Palghat Ramprasad at KGS 23/12

[CommonMan]

I am bcoming a big fan of PRP...Yet another time, got a feel of sitting in old-master's concert.......the sincerity, effortlessness, and conviction with which he handled the raga alapanai for Asaveri and dhwijavanthi was commendable. (detailed list to follow..penning down my experience before the mundane listing)
Was praying he would sing "Lekhana", and my prayers were answered. Was reminded of Ariyakudi and Alathore.....the effortless handling of the anupallavi and charanam in the upper octaves with not even a single "pisuru" time and again, can only be acheivedwith extreme saadhagam and constant thoughts about it.
In this era where vocalists do all kinds of abhinayam and konashtai, this concert was a serious breather...no alungal, kulungal....as neat as it could be.

I am wondering on two issues (someone who knows the field could probly help me understand this):
1. Is it out of PRP's choice that he has only few concerts? ...while I could see that every one in the auditorium enjoying the concert, and the few people whom I meet have a very gud impression on him, why doesn't he have as many concerts as many sub-standard artists do?
2. Do the organizers give a strict time line to finish the concert? bcos, after Muruga (hamsanandhi), and a soul-stirring "krishna nee" (where I could see some in tears), he was looking for someone to stop the concert....not even a a handful left the concert after thani...if rasikas are willing to stay, what's the problem?

[thathwamasi]

@CommonMan - Thanks for the review. I missed the concert once again - Due to work, being the last working day for me this year. I especially, miss the Lekhana.

My answers for the two issues pointed out by you (although I dont qualify as someone who knows the field)

1. Although PRP came back a year ago, he has performed only a handful of concerts. My guess is because,he accepts any concerts that come his way, but he isn't actively contacting sabhas etc. So, I think the word will spread slowly and Im sure in 2012, he will sing a lot more than this.

2. As much as PRP sticks to the traditions in music, he also sticks to the time schedule vigilantly. So he could have finished the concert on time. However, I have seen him sing for a few more minutes post the scheduled finish time in the past in order to accomodate requests.

Thanks
T

[CommonMan]

@thathwamasi: thx--but do u feel so? or do u know so?

Complete list:
Saveri varnam
Ambarame thanneere (NS): so many swara patterns and kanakkus (the violinst VV Ravi, could not keep up with whatever that was presented)
Lekhana (top class Asaveri, the violin's accompaniment and Raga solo was good too)
Chethasri (nice Semmangudi style rendition of ragam and swara patterns)
Kavava (the Swaras cud have been avoided - it was a bit overboard, swarams in just about all songs)
Lokavana Chathura (Tiruvalangadu Sundaresa Iyer reminiscent raga sangathis was nostalgic, Neraval in the pallavi was very different, and the kanakkus were enjoyable, though I cud not follow them all)
Thani was excellent, and very vibrant (Bangalore Praveen, and gatam Govindarajan)
Murugamuruga
Krishna nee (was almost in tears, with neraval kind of stuff in the charanam, in the footsteps of KVN)
Neat concert, and very traditional - just the cup of tea for old-time lovers....

[pvs]

Hard to describe this without going overboard on adjectives, so I am holding back. will just say 'romba azuthamana sangeetham'. Loved commonman's usage; no 'konashtai'! no seshtai at all!! Hearing yamuna kalyani twice within a week from PR and enjoyed both very much. He struck good rapport with accompanists: with violinist during the alapanai and percussionist during swaras and neraval 'landing' on the beat every time. They were beaming at him most of the time...Bangalore praveen showed excellent anticipation. I wonder if they have performed together before? Very crisp playing.
The Begada was extra special - as the adage goes 'begada migada'. Havent heard lokavana chatura for a while. something tells me these concerts could be online sometime in the near future...
The best part of the concert was the neraval in ambarame @ 'sempor kazhaladich chelva' - pure gold!

[thathwamasi]

@commonMan - I know so Sir.

@pvs - Im sure this is the first time PRP is accompanied by Bangalore Praveen. And "thathasthu" on your comment about neraval @ "Semporkazhaladi chelva". I have heard him sing that before and I have loved it so much that I myself have requested it on a few occasions from him and he has obliged.

[dubaimusiclover]

Wonderful concert.
No words to describe the Asaveri alapana and the way the Begada Lokavana was sung. Reminded more of SSI to me particularly on begada.
The azhuttham , the purity and the pristine rendering was some thing that would remain in my mind for long.
Bangalore Praveen's mridangam accompaniment in this concert was outstanding. The sound level, the theermanam's he played was fantstic.
Overall a very enjoyable concert.
I do not miss Ramprasad , ever since I heard his Dhyaname Vara Maina in danyasi some four or five years back in sastri hall.

[Sreeni Rajarao]

Palghat Ramprasad is one of the new names I am getting familiar with lately (thanks to our forum!).

I have listened to his music available on YouTube and I am inspired to look for more of his music now!

It is good to see Bangalore Praveen's name again. He is carrying on the great legacy of his illustrious father M L Veerabhadrayya,
a highly respected mRdanga vidvAn of his times.
"Master Praveen", as he was known in the 1970s was a prolific performer in Karnataka in those days.

[CommonMan]

@PVS: I would appreciate a note, if you see them available online...would like for my folks back home to watch it....

[pvs]

@ CommonMan: for sure! They are not up yet, but will be soon. Give me a couple of weeks and I will broadcast the web address.You may kindly share the info with anyone interested...
Excuse my being cryptic so far; I have the files but they run to several GBs!! I need a little time and computing power to compress them to web-worthy sizes.

[thathwamasi]

@PVS - Thanks. Eagerly awaiting to listen to "Semporkazhal adi"

Meanwhile @PVS and @CommonMan - Please listen to the following "Aparamabhakti" by PRP sung some 7 years ago.Its pretty KVNesque. (uploaded with his permission). I enjoyed the ease with which he sings the neraval and swaram.

http://www.2shared.com/audio/0Qs3ZhM8/A ... akthy.html

Regards
T

[CommonMan]

@Thathwamasi: Thk u very much...Definitely very KVNesque, traditional and refreshing. The lyrics, to me, sound suspect – especially the charanam. Mridangam following sounds old-style tanjore Pani…Is it TKMurthy?

[thathwamasi]

@Commonman - Thanks for your comments. And well spotted with the Tanjore bani on Mridangam. However, it isn't T K Murthy. Its Palghat Mani Iyer's eldest son Shri Rajamani.

[pvs]

@Thathwamasi: Thanks for sharing. I enjoyed it much (it's playing again as I type). I couldn't place (guess) the mridangam (style) exactly (read: laya gnana soonyam) - now after your last note - it makes so much sense. A certain 'authority' in the strokes...

@Commonman: Some lines reminded me of the confident unhurriedness of KVN - he always comes across (of course in recordings) as having all the time in the world, even in rapid swara prastharam. PR is right on track...

[CommonMan]

@thathwamasi: Thx for the clarification...last heard Rajamani play for Trichur Ramchandran (??) in Cleveland a couple or few years back....whenever I hear the name Rajamani I instantly get reminded of perhaps the most successful combination in the last few decades Lalgudi-Srimathi-ManiIyer-Rajamani....
@PVS: I like the way you put it "confident unhurriedness of KVN during rapid phrases".

[thathwamasi]

@CommonMan - Oh man - What a combination that was. I can never forget that historic thani avartanam played by Mani Iyer and Shri. Rajamani for a Nannu Palimpa by Lalgudi.

[pvs]

@ Thathwamasi
@ CommonMan
@ rasikas
Have posted a few videos of Palghat Ramprasad from KFA and KGS Dec 2011 on Youtube.You may kindly search for them by his name. Please excuse the delay in posting. Enjoy!