Neela Ramgopal - 25 Apr 2010 - Bengaluru

[pattamaa]

Vidushi Neela Ramgopal - Vocal
Vidushi Prema vivek - violin
Vid. Sudarshan chakravarthi - mridhangam
Vidushi Bhagyalakshmi - morsing

Date - 24 Apr 2010, Sunday, 6.45pm
Venue - Sahakarnagar, Bangalore

Theme - vaghayakara's rama vaibhavam
compered by Sai Lakshmi

1. jaya jaya - nattai - kanda chapu - purandara dasa ( short alapana, swaram @ jaya jaya)
2. evarani - devamurthavarshini - adi - thyagaraja
3. entamuddo - bindumalini - adi - thyagaraja (short alapana)
4. sri ramachandro - sri ranjani - misra chapu - muthuswami dikshitar (ragam, swaram @ sri ramachandro)
5. neerada sama neela krishna ehi - jayantha sri - adi tisra nadai - Othukadu venkata kavi
6. rA rA rAjEva lOchana - mOhanam - adi 2 kalai - mysore vasudevacharya (alapana, neraval & swaram @ nEvE nA ripudani niratamu ni pAdamula nera nammidi and tani avarthanam)
7. ramakrishna manage bandaru - tilang - adi tisra nadai - purandara dasa
8. deenanAnu sarvalOkake - viruttam in bagEshri, followed by enendu kondAdi stutisuvEnO dEvA - bAgeshri - kanda chapu - purandara dasa
9. tuma bhina mEri kaun - meera bhajan
10. sri ramachandranakE subha mangalam - mangalam in surati

This was a thematic concerts on compositions on rAmA by different vaggeyakaras. Concert started in a bright note with jaya jaya in nattai, followed by evarani. bindumalini alapana was short, but brought out ragha bhava sufficiently. Both evaranai and entamuddo was rendered in nice and enjoyable kalapramanam true to bhava of the song. During charanam of evarani, kalapramanam was increased little bit, providing nice effect.

Sri ranjani alapana was just awsome covering complete aspects of this raga, with some dhatu prayoga, janta prayoga, thanam like phrases etc. With right gamakas in gandharam and nishadam, and with with phrases ending in Ri, Ma and dha, it is was a treat to listen. Vidushi covered from mandhara madhyamam (ndm in mandhara stayi) to tara stayi madhyamam (sangathi like rgmg-r). The fast phrases like dnddnd... and srgrs in tara stayi deserve special mention. The violin response was not upto mark, and didn't have enough azhuttam, some screetchy and some phrases repetitive. The keerthana followed was a new one, and was nice one. Kalpana swaras were also interesting as alapana, with specific korvais while ending swara prastharams in each round. Both violin and percussion artists provided good support.

After brief alapana in jayantha shri, neerada sama neela krishna was sung. (Was the composition sung in kanda chapu? atleast comperer announced so, but charanam was sung in adi tisra nadai?)

Mohanam alapana was enjoyable also, developed step by step, covering from mandara panchamam to tara panchamam. few more sancharams in mandara stayi would have been more satisfactory. Niraval was brief, covering both kalams. Tani avarthana was enjoyable. The concert ended with few devarnamas and mangalam in surutti.

The concert was scheduled at 6pm, but started only around 6.50pm, not sure of reasons even though artists arrived on time. So, the concert was limitted to 2 to 2.15 hours. I am sure vidushi prepared few more items, due to lack of time wouldn't have performed them. I would have personally loved to see one composition from swathi thirunaal, papanasam sivan, bhadrachala ramadasa and annamacharya, apart from a nice viruttam/slokam.

[Nick H]

Oh! How nice to see a lady morsing player!

[cmlover]

I also wish there was at least one tamil kitana especially Arunacala Kavi. Perhaps there was a time factor!

[sappri]

Pattamaa - great picture, lovely write-up- one BEEEG request - for some truly *unlucky* people like us (who have the unique knack of falling sick at the wrong time) - COULD YOU PLEASE (with Vid Neela Ramgopal's permission) - give us the link for the recording of 'some part' of the concert atleast - say, the sriranjini ?

[kssr]

Bhagyalakshmi is the great Bhimachar's daughter-Morsing Rajasekar's sister. Good artist.

[cienu]

Yes. I did see her at the Music season last year in Chennai and I must say that Bhagyalakshmi is a remarkably talented morsing Vidushi .

[dikshitarbhaktha]

such a gifted musician with such stuff!!!
kudos to neela ramgopal for continuing to excel herself year after year!!!
only disappointed at her choice of accompanists for this concert - mediocre to say the least
both the violinist and mridangist were ok but better suited to play for junior musicians rather than someone so senior!!!

[arasi]

The sabha perhaps is a small one and could not get hold of better accompanists who are beyond their financial resources. It only goes to say that Neela Ramgopal is such a sport who also encourages young accompanists. After all, we see star performers sometimes singing or playing for debut performances of youngsters.

[VK RAMAN]

arasi hit the nail on the head - yes encouraging debut performances of youngsters will give a boost and may be the artist by her own action role modeling for other senior artists!

[sreecons]

As always there are pros and cons. Have to admit that it is a great experience and wonderful learning opportunity for the debut/junior accompanists. Obviously from the listener's point of view, it can be disappointing if the concert does not reach the heights they expected it to.

[dikshitarbhaktha]

Few years back when I was helping a friend of mine organize a music vizha in southern tamilnadu, I realised that artists chose accompanists based mostly on the budget.
Good budget means great accompanists.
Low budget means upcoming accompanists who are also good - and in a few cases mediocre and bad accompanists.
So I guess it all works in a vague Adam Smithonian way
All I felt that a musician of Smt Neela's calibre deserves better.

[cmlover]

Most performers refuse to perform unless the accompanist are of the right calibre. As Arasi says this shows the magnanimity of Neela which must be appreciated by all of us!

[arasi]

A senior artiste had to start the concert to the accompaniment of the mrudangam after waiting for the violinist for nearly an hour. After a couple of songs, the violinist hurried in and joined the performers.The reason? There was a mix up about the time of the concert. The violinist had to be woken up from a siesta when the organizers called. Getting ready and beating the traffic added to the delay!
Yes, good accompanists add to the value of a good concert. There is no doubt about that. However, even during the season when performers would be more particular about getting the best of performers, it does not happen all the time. They end up with poor accompanists.
And yes, Neela Ramgopal's concert would have sparkled more that day.

[SKA]

Hi I had attended this concert. and the accompanying artists were definitely not bad and Violin support may not have been extrordinary but surely did not spoil the concert. on the other had Mridangam by Sudarshan Chakravarthy was fantastic ! He was superb to say the least. He did not play too loudly which would have spoilt the ambience because it was a small hall and he did not play so softly that it drags down the concert. He maintained a healthy tempo and used intelligent combination of sarvalaghu and kannaku - It would be a gross injustice to say Accompaniments were a let down. morsing also was performed with good spirit.

[arasi]

SKA,
Point understood. I am glad they perfprmed well, though I don't think most of the posters criticised the young accompanists. Far from it. They only tried to say that the concert would have been even better had she been accompanied by more senior vidvAns to match her vidvat, that's all.