul 2006, 21:45

Bombay Jayashree is WAYY too nasal, and needs A LOT of help with the hackneyed tOdi (Karthigeya-Papanasam Sivan) as it is appalling on the concert stage, time and time again. Though, she is talented, she sang an outstanding Huseni (Eppadi Manam-Arunachala Kavi), which beat Sanjay's rendition in my view (previously, I thought Sanjay's was unbeatable). Her RTPs aren't bad either.
Bombay Jayashree should stick to film music - it's certainly better than mutilating so many items on stage.

Glad to see that not everyone shares Nishant's views on Jayashree!
http://www.hindu.com/fr/2006/07/14/stor ... 030400.htm

Ravi

Vocalist · Post by **Vocalist** » 15 Jul 2006, 16:44

"The concert progressed on such sheer brilliance that it provoked not only admiration but also envy...sung with lyrical intensity which conferred poetic dimension on them...two exalted ecstatic sentiments to the rasikas...such sheer brilliance that it provoked not only admiration but also envy"

(Embellished) Expressions similar to the ones above are often used in other reviews too. I remember asking Sriram.V. on the BBoard about his take on just a couple of such reviews and his response was quite valid. "I think they are too eulogistic and simply praise to the high heavens. They read more like advertisements." Considering the reviewer neglected to describe Jayashri's pitch and style adaquately (as well as any other -ives of the concert), I think Sriram's statement would sum up this review perfectly.

Glad to see that not everyone shares Nishant's views on Jayashree!
http://www.hindu.com/fr/2006/07/14/stor ... 030400.htm
Ravi

sumram99 · Post by **sumram99** » 16 Jul 2006, 22:20

Vocalist:

Are you the brother of Sanjeev Chandran, disciple of Mrs. T.R. Balamani?? Just curious.

sumram99 · Post by **sumram99** » 17 Jul 2006, 08:42

Vocalist:

Are you the brother of Sanjeev Chandran, disciple of Mrs. T.R. Balamani?? Just curious.

I am asking this bcos I knew Sanjeev as he used to come to learn with us and also knew that he had a brother. I hope you dont mind me asking if you are the same person.

Vocalist · Post by **Vocalist** » 18 Jul 2006, 19:06

sumram99, I'm not Sanjeev. Very curious why you thought so though...

vasanthakokilam · Post by **vasanthakokilam** » 04 Aug 2006, 13:07

Today I watched the Jaya TV broadcast of portions of Ranjani & Gayatri concert at Cleavland. I thought they sang excellently. One of their thukkadas was very elaborate and they launched into very much hindusthani style mid way through it. Nice.