R. Vedavalli - MA - 26th Dec 2010

[bilahari]

R. Vedavalli – Vocal
Sumitra Vasudev – Vocal Accompaniment
R.K. Shriramkumar – Violin
K. Arun Prakash – Mrudangam
Trichy Murali – Ghatam

Approximate Songlist:

01. mugattai kATTi (N @ sAya rakSayil vandu, S) – bhairavi – miSra cApu – Papavinasa Mudaliar
02. orajupucUcEDi – kannaDagowLa – Adi
03. srI rAjagOpAla (R, N @ dIna Saranya, S) – sAvEri – Adi
04. evarIchira – madhyamAvati – Adi?
05. mATi mATiki (N @ mangaLa kara rUpa) – mOhanam – miSra cApu
06. brOva samayAmidE – gowrimanOhari – Adi
07. guruguhAya (R) – sAma – Adi
08. bhajarE rE citta (R, tAnam, N @ dEvi Sakti, S, T) – kalyANi – miSra cApu
09. manjuLAm SolE (vruttam or slOkam?) – kAmbOji, varALi, aTANA, nIlAmbari, suruTTi, and then kElanu harE tAlanu – suruTTi – Adi

RV began her concert with a bhairavi krithi I have not heard before and it was extremely beautiful. Her voice was in fine shape from the start and RV delivered a sublime, moving, mostly chowka kAla neraval in the composition. This is by far one of the most outstanding concert openers I have experienced. The swaras were also well done and had simple but defining patterns like G,RS (tara) – N,DP – G,RS. After a pleasant kannaDagowLa, RV sang a concise sAvEri with all its classical emotive gamakas about the madhyamam. MD’s krithi was sung nicely and featured another bhava-laden neraval. When RV began the mOhanam krithi, Bharath mentioned she does an amazing neraval in this krithi, and I was skeptical – I am not all that fond of this ragam and have never heard a competent neraval in it. RV proved me absolutely wrong with an extremely beautiful neraval at mangaLa kara rUpa. The neraval was mostly in vilamba kAlam and, interestingly, RV developed the neraval for a few minutes before allowing a violin response. It was lovely to listen to each round of neraval building on the last without interruptions. Soon, there was a crisp sAma alapanai leading to a rare but beautiful krithi. The subsequent kalyANi ragam and tAnam were both well executed by RV and SV, with SV allowed to develop a fair bit of the ragam. She did a good job throughout the morning – she adheres to her guru’s style of singing very well and delivers solid, classical music. The kalyANi krithi, neraval, and swaras were all nicely done with the mEl kAla swaras being especially noteworthy. The concert ended with a nice suruTTi.

This is my first time listening to RV live and I was blown away. The concert, right from the bhairavi to the suruTTi, was filled with sowkhyam and was very classical. I set my notebook aside for much of the concert, so there are few notes – this only happens in extraordinary situations! RV’s singing has that sparseness I adore – her gamakas are measured and accurate, and every note she sings reflects the bhAvam of the rAga being sung. I particularly loved her neraval singing – I don’t believe I have heard any artiste render such moving neravals live. When she takes up a neraval, her exploration in the lower speed is thorough and meditative – filled with silences and kArvais. There is absolutely no rush to reach the mEl kAlam and progress to kalpanaswaras. Similarly, she does not resort to excess kaNakku in her swara singing, and often sings sarvalaghu swaras that reflect the rAga bhAvam admirably. It is the same quality I have noticed in Parassala Ponnammal and Vijay Siva – the ability to decorate swaras with appropriate, musical gamakas. It sounds simple but it is anything but! In addition, RV has an extremely dignified presence on stage and has no mannerisms. This adds to the dignity of the music she presents.

R.K. Shriramkumar played an important part in the success of this concert. His sensitivity never ceases to amaze – his raga responses that morning were very faithful to the picture painted by the main artiste, his neraval responses were as meditative as RV’s, and his responses in bhairavi and mOhanam especially were brilliant. His accompaniment for krithis and mandra stAyi playing were spotless. A singer like RV deserves a violinist like RKSK!

KAP was also very sensitive on the mrudangam. Forgive me for mentioning spareseness so many times, but again, it is this that appeals to me most in his playing. Along with a knowledge of when and what type of strokes to play, he knows when not to play as well. RV’s neravals benefited from his supreme sense of silences (especially mOhanam). Great stuff. The tani was good. Trichy Murali was somewhat bland on the ghaTam.

Definitely one of – possibly THE – the highlight concerts of my season. I need to make sure to attend all of this vidushi’s concerts next season. I have to catch up!

[gardabha_gana]

Mindblowing concert. It was indeed a different world. Definitely a class apart for me.

[shankarabharanam]

Brilliant is just one word that sums up this concert. Difficult to pick one.. I think Sumitra Vasudev also played the perfect vocal support

[ksrimech]

09. manjuLAm SolE (vruttam or slOkam?) – kAmbOji, varALi, aTANA, nIlAmbari, suruTTi

navamaNimAlai (dESika prabhandam) - svAmi vEdAnta dESikan - tiruvayindai (tiruvahindrapuram) divyadEsam - pAsuram #8
manchulAvu sOlai sUzh ayindai mannusIr
vaRaiyeDuttu niRaiyaLitta mAsil vAsudEvanE
sencholanbar sindai koNDu tItilAda tUdanAyt
tErumUrndu tEsuyarnda selva deivanAyaka
vecholALar kAlatUdar vIsu pAsam vantenmEl
vizhundazhundi yAnayarndu vIzhvadaRkumunna nI
anjal anjal anjal enRaLikka vENdumachchutA
adiyavarkku maruLiyakku madiyavarkku meyyanE.

[squims]

Any recordings?

RV began her concert with a bhairavi krithi I have not heard before and it was extremely beautiful.

I have a recording of the same krithi from her. It is indeed a beautiful krithi.

[bilahari]

I would DEARLY love a recording of this concert, too. Ksrimech, thanks for the lyrics to the pAsuram.

[gardabha_gana]

What a concert! One of the reasons for my 6 day trip to Madras - and it indeed was THE highlight of my trip. This was my first live concert of this great vidushi and my mom, my bro and I were in a bliss at the end. Very very nice rendering - and I can keep hearing such a concert 24 hrs. Vid. Ashwin played the tambura and Vid. Sumithra provided excellent vocal support. In a nice way, the purandara dasa song was a misfit - kelano hari taleno, talamelangalaliddu premavillada raga - this concert had raga, tala, bhava, bhakti and every other aspect you can name! I sincerely hope this vidushi frequents bangalore.

[vasanthakokilam]

Thanks for the reference to the song mugathai kATTi. Sangeethapriya has three recordings by others, one by Sri. G.S. Mani. Search for "papavinasa". The tune sounds similar to upacharamule and keechu keechenru . It will be great to hear Vid. Vedavalli's rendition. It is classified as a padam.

[murthyhmg]

Words mind blowing, serene, dignified, masterly etc. do not describe the concert fully. An experience - once a life time kind.

Will upload the sound files to http://www.sangeethamshare.org/murthy - No. 336 in a day or two.

In the meantime, it would be nice if someone could post the meaning of the above viruttam and also mukhattai kattiye. full lyrics are pasted below.

mukhattai kaTTiyE – bhairavi – Chapu - Paapanaasa Mudaliaar

mukhattai kAtTTiye dEham muzhumaiyum kATTAmal mUDU mandiram EdayyA (mukhatthai)
jagattil adhikamAna ArUril vAsarE shezhitta mEniyilUnam uNDO tyAgEsharE (mukhattai)
shAyarakSyil vandidOtTTai kATTi mayakki mAyAvittanam uLLa
mandahAsattuDanE mAn mazhuvEndiya karattai kUDa maraittu (mukhattai)
kUttADum pOdangE kunindu pArppOm enrAl kudittu kudittu munpin
Odum vidattai utru pArttAl
pashigaL tIrum paravashamAga sheyyum paNiyAl maraittu koNDoru pAdam kATTuvadellAl (mukhatthai)
abhSeka kAlattil arumai tirumEniyai ati rahasiyamAna toTTAl maraikkirIr
vibhavam tandu rakSikkum divya mangaLa rUpA-vidanga
tyAgarAjarE pApavinAsharE (mukhattai)

[vasanthakokilam]

Thanks murthyhmg.

There is a recent thread for mukhattai kAtTTiye dEham here with some partial meaning, corrections to the lyrics and some discussion: http://www.rasikas.org/forums/viewtopic. ... 9&p=184224
Translators, please providing the meaning in the above thread so we keep them together.

[rshankar]

Translators, please providing the meaning in the above thread so we keep them together.

Done

[ganeshkant]

Listened to this concert in AIR today morning.Great!

[rbharath]

superb concert. in a word.. fantastic...