Manda Sudharani, 28 Apr 2012 for BTM Cultural Academy

[srikant1987]

Manda Sudharani - Vocal
Lalgudi Rajalakshmi - Violin
Jayachandra Rao - Mridangam
Sukanya Ramgopal - Ghatam
@ Ramana Maharshi Academy for the Blind, JP Nagar, near East End

sarasijanAbha - kAmbhOji - aTa * (varNam), sketch
gAnasudhArasa pAla (pAna?) niratam - nATa - Adi - BMK (apparently) (sketch, S)
rAma bhakti sAmrAjyamu - shuddha bangala - Adi - T
bAgAyenayya - candrajyOti - Adi - T (RS)
telisi rAma - pUrNacandrika - Adi - T
bhOgIndra shAyinam - kuntalavarALi - khaNdacApu - ST (+)
padavi nI - sAlakabhairavi - Adi - T (sketch, N @ tyAgarAjanutuDu)
dorakuna iTuvaNTi sEva - bilahari - Adi - T (likely main)

* The pUrvAnga of the varNam was putting Adi tALa, mishranaDai. Smt Sudharani announced that there is a sampradAyam of that kind with aTa varNams. I thought maybe we should revisit aTatALa varNams in this light.

rAma bhakti was rendered with so much bhAvam. The highlight of the concert for me.

The AlApanai of candrajyOti was well done, especially as it progressed. She hit the shuddhagAndhAra (maybe even rishabha) on the mandrasthAyi making no fuss and show of it. However, her tArasthAyi singing seemed a little strained (though it was flawless). Also, the sound settings, going by how Smt Sudharani and Smt Rajalakshmi sounded was HEAVILY set to amplify higher frequencies. Smt Sudharani sounded like a track played at twice the rpm it's supposed to be, and Smt Rajalakshmi sounded like her bow and strings were made of plastic.

telisi rAma was sung SUPERFAST. The percussion department, impressive throughout the concert, pumped in even more energy in it.

In the caraNam of bhOgIndrashAyinam, Smt Sudharani observed that the sAhityam goes with sets of three lines whose natural (unset to music) meter is khaNDam followed by one line whose natural meter is caturashram. She slowed down the caturashra naDai parts to occupy double the time, and even sang a couple of rounds swarams to one of them. It was done so effortlessly that when she actually explained what she had done, the audience was flabbergasted.

She seemed a little tired during the sAlakabhairavi, and the rAgam itself didn't come out well during the sketch or the neraval.

Bilahari AlApanais were good. I left as the krti began.

[keerthi]

Here is a clip of Smt. SudhA rANi singing bhOgindra shAyinam with the laya variation that srikant mentions.

Singing ATatAla varnams in Adi tAlam with misra nadAi isn't terribly new, it is terribly old.. So old that we've forgotten it. My teacher demonstrated it to me, and said how AriyakuDi would occasionally spring a surprise in a concert by singing viribOni in Misra naDai Adi.

It definitely deserves a comeback into the performance circuit.

[squims]

This seems to be the season of Chandrajyothi aalaapanais followed by bagayanayya. Have heard it a lot in the past few days.

[rajeshnat]

Keerthi
Thanks for the clip and I loved the Arunn narasimhan writeup.Especially I was always looking to hear the 4 raga pallavi of hers

[Sindhuja]

Rest of the list:

narayana - Shuddha Dhanyasi, K. Chapu
rama Jogi - Khamas, Adi
edhudanu naadu idhe (?) - Bhujaangini, Adi
Thillana - Kadanakuthuhalam, Adi (BMK)
Mangalam - Surutti, K. Chapu

I had never heard Smt Sudha Rani before and I enjoyed the concert. The Chandrajyoti alapanai was very appealing and so was Bhogeendra Shaayinam with the nadai change. One thing that particularly struck me was the stability and boldness in her mandara voice - it was delectable. It was a bit disappointing that neither Bagayannaya nor Dorakuna had neraval though (someone correct me if I'm misremembering). Guru Smt Lalgudi Rajalakshmi's Bilahari alapanai and Chandrajyoti swaram returns were extremely enjoyable.
Another snippet: Amt Sudha Rani said the salagabhairavi song is said to have been composed by Thyagaraja in response to an invitation by a king to be a court musician -- Tyagaraja condemns worldly attachments/ wealth/ positions.. she said that in her opinion this song truly brings out Tyagaraja's 'tatva'.
Overall, quite an enlightening concert with lessons to take home. I have an unabashed bias for people who talk in between songs and explain stuff, so this was a winner on that count for me.

[gardabha_gana]

Oh-hoh. this was in my backyard and I didn't know about it Jayan's website didn't have it. Vid. sudharani specializes in pallavi's with talam variations. I listened to her in the bay area and liked her music.

[Lakshman]

The bhujangini song is eduTanunnADu vIDE by Annamacharya.