VVS @ Nada Inbam

[Gamakam]

My thoughts here: http://carnaticmusicreview.wordpress.co ... argazhi-8/

[bilahari]

Thank you, Gamakam. I agree with you about teliyalEru rAma - it was moving and satisfying. I will do my English version of yours [ ] later this evening.

[Gamakam]

bilahari - Were you the one sitting next to Semmu86? I missed you....may be I'll catch up in some other concert!

Your review will be English version of mine? No way! My reviews are more of a 'Paamara' review while yours are 'Panditha' reviews. Looking forward for yous:-)

[bilahari]

You must be kidding, Gamakam. I have always felt the converse - your knowledge and Tamil writing skills are a bit intimidating! I will catch up on all your reviews at leisure when I'm back home in Singapore. I'm embarrassed to admit that even though I'm a native speaker, it takes me a while to get through your reviews!

Oh, do make it to Kalyani Ganesan at Raga Sudha tomorrow. I heard she's a brilliant vainika.

[Nick H]

Maybe, one day, I'll be able to read Gamakam's reviews and his other writings. I was contemplating the Naada Inbam banner during the concert. The only character that means anything to me is that lovely curly-whirly "i"!

[bilahari]

V.V. Subramaniam – Violin
T.V. Gopalakrishnan – Mrudangam
T. Radhakrishnan – Ghatam

Approximate Songlist:

01. srI gaNapati – sowrASTRam – Adi
02. swAminAta – nATTai – Adi
03. Ananda naTamADuvAr (R) – pUrvikalyANi – rUpakam
04. teliyalEru rAma (sketch) – dhEnuka – Adi
05. smara sadA (R, N, S) – bilahari – Adi
06. nI vAdanE (R) – sAranga – khaNDa cApu
07. rAmacandram bhAvayAmi – vasanta – rUpakam
08. cakkani rAja (R, N, S, T) – kharaharapriya – Adi
09. puTTaparti sAi bAbA bhajan – rAgapriya
10. bhajan (R) – dES
11. tiruppugazh – dhanyAsi (?)
12. mangaLam – sowrASTRam – Adi

VVS’s shruti was struggling slightly in the initial few items. Arvind thought it might have been because of the air conditioning. Nonetheless, he presented a neat pUrvikalyANi ragam with phrases like SP,MGR – PS,NDP. His dhEnuka sketch and teliyalEru rAma were the highlight of the evening for me. The composition was played with great bhAvam. All of us were pleasantly surprised by the elaborate bilahari, and while VVS’s presentation was solid, it was nearly identical to the clip on Youtube (which I’ve watched at least 20 times), so the “wow” factor was missing for me. VVS’s kharaharapriya ragam was pleasant but I didn’t find it particularly arresting. The krithi was rendered beautifully and the neraval and swaras were concise. VVS played a bhajan in a self-composed raga (rAgapriya) next, announcing at the end, “ida compose paNNinadu oru chinna paiyyan...pEr VVS” (the one who composed this is a young boy...named VVS). His elaborate dES ragam was easily the second highlight of the evening – his elaboration was a mixture of the hackneyed (but pleasing) and the rare.

VVS is one of the very few violinists who use the full length of the bow when playing. In particular, his use of the full bow for just one or two swaras gives his playing a degree of boldness and forcefulness. His gamaka playing is fluid, and his bowing is still smooth, which makes his music very pleasant on the ears. He has good resonance in the mandra stAyi, as was evident from his bilahari. However, his playing can sometimes be a touch melodramatic, with excessive tonal modulations and flourishes. His kharaharapriya was lacking something – it’s hard to put my finger on it. It sounded melodious but was lacking in – to borrow from arasi – soul. Vague, I know...but I just don’t know what exactly it was. If I listen to him a few more times, I will have a better picture. However, his music had a lot of silences, and was generally emotive – good sowkhyam.

TVG was very good on the mrudangm. Nick calls it the singing mrudangam. Arasi likened his playing to the sound of thunder rumbling. He certainly has a very unique nAdam, and I thought he played very appropriately for the krithis, and for the manOdharma portions as well. Tripunithura Radhakrishnan was impressive on the ghaTam. He has great clarity and plays with softer strokes. I thought he was a great foil for TVG, and VVS agreed, observing, “reNDumE orE UrU” (both are from the same hometown). The thani was beautiful and VVS picked up the second repetition of the final kOrvai with swaras, giving it a nice conclusion.

It was a very nice evening of sedate music.

[ramanathan]

[Sreeni Rajarao]

What a beautiful picture! Thanks for making it black and white, and sharing it with us!

[rbharath]

i liked the concert.

[vasanthakokilam]

I was contemplating the Naada Inbam banner during the concert. The only character that means anything to me is that lovely curly-whirly "i"!

That is one of the tougher ones!!

[arasi]

VK,
Don't give him too much credit. That's only the second letter of the alphabet!

[vasanthakokilam]

second or third? I was referring to the spaghettish third one..

[arasi]

See, I'm the illiterate one! Yes, the third. Now I have to sport the fourth letter of a sheepish grin (Eee). Nick gets a promotion!

[Nick H]

Only a poet can manage sheep and flies in the same phrase, even if it did need brackets!