Sriranjani Santhanagopalan - Vani Kala Kendra - Bengaluru - Mar 29, 2015

[prahalad_rag]

Sriranjani Santhanagopalan - Vocal
Vittal Rangan - Violin
Poongulam Subramanian - Mridanga
A.S.N. Swamy - Khanjira

Song List:

1. Shlokam - Shahana followed by Karunimpa - Shahana - Varna
2. Shree Mahaganapathi ravatu maam - Gowla (S)
3. Ramanukku mannan mudi - Hindola
4. Sada enna hridayadalli vaasa mado shri hari - Pantuvarali (A,N,S)
N@Ninna naanu biduvanalla enna neenu bidalu salla
5. Rangapura Vihara - Brindavana Saranga
6. Nijamarmulanu - Umabharana (S)
7. Evari mata - Kambhoji (A,N,S,T)
N@Bhakta paradheenudanuchu
8. Thillana - Kapi - MDR composition
9. Niraimadi mugam - Thiruppugazh - Hamsanandi
10. Ni naama rupamu - Sourashtra ending in Mangalam Kausalendraya in Surutti

Enjoyable concert, ably supported by all accompanists. She has a fine voice (which however loses some of its sweetness in mandra sthayi) and excellent diction. Every word of the sahithya was enunciated so clearly. She stuck pretty much to tradition, even singing a Pantuvarali early in the concert.

Swaras were brisk for the Gowla krithi with Vittal Rangan matching her admirably. The sub-main had a more detailed neraval and swara prasthara than the main in Kambhoji. I guess this took up more time than necessary prompting her to cut short in singing a longer neraval for Evarimata. Just when we thought that the krithi was coming to a close after she sang the korvai and Vittal Rangan finished his turn, she took up singing more swaras. Perhaps she liked the raga so much that she did not want to stop singing!

Rangapura vihara was sung in a slow tempo, as it should be. Very fine rendition which prompted some people at the back to say "M.S Subbulakshmi". I am not sure if they were comparing the two. While it is unjust to do that, a rendition of the same song at the same venue last year by Ramakrishnan Murthy literally had the entire audience swaying to the gait of the song. Today was not really at that level but it was very good nonetheless.

The umabharana krithi was again brisk with sparkling swaras to adorn it.

The main, except for the length of the neraval, had everything in it. Fantastic alapana, with some western music style phrases thrown in (which were amazingly reproduced on the violin), excellent rendition of a wonderful krithi and superb swara prasthara. When she started the alapana, however, she had some of us confused if it was Khamach. At one point, there was a classic Nattakurinji phrase too. But that was soon corrected and Kambhoji was never in doubt later. Tani was a high energy affair and was played out very well.

Then came the most embarrasing part of the evening. A misguided retired judge, who was the "chief guest" was requested to say a "few" words. He went on and on treading into dangerous territories like origin of Carnatic music (he claims it is Karnataka sangeetha, that originated in Karnataka. It may have. But I have read several other theories. So please don't jump on me.), Cauvery issue (something to the effect that Carnatic originated in Karnataka and flowed to Tamil Nadu like Cauvery. He even pointed at the singer and told her she can keep the water or something. Funny man.) and whether Sriranjani (the raga) is a mela or janya. Per him there is debate about this. I don't know which school acknowledges Sriranjani as mela. He even expressed displeasure about artists bothering about volume and mic adjustments. Says we all can hear perfectly and they should just keep singing without bothering about such trivialities. Finally we all clapped mid way through his "speech" so as to shut him up (and he did, finally!) See how I went on and on about it. It was twice as bad!

With the insightful speech eating into valuable concert time, she wrapped it up quickly with a couple more songs (had to catch a train, I believe). Day 2 of my Ramanavami concert attendance was memorable.

[rajeshnat]

3. Ramanukku mannan mudi - Hindola
...
8. Thillana - Kapi - MDR composition
9. Tamil song in Hansanandi
10. Ni naama rupamu - Sourashtra ending in Mangalam Kausalendraya in Surutti

...
Finally we all clapped mid way through his "speech" so as to shut him up (and he did, finally!) See how I went on and on about it. It was twice as bad!

Prahalad_rag,
I am very glad that you all clapped , that is the way to go

With you explicitly stating a thamizh krithi at the top and with the thillana gone and with you having difficulty in recollecting that later no, that thamizh song in hamsanandi should have been the thirrupugazh - niraimadi. Tx for your review. Nice to see a concert review on ramanavami series from bangalore.

[prahalad_rag]

Rajesh sir! Bang on. It was indeed Niraimadi mugam (not a native Tamizh speaker so have difficulty remembering if I do not note it down). Thanks!

[munirao2001]

I also attended this concert. I was happy to listen and take note of SS appreciation for classicism-reflected amply in detailed raaga aalaapana of Kambodi and Pantuvarali. She did show case her vidwath in svaraprastara and also in grahabhedam. SS must improve her delivery aspect, akara eschewing 'la' kara.
On sahithya aspect, two mistakes were 'Ghasi' was missed in 'Evari Mata Vinnavo'-it is Endukinta Ghasi; in 'Sada Enna Hridayadalli'- she used 'Hare' in place of 'Hari'.
After the first round of tani aavartanam, I had to exit. I did notice Rtd.Justice Somashekhara taking notes and was expecting a long speech, as a chief guest. He sponsored the day's concert. Luckily, I missed it.

I could not attend Mysuru Nagaraj and Mysuru Manjumath, Violin concert, accompanied by Vid.Shreemushnam Raja Rao and Vid. Giridhar Udupa, inaugural day concert.

I wish Bengaluru Rasikas forumites based in the neighborhood, attend the concerts, in full strength.

munirao2001

[prahalad_rag]

She also said "baasa" for "vaasa" in "sada enna hrudayadalli". Can't nitpick too much.

[arasi]

Sriranjani has everything going for her musically and she's smart enough to catch on to any corrections!

She's a spirited young woman, above all...

A sad miss this season, a concert of hers. Could make it to her Dad's, though!

[munirao2001]

Prahlad Rag Sir,

You have felt that I have

nitpick too much

. Please understand that 'apa sabda' hurts the saahithya/bhaavam of the 'Vak'-hridayam like 'apa sruti' hurts the sangeeta bhaavam of the 'geya'-hridayam to the Vaggeyakara. I belong to the school of music with the values of strict adherence to both the aspects of our Karnataka Sangitam, while primacy is for the sangeeta bhaavam.

Vidwans/Vidushees do appreciate when pointed out and do take corrective action, as very rightly pointed out by Arasi. For e.g. 1. in the concert of Vid.Vijaysiva at Nadaranjani Sangeeta Sabha, Basaveshwarnagar, I pointed out that it is 'Enthaa cheluvage' -Purandara Dasa-and not 'Intha cheluvage' and explained the difference in the sahithya bhaavam, he immediately said that he will correct. 2. in the concert of Vid.T.M.Krishna at Kanyakaparameshwari Temple concert, I pointed out that it is 'YEmenchi Navo' and not 'EEmenchi Navo' in the composition of 'Ye manathichevo' -Sahana-Thyagaraja, he was surprised that he committed the mistake.

munirao2001