Chatur RagaMAlikA - Structure, Lyrics Details etc

[Sundar Krishnan]

20/3/12

I would like to learn about the Structure, Lyrics Ragams, Taalam and Composer of this RagaMAlikA, and specially in the foll rendition.

Along with my other works, I heard this song, sung by TMK in the background, from the link :
http://myblogkumara.blogspot.in/2011/05 ... -than.html :
RTP 026-TMK 002 - Chadur raga-RAGAMALIKA - 49:30.2 m.

Well sung by TMK, and played by the Violinist (R K ShriRamKumar ?)

Just wondered if there are there many cycles of repetitions of the 4 Ragams in this rendition ?
I know that it is an RTP. Still ...
So, wondered if there is a predefined structure for rendering this RagaMAlikA.

To compare, I would like to listen to this song from other artistes too. Any links ?

PS : A search in this site took me to some Kutcheri Reviews / Lists, but not where Lyrics, Structure etc are discussed.

Thanks in Advance (TIA).

...

[Lakshman]

The 2 kaLai rAgamAlikA pallavi shankarAbharaNanai azhaittODi vADi kalyANi is generally attributed to Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar. T.M.Krishna's version is different in the sense that he does not render any AlAlapnA or tAna. He also sings the whole pallavi line in all the four rAgAs instead of singing the words, only in the specified rAgAs.
Sangeethapriya.org site has KVN's version as well a violin version by Papa Venkatatamiah.

[rajeshnat]

The 2 kaLai rAgamAlikA pallavi shankarAbharaNanai azhaittODi vADi kalyANi is generally attributed to Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar.

The pallavi was composed by Kunrakkudi krishna Iyer who lived before ariyakudi.Ariyakudi was the first to popularize it

[Sundar Krishnan]

21/3/12

Thanks Shri Lakshman for yr reply.

I feel that the rendition-style of this song [not the Structure of the Pattern adopted, of which I don't yet fully know], is almost similar to the long O' Rangashayee rendition that TMK + RKSK have given in the 3-part CD Album.

So, could someone confirm who the Violinist is ?
Is it RK ShriRamKumar ?

I heard him accompany Sudha Raghunathan at KGS on 25/12/09, and he was so good in exactly playing each and every tune that Sudha sang in her RagaMAlika : "KalyANa Vasanta Mandapattil Vasanta Ragam Sugandha VAsam" - there was so much extempore praise for this from the Audience as well as Sudha that day.

****************

This is a 4-Ragam RagamAlikA.
I can hear the 4th Ragam-text { Durbarikku }, that you have not mentioned in yr Post # 2 :
shankarAbharaNanai azhaittODi vADi kalyANi, Durbarikku
Pl confirm.
Otherwise, how does it have 4 Ragams ? ie, does it have 4 Ragams even without Durbarikku ie, within the Pallavi line, you gave ??

****************

If an expert listens to this rendition, and splits the patterns in the time-scale, may be, we will be able to decipher the Structure-Pattern ??

IMHO, on listening again, I think that the Pattern adopted here may be :
First Avaratanam :
At Slow Speed :
Sing each word in it's own Ragam within the Pallavi Line.
ie, we have all 4 Ragams in the singing of this each (one) full Pallavi line.
The same as above, at Higher Speed.

*******

Next Avartanam :
Sing the whole Pallavi Line in each (one) Ragam :
ie, First, sing the whole Pallavi Line in SB starting from
shankarAbharaNanai ... azhaittODi vADi kalyANi, Durbarikku

Next, sing the whole Pallavi Line in Todi starting from
azhaittODi vADi kalyANi, Durbarikku shankarAbharaNanai

Next Sing the whole Pallavi Line in KalyANi starting (but, again from azhaittODi vADi !) :
[Not from kalyANi - probably because the Matras' Consonance may not match with the Tune / Pattern ? - pl confirm.] :
azhaittODi vADi kalyANi, Durbarikku shankarAbharaNanai

Next Sing the whole Pallavi Line in DurbAr starting (but again from azhaittODi vADi !) :
[Not from Durbarikku - probably because the Matras' Consonance may not match with the Tune / Pattern ? - pl confirm.] :
azhaittODi vADi kalyANi, Durbarikku shankarAbharaNanai

*******

Next Avartanam in Viloma :

*******

and so on ...

*******

In the high speed Neraval from 19:55 m to 20:11 ; 20:35 to 22:52, you can see each Text-Phrase sung in it's own Ragam ie, we have each cycle of 4 Ragams, many times over at high speed.

Experts can give more details and the Structure's significance - wrt Music Notations etc.

Thanks in Advance (TIA)

...

[classicallover]

This pallavi was composed by Pallavi Sesha Iyer and popularized by Ariyakudi. The last word was Darbaarile instead of darbaarikku.

Every artiste has a right to sing a song or pallavi in his own way but confining to some framework. As Mr.L said in his post, TMK’s performance is just another way ( largely compromised ) of singing a pallavi according to his convenience and imagination, but not necessarily the standard way.

The standard or accepted ways are normally very tough requiring lot of proficiency, skill and time as there are many ways of committing a goof-up.

The standard way of singing a multi-raga pallavi is :

1. Sing the raga alapana briefly for all the ragas sequentially, to introduce the concept to the listener. The essence of the ragas to be brought out.
2. Elaborate the ragas sequentially .
3. Sing the alapana in one stretch in the reverse order.
4. Render the tanam individually for the ragas sequentially
5. Render the tanam in reverse order in one stretch
6. Sing the pallavi in ativilamba kalam in the first raga only, in order to lucidly make aware the listener of the lyrics and the tala pattern.
7. Sing the pallavi in the sequence of the ragas as their names occur in the lyrics - Ex. SB, Todi, Kalyani & Darbar as sung by Ariyakudi.
8. Render neraval of the pallavi in all the individual ragas in sequence.
9. Render the neraval in sequence of all ragas at one stretch.
10. Render neraval in reverse order.
11. Render kalpanaswaram in singular sequence of the individual ragas either ending with the eduppu at their appropriate places or at the beginning of the pallavi.
12. Render kalpanaswaram using all the ragas in one stretch starting the ragas at their predefined eduppu in the pallavi.
13. Render kalpanaswaram by staggering the ragas, like 1&3, 2&4 , etc.
14. Render kalpanaswaram in reverse order of the pallavi and ending it at the beginning of the pallavi in the first raga.

You will now realize that going by the above procedure, the difficulty is compounded if a complex tala layout is chosen.

Nowadays any pallavi sung is definitely a truncated version of this procedure , compromised as per the artiste’s skill and time.

[Sundar Krishnan]

21/3/12

Thanks classicallover for yr Description of a Standard RTP.

However, if we stick to this TMK's rendition :

1) can we get the Structure and the logic behind the Structure, of this Song.
[Looking purely at this available Audio, the Song seems to start directly from the Pallavi line.
However, I don't know if there is an earlier part of the same song.
So, I am not sure if they did not have the Alapanai and the Taanam for this song.]

2) is it Durbarikku - atleast in this rendition ?

3) guess the Violinist.

*************

You have said that the Composer is Pallavi Sesha Iyer.
Post #3 says Kunrakkudi krishna Iyer.

4) Can we resolve this diff ?

TIA

...

[Lakshman]

Sundar Krishnan wrote:

So, I am not sure if they did not have the Alapanai and the Taanam for this song.

The rendition by TMK is a commercial recording and is available at musicindiaonline.com It does not have the AlApanA or tAnam either.