DKJ memorial function @ Ragasudha, 19/7 & 20/7

[semmu86]

It was vidhwAn Shri. DKJ's music that lured me into the world of CM, keeps me going and will keep me going ahead.

Saturday evening (19/7) saw a wonderful concert by Rama Ravi mami.. Full of vintage DKJ masterpieces, with "srIranganAtham upAsmahE" being the highlight. So wonderfully sung. Maybe Bharath can provide the full songlist. Just a wonderful concert for me to say anything.

Sunday evening (20/7) :: First it was a group presentation of krithis (6.15-7.15PM) popularized by Shri. DKJ, by his disciples, with Smt. Poorna Vaidyanathan on Violin & Shri. JV on the Mrudangam.

7.15-8.15PM :: Video presentation of Shri. DKJ singing the panchalinga kshEtra krithis along with his disciples at the MA. I guess this was at the sadas, during the year he got the SK. I was just at a loss of words wondering how did he thayArichified so many sishyAs to perfection, in making them sing in unison such complicated krithis, sangathi after sangathi without faultering. Unparalleled sangeetham presented with such devotion, simplicity & deceptive ease.

As I left rAgasudhA, I lost the battle of holding back a tear or two, wondering how did the family coped up with the premature passing away of Shri. DKJ & his divine music.. It was only fitting that the tribute to such a great vidwAn was held @ rAgasudhA, one of the few venues @ Chennai, where we still get to hear quality CM.

[thanjavooran]

Shri semmu86
Excellent ! Thanx for the diligent report.
with wishes
Thanjavooran
22 07 2014

[mahavishnu]

Semmu, thanks for your report. DKJ was indeed one of a kind. Can't say enough about his amazing and sincere music.

I remember being at the MA for the sadas in 1990 when he was conferred the SK (actually Lalgudi presided over the sadas that year by special request, which was itself quite historic). DKJ gave such a moving acceptance speech. During his sadas speech, he recollected an episode in his family 20 years earlier when DKP had just come home with the SK award to show their mother. And their aged mother turned to DKJ and asked him with the greatest sincerity: "Jayarama, unakku kedaikkuma da"? Just about everyone in the auditorium was wiping that nascent tear (that Semmu refers to) at that point.

What a pity that he died shortly after that.

Some of DKJ's most moving moments (outside of music) were in the short flights of speech he engaged in mid-concert. And when DKP was in the audience it made him both nervous and garrulous at the same time. He would always refer to her deferentially, yet with this sense of humor that only a sibling can bring out. It is some consolation that his music (replete with all the sangatis that Semmu refers to) still lives on amongst us through his recordings and some exceptionally good disciples that he trained.

[sankark]

Rama Ravi's presentation is available @ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34HL7j1T3DA

[rbharath]

song list from Smt. Rama Ravi's concert

Rama Ravi & Nandita Ravi - RK Shriram Kumar - J Vaidhyanathan

19th July 2014, Raga Sudha Hall
DKJ Foundation & Nada Inbam

intha mODi - sArangA varNam
muddumOmu - sUryakAntam
mApAla velasi - asAvEri (S)
nenaruncharA - simha vAhini (S)
mInalchana brOva - danyAsi (RNS)
srI ranganAtam - pUrNa candrikA
murugA muzhumadi - sAvEri
srI lalitE - bhairavi
svara rAga sudhA - shankarAbaraNam (RNST)
nAri maNi - khamAs
samayamidhE rA rA - bEhAg
arumarundhoru - mOhanam
kuvalayAkshirO - gauLipantu
mAyalADi - suruTTi
karpagamE kaN pArAi - madhyamAvati
nI nAma rUpamulaku

one attended a full concert after a very long time. thoroughly enjoyed it to the full

[narayan]

I agree. I heard it on the link from A to Z pretty much, in one sitting. Excellent music, even though Svara Raga Sudha is not one of my favourite songs. Beautiful touches in almost all the songs. Very pleasing indeed. Also, Shriram Kumar is just amazing - he knows all song versions that anyone sings, it seems. May be not that surprising for the DKJ favourites, but everything?

[rshankar]

Hi Bharath - long time no see! Glad to see a report from you! Are we going to get more?