R.K.Padmanabha @ BrahmagAna sabha,Mysore,03/08/13

[ganeshkant]

Folks,

I was in Mysore last week officially and very happy to report about these 2 concerts
( Vamshidhar’s flute recital report follows this ) that I heard.

The climate in Mysore was excellent.I enjoyed my walk of 4 kms.to the venue from my hotel.It was good to see a lot of youngsters among the audience.Also happy about the turnout for both the concerts.

Conducted by “ SUSHIRA “, (13th year festival for 3 days) Sri V.Deshikachar’s acdemy of music
Venue:nAdhabrahma sangeetha sabha ( VasudevachAryA bhavan,JLB Rd.)

Accompaniments:

C.N.Chandrasekharan – vioilin
C.CheLuvarAju – mridangam
B.N.Chandramouli – kanjirA

List:

1.guru slokam in sahAnA
karuNimpa – varnam

2.kanakAngi mAthe – kanakAngi – (R,S)

3.jambhoopathe – Y.kalyANi

4.marugElara – jayanthasri

5.rAma rAmA – hameer kalyANi

6.sAradhe – Y.kAmbOji – ( R,S)

7.OdibArayya – bhairavi

8.RTP – Surati – ekAdasa roopakam ( 13 beats)
tAnam in Ghana pancha rAgams & rAgamAlika svarms in Ahir bhairav,varALi & madhyamAvati

Tani

9.nAn Enu ballEnu – s.bhairavi

10.jvalath kAnti – slokam – mOhanam ,sAvEri,hindOLam,dhvijAvanti,rEvati

11.pArvati bhagavati – rEvati

12.Mangalam

This is my first listening of this artist.RKP’s music was enjoyable in spite of being loud & exhibitive.His music would have been more enjoyable had he kept away a few inches from the mike and sang without looking at a paper or book even while singing chitta svarams for the varnam.A sore sight indeed !

RKP claimed he is the only vAgeyakAra as far as he knows to have composed kannada songs in all 72 mELams and has released a book of them. The kanakAngi & H’kalyAni songs are his own compositions.

With a voice that travels effortlessly from mandhra S to tAra P his music was eloquent in the lakshiya segments.His svarams for the kanakAngi song was long but engaging.The Surati he sang was masterly.But the Y’kAmbOji was unnecessarily long that he looked like a child lost in a crowd. With a little bit restraint the YK too would have sounded masterly.

The problem with CheLuvarAju was his lack of control on the speed.He was running many times away from the tALam disturbing the tempo of the concert.BNC compensated with maturity in his playing.

CNC played very well all along. The normal squeakiness in his playing was rarely seen.His replies were classically rich.But in the RTP rAgamAlika when the vocalist sang madhyamAvati he returned sri !

I feel RKP’s music would sound better with a good audio control system , a competent mridangist and if he can remember the lyrics. But again I would like to register that I enjoyed the concert,no doubt.

[rajeshnat]

ganeshkant,
Nice to see your review from mysore. For your information , there is also a ganapathi sachidananda ashram where there are concerts at regular intervals . When I was there for few months about 12 years back , I have heard one extraordinary concert from L Subramaniam in violin(whom i have so far heard only once) - incidentally then i came to know by just word of mouth.

Rsachi ,
Is parvathi still active at mysore?

[CRama]

Ganesh, Nice to see a review from you after a long time. That too of a concert in Mysore. The review is very objective. I liked your way of putting it.
Vidwan RKP is a very much respected vidwan in the Karnataka. Earlier, himself and another vidwan (Nagaraj?- I do not remember now) sang many concerts as duos. I know he is a composer as well in Kannada, His style is rather old style- sings with open mouth - without any effort on voice modulation. But I am surprised at his looking of book for simple things- that do not go with the old school. That really puts you off. His choice of ragas - Kanakangi, YKambodi, Suruti for a RTP speaks of his vidwat. It is really sad that his accompanists could not give the expected support.
Correct No 7 as Odi Barayya

[ganeshkant]

Thanks Rajeshnat,C.Rama.
Odibaarayya - yes it should be.corrected in the main post.