Raji Gopalakrishnan @ Toronto - May 22, 2010

[Abhishek]

Vocal: Smt. RAji GOpAlakrishnan
Violin: Smt. Ranjani RAmakrishnan
Mridangam: Sri Toronto Gowrishankar
KanjirA: Sri Toronto KArthik VenkatarAman
Morsing: Sri P. Kajajeyan
Tanpura: Smt. LAvanyA KArthik and Kum. Varaaki Wijayaraj.

1) --
2) --
3) -- (Hamsadhwani - Khanda ChApu - ??) [S]
4) KAnthimathi (KAnadA - Mishra ChApu - PApanAsam Sivan?)
5) SamAna RahitE (SAranga TharangiNi - Rupakam - GN BAlasubramaniam) [R]
6) Sri Matru Bhootham (KannadA - Mishra ChApu - MuthuswAmi Dikshitar)
7) MArevairi (NAsikAbhooshaNi - Rupakam - ThyAgarAjar) [RS]
8 ) Aravinda LOchanE (Neetimati - Adi - Ambujam KrishnA)
9) Nannu PAlimpa (MOhanam - Adi 2 Kalai - ThyAgarAjar) RNST
10) RAgam TAnam Pallavi (KalyAna Vasantam / KalyANi / VasantA / VAsanti - Khanda Triputa)
Pallavi: KalAvati DayA Nidhi NeeyE Gathi
KalyAna Vasanta Priya
RAgamAlika Swarams in: KalyAna Vasantam, KalyANi, VasantA, VAsanti, NaLinakAnti, Amritavarshini, Valaji.
11) KAranam KEtuvADi (PoorvikalyANi - Adi - ShuddhAnanda BhArati)
12) MAnasa Sancharare (Sama - Adi - SadAshiva Bramhendrar)
13) Darshan Do (HAmir KalyANi - Adi - ??)
14) Kannan Vara (MAnji - Adi Tisra Nadai - OothukkAdu Venkatasubbaiyer)
15) RAdhA SamEtha (Mishra Yaman - Adi - ??)
16) Nadi Thedi - Tiruppugazh (BhAgEshri - Adi)
17) TillAnA (BrindAvana SAranga - Adi - LAlgudi JayarAman)
18) PavamAna (SowrAstram, then Surutti - Adi - ThyAgarAjar)

What an amazing concert this was. The nAsikAbhooshaNi is still lingering in my ears. As I always say, Smt. Raji Gopalakrishnan is completely synonymous with melody – this is quite rare to find in many other contemporary musicians of today.

I walked into the jam-packed concert just as she was finishing her swarams in the Hamsadhwani kriti. I would be grateful if someone could post what she sang before this. SAranga tarangini, one of her favourites, was taken up for a beautifully elaborate alApanai. As she was singing, it was as if the rAgam was invented just for her melodious voice. I wish the alApanai had lasted forever. The beautiful samAna rahitE followed the alApanai. Next, Sri Mathru Bhootham was rendered mellifluously.

One of the most memorable pieces from the concert was the rendition of mArevairi following Sri Mathru Bhootham. Before the kriti, the immensely beautiful nAsikAbhooshaNi was taken up for a melodious rAga alApanai. Smt. Ranjani RAmakrishnan also portrayed the essence of the rAgam in an elegant way. Both artists brought out the complete beauty of the rAgam with their alApanais. Swarams were done at the pallavi of mArevairi, which were also very well done. The ending kOrvai was manipulated in a lovely way to sound apt for the vivAdi rAgam. As everyone says, Smt. RAji truly is a master of vivAdi rAgAs. Special mentioned to Sri Gowrishankar, Sri KArthik VenkatarAman and Sri Kajajeyan here for uplifting the swarams. A kOrvai sounds just so much better when all the accompanists join in.

The alApanai of mOhanam was completely blissful. The ecstatic nannu pAlimpA was taken up as the main kriti of the evening. Neraval and Swarams were done at karamuna shara. The swaram patterns were highly creative. With an appropriate kOrvai, Smt. RAji finished the kriti off very well. The Tani was shared by Sri Gowrishankar, Sri KArthik VenkatarAman and Sri Kajajeyan. All three of them excelled while playing their respective instruments and made the tani very interesting to watch.

Knowing that Smt. RAji excels at pallavi singing, the RTP was highly anticipated by everyone in the audience. Not letting us down, she started the wonderful alApanai of KalyAna Vasantam. I believe she has sung this pallavi before, but Smt. Raji added a twist to the pallavi here. Instead of just sticking with kalyAna vasantam, she did the alApanai and tAnam in kalyANi, vasantA and vAsanti too. The transition of one rAgam to another was just stunning. The pallavi was initially sung in just kalyAna vasantam, but after a few rounds of neraval, she sang the pallavi in kalyAni, changing the words to: KalAvati DayA Nidhi NeeyE Gathi KalyANi Priya. She did the same with vasantA and vAsanti, changing the words to KalAvati DayA Nidhi NeeyE Gathi KalyAna VasantA Priya and KalAvati DayA Nidhi NeeyE Gathi KalyAna VAsanti Priya respectively. After the neraval, she repeated the same process for the swarams. The whole process seemed so divine that none of us wanted it to end. On top of this, she even sang naLinakAnti, amritavarshini and valaji as part of the rAgamAlikA swarams. Before finishing off, she sang all the seven rAgams in reverse, ending in kalyAna vasantam. I have no words to describe how well Smt. RAji sang this pallavi. As the saying goes, the divinity of music can only be experienced, not expressed.

Various tukkada pieces followed the pallavi, including kAranam kettuvADi, mAnasa sancharare, darshan do, kannan varagindru nEram, rAdha samEtha krishnA, nAdi tEdi and a beautiful tillAnA in brindAvana sArangA. When singing the mangalam, I noticed that instead of ending with MadhyamAvati (which is what almost all artists do), Smt. RAji went into Surutti instead, which was very pleasing to hear.

All the accompanists supported the main artist very well. Also, special thanks to SAVECA for organizing the entire event remarkably well.

Overall, the kutcheri was truly outstanding. I am honoured, privileged and blessed to be one of the disciples of Smt. Raji Gopalakrishnan. I look forward to many more concerts from her.

-Abhishek Iyer.

[rajeshnat]

10) RAgam TAnam Pallavi (KalyAna Vasantam / KalyANi / VasantA / VAsanti - Khanda Triputa)
Pallavi: KalAvati DayA Nidhi NeeyE Gathi
KalyAna Vasanta Priya
RAgamAlika Swarams in: KalyAna Vasantam, KalyANi, VasantA, VAsanti, NaLinakAnti, Amritavarshini, Valaji.

.

Abhishek,
This pallavi is just a stunning one by this immensely talented vidushi. Last year she sang this in MFAC in the 2009-season. The review is in the url
http://rasikas.org/forums/viewtopic.php? ... it=%40MFAC

The rAGamAligA swaras are different, awaiting for your subjective review. I am assuming the RAgam and tAnam and Pallavi was always in kalyAnavasantham with only swara rAgamAligA.

[Abhishek]

Abhishek,
This pallavi is just a stunning one by this immensely talented vidushi. Last year she sang this in MFAC in the 2009-season. The review is in the url
http://rasikas.org/forums/viewtopic.php? ... it=%40MFAC

The rAGamAligA swaras are different, awaiting for your subjective review. I am assuming the RAgam and tAnam and Pallavi was always in kalyAnavasantham with only swara rAgamAligA.

Rajesh sir, yes, the pallavi truly is a stunning one. Actually, the rAgam, tAnam and pallavi were all done in the four rAgams I have mentioned. She added different rAgamAlikA swarams on top of this. I still can't forget the way she shifted from one rAgam to another.

[rajeshnat]

Abhishek
Initially in my morning I just read the songlist with u mentioning that you will type the review later .Now I just realized that you have edited the text and added your subjective review(in future if you make minor corrections edit , otherwise edit it and mention in the post below that you have edited so that our login profile picks up the unread post.).

As per your words you are indeed honoured, privileged and blessed (2 power 4)to be one of the disciples of Smt. Raji Gopalakrishnan. And we are elated to have you here.Smt rAji is my favourite present vidushi . Take the rope of Smt rAji and leap towards Prof TRS in your musical career.

Perhaps I forgot to add that when you had mentioned about sarangathArangiNi . A year and half back in one of the concerts here at hamsadhwani Smt rAji sang a detailed alApana of sArangathArangiNi . At the end of the concert I went to Shri RamarAj and said what an alApana, he was in full praise for Smt rAji and we talked for about 15 minutes about how Smt rAji handles vivadhi . I just have to add that her handling of few OVK krithis are top notch , though not heard this particular mAnji of hers.

[Abhishek]

Abhishek
Initially in my morning I just read the songlist with u mentioning that you will type the review later .Now I just realized that you have edited the text and added your subjective review(in future if you make minor corrections edit , otherwise edit it and mention in the post below that you have edited so that our login profile picks up the unread post.).

As per your words you are indeed honoured, privileged and blessed (2 power 4)to be one of the disciples of Smt. Raji Gopalakrishnan. And we are elated to have you here.Smt rAji is my favourite present vidushi . Take the rope of Smt rAji and leap towards Prof TRS in your musical career.

Perhaps I forgot to add that when you had mentioned about sarangathArangiNi . A year and half back in one of the concerts here at hamsadhwani Smt rAji sang a detailed alApana of sArangathArangiNi . At the end of the concert I went to Shri RamarAj and said what an alApana, he was in full praise for Smt rAji and we talked for about 15 minutes about how Smt rAji handles vivadhi . I just have to add that her handling of few OVK krithis are top notch , though not heard this particular mAnji of hers.

Sure, I'll make sure to do that if I edit a post next time. Also, by going to class yesterday, I learned from Raji aunty that KAranam KEtuvADi is actually a ShuddhAnanda BhArati kriti, not a GOpalakrishna Bharati kriti. I've edited that as well.

Thanks once again for your warm words sir. I've passed on your compliments to my guru.

[mahakavi]

>>.... Also, by going to class yesterday, I learned from Raji aunty that KAranam KEtuvADi is actually a ShuddhAnanda BhArati kriti, not a GOpalakrishna Bharati kriti. I've edited that as well.<<

Can you please cite the evidence for this? All available references indicate it is authored by GKB. Perhaps Dr. Pasupathy in Toronto can clarify this, if you ask him.

[cmlover]

check
http://www.hummaa.com/music/artist/1006 ... harathiyar
where the song is listed. Lakshman has listed it at Karnatic as of GKB. It does not have GKB mudra.

[mahakavi]

cmlover:
The URL you cited does not give any evidence that the song under question here was authored by SNB.
Indu Narayanan in the comment has only written about SNB. Shyama Priya has reproduced my write-up verbatim from my article on the song "eppaDip padINaRo" chennaionline.com
GKB does not have his mudra in many (or even most) of his songs as is the case with Sivan.
Lakshman and Pasupathy will know more on this.

[arasi]

Good to see at least four tamizh songs in the list. I do not know about the the hamsadhvani song.
I hope RG is going to give several concerts during the season. The one concert I went to last time was cancelled at the last minute

[cmlover]

My only peeve is RG does not sing any of the compositions of Ramaraj .
He was a liifelong admirer of her music...

[kssr]

Who is Ramraj?

[cienu]

Who is Ramraj?

A much loved and respected forumite and a wonderful Vaggeyakara, (with the same name as handle) who passed away around a year back. More details are available in the link below.
http://www.rasikas.org/forums/viewtopic. ... it=ramaraj

[Lakshman]

Yes, I had listed GKB as the author of kAraNam kETTu vADi. However I got a book recently-Shuddhananda Kirtananjali and the song is listed there on page 17. So we learn everyday.

[cmlover]

Thanks Lakshman! Raji is acquitted She knows her stuff!

[Abhishek]

When I spoke to my guru today, she said that she loves all of Ramraj's compositions. In fact, she told me that she has sung all of his compositions in most of her kutcheris, and has even released quite a few CDs with his compositions. However, she does feel that others should also start singing his compositions now.

[cmlover]

Agree whole heartedly. That is the highest tribute to any vaggeyakaraka. In fact the best undying memorial to the Trinity are their songs being sung and not the glamourous Festivals held in their honour !