Prema Rangarajan at Narada Gana Sabha - 25-03

[sureshvv]

Prema Rangarajan gave a solid memorable performance for Saraswathy Vaggeyakara Trust on the Siva padha kritis of Dikshitar covering various Siva sthalams. In spite of being a thematic one, the concert felt well rounded and was not found lacking in any respect. She was supported by Padma Shankar on the violin and Mannargudi Balaji on the mrudangam.

The list:

1. Parameswara Jagadiswara, Nattai, Adi, [s] -- on Pranatharthihara of Tiruvaiyaru
2. Thyagaraja palayasumam, Gowla, -- on Tiruvarur Thyagaraja
3. Arabhi - Sivakameswaram Chintayamyaham, Adi, [ns @ nadabindu kala rupam] -- on Chidambaram
4. Sankaram abhirami manoharam, Manohari, rupakam -- on Tirukkadayur
5. Kasi Ramakriya, Margasahayeswaram bhajeham, m.chapu, [ns @ durga lakshmi bharathi] -- on Virinchipuram
6. Abhayambanayaka, Kedaragowla, -- Mayiladudurai
7. Sivakayarohanesaya namaste, rudrapriya, rupak -- Nagapattinam
8. Nilachalanatham, Simhendramadhyamam, Adi, [ns @ chandrasekharam] -- On Nilachalam near kathmandu
9. Sree vaidyanatham bhajami, atana -- on vaitheeswaran kovil
10. Kancheesa ekamranayakam - Notes -- on Kanchipuram

Personal Observations:

1. Just typing out the list again is giving me the goosebumps. Rare seldom heard superb kritis, 3 neravals -- Truly
a labor of love.

2. Kudos to the organizers for bringing this to the rasikas.

[CRama]

Very impressive song lilst. Many songs unheard by me. She always works hard to give her best in thematic concerts and she has built up a vast reportoire of Dikshithar kritis. I missed this programme.

[ganeshkant]

4. Sankaram abhirami manoharam, Manohari, rupakam -- on Tirukkadayur

Is kamalA manOhari called manOhari in MD parlance ?

I was there till the KAsirAmakriyA AlApanai.It was my fist concert of this artist;excellent it was.Sorry that I had to leave without listening to the full concert.

[Nick H]

I missed this one too. I usually try to get to her concerts. She is a great singer.

[CRama]

Yes. Kamalamanohari is called Manohari in Deekshithar sampradayam.

[rshankar]

The violinist Sri Shriramkumar gave a beautiful explanation of how Sri MD composed the now famous kRti in (kamalA)manOhari (kanjadaLAyatAkshi), and how the name changed:
Since kAmAkshi means the lady whose eyes (akshI) symbolise sarasvati (kA) and lakshmI (mA), Sri dIkshitar composed two sister kRtis on kAmAkshI - one in the rAga sarasvatimanOhari (sarasvatI manOhari SaMkari sadAnandalahari gauri SaMkari), and the other very cleverly used the word kamalA (lakshmI) as a prefix to the rAga mudra, manOhari (kanjadaLAyatAkshI kAmAkshI kamalA manOhari). Over time, the rAga manOhari became kamalAmanOhari...

[rshankar]

Suresh - was this recorded - true gems!

[sureshvv]

Sorry Ravi.. Did not record the concert.

I attended the Brahma Gana Sabha concert of Prema Rangarajan during the season where she sang the other Kayarohanesam to great appreciaton. Most other artistes (even GNB ? ) would have proudly presented the same rare kriti to this new audience, especially since it has been 3 months. Kudos to the artiste to present this even rarer kriti in the rarer rudrapriya.

[ganeshkant]

I have an old cassette of OST in which a kriti of T in the rAgam manOhari -'pariyAcaka...' is there.May be to differentiate from this manOhari,the name 'kamalA manOhari' might have come to vogue.

[arunsri]

The manOhari kriti of thyAgarAja is paritApamu. Sri. OST sings this song often. This is a janya of Kharaharapriya.

MD's manOhari or kamalAmanOhari is a totally different ragam. I think thyAgarAja has composed a kriti - nI muddumOmu in this ragam and it is listed under kamalAmanOhari.

[ganeshkant]

Arunsri,

Thanks for the info.