Mudhra Veena Festival is Webcast

[gardabha_gana]

I noticed this under Music and Festivals. Cross posting for larger benefit. This is on

http://www.mudhra.org/tv.html

The telecast is good. Thanks Mudhra!

Timings:
27th august( 5p.m onwards) and 28th august ( 9a.m to 9.30p.m without break)

[CRama]

First of all I express my thanks to MUDHRA and Brahma Gana Sabha for organizing this festival. The two day festival was inaugurated by octogenarian Veena Vidwan Sri R.Pichumani Iyer, who was 91 years old. He made a brief recital also. I was surprised that he could walk without any assistance, sit on the floor, hold the veena and play it in this ripe age. The festival was inaugurated by Shri Nalli Kuppuswami Chetty. Other dignitaries who attended the inaugural function were Shri.A.Natarajan, former Doordarshan Director, Shri Thotta Dharani, Art Director, Shri Balasubramaniam of Brahma Gana Sabha, The list of songs rendered by the vidwans whose concerts I attended is given hereunder.

I was one of the few persons who attended the festival, the venue being next door made it convenient for me to sit throughout the day. All the concerts maintained high standard many of them excellent. Each artist was allotted half an hour – not adequate to show their virtuousity. But with their long experience coupled with dedication to the art, they could provide the experience of a full concert. And we could listen to varied styles in veena playing besides the host of kritis. All the artistes took care to present one song in an elaborate manner. Many included tanams also. One artist presented an exclusive RTP. The accompanists- Mridangam and Ghatam- also did a good job in maintaining the tempo of the concert and embellishing it to a great extent. But the audience turnout was much less – 30-40 for most of the times. As discussed in many threads, veena deserved a better deal from the rasikas as well. We write a lot about the issue but do not take pains to attend the concerts and encourage the artists. How sad.

27-08-11

R.Pichumani Iyer
Tanjore Subramaniam
EMSubramaniam
Janani ninuvina
Manavyala

Dr.RSJayalakshmi
Karakudi VMGanesan
Madipakkam Murali
Devadeva kalayamithe
Lalithe Sreepravrithe
unknown song in Revathi

Padmavathi Ananthagopalan
Tanjore Subramaniam
EMSubramaniam
Thathvamariyatharama
Bhakthibikshameeyave-Sankarabharanam Ragam, Tanam, Neraval,swaram
Vanipondu= Kanada

Kalyani Ganesan
Karakudi VMGanesan
Madipakkam Murali
Swaminatha paripalaya
Paramakripasagari-Yadukulakambodi
Marubalga
unknown song= Behag

DR.Santhi Mahesh and Dr, Mallika
KSRamana
Madipakkam Murali
Bhajanaseyarada-Ragam, Tanam, Neraval,Swaram
Thillana- Revathi

28/08/11
Bhavaniprasad
Trichur Narendran
Trichy Murali
Sree Saraswathy=Arabhi
Anandamrithakarshini
Krishna neebegane

Mudikondan Ramesh
Trichur Narendran
Trichy Murali
Ranganayakam
Durmargachara

Jayasree &Jayaraj
B.Ganapathyraman
Dr.Karthik
RTP – Tanam Ragamalika,swaram Sankarabharanam

B.Sivakumar
Trichur Narendran
Trichy Murali
Sree Mahaganapathe-Abhogi
Eti janmamithiha-Varali
Karadare barabarade- Janasammodini

SPRamh
B.Ganapathyraman
Dr.Karthik
Makelara
Bhajanaseyarada- Dharamvathy

Ashwin Anand
NC Bharadwaj
Trichy Murali
Bhuvinidasudane-Sreeranjini
Seshachalanayakam-Varali Ragam, Neraval, Swaras i

Sharada Tharani
Ramaiah Vittal
Chandrasekar Sharma
Panchamathanga
Manvyala
Neethu charanamule-Simmendramadhyamam Ragam, tanam, Swaras
Sarasarasmarai-Kunthalavarali

Naresh Purushotham
Mudhra Bhaskar
Pudukottai Ramachandran
Gajavadana-Sreeranjini
Janani ninuvina
Kanda naal muthal-Madhuvanthi
Thillana- Desh



Srivani
Ramaiah Vittal
Chandrasekar Sharma
Swaminatha-Nata
Swararaagasudharasa-Sankarabharanam,Ragam,Tanam,Neraval,Swarams
Jagadhodharana- Pilu

GSRMurthy
Kumbakonam Ramakrishnan
Chandrasekar Sharma
Saranga
Dhyaname-Dhanyasi
Smarajanaka-Behag

Jayalakshmi Sekar
Mudhra Bhaskar
Pudukottai Ramachandran
Vandeham-Hamsadhwani
Sundareswaruni-Sankarabharanam-Ragam,Taram,swaram
Mayamma
Smarasundaranguni-Pharas

P.Vasanthukumar
Thiruvadamaruthur Sankaran
Pudukottai Ramachandran
Neebhajanagana-Nayaki
Suryamurthe-Saurashtram Alapana, swaras
Ojagadamba- Anandabhairavi alapana

MNSeshadri
Kumbakonam Ramakrishnan
Vinayaka-Hamsadhwani
Meenakshimemudam-poorvikalyani Ragam,Tanam swaram
Thillana- Dhanasree


Revathi Srinivasan and Sobhana Swaminthan
hiruvadamaruthur Sankaran
Pudukottai Ramachandran
Parithapamu
Sree Ramasaraswathi-Nasikabhooshani Ragam, Tanam, Swaram
Amba Neelambari
Thillana-Behag
Mangalam

Some of the outstanding renditions were.
• Bhakthibhikshameeyave - Sankarabharanam Ragam, Tanam, Neraval,swaram by Padmavathi Ananthagopalan
• Paramakripasagari-Yadukulakambodi by Kalyani Gansan
• Marubalga-Sreeranjini Ragam,Swaram by Kalyani Gansan
• Dr. Santhi Mahesh and Dr.Mallika-Bhajanaseyarada-Ragam, Tanam, Neraval,Swaram for 30 minutes
• Anandamrithavarshini-Amritavarshini by Bhavaniprasad
• Dunmargachara-Ranjini by Mudikondan Ramesh
• RTP- Sankarabharanam by Jayasree and Jayaraj -30 minutes
• Eti janmamidiha-Varali Ragam, Neraval, Swaras by B.Sivakumar
• Seshachalanayakam -Varali Ragam, Neraval, Swaras by Ashwin Anand
• Dhyaname- DhanyasiElaborate alapana, swarams by GSR Murthy
• Vandeham-Hamsadhwani with elaborate swaram by Jayalakshmi Sekar
• Sundarswaruni-Sankarabharanam-Ragam,Tanam, Swaram by Jayalakshmi Sekar
• Mayamma-Ahiri by Jayalakshmi Sekar
• Meenakshimemudam-poorvikalyani Ragam,Tanam swaram by MNSeshadri.
• Sree Ramasaraswathi-Nasikabhooshani Ragam, Tanam, Swaram by Revathi Srinivasan and Sobhana Swaminthan

I would suggest that playing of same ragams consecutively should be avoided. B Sivakumar played an excellent Varali. Next, Ashwin also played an excellent Varali almost on the same format. Similarly I found Dharmavathy is a favourite ragam for vainikas. Three artists played Dharmavathy.

Mudhra needs to be appreciated for the meticulous way they have organized such a big event. The programmes started in time and everybody adhered to their time slot. We were greeted with tea and snacks during inauguration and tea snacks and lunch were provided to the rasikas on the second day.

[mahavishnu]

CRama, thanks for your wonderful report.

[gardabha_gana]

Kudos to Mudhra for also webcasting it. I did catch a good portion of the webcast. Can we have more such webcasts please so that folks outside Madras can experience them.

[PUNARVASU]

CRama, thanks for the elaborate report. You have taken pains to note down everything and post here for the benefit of all us. A very thoughtful gesture on your part. Would have loved to attend it.Happy to note that Shri Pichumani played in the festival. As a veena lover I am very happy to see such programmes being arranged.

[rajeshnat]

Crama
You have almost spent close to 9 and half hours in two days. Tx for your report, few krithis like Bhakthibikshameeyave in sbharanam have almost gone out of circulation but for without this utsav

[gardabha_gana]

CRama thanks for the painstaking report. Did they have one dais or more? The switches seemed to be quick. Vid. Jayanthi (disciple of Vid. Padmavathy A) played BakthiBiksha 3 years back at RSM Bangalore. I didn't know the song and asked her after the concert Agree with rajeshnat - such beautiful songs have gone out of circulation

I believe there is one more veena fest September 17/18.

[CRama]

They had two dias. As one programme was nearing completion , the next team occupied the dias and got ready. In fact, it took nearly ten minutes for them to connect veena, pick ups, amplifier, etc. No time was wasted in between concerts.There was no announcement in between.
This festival gave opportunity to listen to rare songs such as Bhakthibhiksha, Sundareswaruni etc. I was listening both the songs live for the first time. I could not make out Sundareswaruni. Subsequently I checked up with the artist and got it. Jayalakshmi Sekar's playing was superb. Similarly Nasikabhooshani. I have never heard such an elaborate treatment of the raga. Revathi Sreenivasan played the entire raga alapana for about 10 minutes and then she allowed her student Shobhana to play the entire tanam. This is also a unique gesture on the part of a guru.

[vainika]

I managed to catch about five hours of the webcast on day 2, beginning with B Kannan's recital.

Even though the 30 minute format does not do justice to an artiste and her/his music, I was impressed at how clearly each person's style and sensibilities came through.

Of the sample I got to view, Ashwin (Varali), Jaysri+Jeyaraaj (Shankarabharanam), Ramesh (Ranjani) and B Sivakumar (Varali) were outstanding. I am sorry to have missed the other artistes of Day 2, and the entire Day 1.

L Ramakrishnan

[harimau]

I believe there is one more veena fest September 17/18.

Actually, there are two veena festivals planned for September and October.


NARADA GANA SABHA
VEENA NAVARATRI
from September 11 - 19, 2011
at NGS Mini Hall, TTK Road, Chennai-600 018

Navarathri Veenarpana/Veena Mahotsav
October 3-10, Sri Krishna Gana Sabha

All the usual veena artists are featured in both the festivals.

Now that you have advance notice, there is no reason for rasikas not to show up in large numbers and support the veena as a concert instrument