Gayathri Venkataraghavan at MSS 96th birthday series

[erode14]

Vocal: Gayathri Venkataraghavan
Violin: Usha Rajagopalan
Mrudangam: Erode Nagaraj
Ghatam: Chandrasekara Sharma

(6.30PM at T.N.Rajarathnam Kalai Arangam, Muthamizh Peravai).

A memorable and great concert. thOdi swarajathi won the hearts of everyone.

List of songs:

1. sAmi ninnE kOri - varNam - shrI - Adhi - Karur Dhevudu Iyer
2. vAraNa mukavA - hamsadhvani - roopaka - Koteeswara Iyer (S)
3. bhAvamulOna - suddha dhanyAsi - Adhi - Annamacharya (A)
4. siddhi vinAyakam - shaNmukhapriyA - roopaka - Dhikshithar (A,S)
5. mAkElarA - ravichandhrikA - Adhi - Thyagaraja (S)
6. rAvE himagiri kumAri - swarajathi - thodi - Adhi - Syama Sasthri
7. sEl pattu azhindhadhu viruththam - kandhar alankAram followed by saravaNa bhava guhanE - madhyamAvathi - Adhi - Sivan (A,N,S & T)
8. vAnaththin meedhu - arutkAtchi sindhu - mANd - Adhi - Vallalar
9. brindhAvanaththil kaNNan - sindhu bhairavi - Adhi - Sivan
10. poonguyil koovum - kApi - Eka thALam - kalki
11. aruL puri ayyanE - saraswathi - Adhi - Sivan
12. vAzhiya sendhamizh - madhyamAvthi - Adhi - Bharathiyar

(Happy to see sureshvv and nick)

[Nick H]

Happy to be there

Somehow I have been missing Gayathri Venkatraghavan. Even on those occasions when I've actually planned to go to her program, including her contribution to the Oli series, it hasn't happened.

Within a few minutes of arriving [late] I muttered to my wife, "Her voice is so clear that even I can almost hear the words!" That, for those that don't know me, in the face of my clouded hearing and lack of linguistic skills. She has one of those voices with flute-like clarity. Very fine.

Happy to see several people there, including Flute Ramanujam, who's face I could just see, diagonally across the theatre. It is a face truly worth watching at any concert: pure musical appreciation and bliss.

My wife, who is not usually so keen on the vocal concerts, was transfixed by the music, and demanded to know why I had never told her about this lady before. The only answer is ...I didn't know!

[arasi]

All such good songs. Gayatri's HindOLam last season at Naada inbam still lingers with me.

Nagaraj,
pUnguyil kUvum pUnjOlai.

Happy to know that Sureshvv, Nick and his srimathi S were there. She doesn't get to listen to many younger vocalists!

[erode14]

thanks arasi edited.

nick, are you mentioning about k.v.ramanujam anna? if yes, he was not there yesterday

[Nick H]

Probably I have some confusion ... I often have!

[sureshvv]

Delightful concert!

Some personal observations:

1. Given the venue, organizers and occasion I was a bit nervous that this may be an all tamil concert. Was relieved when that fear was put to rest right off the bat.

2. Sri ragam with its characteristic kozhaiivus is really GV's forte' and it was apparent that her voice was in fine form and that we were in for a wonderful concert.

3. Varana mukhava was sung with the lyrics clearly enunciated bringing out the significance of the kriti as the invocation piece of the composer's monumental work. Had me wondering if it should really be sung as "mugava".

4. Both the suddha danyasi and shanmugapriya alapanas were very nicely done, the latter elaborately dwelling on all the finer aspects of the raga. The kriti rendition was followed with some slow speed exquisite swaras ending at the pallavi line. Briefly wondered if Shek was singing the same on the other side of town. May be GV did too because when she sang the second speed swaras, as an afterthought she alternated the ending between the pallavi line and prasidha gana nayakam. The korvai ended up in a bit of confusion when GV lost her place and left it trailing off to the violin which started briskly but then the violin string broke and then there was a "do over" of sorts.

5. Makelara was sung briskly as if to remotivate the team and the concert moved to a more meditative track.

6. The todi swara jathi with its heavy dose of mandra sthayi was delivered par excellence with nice support from the student singing with her.

7. A lilting Madhyamavati was sung with a emotive virutham and one could hear the temple bells.

8. Most of the tukkadas were repeated from her recent OLI concert except for pooguyil koovum which was an audience request. This song was not originally sung by MS who was, as she explained, quite miffed that she was not given the song. So GV was a bit reluctant to sing it in an MS tribute concert. When the recalcitrant audience member insisted, she gave in and sang this in a most wonderful manner let's say for the most part.

Overall, a delightfully "live" concert that progressed from strength to strength until the mangalam without the artistes showing any strain of festival fatigue.

[Nick H]

It is a nice hall, too, with a pretty decent sound system. In fact, it is a proper theatre with raked seating so everybody gets a view over the people in front.

We should mention the percussion. We have fallen into the trap of leaving them out, even though EN himself has started the thread for us. There was excellent cooperation between the two, with Nagaraj giving plenty of opportunity to Chandrasekara Sharma, and CS never missing a cue to fill the moments. This led to a very "conversational" accompaniment, with plenty of variety in tonal texture. Much more so than the more-often seen block mridangam playing with occasional turns given to the ghatam. Very nice. The tani was thoroughly enjoyable too.

GV had an excellent rapport with her audience ...especially the recalcitrant one! Let us guess his identity

[rajeshnat]

8. vAnaththin meedhu - arutkAtchi sindhu - mANd - Adhi - Vallalar

erode
What is arutkAtchi sindhu?

[arasi]

Rajesh,
A kind of sindu (like kAvaDi, noNDi), I guess. Haven't heard of it.
Of course, vaLLalAr refers to Ramalinga aDigaL.

Yes, waiting for Nagaraj to let us know.

[erode14]

arutkAtchi is the title of that song. like that every song is given a heading, based on the experience or state of mind, i presume.

[arasi]

Thanks, Nagaraj.

[rajeshnat]

arutkAtchi is the title of that song. like that every song is given a heading, based on the experience or state of mind, i presume.

Thank you Erode, I never knew vallalar also composed with the experience or state of mind for every song .If I can call it better it is theme and just not the heading.

[Ponbhairavi]

correct- Vallalar was a mystic poet and the title can be rendered as" the mystic vision".His concept of God is abstract thillai manrathil aaadum koothan (space ) which merges with arutperum jyothi (light energy) whichcan be reached after we overcome senses -eyes-mayil- hearing-kuyil- clutches of caste and religion ஜாதி சமய and false beliefs பொய்யை ஒழித்து