Hyd- PALLAKI SEVA PRABANDHAM directed by Smt. R. Vedavalli

[sivakami]

PALLAKI SEVA PRABANDHAM directed by Smt. R. Vedavalli Amma

A musical opera, directed by Sangitha Kalanidhi Smt. Vedavalli amma was performed by her disciples here at Hyderabad on 21-11-2012, under the aegis of the local sabha, South Indian Cultural Association (SICA). I was delighted doubly to see the invitation, as I felt I would be able to immerse both into the Maratha King’s (Sahaji I) musical and poetic genius, as well as Smt. Vedavalli amma’s inimitable divine classical style. Last year itself, during the felicitation function for her in the other Sabha here, Kalasagaram (sec-bad), there was a mention about this project about the “Siva-Pallaki Seva Prabandhamu” composed by Sahaji-I, the Maratha ruler of Thanjavur some 300 years ago, and their intention to perform on stage soon.
The SICA invitation also read further, as follows: The opera has been recorded in its full form with its literary compositions like, daruvus, vrittams, vachanas. Many commonly sung ragas have been beautifully blended with the lyrical poetry in telugu. A companion book is also being released on this occasion.
SICA felicitated Smt. Vedavalli garu on this day before the programme, wherein we also had Sri. Pappu Venugopala Rao as Guest of Honor and Sri. Ramana Reddy (Advisor, Cultural Affairs, Govt. of AP) as the chief guest, along with other dignitaries and Mr.Vikram. I surmised from the speeches that, Mr. Vikram , along with Smt. Vedavalli Amma and her disciple, has worked together to bring into a form for the recording. He, along with his wife Smt. Annapurna and other family members, has been instrumental for the successful launch of a book and a CD comprising the songs of this opera along with a commentary and perhaps other details (I have not seen them). Some other Hyd rasikas may fill in other details or correct me, if I am wrong.

MUSICAL PERFORMANCE

VOCAL

Sumathi Krishnan
S. Sushruthi (she also provided the Commentary in English)
Sumithra Vasudev
Aarathi Bharadwaj
K. Dharini
Archana Bharadwaj
Prashant Prasad
Santhanagopalan
Ashwin Anand

VIOLIN: R. K. Shriram Kumar
VEENA: Kalaimamani Smt. N. Ramani
MRIDANGAM: K. Arun Prakash
Ghatam: N. Guruprasad

Conceived and Directed by Sangitha Kalanidhi Smt. R. Vedavalli

PERFORMANCES

Hyderabad
21st Nov. 2012
Ravindra Bharathi

Chennai
4th December 2012
Spaces, Besant Nagar
The Poetry by Prakriti Festival

The musical presentation was so mesmerizing.. I had a great time listening to the sweet voices, sung with correct telugu pronunciation,bringing out the rich poetry and lyricality.. The appropriately chosen ragas and thalams with the interspersed English commentary “created a dramatic visual image of the scenes” (as they have mentioned in the pamphlet!). Needless to say anything about the pakka vadhyams, who, with their excellent accompanying skills and smiles lighting their faces, added further flavor to this thematic concert. I felt, it is going to be difficult for the organizers to accommodate all the Chennai rasikas, when it will be held at Chennai on 4th dec.

[rshankar]

Sivakam, that brought goose bumps..I'm jealous.
Wonderful to see Prashant's name amongst the performers....

[srikant1987]

Sivakami-garu,

Thank you for this report. It is wonderful to learn of such cultural activities in Hyderabad from you.

Btw, could you re-check the veena vidushi's name -- I think it could be Smt R Ramani of Karaikudi bani, who I believe heads the Veena Department at Music Academy's Teachers' College.

[rajeshnat]

Sivakami
Tx for the review.Smt vedavalli is a knowledge treasure house ,with she directing it must have been a pleasure to be as a rasika.
Few years back there was a write up about Shahaji I in the hindu
http://www.thehindu.com/arts/magazine/article859221.ece

[thanjavooran]

Kudos to SK RV Avl. Nodoubt she is highly Knowledgable. Some 30 yrs back there was a similar excellent programme in the morning session in MA during Dec season. It was also wonderful.
Thanjavooran
24 11 2012

[revanthv552]

Wonderful report mami.

I missed the concert that day due to my exams. Very glad to know that the concert was a tremendous success.
The music scene in Hyderabad really become better and better day by day. And this month sure had/has a lot of music in store for all of us in Hyderabad!

[karaikurichi]

A friend who attend this event felt that the excessively long speeches took away much from the evening. Speeches are really our bane. Apparently Kiranavali performed the previous day and her concert was outstanding.

[sivakami]

A friend who attend this event felt that the excessively long speeches took away much from the evening. Speeches are really our bane. Apparently Kiranavali performed the previous day and her concert was outstanding.

Firstly, this event was not a regular concert, and so, one cannot even compare with the previous day's event (Like apples and oranges!).
Yes, there were long speeches, but it was either about the composition, the composer and about the involvement of Sangitha Kalanidhi Smt. RV amma and the others in this endeavor. So some of us atleast did not mind..rather we enjoyed thoroughly..
Perhaps your friend either does not understand telugu, or must have been expecting a regular concert. There were others in the audience who were aslo frowning... But this event, I think was planned to be the way it was held. It was very interesting to listen, be it to Sri. Pappu VennuGopala Rao explain some of the in-depth messages and the aesthetic lyricality one has to enjoy in that composition, or to Sri. Ramana Reddy who spoke in in similar lines (he was also appreciating the meaningful names of the disciples such as Sushruthi, Sumathi, Sumitra, Archana, Aarathi, so on., whereas now-a-days people search for short words to name their childern and end up calling them A-seema and what not.. ).

rshankar, rajeshnat, srikant1987:
I have just written a few lines..could not find the appropriate words as well as the time ( due to several other commitments) to describe my actual feelings...I tried to summarise briefly, thinking that, our chennai rasikas might not want to miss the 4th dec. event....I am sure Nick will be there..

[Nick H]

the 4th dec. event....I am sure Nick will be there..

He might be ...if he knew what it was.

I don't think that the information has caught up with me yet, or perhaps, at the moment, I'm just thick-headed with a touch of the fever.

[karaikurichi]

Perhaps your friend either does not understand telugu, or must have been expecting a regular concert. There were others in the audience who were aslo frowning... But this event, I think was planned to be the way it was held. It was very interesting to listen, be it to Sri. Pappu VennuGopala Rao explain some of the in-depth messages and the aesthetic lyricality one has to enjoy in that composition, or to Sri. Ramana Reddy who spoke in in similar lines (he was also appreciating the meaningful names of the disciples such as Sushruthi, Sumathi, Sumitra, Archana, Aarathi, so on., whereas now-a-days people search for short words to name their childern and end up calling them A-seema and what not.. ).

Wooow, how did you jump to "Perhaps your friend does not understand Telugu"? Strange that you might venture such a guess, considering the program was held in Hyderabad. My friend is a passionate Telugu fellow, thank you very much. To me your name sounds very Tamil, so can I question your knowledge of Telugu? All he said was that he found the speeches excessively long. Didn't realise that one wasn't allowed to post a different view of the evening.

[CRama]

I was fortunate to attend this programme in Raga sudha Hall a couple of years back. It was staged by RV's students as a tribute to her on her birthday (70 or 80). It had excellent music, very appriopriately tuned, nice storyline and sung by her students in pure classical style. I wish they release a commercial recording of the same.
On that day only I came to know abnout the greatness of Shahaji, the ruler.
I am gald that it will be performed in Chennai on Dec 4. I will be there.
Nick, I think you attended the programme in Ragasudha Hall. Do you remember.

[Nick H]

I do indeed remember it, and was wondering if it was the same. It was for RV's 75th birthday.

Where is the Dec 4th performance?

[CRama]

Nick. See the top of this page. It is in Spaces, Besant Nagar.

[srikant1987]

Spaces, btw, is where Oli held Sri Vyasarpadi Kothandaraman's nadaswaram concert.

But I think it'll be way too small for an event like this!

[Nick H]

Nick. See the top of this page. It is in Spaces, Besant Nagar.

Oh! I am so dumb sometimes! :$.

Thanks

[sivakami]

a review in 'The Hindu' that appeared today...

http://www.thehindu.com/arts/music/melo ... 143386.ece

[classicallover]

Sivakami seems to think that anyone in AP is a Reddy. It was Ramanachary who spoke at the function and not Reddy. He actually doesn't speak, but he bawls and guffaws munching betel nuts and filling the mic with saliva.

[karaikurichi]

And here is a review of Kiranavali's concert that my friend raved about.

http://www.thehindu.com/arts/music/soul ... 143374.ece

[classicallover]

I think the post #18 is out of place and digressing away from this thread. It should form a separate thread.