Music Most Memorable, Palkulangara Ambica Devi

[jagan]

These thoughts occurred while reading the coverage of the music season by Bharath .

To present music , just as it is, (swachchama) without resort to embellishments and ornamentation demands a high level of artistic perception and creativity. Just like the difference between an ordinary film and one by Satyajit Ray.

In the midst of the razzle dazzle and excitement of the music market place, one felt blessed to listen to the extraordinarily sensitive music presented by Smt Palkulangara Ambica Devi for Naada Inbam.

The level of listening by the few present was so intense that none even thought of showing their appreciation by clapping . Their hands were more purposefully engaged in an imperceptible effort to wipe the moisture from their eyes

[CRama]

Happy to read about the concert of Palkulangara Ambika Devi.I wanted to attend, but I could not do so because of official commitments. She is a highly accomplished artist and a respected teacher from Trivandrum. She had worked in AIR TVM. I have heard her concerts in 70s and 80s in TVM. She is one of the many artists who could not get an opening in Chennai music circuit due to various reasons. I will be happy if she is invited to perform often in Chennai.

[harimau]

These thoughts occurred while reading the coverage of the music season by Bharath .

To present music , just as it is, (swachchama) without resort to embellishments and ornamentation demands a high level of artistic perception and creativity. Just like the difference between an ordinary film and one by Satyajit Ray.

In the midst of the razzle dazzle and excitement of the music market place, one felt blessed to listen to the extraordinarily sensitive music presented by Smt Palkulangara Ambica Devi for Naada Inbam.

Sometimes, one has to break the laws in the interest of the arts.

Smt Parassala Ponnammal would not have come to the notice of folks outside Kerala if Prince Rama Varma had not clandestinely video-ed her Navarathri Mantapam concert (going against established rules) and posting the video on Youtube (violation of Copyright laws).

Then Carnatica invited her to Chennai, Naada Inbam featured her, she went to Cleveland Thyagaraja Aradhana and performed at the Music Academy after a gap of 55 years.

Good things can happen to the artist in that manner. The audience is also enriched by hearing such music.

So, do everyone concerned a favor by getting Naada Inbam to post the concert on a public forum.

Organizers in Chennai are waay too busy to look for Smt Ambica Devi's concert somewhere in Kerala so as to evaluate whether such music ought to be featured by them. They would take the easy way out by featuring some "upcoming talent" and feeling good about it.

If the folks at rasikas.org who have demonstrated an eclectic taste cannot have the opportunity to listen to her music (they may have missed the concert due, to any number of reasons) perhaps then we are dooming her to remain a lamp inside a pot (kudatthukkul irukkum kutthuvilakku).

[cmlover]

More information about the artiste and her Music please.
This Forum is for bringing to light the :

"Full many a gem of purest ray serene
The dark unfathom'd caves of "CM" bear:
Full many a flower is born to blush unseen,
And waste its sweetness on the desert air."
(Thomas Gray)

[Sivaramakrishnan]

Smt palkulangara Ambika Devi - a very senior Vidushi from Trivandrum- is noted for vyavahaara (authentic) sangitam and her contribution to many musical features at AIR Trivandrum is immense.

The sixties-eighties were the golden times when Parassla Ponnammal, R Krishnaswamy, Cherthala Gopalan Nair, Kamala Kailasanathan, K Omanakutty and others including Ambika Devi popularised many kritis of Kerala composers.

[CRama]

I have heard her in concerts in Abhendanada Ashramam and Karthika Thirunal Theatre. She had also paired with Smt. G.Seethalakshmi- another versatile singer discussed in this forum earlier. Ambika Devi had sung many Malayalam songs in groups which were broadcast in Udayageetham in TVM AIR. oh, Really good old days!

[cmlover]

With her permission do make available clips from her performance so that our Rasikas may get to know her..
Does she have a web page?

[cmlover]

Here are a couple from Youtube of this talented artiste...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3RST32-0Is
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=en ... IBYv8&NR=1