GAYATHRI GIRISH AT TATWALOKA ON 22/01/14

[CRama]

On the concluding day of the Thyagaraja Festival conducted by Sarvani Sangeetha Sabha, Gayathri Girish presented a unique concert of exclusive Utsavasampradaya Keerthanams and Divyanama Sankeerthanams. She was accompanied by VVS Murari on the violin, R.Sankaranarayanan on the Mridangam and Nerkunnam Sankar on the Ganjira. I did not attend this concert. But watched the webcast of parivadini. Thanks to parivadini team.
List of songs.

Jayatu Jayatu sakala nigamaagama- Choornika in the ragams Nata, Gowla, Arabhi. Varali and Sree*
Endaromahanubhavulu-Sree
Dasaratha nandana-Asaveri**
Paramapaavana gunaseela-Panthuvarali**
Badalikadeera-Reethigowla*
Rama Rama Rama-Mohanam**
Rakshabettare- Bhairavi*
Karunajaladhe-Nadanamakriya**
Ramapahi-Kapi**
Patikiharatheere-Suruti.*

* Utsavasampradya keerthanam
**Divyanama sankeerthanam

We are all familiar with Utsava sampradaya and Divyanama keerthanams. They are in rakthi ragams, with simple lyrics, having multiple charanams with same tune. In the 80s, Maharajapuram Santhanam, MBK, Bombay Sisters etc have released commercial casettes/CDs under these labels. The songs sung by them are almost identical, Shobane, Seethakalyana, Hecharigaaraaraa, Poolapanpu etc. I have also heard a concert of R.Vedavalli, a NP of RK.Srikantan, a commercial CD of Dr.S.Ramanathan which included a few other songs as well. But as we know, Gayathri Gireesh has got a penchant to present rare and unheard kritis in the thematic concerts, as we have seen in MYRIAD FORMS OF SIVA. In this concert also, she has included a few songs which are rare. The songs in Panthuvarali and Mohanam are new to me. This format is also a rare one. People will raise their brows - whether this format will be appealing to discerning rasikas. But Gayathri Gireesh has added the quotient of manodharmam to these songs and made the concert quite appealing to everyone. She has added neravals, swarams and raga alapana to these songs which are otherwise relegated to the post thani segment. Of course, certain songs like Hecharikagaarara, Rakshabettare, Badalikadeera have been sung elaborately by many musicians with the right quotient of manodharamam and aesthetics.

The choornika has been a soulful opening number for this divine concert. The song Dasarathanandana has been ornamented with a few rounds of kalpana swaras. Raga alapana of Panthuvarali was quite elaborate - for 10 minutes. Neraval was at the lines Rajasapoojuluseyakura Thyagarajapoojitha followed by swaras in two kalams. Badalikadeera was rendered in a leisurely kalapramanam. The kriti in Mohanam was also suffixed with a few bouts of swaras. The raga Bhairavi was painted on a large convass flashing prettily conceived sancharas for about 10 minutes. Neraval was done at Sangeethapriya Thyagaraja and elaborate swaras followed. The post thani pieces all were enjoyable. The concluding of the concert with Pathikiharatheere in Suruti was most appropriate.

The accompanists played their role quite effectively. The coordination of the artistes on the stage took the concert to a high level. The concert started at 6.20 PM and lasted for 2 hours and 15 minutes. The hall was almost full till the end.

[priyaram78]

I too saw the webcast and enjoyed the concert immensely. Was wondering about the raagams. Thanks Sri CRama for the detailed review. You have given such minute details of the raagams and kritis that a lay rasika like me can just wonder about the intellectual aspect of a concert list. Gayathri is indeed an intellectual artist who sings with bhaavam. thanks to her Guru Sri TN Seshagopalan.

[rajeshnat]

Jayatu Jayatu sakala nigamaagama- Choornika in the ragams Nata, Gowla, Arabhi. Varali and Sree*

Crama or anyone else,
I googled to find choornika means that it is a prelude. Is Jayatu Jayatu sakala nigamaagama a telugu gadhyam (I am assuming this is a telugu phrase and hence gadhyam is right).

Can we call choornika is a synonym of slokham/viruththam/gadhyam or is it some thing different?

[rshankar]

CRama - thank you for the review. I caught the later parts of this program. Was it Kum. Vishruti Girish who was providing vocal support?

[arasi]

Yes, Ravi! And she did a very good job. She sang a number of songs along with her mother with clarity and confidence.

I watched most of this enjoyable concert.

CRama,
What is there for me to say after your detailed review (your trade mark), appealing to us all no end. Yes, GG is an intellectual singer who sings with bhAvam. She takes upon herself tough assignments and adds unfamiliar krutis to her concert lists--which means she's working doubly hard.

I know it personally too with my music. Many performers hesitate to introduce any unsung or unheard composition in their programs (understandable for several reasons: they have to learn it, the audience should not be burdened with hearing something unfamiliar (!), the accompanists might not catch on to a new tune, etc). GG took the trouble to learn inRu varuvAnO a few years ago, and oru nALEnum this year, making me happy both times by singing them so well in her concerts, and obliging me by singing them again on the days I could make it to her concerts!)

Yes, how she also gave weight and depth to the songs which normally aren't grand concert pieces!I'm glad I noticed that parivadini lets us hear earlier concerts too which we have missed.

Priya,
This time, we both heard her on Parivadini from far away places (thanks again to Parivadini for their hard work in bringing us plenty of music). I had your merry, lively company at Gayathri's concert during the season

[priyaram78]

Arasi Madam, I immensely enjoyed your company at Gayathri's concert in Chennai and yes, I remember Gayathri announced your name after singing oru nAlenum. And yes, we both and many others enjoyed her concert on Parivadini. I am coming down to Chennai in june and hope to attend her concerts Gayathri will surely surprise her rasikas, I am sure

[CRama]

Rajesh. The definition of choornika : Akatora aksharam alpa samaasam chhornikam iduvu. It is a kind of prose in which the compounds are small and the syllables are soft. Choornam means small or fragmented(powder), similarly choornika means small compound words. Choornika is not set to any chandas or metre. So while singing it, the musician can not elongate any particular phrase as per his manodharmam as done in the case of slokas/viruthams which are set to chandas or metre. It can be in any language. In the instant case, it is in Sanskrit. Choornika is used as a prelude before any opera or musical feature. It gives in brief the story that is to follow in the various keerthanams/poems.

[rajeshnat]

Crama
Thank you for choornika explanation. Also saw the video where vishruthi girish sang with her amma, best wishes to her too- time just flies.