Season 2010 Twitter...

bilahari · Post by **bilahari** » 26 Dec 2010, 22:47

Just back from Sanjay at Kalarasana. I found the first half of the concert treacherous - Sanjay seemed to be shouting instead of singing and Neyveli Venkatesh was extremely loud. I don't know if it was the sound system to blame or the musicians. The RTP was good, though excessively Hindusthani-ised. It was a peculiar concert...

smala · Post by **smala** » 27 Dec 2010, 02:12

Nick, the two Odissi exponents Bijayini Satpathy and Surupa Sen, together with late Protima Gauri (Protima Gauri, after her break up with Kabir Bedi), are responsible for Nrityagram - an idyllic village for living and learning dance. The place is some Kms away from Bangalore - there are a few clips on youtube.

Their style is different from Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra's slower curvy hip/waist movements, languid poses and fluid style.

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 27 Dec 2010, 09:55

Thanks... my friend told me that they have a school.

"curvy hip/waist movements, languid poses and fluid style." --- In fact, as close to sensuous as I have ever seen Indian classical dance. Some of the content was rather more than some of our chaste Bharatanatyam audiences might expect. Rhada asked Krishna to paint sandalwood patterns on her breasts. Goodness; I never knew that before!

bilahari · Post by **bilahari** » 27 Dec 2010, 22:22

VVS's concert was good - what made it better was that there was a mini rasikas' conclave...Met Arvind (semmu86), arasi, Bharath, Sridhar (_rang), Nick and his wife, Aishu, her sister Aparna, and their father, VRV. Nice evening.

Tomorrow: Parassala Ponnammal in the morning at MA, then Prashant at Nada Inbam at 4PM and finally R.K. Srikantan at Mudhra. Might need to leave Prashant's concert midway to make it to Srikantan's program.

vgovindan · Post by **vgovindan** » 27 Dec 2010, 22:53

Goodness; I never knew that before!

nick,
jaya dEva who composed 'gIta gOvindam' - a love song - belongs to Orissa. Indian bhakti tradition classifies such a love as 'anurAga bhakti' and 'kAntAsakti' - like love of wife unto her husband. Even tyAgarAja has composed 'nauka caritra' (Boat Story) where some such scenes are found.

Adi Sankara in his 'saundary lahari' - considered to be a treatise on SrI vidya, makes a statement about pArvati enviously kicking her husband - Siva - 'lalATE bhartAraM caraNa kamalE tADayati tE'. (86)

It is very difficult for rational minds to accept such 'lurid' expressions.

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 27 Dec 2010, 23:41

Thank you... even today Arasi was telling me that Padams and Javalis, if one understands the language, are just as racy.

I'm wondering, now, whether I should ask my wife to translate your Tamil line!

Anyway, you have placed it in the context of tradition for me. In her post-performance talk at their performance a week or so ago, Mrs YGP was talking something to the effect that the tradition dance form was even capable of portraying sex. <-- Ah! The censored word! And how harmless it is compared to some of the language we have seen recently

VVS's concert was ...interesting! Very interesting, actually, and I'm glad I was there, but my reaction was that, had it been a conversation, sometimes I would have been thinking, "what are you talking about?" and then, suddenly, finding myself entranced.

TVG's mridangam was phenominal. Unique and magnificent. He sings through it.

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 28 Dec 2010, 00:13

Nick,
Tirupunithura Radhakrishnan's ghatam was very good too.
Yes, TVG's mrudangam sang!

Bilahari,
The other forumite who came and said hello to us was Shriranjini Santhanagopalan. Her concert at MAF yesterday was very good too.

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 28 Dec 2010, 01:29

Tirupunithura Radhakrishnan's ghatam was very good too.

It was indeed: it was superb. No easy task to accompany VVS, I should think, and no easy task to play with TVG in full swing.

It was nice to see all friends. It is only a pity that there wasn't longer for chat, but the concert did not finish until 9.00. Dinner with Arasi and Mr Arasi was great.

Health has been substantially better today. What a washout of a December. Oh well, four days yet to go

Tomorrow (Tuesday). Would be nice to see Prashanth sing. Then, there is R K Srikantan, but by simply staying to the end of Prashanth's concert and then remaining in the same place, I would be be getting to see Suguna Purushotthaman (is that how she spells it? I copied it from Naada Inbam booklet). That's very tempting

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 28 Dec 2010, 08:41

Purushotham?

kunthalavarali · Post by **kunthalavarali** » 28 Dec 2010, 09:31

For the first time I saw no one get up during the thani. Surprised? It was an afternoon concert with 6 people (all in the first row) in the huge auditorium!

srikant1987 · Post by **srikant1987** » 28 Dec 2010, 10:17

For the first time I saw no one get up during the thani. Surprised? It was an afternoon concert with 6 people (all in the first row) in the huge auditorium!

Where was this concert? Who were the artists? Who organised the event?

bilahari · Post by **bilahari** » 28 Dec 2010, 13:10

Parassala Ponnammal's concert was great. Sat with Arvind, Pattamaa and his two children, and arasi. Had a great time. Now some rest before Prashant and Srikantan.

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 28 Dec 2010, 22:20

Apologies to Prasanth for missing most of his concert, but at least I got there at the end, and was able to listen to his neraval and swaras. He was very well accompanied by our friend Ram, and Bombay Anand. Prasanth sang beautifully.

Stayed on for Suguna P's concert. It was excellent. Notable contributions from Neyveli Narayanan and Usha Rajagopala. Usha Rajagopala played with great sympathy with Suguna, but manged still to add an extra dimension.

bilahari · Post by **bilahari** » 28 Dec 2010, 22:39

I had to leave just as Prashant was midway through the kAmbOji krithi - he was singing very well and I didn't want to leave! But had to commute to T Nagar for Srikantan's concert. VRV, Rajesh, Arvind, and I all attended Srikantan's concert, which was okay. The volume was nearly intolerably high. Sat with arasi during Prashant's concert and saw Coolji and Arun come in midway.

Tomorrow, RKSK's lecdem on violin at Parthasarathy in the morning. Amritha Murali at MA in the afternoon. Evening is open - may just relax with my grandparents at home.

sureshvv · Post by **sureshvv** » 28 Dec 2010, 22:41

Nick... That was Usha Rajagopalan, not Dr. Narmadha.

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 28 Dec 2010, 23:26

Good grief! You can see how far the sinusitis reached into my brain . Especially as I know Narmardha quite well and have done for years! Post corrected, thanks.

Goodness me: I'd be worried about dementia, except I've been doing stuff like this for years. Like walking past best friend in the street; walking up to one friend and addressing them by name of another; holes in the brain where ordinary words or names should be... Anyway, a qualified friend of mine assures me that as long as I am able to worry about it I don't actually have it.

As long as I don't mistake my wife for a hat...

smala · Post by **smala** » 29 Dec 2010, 02:51

Goodness me: I'd be worried about dementia, except I've been doing stuff like this for years. Like walking past best friend in the street; walking up to one friend and addressing them by name of another; holes in the brain where ordinary words or names should be... Anyway, a qualified friend of mine assures me that as long as I am able to worry about it I don't actually have it.

As long as I don't mistake my wife for a hat...

The last line is truly funny.

Nick, I think I can relate to this - happens with people in India when I visit - I'm desperately searching the mental rolodex for names and sometimes, can't hang faces to match names in conversations ! Lately, some stuff I don't particularly care about zips right through, with recall, when needed, becoming a painful task. The locksmith now has a character profile on me, the hardware store gets my patronage with keys "duplicated" several times over... money misplaced, groceries forgotten and then one blue moon will chance upon five packets of the same stuff, hanging out in different places, which then meet their fate together in the dumpster....it gets boring.

Alzheimers, amnesia, dementia...I keep wondering which.

Epilogue :
I think years of alien living maybe taking its toll.

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 29 Dec 2010, 12:33

Thanks for the reassurance

. Thing is, of course, that I see these people all the time! Anyway, the health bug invaded the sinuses yesterday, which really, really dulls the brain. I thought this was some sort of simple stupidity, years ago, but sinuses came up in a conversation with a doc, and she told me that is what it was! Health improving. However, may not go out today.

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 29 Dec 2010, 15:43

Lady Nick is top hat, if she happens to be a hat at all.
A SirO maNi( head ornament)? Top hat!

bilahari · Post by **bilahari** » 29 Dec 2010, 17:00

Just came back from Amritha Murali's MA concert - first time hearing her and she was thoroughly impressive. By far my favourite non-senior concert of the season. RKSK's lecdem in the morning was filled with sowkhyam - don't ask me how a lecdem can have sowkhyam, but he managed it. More tonight.

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 30 Dec 2010, 00:14

Thursday 30th...

Manakkal S. Rangarajan with M. Chandrasekharan, Indian Fine Arts, German Hall. Looks like an amazing combination to me. Afterwards, my friend from London, Balu Raghuram is accompanying Sikkil Gurucharan.

Another violin friend from London is also playing tomorrow: Jyotsna Srikant, but it is in Anna Nagar.

bilahari · Post by **bilahari** » 30 Dec 2010, 01:05

Kalyani Ganesan on the veena at Raga Sudha tomorrow evening (Kalpagam mami is ill, hence the replacement). This will be my last concert this season.

semmu86 · Post by **semmu86** » 30 Dec 2010, 08:56

Today (30.12.10) will be at Parthasarathy Swami sabha for Kunnakudy/UKS and evening 4.30 at KGS for VijaySiva/Trichy Sankaran .....

VRV · Post by **VRV** » 31 Dec 2010, 14:28

Semmu 86,

It was a pleasant surprise seeing you at Parthasarathy Swami sabha. Now you can go back and catch up on the back log.

VRV

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 31 Dec 2010, 15:37

Today I am charged with taking two American ladies, just arrived, to a concert. After a rundown of the possibilities, my friend said she was perfectly willing to go for pure, heavy-weight music --- so I will get my first experience of Parassala Ponnammal.

What's more, I had an unexpected call from another friend from that continent, a Canadian, this morning, and expect to meet him there too. Curtis is a pro musician and has been studying with Trichy Sankaran for some years. I'm hoping we will get to see him on stage here some time soon!

semmu86 · Post by **semmu86** » 31 Dec 2010, 16:50

Yes VRV sir.. Nice catching up with you too.... On the way to Ragasudha to catch Parasala Ponnammal to bring a mixed 2010 to a close....

semmu86 · Post by **semmu86** » 31 Dec 2010, 21:27

Amazing!! Just amazing concert of Parasala Ponnammal brings 2010 to a close.... The thODi, Arabhi, nEElAmbhari,,,,, a concert to cherish for a long long time to come....

semmu86 · Post by **semmu86** » 31 Dec 2010, 22:22

2010 comes a full circle for me. Jan 1st 2010, started off with a rasAyanA concert for me at rAgasudhA accompanying Sandhya Dharani and Dec 31st 2010 for me ends at rAgasudhA with this wonderful PP concert......

bilahari · Post by **bilahari** » 31 Dec 2010, 23:21

Managed to catch a bit of PP's concert at Nada Inbam - what a sAvEri (pari pAhi) and lalita (hiraNmayim). I had to leave after the beautiful Arabhi alapanai. PP's voice was in fine shape and it promised to be an amazing concert - pity I had to leave. Can someone post the whole list? Arvind? Bharath?

Back to real life from Monday. Sigh.

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 01 Jan 2011, 01:51

PP has such a reputation for purity and classicism that I found myself wondering if I was ready for her music, let alone taking along a couple of novices, one of whom had never even heard any carnatic music before.

They loved it. I loved it. We loved it.

PUNARVASU · Post by **PUNARVASU** » 01 Jan 2011, 03:30

It was interesting to go through this thread; we were actually following all of you wherever you went.Thanks a lot

gobilalitha · Post by **gobilalitha** » 01 Jan 2011, 07:25

Yes,Punarvasu, you are right, this thread compensates by the inputs of so many knowledgable rasikas for those who could not be physically present.. We are proud that we are having so much of great reviewers, some of them even excelling reviewers, of the press gobilalitha

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 01 Jan 2011, 14:19

I might make it to see Madirimangalam Swaminathan this evening. He is being accompanied by N Ramini.

rajeshnat · Post by **rajeshnat** » 01 Jan 2011, 17:06

Today I met arasi and krishnan sir after hearing half the concert of Smt jayalakshmi santhanam (have few backlog reviews to write, will write later ).

krishnan sir and my wife talked , there was an interesting few minutes of conversation,. I heard them saying " what is that forum , why do they spend so much time ???". Looks like they may plan to have a meet called grouse "global rasikas spouses meet " this year. :tmi: :tmi:

PUNARVASU · Post by **PUNARVASU** » 01 Jan 2011, 20:55

rajeshnat, 'grouse'! good one.

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 01 Jan 2011, 21:07

And they want to call it The House of Spouses of Grouse?
Seriously, we had a lovely time and lunch at your place before leaving Chennai. Your arresting us at JS's concert with charges that we didn't come to have lunch with you for three years in a row could not be appealed

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 02 Jan 2011, 00:12

Nick H wrote:I might make it to see Madirimangalam Swaminathan this evening. He is being accompanied by N Ramini.

The entire team was fantastic. I had no idea of the crowds that would be attending the temple (things like "Jan 1st" is stuff that I tend to remember for about an hour!). If I had done, I would not have tried to approach by car. It took half an hour, having passed Asthika Samajam in Thiruvanmiyur, to reach the temple car park. Last time I visited that hall, I parked outside the door. The car park man was great! Someone had already said, "no space!" to me, but the car park guy was moving bikes and fitting cars in. Rs10 (and with a ticket too) well spent!

Dr Ramini gave a superb performance, and was very well matched by S Varadharajan, whose extra decades (of youth!) did not show at all. The other youngster on the platform was H Prasanna, who gave a great ghatam performance.

The combination of M. Swaminathan and N Ramini was magical: both of them playing like cascades of a waterfall. Serious rasikas may now groan at my analogy, but really, that is what the evening brought to my mind

. MS's sarva laghu is lyrical and musical; his variety of thiermanums seems infinite. The tani was terrific.

We were four tonight: My wife came along as well as our two American friends, who, again, were amazed at the music.

semmu86 · Post by **semmu86** » 02 Jan 2011, 09:29

kalyANapuram ArAvamudhAchAriAr's scintillating thiruppAvai upanyAsam comes to end with a soul stirring final day on "vangakkaDal" and "AnDAL kalyANam".... My music season ends today at Parthasarathy Swami Sabha with his harikathA on "KulasEkhar AzwAR vaiBHavam" before reporting at Bangalore tomorrow ;(

. Really blessed were those who could attend his programmes amid all the circus going on in the name of upanyAsams and harikathA......

And am now looking forward to his impending 9 day RAmAyaNam discourse at Narada Gana Sabha coming July........

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 03 Jan 2011, 21:31

Krishna as a RasikA:
A quiz:
How many concerts did TMK attend?
How many lec-dems?
How many saw him ride the bike?
When was he not in a Tshirt?

I saw him in and around MA about half a dozen times. Once at Nada Inbam at Prashant's concert.
I am sure he was happy to be one of us for a change...

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 04 Jan 2011, 00:06

The season is not over yet! (You know what they say: it's not over until the fat lady sings. Or dances, in this case, perhaps, as dance follows song in January. Am I saying some of our dancers are a little plump? Never!

)... ... ...

Vijay Siva, Embar Kannan, Trichy Sankaran, B Sree Sundakumar, Asthika Samajam, Thiruvanmiyur.

I badly under-estimated Vijay Siva's popularity, arriving at the hall to be told, "Full up! Sold Out!"

Hanging around got me in, two rows from the back (but still Rs100) of what is a long, narrow hall.

It was worth every rupee: an excellent concert. Popular he is, and popular he deserves to be. My humble opinion is that he has one of the best voices there is among the men today, and uses it beautifully too. The accompaniment was excellent, as would be expected from these names, throughout. I moved up to sit on the floor, with a view of TS's hands, for the tani and the last few songs.

(originally wrongly posted in another thread)

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 10 Jan 2011, 22:38

Veena Jayanti Kumaresh gave a superb concert tonight at Raga Suda Hall. It was even better than the one she gave a few days ago in Vellachery. I haven't seen her for a couple of years, and now, twice in a week.

Her control, and the musicality that she produces with it is just astonishing.

The audience, this evening, were entranced by her. During her tanum, she had the absolute attention of everyone in the hall. There was a concentrated silence that is most unusual for a Mylapore audience. It was magical: truly music for the soul.

I have to catch up the concert listing since the down days: as rasikas.org went down, I came up, and started getting into concert going again.