Prince Rama Varma at London

[sweetsong]

Prince Rama Varma and Dr.Jyotsna interviewed on BBC World Service

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1Z3HukXm-A



Programme notes for the concert at South Bank centre

South Indian Classical Music, popularly called "Carnatic Music", is one of the

oldest living systems of classical music anywhere in the world.

We have a happy blend of fixed compositions + ample scope for improvisation.

This is so dynamic and flexible that one could sing four or five compositions

within ten to fifteen minutes on the one hand.....or elaborate a single item over

a period of several hours, on the other!

In a vocal recital, the singer is normally accompanied by a violin and one or more

percussion instruments, like the mridangam (South Indian drum),

Ghatam (Clay Pot), Kanjira (Tambourine) or the Morsing (Jews Harp).

A Tanpura (drone) provides the basic tonic note for the entire ensemble and

normally the entire concert is given in the same pitch.

A galaxy of great composers have enriched this form of music with their

fabulous compositions. Many of them lived around 200 years ago.

In today's concert, we hope to present a mix of traditional and modern

compositions.

1) Gajavadana - Raga Hamsadhwani - Rupaka Tala.

Composer : M.D.Ramanathan. (1923 - 1984)

Addressed to the adorable Elephant Headed God Ganesha, this is a composition

in an extremely bright, joyful, melodious and popular pentatonic scale that uses

the first, second, third, fifth and seventh major notes. It is set to a three beat

rhythmic cycle.

The composer Sri M.D.Ramanathan was one of the greatest musicians of the

20th century. He was perhaps the only composer who has physically written

his Sanskrit compositions in the Sanskrit script, Telugu songs in Telugu,

Tamil songs in Tamil and Malayalam songs in Malayalam! Equally at ease at

all tempos, he generally opted to sing very slowly and at an extremely low pitch.

Gajavadana is one of his faster compositions.

2) Sarasaksha - Raga Kamavardhini - Adi Tala

Composer: Maharaja Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma (1813 - 1846)

Kamavardhini is a scale that uses all the seven notes, with the second and sixth

flat and an augmented fourth. Here we get a sample of an Alap or absolute

improvisation sans percussion accompaniment, that would lead to the composition,

followed by some more improvisation and a session of pure rhythmic improvisation

by the brilliant percussionists, in the universally appealing eight beat rhythmic

cycle.

Maharaja Swathi Thirunal was one of the greatest composers of all time.

He was one of the few who straddled the North Indian (Hindustani) and

South Indian (Carnatic) systems of music with equal ease. A linguist, poet

and visionary, he composed songs in Sanskrit, Malayalam, Telugu, Kannada,

Hindi and Braj Bhasha. Just like Mozart in the West who had a tragically

short life, but who made his mark in a variety of compositions like symphonies,

sonatas, duos, trios, quartets, quintets, septets, operas, religious works and

concertos for an array of instruments like the piano, violin, flute, harp,

bassoon, French horn and clarinet, Maharaja Swathi Thirunal also had an equally

short life and yet, left his stamp on a variety of compositions like the Jati Swaram,

Thaana Varnam, Pada Varnam, Keerthanam, Ragamalika, Padam, Javali, Thillana,

Bhajan and Hindustani compositions like Dhrupad, Khyal, Hori, Tappa and so on.


3) Chanda Mamanu - Raga Kharaharapriya - Mishra Chapu Tala

Kaiwara Amara Nareyana. (1726 - 1836)

A jaunty little song describing the full moon and it's benefits, set to the extremely

catchy rhythmic cycle of seven beats, which is typical to South Indian Classical

Music (along with it's close relative, the Five beat cycle.).

The composer was a Nostradamus of sorts and has written many works predicting

the future; much of which have already come true! Sadly the tunes to his songs

were lost and 20th century musicians have set them to tune. This composition

was set to music by Dr.M.Balamuralikrishna who is himself a very great composer

in his own right.

INTERMISSION

1) Seetha Kalyana - Raga Kurinji - Khanda Chapu Thaala

Composer: Thyagaraja (1767 - 1847)

This is one of the most beautiful compositions of all time, set to a melting

melody and a five beat rhythm. Soaked in devotion, this describes the

marriage of the divine couple Sri Rama and Sri Seetha.

One of the topmost contenders to the title of "Greatest of all time" in South

Indian Classical music, Sri Thyagaraja is like a divine spring from which

generations of music students and music lovers keep quenching their thirst.

Like William Shakespeare is to the English language, the history of South

Indian Classical music can be divided into two.....before and after Thyagaraja.

He was blessed with a rich team of disciples too who popularized his amazing

compositions throughout South India. Every student of this system of music

owes a great deal to Sri Thyagaraja.

2) Pankaja Mukha - Western Tune

Composer: Muthuswamy Dikshitar (1775 - 1835)

A contemporary of Sri Thyagaraja and Maharaja Swathi Thirunal,

Sri Muthuswamy Dikshitar was one of the most brilliant and dynamic composers

of all time. He travelled the length and breadth of India and imbibed the good

points from other systems of music too, including Hindustani and Western music.

He composed more than 30 songs in Sanskrit, based on the European Airs that

were popular in Colonial India at the time. If Maharaja Swathi Thirunal can be

compared to Mozart, Dikshitar's extraordinary brain can be compared to that of

the Great Johann Sebastien Bach.

Pankaja Mukha is one of Dikshitar's Western airs that instantly brings a smile

to one's heart and one that refuses to leave one's brain when heard once.

3) Thillana - Raga Kunthalavarali - Adi Thaala

Dr.M.Balamuralikrishna (Born 1930)

A Thillana is a composition largely made of phrases used in percussion, with

not much lyrics per se. Usually sung extremely fast, a Thillana brightens the

atmosphere like very few other pieces do.

Dr.M.Balamuralikrishna is one of the most amazing and prolific composers of the

20th century. He started giving vocal concerts at the age of 6, started playing the

violin, viola, mridangam and kanjira as a teenager and started to compose songs

as a teenager too. His absolute grip over the notes and rhythm, original insights

into music and a sure grasp of the science of music, all reflect vividly in his

compositions.

Rama Varma

South Bank Centre,

April 25, 2014

ramavarma.yolasite.com

[sweetsong]

Interesting link on Kaiwara Amaranareyana

https://sites.google.com/site/shriyoginareyana/

[Sivaramakrishnan]

The Prince as an interviewee also has done excellently well.