Nada Inbam Thematic concet in Mar 14 (24th to 30th)

[KNV1955]

Naada Inbam – Thematic Music Series (from 24th to 30th March,2014)
24.03.14 Monday 6.15 p.m. Presentation on “Subbarama Dikshitar”
Sumithra Vasudevan, R.K.Shriramkumar, Arun Prakash.
25.03.14 Tuesday 6.15 p.m. “Sishya Parampara of Dikshitar”-
Dr. Nanditha Ravi, M.R.Gopinath, B.Ganapathiraman
26.03.14 Wednesday 6.15 p.m. “Sishya Parampara of Syama Sastri”-
Aishwarya Shankar, R.Rahul, Guru Raghavendra
27.03.14 Thursday 6.15 p.m. “Sishya Parampara of Thyagaraja” -
Bhavana Iyer, Sherthalai Sivakumar, B.Sivaraman
28.03.14 Friday 6.15 p.m. “Mysore Composers” -
Sumitra Nitin, Usha Rajagopal, Kallidaikurichi Sivakumar
29.03.14 Saturday 6.15 p.m. “Tamil Compositions “ -
Ashwath Narayanan, R.Rahul, Shankaranarayanan, Nerkunam Shankar.
30.03.14 Sunday 6.15 p.m. “Swati Tirunal” -
Amritha Murali, R.K.Shriramkumar, Arunprakash, N.Guruprasad.

Artists have given the song list alos.

Naada Inbam Thematic Music Series- Song List
24th March 2014 Subbarama Dikshidar
Sumitra Vasudev, R.K. Shriramkumar, K. Arunprakash
1. Varijakshi ni (Tana Varnam) Sahana Ata
2. Emamma nannubrocutaku Maruva Adi
3. Sami entani delupudura Surati Tisra Eka
4. Isvara nanu Pharuju Caturasra Eka
5. Parikkanni (svarasthana pada) Kalyani Tisra Eka
6. Sami ni mahimalu Bhairavi Tisra Eka
7. Parthasarthini Erukulakambhoji (Yadukulakambhoji) Adi
8. Garavamuganna Navaratnamalika Rupaka
9. Tillanadaruvu Surati Eka
25th March 2014 Sishya Parampara of Dikshitar
Dr. Nandita Ravi, M.R. Gopinath, B. Ganapathiraman
1 Varnam
2 Gananathaya Namaste Gaula Adi Ambi Dikshitar
3 Trahimam Dhanyasi Khanda Chapu Srivatsa
4 Nee Sari Sati Kalyani Rupakam Ponnaiah Pillai
5 Sive Pahimam Bhairavi Adi Vedanta Bhagawatar
6 Seetalambam Vasanta Mishra Chapu Anantakrishnaiyyar
7 Karunananda Nilambari Adi Kumara Ettendra
8 Nada Jyoti Jyotisvarupini Adi Pattamadai Krishnan
9 Amba Paradevate Rudrapriya Khanda Chapu Krishnaswami Aiyyar
10 Sati Leni Purvikalyani Mishra Chapu Ponnaiah Pillai
11 Mangalam or Ragamalika
26th March 2014 Sishya Parampara of Syama Sastri
Aishwarya Shankar, R. Rahul, Guru Raghavendra
1. Raveme(Svarajati) Anandabhairavi Adi Shobanadri
2 Paramapaavani Atana Adi Annaswami Shastri
3 Inkevarunnaru Sahana Adi Annaswami Shastri
4. Devi Meenakshi Kalyani Rupakam Tacchur Brothers
5. Ninnusevinchina Yadukulakambhoji Misra Chapu Subbaraya Sastri
6. Neesarivelpula Arabhi Adi Tiruvottriyur Tyagayyar
7. Sri Lalithe Bhairavi Adi - Annaswami Shastri
8. Arabhimanam Ragamalika Adi Tarangampadi Panchanada Iyer
9. Vanajaasana Sree Rupakam Subbaraya Sastri
27th March 2014 Sishya Parampara of Thyagaraja
Bhavana Iyer, Sherthalai Sivakumar, B. Sivaraman
1. Inthakopa - Varnam Navaragamalika Adi Veenai Kuppaiyyar
2. Pahimam Sri Rajarajeshwari Janaranjani Adi Maha Vaidyanatha Sivan
3. Anandamaya manave Jyothswarupini Adi Walajapet Venkatramana Bhagavatar
4. O Manasa Shyama Rupakam Patnam Subramania Iyer
5. Paridana michite Bilahari Khanda Chapu Patnam Subramania Iyer
6. Sree Venkatesham Thodi Rupakam Ramanathapuram Srinivasa Iyengar
7. Vinaradhu gadhara Chenchuruti Adi Walajapet Venkatramana Bhagavatar
8. Shlokam on Walajapet Krishnaswamy Bhagavatar
Sadguru Thyagaraja
9. Tillana Khamas Adi Patnam Subramania Iyer
28th March 2014 Mysore Composers
Sumitra Nitin, Usha Rajagopal, Kallidaikurichi Shivakumar
1. Sannuthangi Sri Chamundeshwari Vasantha Adi Harikesanallur Muthiah Bhagavathar
– Daru Varnam
2. Gam Ganapathe Nagaswaravali Kanta Triputa Jayachamaraja Wodeyar
3. Dasarathi ninnu Rishabhapriya Misra Chapu Bidaram Krishnappa
4. Gurukrupa (Sub Main) Pushpalatika Tisra Rupakam Mysore Vasudevachar
5. Sada saranga Ranjani Adi Yoga Narasimham
6. Sagara kanyaka (Main) Begada Adi Mysore Sadashiva Rao
7. Javali - VaddanDe kopama Surati Adi Veena Padmanabhaiah
8. Kaapaada beku thaye Khamas Misrachapu Veena Seshanna
9. Tillana Kapi Adi T.Chowdiah
29th March 2014 Tamil Compositions
Ashwath Narayanan, R. Rahul, R. Shankaranarayanan, Nerkunam Shankar
1. Charanagatham Gowlai Adhi Gopalakrishna Bharathi
2. Aanadanatamaaduvar Poorvikalyani Rupakam Neelakanta Sivan
3. Kandavarkukanavilum Kunthalavarali Adi Swarna Venkatesa Dikshitar
4. Ambarame Kalyani Kanda Chapu Andal Tirupaavai
5. Kartikeyagaangeya Thodi Adi Papanasam Sivan
6. Enneramumundan Devagandhari Adi Gopalakrishna Bharathi
7. ChittamEppadiyo Nadanamakriya Misra Chapu Vedanayakam Pillai
8. Manadirkugandadu Sindubhairavi Adi Thanjavur Shankara Iyer
9. Thillana Behag Tisra Adi Lalgudi Jayaraman
10. EllorumSugamaaiVazha – Madyamavathi Adi Swarna Venkatesa Dikshitar
30th March 2014 Maharaja Svati Tirunal
Amritha Murali, R.K. Shriramkumar, K. Arunprakash, N. Guruprasad
1. Shloka from Padmanabha Shatakam Khamas Adi
followed by Savamarusha- Varnam
2. Palaya Madhava Asaveri Adi
3. Kalayami Raghuramam Begada Misrachapu
4. Pahitarakshupuralaya Anandabhairavi Adi
5. Gangeyavasanadhara Hamirkalyani Adi
6. Jaya Jaya Padmanabhanujesha Manirangu Adi
7. Pahi Janani - Navaratri Kriti Nattaikurinji TisraTriputa
8. Shloka from Bhakti Manjari Huseni Rupakam
followed by Kanakamaya-
9. Taruni nyan Dvijavanti Misrachapu
10. Shloka from Kuchelopakhyanam- Nadanamakriya Rupakam
followed by Deva Deva kalpayami
(Navavidha Bhakti Kriti)
11. Jaya Jaya Devi - Bhajan Misra Behag
12. Bhujagashayino - Mangalam Yadukulakambhoji Rupakam

Don't miss the event
KNV

[rshankar]

WOW! The concerts sound awesome - do you know if they'll be recorded?

[KNV1955]

rshankar I don't know.Pl checj up with Mrs Jaya Balkrishnan

[KNV1955]

Day 1: Scholarly presentation by Sumitra Vasudev.

[arasi]

A procession of thematic concerts covering a wide range of krutis! Many off the popular track!

Sumitra Vasudev would have done justice to her list. The other Sumitra (Nitin) is offering a plateful of Mysore delicacies (including that of Mysore AsthAna vidvAn composer from TN--HMB.

Jaya Balakrishnan sounded keen on this series (suggested by you, if I'm not mistaken
Hope she will be kind enough to share a few items from each concert.

[rajeshnat]

WOW! The concerts sound awesome - do you know if they'll be recorded?

Ravi
Usually audio is definitely recorded inline by Smt Jaya. But I donot know how they share the recordings to the outside world. I will let you all know once when i know.Some times even video recording happens. May be for this fantastic series video recording is also done.

[KNV1955]

There was no video recording of Sumitra Concert. Mrs JB told me without artist consent she is not doing either audio or video recording. One observation on Thematic concerts. It should be in concert format to keep the audience engaged. Otherwise it can become demonstration like prog.

[raviraj]

<<Not sure if it belongs here or to the Kutchery section. Mods may please move it appropriately>>

Naada Inbam Thematic Music Series- Day 1
Compositions of Subbarama Dikshita
24th March 2014
Sumitra Vasudev, R.K. Shriramkumar, K. Arunprakash

Songs rendered:

vArijAkshi - shahAnA - khanda ata - tAna varna
emammA nannu - mAruvA - adi - kriti- svaram@ pallavi
sAmi entani - surati - tisra eka - cauka varna - alapana with neraval & svaram @ nIrajAkshi
pArikkani - kalyAnI - Adi - svarastAna padA
sAmi nI mahimalu - bhairavi - tisra eka- kriti
pArthasArathini - yadukula(erukala)kAmbhOji - adi - kriti - alapana with neraval and svaram @ pallavi
gAravamuganna - rAgamAlika - rUpaka - composition in nine rAgAs- kalyAni, tOdi, sAvEri, atAnA, nIlAmbari, manirangu, kAmbhoji,mukhArI & mOhana

1. The concert exactly lasted for 2 hours. Two pieces - one in pharaz and the other daru tillana in Surati - which was part of the printed program were not rendered.
2. A brief two liner introduction was provided to every piece.
3. The compositions being from the Subbarama Dikshita's SSP, the lakshana of the ragas were aligned to that as found notated therein. So the Shahana tAna varna was rendered with a profusion of sadhArana gAndhAra and the Bhairavi kriti was rendered with suddha dhaivatha dominating even in arOhana murcanas like PD1NS and D2 being restricted to ND2NS, for example.
4. The accompanists provided very competent support. Sri RKSK on the violin played a superb yadukulakambhoji which gave his own Surati vinyAsA a run for its money. Arunprakash was very subdued.

Overall very nice work and as I observed she wasn't referring to any notes to prompt herself to remember the lyrics, which in itself is creditable given the compositions rendered. Anyways here is my two 2 cents & things which could have been done better/avoided:

1. One wished that the compositions were provided with much more commentary, strictly IMO . Every composition which was featured had a musical or lyrical context, IMO. Sample this for example:
a. The opener tana varna as well as the cauka varna are structured in the old varna template- consisting of pallavi, anupallavi, muktayi svara, carana or ettugada pallavi, 5 ettugada svara section ( with or without sahitya) and anubandha. After the last ettugada svara ( and sahitya if applicable), the carana has to be rendered, followed by the anubandha section and then the anupallavi muktayi svara and finally ending with the pallavi. Sumitra righly rendered the sections in the appropriate order/sequence and I am unsure how many in the audience even noticed it, leave alone appreciating.
b. The Surati cauka varna and the navaragamalika have a history on their own - vide the blog posts in guruguha.org
c. The Bhairavi kriti is on the Lord at Tirucendur /srijayanthipura

2. The artist competently rendered the svarastAna pada which is a veritable roller coaster with its sharp bends/turns/twists and I should say she acquited herselves creditably.

3. In the tAna varna rendering lot of gaps came forth in the ettugada svara section as the vidushi had to catch her breath in between. This could have definetely been avoided.

4. The cauka varna could have again been a tad slower . The overall duration could have been 15-30 mins extra for this set of kritis. Not many lines were repeated or sangatis rendered & one felt that the artist was keeping a constant eye on time. And not surprisingly she axed two from her list and finished with a minute or two to spare.

5. While Sri RKSk was the very epitome of professional & appropriate accompaniment, Sri Arunprakash was extremely ( or should it be needlessly?) subdued, IMO especially for the Yadukulakhamboji piece. While for a sedate pada or a cauka varna such an accompaniment may be appropriate but his accompaniment for the yadukulakAmbhoji piece was a drag. The kriti though set in 2 kalai has to be embellished with a brisk yet taut pace. And its not without reason that Subbarama Dikshita had invested the kriti with a cittasvara interspersed with jatis to give it a sprightly rthythmic gait . There is a brilliant rendering of this composition by Sangita Kalanidhi Subbulakshmi at a very appropriate gait/tempo and the mridangist ( Sri T K Murthy?- not sure) provides blissful on-the-trot, company. In the instant case I am not sure whether the mridangist slowed down or was it the vocalist, point is that the song itself should have been faster. The kriti also has a sonorous carana take off ( karigA vadi- on a svarakshara) which Smt MSS renders beautifully and even she sings a sangati or two on the line. Needless to add, those lines simply drip unadulterated/unalloyed Yadukulakambhoji. The artist did not leverage this in her rendering. As an aside this Yadukulakambhoji piece is on the Lord at Tiruvallikeni and curiously he has been sung by atleast a representative each from the sishya parampara of the Trinity - Sadasiva Rao (Parthasarate in Bhairavi & Vacamagocharundani - Atana) , Subbaraya Sastri ( Ninnusevincina - yadukulakambhoji) and Subbarama Dikshita. Reportedly this piece of Subbarama Dikshita was first debuted in the popular concert circuit by the late Sangita Kalanidhi Tiruppamburam Svaminatha Pillai in an early 1950's Music Academy concert accompanied by Tiruvalangadu Sundaresa Iyer on the violin. Since then the composition came to be learnt by very many from/through him . We do have recordings of Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer rendering this apart from Smt MSS.

6. For the Surati composition Smt Sumitra said/opined that the treatment of Surati in the composition/SSP was in line with current times ( in contrast to Shahana or Bhairavi). Its worth noting that according to Prof SRJ, the treatment 'is' different in the sense, the Surati of SSP/Subbarama Dikshita sports an elongated dhaivatha. And the MGPMR seen used repeatedly is modern and the older prayoga ( which has since become archaic) is the lineal PMGRS as in the usage of sNDPMGRS in the ettugada svara section of 'entO prema' of Kuppier. And not inconsequentially Subbarama Dikshita also states in his commentary that sadharana gandhara occurs in the tAra stAyi phrases SRGRS & MGRS. Smt Sumitra made no mention of these. Not to nitpick but just to set the record straight that there is a different point of view.

7. I have my own reservations about rendering the Bhairavis and Shahanas or Suratis interpreting SSP "literally". Not being judgmental here but one point needs a mention here, which is that this straightjacketed literal interpretation does not account for aesthetics & harmonics. I know I am stirring up a hornet's nest here, anyways would like to leave it there - so that folks who read can ruminate . I don't like our crown jewels ( especially there three ragas) being recast ( mauled?) in the name on 'interpretation'.

PS: The thematic nature & the prospect of hearing rare compositons perhaps induced quite a bunch of musicians- seniors as well, to attend from start to finish. One could spot Sri N Ramani, Smt Suguna Varadacari and Smt Gayathri Girish apart from Smt Sumitra's guru, Smt Vedavalli and a few of her disciples, in the audience.

[arasi]

Raviraj,
Hope you will write more reviews! What you have written adds more weight to the substance of this series.

You obviously know your CM more than some of us here. Your explanations help us understand the beauty of the krutis even more.

It's always good to hear that musicians are present in the performances of others (especially those by their juniors!).

Hope we get to hear more about other performances too.

Here's a riddle (trivia, of course):
We like to listen to AP because of his minimalistic approach.
We also wish he would 'maximize' his minimalism at times.
So, what is it that we expect of him? More of his 'less'?

[mahavishnu]

Raviraj, thanks for your detailed review.

We like to listen to AP because of his minimalistic approach.
We also wish he would 'maximize' his minimalism at times.
So, what is it that we expect of him? More of his 'less'?

This is when minimalism gives way to nihilism
Jest aside, pauses are only beautiful when they fill the space between music. A pause by itself, however deliberate, is only silence. Maybe he is heading the way of John Cage 4'33

[arasi]

To play or not to play...

So, vacuum isn't a meaningful pause
Silence sans music loses its sense

Pauses can be meaningful--but
Causing gaps cancels out
Brilliant strokes--big sigh

Minimum playing, maximum playing--
Both driving a concert into a chasm--
Losers all, vocalist, audience and the player!

[Nick H]

He didn't give too much pause, but he certainly played very gently. He always seems to play gently for SMt. Vedavalli and her students. Because that is where I mostly see him, it is easy to think that that is his only way of playing, but it is not at all his only way of playing!

[vasanthakokilam]

>25.03.14 Tuesday 6.15 p.m. “Sishya Parampara of Dikshitar”-
>Dr. Nandita Ravi
You can watch/listen to the concert here
http://www.rasikas.org/forums/viewtopic. ... 75#p259938

[rajeshnat]

Raviraj
Lovely review , certainly I got lot of pointers . Please write more , i am sure you are attending.May I know who else has sung this swarasthana pada varna in kalyani. If there are any pointers there that would be wonderful.

[KNV1955]

Enjoyed reading scholarly review of Raviraj & play of words by mahavishnu & Nick. IMO the thematic series should not be a demonstration like. IMO it must have all aspects of concert format with a blend of familiar & less familiar compositions. That way it keeps the audience engaged. Last night Dr Nandita Ravi took elaboration of Poorvikalyani at 7.50 PM. (song the familiar Sati leni of Ponnaih pillai ) Tani started at 8.10 PM. A lot of people walked out when Poorvikalyani started. With better planning & time management Dr N Ravi would have done justice to her talent. Was late on Day 1 &2. Hope to be on time from today.

[KNV1955]

Day 3- Aishwerya Shankar: Rahul; Ragavendra - Full marks to young Aishwerya for making the best use of the opportunity. 2 1/2 hrs concert. She has a strong voice; good vocalisation technique; has assimilated the padantharam of Mrs Suguna Varadachari ; Imaginative in her own way. Nalla Gnanam. Deserves more concert opportunities. (I missed only the first 20 mins).

[KNV1955]

Day 4: Bhavana Iyer a disciple of V Subramaniam & now learning from Trivandrum Seethalakshmi gave a good account of her vidwat on Tyagaraja Sishya Parampara. A well structured concert. Deserves more concert opportunities.

[cacm]

She learnt from S.Rajam also before V.Subramanian. VKV

[KNV1955]

Day 5; Sumitra Nitin is a no frills neat performer. ( meaning no anavasyam as they say in Tamil) Her rendering of Mysore composers Kritis & Neraval in particular were of high order. If she can work on her breath control she would make strong impact.

[KNV1955]

Day 6: Aswath Narayan on Tamil Composers. Trained by Mrs Padma Narayanaswamy (her younger brother's son) gave good account of himself & the Ariyakudi School he represents. Surprisingly didn't include Goplakrishana Bharathi Kriti or Ramanataka Kriti. In the telecast Sankaranarayans Mridangam sound was like Ghatam.

[KNV1955]

Day 7: Amritha's concert on the last day was like (மகுடாபிஷேகம்), coronation to this beautiful series. Amritha sang Natakurinji Navarathri Kriti "Pahi Janani: as main. Interestingly she sang KVN version which is different in form & set in Tisra Triputa unkike SSI version. Amritha performed in Navarathri Mandapm Trivandrum a couple years back & she requested PSN sir to teach her the song. PSN suggested learning KVN version & RK Shriramkumar taught her the kriti. RKS supported beautifully. Rained honey with his beautiful bowing technique. Ended with Swati Mangalam Bhujagashayino in Yadukulakambhoji. I hope Mrs JB will continue to hold this week long series year after year & bring the best out of these talented youngsters.

With the recent passing away of many a veteran carnatic musician who maintained absolute integrity to the art, the responsibility of preserving the core characteristics of Carnatic music is on the shoulders of today’s reigning stars. IMO instead of experimenting with meaningless reengineering of concert format, fusion music, etc, this type of thematic series, RTP series, Navarathri series ( an occasion to present Kritis composed on Devi); Ramanavami Series; Krishna Jayanthi series will help in maintaining the integrity of Carnatic Music.

[Jigyaasa]

Naada Inbam Thematic Music Series- Song List
24th March 2014 Subbarama Dikshidar
Sumitra Vasudev, R.K. Shriramkumar, K. Arunprakash
1. Varijakshi ni (Tana Varnam) Sahana Ata
2. Emamma nannubrocutaku Maruva Adi
3. Sami entani delupudura Surati Tisra Eka
4. Isvara nanu Pharuju Caturasra Eka
5. Parikkanni (svarasthana pada) Kalyani Tisra Eka
6. Sami ni mahimalu Bhairavi Tisra Eka
7. Parthasarthini Erukulakambhoji (Yadukulakambhoji) Adi
8. Garavamuganna Navaratnamalika Rupaka
9. Tillanadaruvu Surati Eka
KNV

I was unable to find the Youtube video for the above concert. Could someone please provide the link if the video was uploaded?

[arasi]

Jigyaasa,
Earlier in this thread there is a mention about why the concert was not recorded: Jaya Balakrishnan has said that that she records concerts only with the artiste's permission.