Curtains down on Swathi Sangeethotsavam 2010

makham · Post by **makham** » 13 Jan 2010, 15:25

The curtains came down on Swathi Sangeethotsavam 2010 on 12 Jan 2010 with a grand concert by Vidushi Seeta Rajan accompanied by Charulatha Ramanujam on the violin, J. Vaidyanathan on the mridangam and Udupi Sridhar on the ghatom. Ms. Aarthi and Ms. Sreelatha provided vocal support. Rasikas in other parts of Kerala get to hear this talented artist more frequently than the audience in Trivandrum. Like wine her talent, repertoire and presentation style have been becoming better and better. From being perceived as a musician's musician appealing only to students and fellow artists her music is now more complete and takes care of the needs of all segments of the CM ecosystem. She has slightly accelerated her kalapramanam which in yesteryears used to be too chowkam. The few moments where her voice box betrayed her she cleverly covered up and camouflaged with her vidwat.

Song list:

Paahi Saure Naatai Rupakam
Saarasa sama mrudhu Gowri manohari Adi (S)
Pancha bhana thanu hara Poorvikalyani Adi (R,N,S)
Saamodham Sudhdha dhanyasi Chapu (R,N,S)
Sreesa Padmanabha paahi Khamas Eka
Saamajendra Revagupti Adi (officially documented as Bhoopalam)
Saadaramava Surutti Adi
Paalayamam Sri Nayaki Rupakam
Sarasijanabha murare Todi Chapu (R, N, S, T)
Kintucheyvu Kalyani Adi
Kanakamaya Huseni Adi
Bansivaale
Baajatha murali
Bhujagasayino (mangalam) Yadukulakhamboji

I did not take a paper to note down the items since I expected her to cover not more than 5 items in the concert and I could trust my memory with that. However she chose to reel off several krithis between the submain and the main item, quite uncharacteristic of her style of concert planning. She chose not-so-frequently heard songs in Poorvikalyani and Nayaki, but chose a familiar song for the main item. The 50-seconds alapana of Gowri manohari squeezed the characteristic essence of the raga without any trace of ambiguity and further emphasized by the frequent use of dhaivatam and nishadam in the swaraprasthara.

The poorvikalyani and todi alapanas were well planned and executed. One can not but expect Khamas in a Semmangudi bhani concert and it came in the form of another not-so-frequently heard krithi. The sarva laghu swarams did full justice to her tutelage under Semmangudi. The violinist, the students at vocal support and the tambura artist seemed to engage themselves more in awe and appreciation of what Seeta Rajan was offering. Their body language indicated that they might have preferred to sit in the audience and enjoy. Nonetheless Charulatha Ramanujam provided excellent support and must have received a good dose of education in the process. Vaidyanathan and Sridhar lent brilliant support, beautifully and dutifully anticipating the neraval and swaras. Later they provided a good tani though they kept it to minimum duration.

Thus Swathi Sangeethotsavam 2010 had a fitting royal finale. On to 6 Jan 2011

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cienu · Post by **cienu** » 13 Jan 2010, 15:40

Thank you so much for the report and picture, Makham

The ambience is awesome

Happy that the people of Trivandrum got to see this great Vidushi of the Semmangudi bani once again.

makham · Post by **makham** » 13 Jan 2010, 15:42

cienu

Thanks. I have corrected the name of violin vidushi.

devi · Post by **devi** » 13 Jan 2010, 18:41

thank you Makham! Very nice to read the report and very pleased to see the fantabulous picture !!! The look on Sri. Ananthapadmanabhan's (the gentleman who is playing Thanburu) face tells how special the concert was.

devi · Post by **devi** » 14 Jan 2010, 01:45

Some lovely snaps from the event captured by forumite Harisub Sir

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/vihar7/Sa ... savam2010#

VK RAMAN · Post by **VK RAMAN** » 14 Jan 2010, 03:06

Thank you devi for sharing forumite Harisub captured pictures. Speaks volumes

Maheswari Venkitaraman · Post by **Maheswari Venkitaraman** » 14 Jan 2010, 03:44

I am sorry to understand swathithirunal sangeetha sabha is not recognising some talented veena artist and taking decision as a monopoly and a decision taken by the sabha is an eye washI would like to know how to proceed a solution for my long standing problem

appu · Post by **appu** » 14 Jan 2010, 04:02

Maheswari Venkitaraman, This seems to be a question that needs to be addressed directly with the board of Directors of the sabha. This is a public forum and the scope of resolution from rasikas is limited.

If the sabha is a for profit organization, then they have every right to choose the artists any which way they choose fit.

makham · Post by **makham** » 14 Jan 2010, 09:41

The Swathi Sangeethotsavam covered here has NOTHING whatsoever to do with Swathi Thirunal Sangeetha Sabha which is a totally different entity.

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 14 Jan 2010, 18:50

Makham,
Thank you for covering the concerts and thanks for the photographs too. I hope I can make it to the Swathi Sangeetotsavam at least next year.

fuddyduddy · Post by **fuddyduddy** » 14 Jan 2010, 18:53

arasi wrote:Makham,
Thank you for covering the concerts and thanks for the photographs too. I hope I can make it to the Swathi Sangeetotsavam at least next year.

Me too.. This place looks divine, like the music that all those singers must have given. Best wishes to Rama Varma to do what he is doing...

srkris · Post by **srkris** » 15 Jan 2010, 02:17

Wow, I want to attend this too.. next year definitely.

bhamah · Post by **bhamah** » 15 Jan 2010, 08:36

Dear arasi, I think after the carnatica concert you introduced your self.I could not talk to you much at that time.You should attend the navarthri concerts held in the Navarathri mandapam and concerts of swathi festival at Kudhira malikai. Ithink all music lovers should attend these.Yam Petra Inbam Ivvaikam perave. Bhamah

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 15 Jan 2010, 09:53

Thank you, bhamah. I wished to say 'praNAms' to Ponnamma amma too, but there were many people waiting to talk to her. Please convey my namaskArams to her.
NavarAtri concerts unfortunately are not my bounty because I come to India just before the Season. God willing, I am thinking of cutting my Season stay down and taking in the Swathi Sangeethotsavam next year.

harisub · Post by **harisub** » 15 Jan 2010, 16:05

Thank you, Devi and Raman for the link and the feedback. Images of earlier Swathi Sangeethotsavams (2009 and 2008) and other images of Trivandrum can be viewed at : http://picasaweb.google.com/vihar7

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 15 Jan 2010, 16:50

More nice pictures, harisub

cienu · Post by **cienu** » 15 Jan 2010, 17:11

Brilliant picture Harisub .

deepab · Post by **deepab** » 15 Jan 2010, 23:46

It's unfortunate that the musical happenings in Trivandrum go noticed so little.. seems like a great event.

As Rama Verma mentioned in Sanjay Sub's podcast, we sometimes mistakenly go from thinking "Chennai is the centre of the Carnatic music universe" to "Chennai is the Carnatic music universe".. For those of you who missed this podcast, it is worth downloading. Rama Verma talks about how he introduced changes in the Navarathri festival (such as a woman for the first time in Parasala Ponnamal") and about the Kuthiramalika festival and in general about Swati Tirunal.

appu · Post by **appu** » 16 Jan 2010, 02:42

deepab

Please give the link to the podcast by Rama Verma.

devi · Post by **devi** » 16 Jan 2010, 04:19

@ Appu

Here you go.

http://sanjaysub.blogspot.com/2008/10/s ... ode-8.html

rgds
Devi

music_is_life · Post by **music_is_life** » 17 Jan 2010, 04:15

I was there for the inaugural concert of Sanjay. What a difference in ambience compared to the one in Chennai.

VK RAMAN · Post by **VK RAMAN** » 17 Jan 2010, 06:44

Am I surprised in ambience compared to one in Chennai?

devi · Post by **devi** » 22 Jan 2010, 01:47

Hindu Review of Swathi Sangeethotsavam 2010

http://www.hindu.com/fr/2010/01/22/stor ... 300300.htm

VK RAMAN · Post by **VK RAMAN** » 22 Jan 2010, 08:28

Great coverage by Hindu