VIJAYA SIVA AT OLI CONCERT ON 22/07

[CRama]

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Acc. RK Sreeramkumar, Manoj Siva.

Song list.
Kedaragowla varnam
Hiranmayeem Lakshmeem- Lalitha
Arunachalanatham- Saranga
Maravathe- Thodi
Senthil Andavan- Karaharapriya
Sree Kamalamba Jayathi- Ahiri
Sree Raghuvaraprameya- Kambodi
Ithanai naal aana pinnum- Ragamalika- Kalki
Karunai deivame- Sindubhairavi
Maname kanamum maravathe- Bimplas
Thirupugazh- Madhyamavathy.

All the artists, being students of Sri DKJ, whose birth day was on the day of the concert, were brimming with memories of their esteemed Guru and it was a most appropriate occasion to share them with the seasoned rasikas who packed the venue. Some of the experiences shared by VS I am shariung with my fellow rasikas. As I did not take any note, I may be missing a lot. Excuse me

Before each song, VS explained the uniqueness of DKJ as a Guru and the anecdote connecting the song It was totally an experience of a different kind.

Before he started the Kedaragowla varnam, he said that when VS was to give the first concert in MA, DKJ asked him to commence with Kedaragowla varnam, as DKJ himself opened his innings in MA with the same varnam.

Before Hiranmayeem Lakshmeem, VS said that DKJ was in the pursuit of Sthiratharasampath which should be the aim of each individual (the term do not include wordly possessions) and it is appropriate to praise the Goddess who brings sthiratharasampath. (Sthiratharasampathpradaam). VS sang neraval at Sangeetha vaadyavinodini and rendered a few rounds of swaras. While singing Arunachalanatham, he pointed out to certain sancharas of Saranga ragam which is unique to this kriti which DKJ used to point out.

I am not sure about the words of the Thodi song. He sang only the kriti. I have never heard the song earlier.

VS spoke about the passion of DKJ towards Papansam Sivan kritis. DKJ along with his sister had learned songs directly from the ace composer and popularised many of his compositions with their bhava laden renderings. VS also explained the methods adopted by DKJ in tuning the kritis. Then he rendered Senthil Andavan, the song popularised by DKJ. He sang elaborate swaras in two kalams at Vadivelan in the charanam. The swaras exhibited his laya control and an appropriate balance between kanakku and aesthetics which was the hallmark of DKJ also.

Before taking up the kriti in Ahiri he narrated the incident while learning the kriti from the Doyen in 1990. In 1990 DKJ taught the entire Kamalamba Navavarana kritis to 22 of his students. Later this was presented in a concert in Narada Gana Sabha and it was also released as an album which remains a fvaourite of all music rasikas. VS said that DKJ liked this song in Ahiri the most among the entire set of songs. He took six months to teach the entire set of songs. The Madhyama kala sahithya in Anupallavi which starts with Divaakara seethakirana – DKJ used to get absorbed by the sahithya bhavam and raga bhavan of these lines and he will signal his gtudents to go on singing the same endlessly and he used to sit in a trance immersed in the sahithya bhavam and sangeetha bhavam of the lines. VS said that we have learnt in 1990 and till date each word is fresh in our memory – that was the greatness of his teaching. The kriti was rendered in a fitting manner which made his Guru proud of the sishya.

He then embarked upon a sojourn journey into Kambodi alapana which was rendered in stages. Here RKSK followed with good anticipation in a most appreciable manner. He played the sangathi what VS would have sung. Before starting the song, VS said that DKJ stood by the conviction he had for certain things. He will not change for the sake of other's arguements. When Shree Raghuvaraprameya was sung, some peole criticised his style of rendering. (some schools render the song sans swaras for each charanam). But he stood by his conviction and the song is enjoyed by all. VS rendered the song well and ornamented with elaborate swaras for the pallavi line in two kalams.

This was followed by a crisp thani.

VS said that DKJ was in great awe of three persons and not a day will pass without mentioning about them- they were his sister and Guru- Smt DKP, Kalki Krishnamurthy and the great Palghat Mani Iyer. He rendered a song penned by Kalki after the assassination of Mahathma Gandhi- Ithanai naal aana pinnum in Ragamalika starting with Khamas. VS wanted to learn this song. But DKJ said that he did not remember the lyrics. So VS got the lyrics from Kalki office. But DKJ postponed teaching of the song for many years and VS always kept the paper with him and reminded him about the song. At last one day DKJ taught the song.

DKJ has tuned songs of many contemporary composers and made them popular. Madurai Sreenivasan, the Mridangam vidwan composed a song and it was DKJ who set tune to that song and made it popular- Karunai Deivame in Sindubhairavi. VS said that the composer is sick now and I offer this with a prayer for his early recovery. Maname kanamum maravathe song was sung by MSS in the film Savithri. But DKJ made it a part of his concert reportire. He wound up the concert with a Thirupugazh in Madhyamavathy.

The accompanists played with great involvement and understanding. The venue is most ideal for a chamber concert. On one corner a photo of DKJ was kept decked with flowers. There was a good turnout for the concert and people sat in all possible places and enjoyed the concert. There were sizeable number of chairs also. There was rapt attention and good audience participation. The mike for recording which normally used to be kept was absent yesterday. Video recording was going on.

[Nick H]

CRama, having seen you across the room I was looking forward to your write-up. Sorry we didn't get to speak. Repeating my subjective, uniformed comment from the other thread below. You say you didn't take any note, but you seem to have covered every detail!

Yes, it was a further improvement in the Oli presentation to do away with the mics on stands and their visual interference. We know that VS does not like to have his concerts recorded, but of course we are not privy to what arrangements were made with Oli. There was a stereo mic on the floor in front of the artists. We will have to wait and see if the music becomes available along with their other recordings. Of course (I'm forgetting!) the concert was video-ed.



...

This was a tremendous concert. I only managed to arrive just before the start, but not managing to come anywhere near the chance of a chair, I ended up with one of the best "seats" in the house, just behind RKSK. With my cushion to sit on, and the wall for my back, I had a comfortable ring-side seat. True, I missed out on RKSK's face, but my ears were nicely close to his violin.

I have always thought of Vijay Siva as a powerful singer, but tonight he was being very gentle. Of course, all the precision, straightforwardness and shere musical beauty of his performance was there, and I was in a wonderful position to watch it.

In between songs he spoke a few things, I think all about D K Jayaraman, perhaps D K Pattammal and others too. Sadly I am still a linguistic duffer, so I was not able to benefit from this. Mentioning this to someone afterwards, I was told that all the feeling of what he said was in what he sang. I wasn't surprised to hear this: he spoke and sang with warmth, gentleness and joy. Of course, RKSK and Manoj Siva contributed considerably. In fact, the unity of the three artists was noticeable.

A very great, very emotional, very wonderful concert.

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[gardabha_gana]

Thanks for the reports. Hopefully this gets released.

[mahavishnu]

Wonderful report, CRama (and Nick).
Sounds like a great concert and tribute to the great DKJ.

[annamalai]

Should have been an interesting concert with all the DKJ anecdotes.

.
VS said that DKJ was in great awe of three persons and not a day will pass without mentioning about them- they were his sister and Guru- Smt DKP, Kalki Krishnamurthy and the great Palghat Mani Iyer.

I can understand - DKJ's respect and awe for DKP (Guru) and Palghat Mani Iyer.
For the DKP/DKJ duo, I used feel Mani Iyer used to play with a bit more punch when DKJ sang kalpana swaras.
Interesting note DKJ's admiration for Kalki and there should have been more personal interactions between them.

[CRama]

Another incident what VS quoted now I remember. After a concert where DKJ sang a brilliant pallavi, that day night at about 12 midnight there was servere knock on the door of DKJ's house. When DKJ opened the door, there was Veena Vidwan S Balachander with his wife and Tanjore Upendran waiting with a shawl to honour DKJ for the splendid pallavi. Mrs SB said that SB will not go to sleep without honouring DKJ. That shows the regard and appreciation he had among fellow musicians.

[arasi]

And also shows that SB wasn't totally that l'enfant terrible he was made out to be by some. He had his generous, soft side too.

[ganeshkant]

It was a concert in sastri hall in '85,arangetra concert of one of flute NR's disciples.The chief guest was DKJ.In his address after showering encomiums on the main artist and violinist SDS (he came as a substitute since the violinist scheduled for the day couldn't play in a short notice)and proceeded to the mridangist who was an young man with curly hair and 'arumbu' meesai.He said "this youngster is not only adept in mridangam but vocal also.I know because he is my own disciple.Normally Gurus don't speak high about their disciples in public forums but let me be an exception".

So VS was known to me initially as a mridangist.His first vocal concert of mine was also in the same period in sastri hall accompanied by K.Ravi(s/o Calcutta Krishnamurthy and disciple of LGJ unfortunately passed away at a younger age)and JV who were hailed as a great trio then.

[arunsri]

The todi kriti would have been

marakkAdE manamE by kOvai subrI. Shri. DKJ popularised a lot of kritis composed by him.

[CRama]

Thanx Arunsri. That was the song.
Ganeshkant. I never heard VS as a mridangist. We are lucky that he chose vocal music as his profession.

[ganeshkant]

Ganeshkant. I never heard VS as a mridangist. We are lucky that he chose vocal music as his profession.

Yes,CRama.Many of us are happy about his choice.But that is just to show that he is versatile like some of his seniors, like say TVG or MVI,etc.He used to play I think once in a while.The other concert that I remember is his accompaniment to Ranjani - Gayathri ( violin duet,I think )@ Bharat kalachar in the 90's.

[rshankar]

I remember is his accompaniment to Ranjani - Gayathri ( violin duet,I think )@ Bharat kalachar in the 90's.

And they returned the favor, when Smt. Gayatri accompanied VS on the violin in one of his awesome concerts in Bombay...

[mahavishnu]

Ravi, they have returned the favour multiple times. I think Gayathri toured with Vijay Siva on one of his N.American tours from about 10-12 yrs ago (IIRC).

Vijay is a student of the Kumbakonam Sri Rajappa Iyer, who was a great influence on Sri UKS and has trained a number of great individuals, including Srimushnam Raja Rao, B Ganapathyraman, Papansam Ashok Ramani, KR Ganesh (son) to name a few.

Both Vijay and his brother Manoj used to take lessons from Sri Rajappa at Krishna Gana Sabha in the 70s. Manoj, as is now well known, went for advanced training to Sri Palghat Raghu.

Vijay was such a prodigious vocal talent that his mridangam skills are almost unknown to people (I had the pleasure of being junior to him in school @ PSBB).

This website has some beautiful photos from Vijay's early years. http://carnaticmusicians.wordpress.com/ ... watchword/ Each one is a gem! I especially love the picture of him playing mridangam for his mother.

There is this picture of TMK on vocal, Sanjay on violin and Vijay on mridangam that was floating around on facebook a couple of years ago. Unfortunately google is unable to find it Would love to see that pic again!

[bilahari]

Ravi, they have returned the favour multiple times. I think Gayathri toured with Vijay Siva on one of his N.American tours from about 10-12 yrs ago (IIRC).

Yes. I have a recording from this tour in the late nineties, and Gayathri plays very succinctly.

[rshankar]

Ramesh and Bilahari - thanks!

[Sivaramakrishnan]

Thanks CRama for opening the VS thread. I am a big admirer of VS and the didcussions are quite interesting but useful. VS has a great memory power; he still remembers a comcert in Guruvayur in1987 for which I 'put' the tambura and gave a review in the Mathrubhumi daily. VS still preserves the paper cutting which I had sent him!

[PUNARVASU]

I am 'copy-pasting' an old post of mine here, which, I think, will interest VS's rasikas. More details on the original thread -
'Mark Your Calendars for a Unique festival' under 'Music and Festivals'.

"Exactly 2 months from today Chennai will witness an unusual concert, to be launched for the first time in the world. If you are interested in Carnatic Music you would not want to miss it. If you know that it is by Vijaya Siva on a theme called "Geetha Vedantham" you would want to be there, no matter what. Good news: there is a live webcast too.
"Geetha Vedantham" is a concert of compositions based on Vedanthic truths/principles etc. The entire concert is dedicated only to that concept. Vijaya Siva + R K Shriramkumar + Manoj Siva are presenting this. The team is currently working on selecting compositions for a full 3 hour concert to be held on August 12, 2012 at Sivagami Petachi Auditorium. It is hosted by Ramanathan Think Foundation. Big Promise - No speeches, only concert."