Pantula Rama - 16-Aug-2013 - SGBS Unnati, Bangalore

[ranjanimalavi]

Pantula Rama - Vocal
MSM Murthy - Violin
HS Sudhindra - Mridangam
Mysore GS Ramanujam - Ghatam

0. Tanam: Naatai, Gowla, Aarabhi, Varali, Sri
1. Sri Varalakshmi - Sri - MD (S)
2. Hiranmayim Lakshmim - Lalitha - MD (RS)
3. vinan(A)sakoni - Prathapavarali - T
4. Smara Janaka - Behag - ST (RNS)
5. Koluvai Unnade - Bhairavi - T (RNS)
6. Thani
7. RTP Bindumalini
Pallavi: Gaanalola Karunalavala Govinda Mampahi
Ragamalika: Sahana, Hindolam, Kumudakriya
8. Slokam - Adharam madhuram - Yamuna Kalyani, Sindhu Bhairavi
9. Ashtapadhi - Natha Hare - Sindhu Bhairavi - J
10. Thillana - Atana - Krishnamacharyulu
11. Mangalam

Fabulous Concert.
Each and every piece was sung so well.

Her husband's return were good.
Accompanists were adequate.

Raman

[rshankar]

Interesting start to the concert with a rAgamAlikA tAnam. Is that usual?

[arasi]

I can 'hear' her sing the bindumalini RTP...

How I wish I could hear her vinayamunanu kauSikuni--a beautiful T song telling us the whole story of RamayaNa in verse and music!

[KSJaishankar]

What an amazing concert... the lady deserves far more than the scant 50 odd people that were there (if you leave out the organizers). There are quite a few other lady singers of caliber, but she is the first one after the late MLV that I have heard with such gaambheeryam in her voice (the only other lady singer who comes to mind in recent times for this aspect is Amrutha Sankaranarayanan).

Grand start with the ghanaragamalika tanam, followed by the very apt to context Sri Varalakshmi Namastubhyam - interesting swara prasthara at "Pathe Pathe Sri Varalakshmi" (rshankar - off hand, I have heard an Academy concert from 1964 by Sri Semmangudi that starts with Tanam in Natta; I have also heard of Sri TRS starting a concert with Tanam)

Bhairavi was truly outstanding - the swara prasthara at Manasu Ranjilla quite reminiscent of the late MMI, built on an edifice of "MPDPD Manasu".

Dear Sri Raman - you beat me to the review! Couple of small modifications to the list - item #3 was Vinanasakoni in Pratapavarali, not Vinayamu Nannu. The 3rd ragam in the ragamalika section of the RTP was Kumudakriya, not Hamsanandi.

Wish we get to hear her more often in Bangalore....

[rajeshnat]

KSJ
Also to sing two RNS in succession for smara janaka and koluvai is very noteworthy. Comparison to MLV is quite apt in few areas.

[ranjanimalavi]

Thanks for the corrections, KSJaisankar.

Unnati used to be full for most of the concerts.
Its a miss for those who throng other concerts.

I thought it was late when she started Behag.
I didn't want her to sing Behag as Main. But it was so beautiful.
She didn't overdo any songs.

Raman

[pattamaa]

superb! I am great fan of her! Only performing lady of current generation - who stands out with 'no-nonsense' music !!

[PUNARVASU]

Thanam in the Ghana raagams at the beginning of a concert is a practice normally followed by vainikas . I love hearing that.

[Mechakalyani]

Thanam in the Ghana raagams at the beginning of a concert is a practice normally followed by vainikas . I love hearing that.

I thought tanam by vainikas was usually played before the main Krithi or the RTP. First time I am hearing of it coming at the start of the concert.

[devan]

Lady T.M.Krishna