Dr Pantula Rama at Detroit on November 6 th

[nadhasudha]

Dr Pantula Rama - Vocal
Shri MSN Murthy - Violin
Shri Murugaboopathy - Mridangam

1. Sarasuda - Saveri Varnam
2. Shri Vighna Raajam Bhaje - Gambhira Nattai - Khanda Chapu - OVK
3. Atukaradani - Manoranjani - Thyagaraja - Short sketch of Raagam, Swarams at Atukaradani
4. Paridanamicchite - Bilahari - Swarams at Paridanamicchite
5. Sogasujuda Tharama - Kannada Gowlai - Thyagaraja
6. Shri Satyanarayanam - Subhapantuvarali - Raagam,Neraval and Swarams at Satyagnanananda mayam
7. Varalandhukon - Gurjari - Thyagaraja
8. Maa Janaki - Kambhoji - Raagam, Neraval and Swarams at Vani Mata
9. Manasu Nilpa - Abhogi
10. Naan Oru Vilayattu Bommaiya - Navarasa Kannada
11. RTP - Behag - Tisra Jathi Triputa Taalam - Dwi Nadai - Thani - Purvangam in Misra Nadai and Uttarangam in Chatushra nadai
Pallavi - Lakshmi Varalakshmi Dhaanyalakshmi Deepalankrta

Ragamalika swarams in Hindolam ,Mohanam and Sri
The words of the Pallavi were changed for each of the raagams as follows

Lakshmi Jayalakshmi Dhairyalakshmi for Hindolam
Lakshmi Dhanalakshmi Santanalakshmi for Mohanam
Lakshmi Sowbhagyalakshmi for Sri Raagam

12. Itu Sahasamulu Elanapai - Saindhavi??
13. Ehi Murare Kunja Vihare - ??
14. Broohi Mukundeti -Kurinji
15. Sharanu Sharanu Surendra Sannutha - sung in a totally different raagam than what is normally sung in Bhajana Sampradaayam(usually sung in Arabhi) - Not sure of the raagam this was rendered in
16. Kshirabdhi Kanyakaku - Kurinji
17. Mangalam (Pavamana)

My impresssions of the concert

Smt Rama is endowed with a strong voice that easily traverses the octaves and her manodharmam was exceptional in the raga alapanas. I particularly enjoyed her rendition of Subha Pantuvarali and the RTP. Violin and Mridangam supported her very well and the concert was very enjoyable.

Do not miss an opportunity to listen to this team. They have 4 more concerts in the US before they return to India.

Corrections Welcome

[Sreeni Rajarao]

Thank you for the report!

I was there for the first two hours of the concert (item 10).

This was the first time I was hearing the artistes in a live concert. Based on what I have heard from others and some recordings I have listened to, my expectations of Pantula Rama were very, and I was not one bit disappointed. Right from the first item, the concert was very engaging and by the third item in Manoranjini, Rama had reached a zone of comfort, perfection and bliss. She seemed to be completely enjoying her performance. I looked around and I was very sure that the audience was spell bound.
Shubhapantuvarali raga alapana, nerval and swaras were exceptional. I thought Sri. Murthy was doing his best to get into the same zone as Rama, but he seemed to be having some issues with the instrument (I wondered if it was the temperature in the hall - it was very cold). In some segments, he certainly was very much in the same zone as Smt. Rama. But, Sri. Murugaboopathy did not seem to have any problem and he was very good.
I was delighted when she started varalandhukon and enjoyed it very much.

Kambhoji was in the same zone as Shubhapantuvarali - pure bliss!

I was very impressed with her voice - powerful, engaging and very comfortable in all ranges.

Was item 16 Purandara Dasa's ksheerabhdi kannike?

I am glad that I attended this live concert. Unfortunately, I could not stay for the rest of the concert due to another appointment.

Pantula Rama and team will get my rating of "must listen to, in a live concert"

[Sreeni Rajarao]

Just learned some interestings things about Pantula Rama by reading Wikipedia:
Violinist M S N Murthy is her husband
Besides her PhD in music, she has a diploma in fashion design
She can also play violin and viola

[musicfan_4201]

Just learned some interestings things about Pantula Rama by reading Wikipedia:
Violinist M S N Murthy is her husband
Besides her PhD in music, she has a diploma in fashion design
She can also play violin and viola

And MSN Murthy is a good Vocalist.

[music_is_life]

A very modest crowd in Detroit were treated to a very scholarly and at the same time highly enjoyable concert. The raga alapanai for Shubhapanthuvarali was the highlight. There was perfect balance and proportion of fast paced brigas while portraying the emotion of the raga beautifully. Her musical sense closely resembles MLV and I am sure she will have a great future. I am glad the organizers brought this upcoming artist and hope they were able to collect enough to cover at least the hall rental.

[Lakshman]

# 12 itu sAhasmulu is by Svati Tirunal
# 13 Ehi murArE is by Jayadeva

[nadhasudha]

Thanks Sreeni Rajarao

Was item 16 Purandara Dasa's ksheerabhdi kannike?

Item 16 was ksheeraabdi kanyakaku - a composition of Annamacharya. MS Amma's rendition of this krithi is very popular and Dr Rama's rendition was a similar pathantharam

Thanks Lakshman for the composer information. In regards to item 13 - I am not sure if it was an ashtapadi. I have listened to all 24 of them and to my knowledge do not recollect an ashtapadi starting with those words. I could be wrong. Or probably is it any composition by Sri Jayadeva other than an ashtapadi?

[Enna_Solven]

These are the lyrics for Ehi Murare. Bombay Jayashri has sung this in Nat Bhairav (i ?) in her Salokyam CD from Charsur. There is no usual 'Jayadeva' mudra and this song is not found int he Geeta Govindam text that I have.

Ehi murAre kunja vihAre
Ehi pranatha jana bandho
He madhava madhu mathana varenya
keshava karunA sindho

rAsa nikunje gunjati niyatam
bhramara shatham kila kAntha
ehi nibhrutha patha pAntha
ThvAmiha yAche darshanadAnam
he madhusUdhana shAntha

navanIraja dhara shyAmala sundara
Chandra kusuma ruchi vesha
Gopigana hrudayesha
Govardhanadhara brindAvanachara
vamshIdhara paramesha

rAdhAranjana kamsanishUdhana
pranathi sthAvaka charane
nikhila nirAshraya sharane
Ehi janArdhana pIthambara dhara
kunje manthara pavane

[vasanthakokilam]

I do not think it is part of Geeta Govinda either. A while back someone sent me this link of a Hare Rama Hare Krishna devotee singing this song nicely in a simple and no-frills manner.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2DFyMKB-DU

[fuddyduddy]

sharanu sharanu is raaga madhupriya composed by shri annamacharya, as per her CD.

We heard her today in the NY area, organized by Shruthilaya, and it was a very beautiful concert!

[prabuddha]

The concert in Detroit was truly elevating. The initial few minutes of the concert were probably marred by an unusually high audio level. Around the Kannada Gowlai piece, the artiste herself gently intervened and requested that the volume be reduced and that she could not hear anything else (other than perhaps the boom of the audio). After that it was smooth and very enjoyable. Sri Murthy was divine with the violin though he seemed to be having some trouble at times - auditorium close to the dais was indeed a little hot.

The subhapantuvarali piece was memorable. The rtp was complex. All in all a great Deepavali treat.

She's obviously a wonderful artiste and one hopes she would keep coming to Detroit.

[hamirkalyani123]

This is truly an amazing concert as I can see. Can someone post her concert details in Atlanta that happened on Nov. 14th ?

thanks