Vijayalakshmy Subramaniyam, Chicago, 24th Oct 2010

[suma]

Vijaya lakshmi subramaniam concert
Valachi navaraga malika varnam
ninnADa - kannaDa
Shobhilu saptaswara
Varali Alapana
Mamava meenakshi raja matanji
Niravel shame shankari digvijaya, swaram
Small viruttam Paethrai thavam satrum illaatha ennai prapanjam ennum followed by
Kanna vendamo
Bilahari alapana
Dorakuna ituvanti seva, Swaram at ramabrahma tanayudow
Thani avartanam
RTP: Kapi Alapana
Tanam
Narayana nalina nayatha lochana pahi pahi sri lakshmi narayana
Kanda jAthi Triputa - 3/4th eduppu
Begada, hindolam, revati
Thani avartanam again
aRuL seiya veNdumaiyyA - rasikapriyA - Koteeshwara Iyer
Santa karam viruttam charukesi ragam
namO narayanA - madhuvanti - AnnamAcharya
Thillana kuntalavarali
Pavama mangalam
Good concert. Pure and classical. No gimmicks. No fussing around on stage for audio adjustments etc. Never heard her live. Good sunday afternoon concert. Decent crowd.
This concert will be followed by Ranjani and Gayatri.

[rajeshnat]

Arul saiya vendumaiya
Namo narayana ya samadhika nandaya sarveshwaraya

aRuL seiya veNdumaiyyA - rasikapriyA - Koteeshwara Iyer
namO narayanA - madhuvanti - AnnamAcharyA

[vasanthakokilam]

Suma, thanks for the song list and comments. Here is some additional info.

- ninnADa - kannaDa

- The talam for the kApi RTP was Kanda jAthi Triputa - 3/4th eduppu

The short viruththam in Sriranjani was "Paetrai thavam satrum illaatha ennai prapanjam ennum" from Kandar Alankaram by
Sanit Arunagiri Nathar. She then sang the bridge "iru kaN irukkum pOdhe" to the song "kANa vEnDAmO". Very well done... ( all in Sriranjani ) ( I had to look up the actual words to the viruththam based on a few words I remember hearing and Suma's words also helped very much to track this down )

The full words to the Kandar Alankaram verse is as follows from this link: http://www.celextel.org/stotras/subrahm ... karam.html

Paethrai thavam satrum illaatha ennai prapanjam ennum
saethrai kazhiya vazhi vitta-vaa sengchadaa adavi Mel
Aat-trai paniyai ithazhiyai thumbaiyai ambuliyin
Keethrai punaidha perumaan kumaran krupaakarane

She viruththamized these four lines ( there were some small variations )

It was a very enjoyable concert. The Vidhushi was in great form. varALi, bilahari and kApi RTP were excellent. The Srirajani based viruththam worked very well. It enabled the song that followed to gain more traction instead of being considered as a filler by the audience.

Bio of the artist here: http://www.vijayalakshmysubramaniam.com/musician.html

[arasi]

Such a lovely verse from Arunagirinathar...
ambuliyin kItRaip punaninda perumAn...
VK,
Glad to know you listened to her. She seems to include Koteeswara Iyer's songs often in her concerts. Naturally. She is the disciple of Sri. S.Rajam.

[vasanthakokilam]

A camera phone picture, taken from a distance, so pardon the lack of clarity.

[VRV]

Suma or VK

Please post the names of the accompanying artists on the violin and mridangam.

Vinod Venkataraman

[ganeshkant]

Who were the accompanists for this concert ?

VS sings normally vivadhi mela raga kritis in her concerts.I often hear her recrding in Chennai - B of AIR , kritis in Varunapriya,Kantamani,etc.and should say the vidushi excels in singing vivadhi raga kritis especially.

Dorakuna is a beautiful choice and rare one.The rendition of this kriti by late Dr.S.Ramanathan is deeply etched in my memory.VS also must have sung it preserving its soul.

[vasanthakokilam]

Violin: Srikanth Venkataraman

Mridangam: Rajesh Salem

Both were very good in this concert. I know what to expect from Srikanth having listened to him a few times, since he is from this area and he delivered. His kApi alapana and returns were excellent. I did not know much about Rajesh Salem but Vijayalakshmy Subramaniyam mentioned at one time during the concert that she is flanked by two locally grown talents. I assume then Rajesh grew up in the U.S. He played very well.

>VS also must have sung it preserving its soul

Yes, she did indeed. I like bilahari and I was very glad she took it up as main. My previous reference to this song was Dr. S. Ramanathan as well. Hers had a different vibe and tone from Dr. S. Ramanathan's, and that is to be expected since he is one of a kind. VS's was excellent as well.

[suma]

Thank you all for the corrections and addition of raga names to the song list.

Rajesh Salem was not born and raised here. He is a disciple of Karikudi Mani. He came in to US like most of us for work after finishing all studies in India. He used to be in Chicago, but later moved to Dallas. He is back in chicago for the last 2 years. He plays very well.

[hamirkalyani123]

Thank you, suma and vasanthakokilam for the report and photo.

Does anyone have VS's Washinton DC concert details held the previous day at SSVT. I heard that she did Nalinakanti RTP. I was planning to attend but had to drop out last minute. I am sure I missed it.