Instrumental concerts I attended -not yet reviewed

[MV]

Ravi Kiran @ Music Academy on 21/12/12
1) Kanakangi-Thodi Ata Thala varnam
2) Sharanam - Sahana - OVK (KS)
3) Nera Nammi - Pantuvarali (R,N, KS)
4) Manasa Guru - Anandabhairavi - KS
5) Pari pahi - Kalyani - ST
6) RTP - Natakurinji-Khanda Triputa
Nee chittame Na Bhagyamu O Raghava/Nee Namame Na Kavachamu.
Ragamalika Tanams in Sumanesha Ranjani, Vagadeeshwari & Vijayashri

Beautiful balance of composers and the whole concert was superbly understated. The kanakku etc were slipped in unobtrusively but still very much there. RTP was grand but so was everything else right from the lovely Thodi Varnam Akkarai matched step for step and Anantha Krishnan on Mrid was bright and alert as well. There was ghatam and morsing and the 3 way Thani was a treat

Lalgudi Siblings at MFAC on 1/1/13
1) Saraswati Varnam - LGJ (lovely charanam )
2) Pranamamyaham - Gaulai (KS)
3) Sri Kanthini - Bhavapriya (KS)
4) Thyagaraj Yoga -Anandabhairavi (R, KS)
5) Adamodi- Charukesi (R)
6) Paripahimam-MV-Kannad
7) Amba Kamakshi (R,KS)
8 ) RTP in Mohanam & Dhanyasi. As explained they presented the pallavi and all the swarams in pairs of male-female. Beautiful
9) Maravairi-Nasikabhooshini
10) Thillana-Bhimplas
11) Thillana-Dwijavanthi

It was appropriate that the Thillana was in pairs (both requested) after the lovely dwi-raga pallave presented in pairs through out. I have got the pallavi line and the pair-ragas written somewhere-can't find it. The hall was 80% full and every piece was perfect. I have heard Bhavapriya a few times this season, but this violin duo was especially sweet. Great beginning to the New Year

The one instrumental I missed everywhere but so wanted to go was Jayanthi Kumaresh-it will happen someday

[mahavishnu]

MV, thank you for your report. Both sound like great concerts.
Was the Lalgudi Tillana in bhimplas or hindolavasantham? Suresh said that it was the latter in the other thread, and so I was just wondering.

[MV]

Yes, great concerts both. I am wondering if RK's concert was Khanjira and not Ghatam since I remember observing to myself that it wasn't KVG! This is what happens when you come back and write something 10 days later and end up relying on memory. I hope someone will name the percussionists as well.
But the Thillana was definitely Bhimpalas since I know this one ' Endan Ullam Ellam..' Now that you bring it up, I'm wondering if the second thillana was not Dwijavanthi but Darbari Kannada. Please correct someone. I will also come back and put in the pair ragas in the RTP because they were magical-an elegant Kanada, a strident Kedaram and so on.. Lets hope I find this paper !

[mahesh3]

I think RK's concert had a ghanjira - strange even I cant exactly remember it now!

[mahavishnu]

The MMA website says
N. Ravikiran (Chitraveena)
Akkarai Subhalakshmi (Violin)
Anantha R. Krishnan (Mridangam)
M.A. Krishnamurthy (Ghatam)
Srirangam R. Kannan (Moharsing)

[sureshvv]

But the Thillana was definitely Bhimpalas since I know this one ' Endan Ullam Ellam..'

As I remember, LGJRK announced it as their Guru's composition in Hindolavasantham. And I remember only 2 tillanas in the program. Go figure !

[annamalai]

Ravi Kiran @ Music Academy on 21/12/12

3) Nera Nammi - Pantuvarali (R,N, KS)
5) Pari pahi - Kalyani - ST

I thought the Pantuvarali was Sundaradaradeham (a krithi GNB used to sing). Kalyani alapana was superb and Paripahimamayee (Kalyani) was well rendered. This is another Alathur classic.

[gardabha_gana]

Nice set of songs. Thanks much MV. Very nice and heartening to know instrumental concerts had 80 percent attendance. A rarity these days I think.

[MV]

As I remember, LGJRK announced it as their Guru's composition in Hindolavasantham. And I remember only 2 tillanas in the program. Go figure !

As I said I'm relying a bit on memory. I definitely heard Bhimpalas in the last few days of my stay and I thought it was this concert. Will comfirm soon.

Pantuvarali-I wasn't sure of the song myself. I thought it was Nera Nammi and someone else said it was the GNB krithi. But I have to say, I came by a season pass at MA this year. I'm thinking plus and minuses to sticking to one venue. A big plus is the camarederie which develops amongst the regular folks sitting together-like a family of rasikas. I have basked in that belonging. One in that number confirmed that it was Nera Nammi

[mahavishnu]

But I have to say, I came by a season pass at MA this year. I'm thinking plus and minuses to sticking to one venue. A big plus is the camarederie which develops amongst the regular folks sitting together-like a family of rasikas. I have basked in that belonging.

Completely agree. I love the regulars at MMA. The last season I was fortunate enough to attend I went almost exclusively to the MA. I used to sit next to this mami and mama, who brought an endless supply of bakshanams and would graciously share them with me. I refused initially out of politeness, but after the first couple of times I just couldn't resist.

The other strategy is to follow the same artiste to multiple venues. I have done this also a couple of times. You run into the serious groupies there, and a different kind of interaction begins.

I rely on both these networks extensively for recordings and to stay in touch with the kutcheri scene.

[harimau]

Dudes,

The Jan 1 MFAC concert featured 2 thillanas, in Hindolavasantham and Bhimplas, in that order.

[Always_Evolving]

Ravikiran played Sundaradaradeham. And yes it was Ghatam and Morsing

[MV]

Thank you Harimau- I wasn't losing it That keeps both Suresh & I happy. Also, if I had known you were there it would have been great to meet you,...

Mahavishnu... Talking of Bakshanams... When you sit for 2 MMA kutcheris, 4.30pm and 7pm, at 6.45pm if you decide not to stretch your legs, your nose is assailed by numerous delicacies-people enjoying their palaharam or tiffin/dinner for the evening. Boy... some of these guys can cook.. serious competition for Padmanabhan's canteen!

[MV]

Pallavi was in Misra Jathi Triputa Thalam
'Thathathimi Dimiyena Nadamidum Jagadishanai/Lasya priya Umavai- Nidham Ninai
GJR: Ranjani-Sudha Dhanyasi
LV:Kedaram-Arabhi
GJR: Rasikapriya-Kapi
LV: Hindolam-Behag

It was exploring the masculine/feminine aspect in a raga. What I also liked was instead of rushing the 2 ragas in one thalam, they took time to develop each raga before arriving at the kuraippu format.

[vasanthakokilam]

they took time to develop each raga before arriving at the kuraippu format.

Interesting. How far did they take the koraippu in this format? like half an avartha for each raga or even smaller?

[rajeshnat]

MV
Can you throw more light on what is masculine and feminine aspect of a raga here. Is a raga ranjani considered masculine and the other suddha dhanyasi as feminine .

Long back in a lecdem shri LGJ has talked about playing violin in masculine and feminine side where one gives a more bass tone in masculine , where typically the artist play spreading their hands away from body (more outside to inside )

As of now , only know that GJR is male and viji is female . So throw more detailed explanation, till then I am :^) :^)

[annamalai]

When you sit for 2 MMA kutcheris, 4.30pm and 7pm, at 6.45pm .. serious competition for Padmanabhan's canteen!

I thought that the canteens were one of the highlights of the Marghazhi music season
In fact some of the menu was featured in the Hndu Newspaper every day

Music Academy - Canteen
Breakfast - Thiruttupal, Ghee Kesari, Ghee Pongal, Medu Vadai, Special Dosa, Onion Dosa
Lunch - Badusha, Sambar Rice, Alu fry, Nendram Chips, Vettakuzhambu, curd rice, Semiya Payasam

Canteen Cutcheri
http://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/ ... epage=true

The menu was too tempting for me some days - a hasi halwa + rava dosa + coffee made me enjoy the sanjay concert @ MA even more; instead of hungry and grumpy.
I loved the dinner menu @ Gnanambika - Vettakuzhambu rice + Seppakizhangu curry + curd rice

There is also an idli vilas near Music Academy.
Of course, the good old Woodlands near Music Acadmey is the best for lunch and perhaps, come back to Academy for the afternoon concert and a power nap.

Naada Inbam had high quality concerts; the downside is no canteen
Parthasarathy Swami Sabha highlight is cafe only - Mountbatten Mani catering and the seats inside the hall are horrible.
KSG had Krishna Sweets catering was ok.
Near Mylapore Fine arts, there is MahaMudhra - food was ok.

[MV]

Wow.. forumites have been busy while I was away. Anyway, I'll do the food questions first (Have to validate Maslow's Hierarchy ) Yes the MA canteen is great. I had an awesome vendakkai pakora one day and his sambhar is quite the thing. Nevertheless, some Mamis and Mamas don't want to do it everyday I guess. So, you get these tiffin boxes. Now unlike bakshanams, these come in limited numbers. You have to be lucky to have that spare 1 or 2 chappati or idli to be surreptitiously passed on. Mahavishnu.. no politeness from me. I never say No to food specially when it smells that good

Now, for some of the more serious qs. VK-yes half avartanam each. Iswaran was Mohanam and Uma was Dhanyasi and so on. The thirmanam would be in Mohanam for the mohanam eduppu.

Male/Female-GJR is male and LV is female... well, you're off the block Sorry, jokes apart. Quickly and my understanding (experts feel free to come in and expand) Nayaki is the female version of Darbar-so its a male and female raga.
But, the pallavi concept was the male/female aspect. For eg GJR's Ranjani (was brilliant) was gracecul and gliding while the S.Dhanyasi had strong bowing and SPMP, PSNS etc to show the bolder view-in fact the thirmanam had that SPMP=PSNS combination. But S. Dhanyasi can be played delicately as well-so there is an inherent female aspect.
LV's Kedaram (equally brilliant) and Arabhi which I would have thought is a masculine form but highlighted the gentler flow and so on.

[gardabha_gana]

Wish one can get a recording of the siblings concert