Smt. Seetha Narayanan @ The MA 22.12.2015

[semmu86]

Smt. Seetha Narayanan (Vocal)
Dr.M.Narmadha (Violin)
Madipakkam Suresh (Mrudangam)
H. Prasanna (Ghatam)
Thirukkannapuram Sowrirajan (Mohrsing)

1. sAmidayajuda, varnam kedAragowLa, adi,
2. gaNanAthanE,sArangA, adi,
3. angArakam AshrayAmyaham, surutti(sketch), thisra ekam,
4. KrupayA pAlaya shourE, mchapu, ChArukEsi, RNS
5. kShIrasAgarA, dEvaghAndhAri (sketch), adi,
6. nijadAsa varadAkhila, Kalyani, adi, RNST
7. Thodi RTP, thisra jhampa-chatusra nadai, 4kaLai.... (More on the pallavi later).. Had to leave post this......

I sincerely dont believe that words can do justice to what transpired at the MA. Really blessed were the 30-40 odd folks who could make it to this concert. Certainly a one to savor a lifetime. Again a BIG thanks to Harimau for intimating about this in the forum.

As much as it was a lesson on how to sing, it was a lesson on time management too, on packing so many pieces within a 2.5 hr concert and there was still some 15-20 mins left post pallavi, with not an iota of classicism compromised. What unbelievable brevity!!!

The way varnam was sung in such a grandeur (Singing thisram of a varnam is again a golden practise not much in vogue today, which mami exhibited brilliantly as she does usually) and the pallavi with trikAlam, anulOmam-prathilOmam-thisram was a testimony to mami's sublime vidhwath. I dont think i have many words left to describe the concert. Came out actually pitying the unlucky ones who couldnt make it to this concert & worrying about the poor turnout for such a magnificent concert. Flipside, it was an extremely peaceful atmosphere to listen to such sublime stuff.

[thanjavooran]

Shri. Semmu,
Smt. S N is a top ranking Vidushi with vast knowledge in CM as well as Hindustani Bajans. No doubt the peaceful atmosphere would have enhanced the beauty of the concert. Thanx for the crisp review.
Thanjavooran
22 12 2015

[sureshvv]

The concert moved to a different plane post main.

Three exquisite bhajans were presented. The last one (Kabir) in Sivaranjani was prefaced with a moving sloka about Rama Bhakthi and the poet Valmiki ending with the words "Na Bhutho Na bhavishyati". It was truly exhilarating & cathartic.

[harimau]

After the concert, Smt Neela Ramgopal agreed that Seetha Mami was a very good choice to fill a slot that opened up suddenly. Jokingly she added that both of them -- Neela and Seetha Mamis -- belong to an exclusive group of musicians who are not featured in concerts.

Seetha Mami belongs to a certain generation of musicians who either attended the Central College of Carnatic Music or studied under famous senior musicians such as Semmangudi, Musiri, Mudicondan, etc. Their music bears the stamp of unalloyed classicism. In addition, they have kept their end of an unspoken contract between them and their gurus: to continue to maintain and transmit to the next generation music exactly as they have been taught.

We are fortunate we are able to listen to such music and such musicians for a few more years. After that, it will all be hijinks and razzmatazz.

A friend of mine quoted Sri Ilayaraja as saying that the destruction of a country's culture begins with the degradation of its classical music. On his own, he then added that when the ground splits apart in a major earthquake signifying the beginning of the destruction of our country, that split will be right down the middle of the auditorium of the Music Academy.

[sureshvv]

Thought you would be unhappy that she featured all the retarded hindiwallah poetry instead of our own home grown pasurams

[Vedavanam]

After the concert, Smt Neela Ramgopal agreed that Seetha Mami was a very good choice to fill a slot that opened up suddenly. Jokingly she added that both of them -- Neela and Seetha Mamis -- belong to an exclusive group of musicians who are not featured in concerts.

Seetha Mami belongs to a certain generation of musicians who either attended the Central College of Carnatic Music or studied under famous senior musicians such as Semmangudi, Musiri, Mudicondan, etc. Their music bears the stamp of unalloyed classicism. In addition, they have kept their end of an unspoken contract between them and their gurus: to continue to maintain and transmit to the next generation music exactly as they have been taught.

We are fortunate we are able to listen to such music and such musicians for a few more years. After that, it will all be hijinks and razzmatazz.

A friend of mine quoted Sri Ilayaraja as saying that the destruction of a country's culture begins with the degradation of its classical music. On his own, he then added that when the ground splits apart in a major earthquake signifying the beginning of the destruction of our country, that split will be right down the middle of the auditorium of the Music Academy.

Neela Mami gets featured and mentioned a lot more than Seetha Mami, probably just because she escaped living in Chennai. Unfortunately, their generation of musicians have had it pretty hard being overshadowed by their gurus' worthy generation and all the undue attention given to the youth of the nextgen. It is too late to repay them in any form.

Insightful quote from Ilayaraja - not sure when he said it, but metaphorically it has already happened!

[devan]

If Hindi and marati songs are sung by Aruna ranjani gayathri sudha os.arun our social reasercher and his jalra koshti will pounce.if it is done by seetha and neela mamis it dead silence.hypocrisy at its best.long live rasikatvam.these people are conosiers.and guardians of chaste music.

[harimau]

Neela Mami gets featured and mentioned a lot more than Seetha Mami, probably just because she escaped living in Chennai. Unfortunately, their generation of musicians have had it pretty hard being overshadowed by their gurus' worthy generation and all the undue attention given to the youth of the nextgen. It is too late to repay them in any form.

Insightful quote from Ilayaraja - not sure when he said it, but metaphorically it has already happened!

Actually, Seetha Mami mentioned in her lec-dem at Raga Sudha Hall that she grew up as a small girl in Bihar and many teachers who were reasonably proficient in HM used to teach students music, including lakshana geethams. She regretted that she didn't learn as much as she could have but sang the lakshana Geetham for Bagesri.

I believe after her marriage she moved North again.... Somebody said Jamshedpur. Thus exposure to her music for Chennai residents was quite small.

[harimau]

If Hindi and marati songs are sung by Aruna ranjani gayathri sudha os.arun our social reasercher and his jalra koshti will pounce.if it is done by seetha and neela mamis it dead silence.hypocrisy at its best.long live rasikatvam.these people are conosiers.and guardians of chaste music.

When Seetha Narayanan and people like her who have decided not to pander to the audience sing Yamunakalyani, you will find that it still conforms to the Carnatic idiom.

When she sang several bhajans during her lec-dem on Hindusthani bhajans, they were all in Hindusthani ragas. But there was no street-dog-fighting-street-dog kind of screeching that you get from the Duelling Abangists. Bhajans and abhangs were meant to be sung by common people so there isn't any screaming matches among the members of the bhajan ghoshti.

You should get a record of MS Amma singing Bare Panduranga. Then send in a chit to the Duelling Abhangists for the same Abhang. Then you may get the hang of what I am saying but I wouldn't place a bet on it.

[Rsachi]

As ardent rasikas, I suggest respectfully that we celebrate such a great artiste, her masterly concert, MA finding her a slot, and her distilled appoach to North Indian ragas and composers. Let us bury our quarrelsome instincts and live and let live.

[semmu86]

7. Thodi RTP, thisra jhampa-chatusra nadai, 4kaLai

thALam :: thisra jhampa-chatusra nadai, 4kaLai (Total tALa count - 48 aksharas in 4-kaLai)
sAhithyam :: "vElavanE ninathu padamE tharavENDum mayilnatana".....
Eduppu :: after samam, in the third laghu or third beat of the 4 counts in the samam.

Structure

vE,,,la,va,nE, (10)
ni,na,thu,pa,da,(10)
mE,,,,,,, (Arudhi kArvai) (8)
tha,ra,vEN,,,Dum, (10)
ma,yil,na,ta,na, (10) ....Sum of the brackets tallying to 48....

I dont remember any concert in recent times, where an RTP was sung so extensively and included whatever aspect that pallavi had to offer, right from the trikAla tAnam. Musicians would normally sing either anulOmam or pratilOmam. Mami sang both, and what not, even the thisram and the trikAlam in 4-kaLai and subsequently reducing the thAlam to 1-kaLai. Havent seen even in Pallavi durbar concerts, an RTP getting such an exhaustive treatment. The last i heard an RTP complete in all its aspects was by Prof. TRS and ofcourse by Shri KVN many years ago at Sastri Hall.

Absolutely magnificent!!!!

[raviraj]

Actually, Seetha Mami mentioned in her lec-dem at Raga Sudha Hall that she grew up as a small girl in Bihar and many teachers who were reasonably proficient in HM used to teach students music, including lakshana geethams. She regretted that she didn't learn as much as she could have but sang the lakshana Geetham for Bagesri.

Thanks Harimau, for bringing that up. The Bageshri lakshana gitam she sang was singularly instructive for a studnet of music. But in that Lec dem,that one that would stay etched in my mind for years to come is one portion where Seetha Mami did a compare of verses & the devotion of Ras Khan ( circa 16th CE) the devout Muslim who composed on Lord Krishna and of the Alwar Kulasekara, down South miles away in a different epoch ( 8th C E).

Ras Khan pleads to be born an a gOpika in Vrindavan or as a bird nesting on a tree on the banks of the Yamunaa. IIRC, while she rendered Ras Khan's dOha/verses in Bageshri or Bilaskhani Todi ( do not remember which one, somebody can correct me). She highlighted how identically , centuries earlier, Kulsekhara longed to be born as a fish in one of the rivulets in Thiruvengadam !

AnAtha selvatthu arambaiyargaL thaRsUzha
vAnALum selvamum maNNarasum yAn vENdEn |
thEnAr pUnjOlai thiruvEngadatthu chunaiyil
meenAi piRakkum vidhiyudaiyOnAvEnE ||

Beyond the Bageshri's or Durbaris she sang , what gave me unalloyed pleasure were the above verses of Kulasekara, which she rendered in Sahana.The strains of that Sahana she sang still echoes in my ears ! 'thEnAr pUnjolai tiruvEngadattu chunai' was all streams of ethereally beautiful Sahana- pure honey, the crown jewel of our music which she chose to render the poignant pleading of the devotee of the South.

Ravi

PS: One can read on Ras Khan here : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raskhan

[sureshvv]

Harimau may like to know that Ranjani & Gayathri cited the same analogy between Ras Khan & K.Alwar in their magnum opus Bhakthi presentation at the Academy for S.S.International over their Navarathri series.

[sureshvv]

As ardent rasikas, I suggest respectfully that we celebrate such a great artiste, her masterly concert, MA finding her a slot, and her distilled appoach to North Indian ragas and composers. Let us bury our quarrelsome instincts and live and let live.

OK... Group hug everybody!

[Nick H]

I hate group hugs. Hated the touchy-feely thing with strangers ever since all that kiss-auntie-stranger stuff as a child. Thank god that, at least, the cheek-pinching, chin-grabbing stuff wasn't in vogue in 1950s UK!

I loved this concert. Harimau has mentioned her name in previous years, even in response to my request for recommendations. Glad I took it up at alast.

[Rsachi]

Bury the hatchet is NOT a synonym for Start a group orgy.

Blood and gore are to me equally repulsive as Kajol SRK mush

Glad you enjoyed the veteran's concert, Nick!

[sureshvv]

Typical rasikas left turn :-/ And it is all your fault, Nick. You got this mixed up with the other thread.

[Nick H]

And it is all your fault, Nick.

Is that your opinion, or is it a fact? Shall we have a Sureshvv snubs Nick thread?

[Meera]

Please. Enlighten me on the talam.because as far as I know thisra jambai has only 6 aksharam.so 4 kalai makes it to only 24.

[sureshvv]

4 kalai he said. Chatusram 2 kalai makes 24.

[Nick H]

... You got this mixed up with the other thread.

I open threads in tabs and then neglect to look at the titles. Very bad habit!

[prashant]

Nice to see this vintage DKP/DKJ Pallavi get an airing in this concert

[semmu86]

Please. Enlighten me on the talam.because as far as I know thisra jambai has only 6 aksharam.so 4 kalai makes it to only 24.

Well am sorry that lack of unified terminology in percussion has not made matters easy for people to understand the same. Unfortunately, over the years I have found that, people have this tendency or desire rather to complicate stuff especially reg laya and not accept opinions/ideas outside their schools and gurus, even if the other opinions mean the same, said in an easier or an obvious way. Sometimes i personally feel, masking the obviousness just dosent help matters much.

Coming back, Just to try answering you briefly. The basis of my post is "thisra jhampa thAlam has 6 beats... Thisra laghu (3 beats), anudrutham (1 beat) and a drutham(2 beats), totaling to 6 beats (Am assuming the thalam to be in 1-kalai, where all beats are put or counted only once)". Sometimes, this number of beats gets referred to as aksharams by a certain school of thought, which is why this doubt of yours surfaced.

So, in 4-kalai, each beat is counted 4 times and hence one complete tala cycle has 24 beats. Each beat will have 2-subdivisions which you have to internalize and count. These subdivisions, some schools call them akshrams and some of them call mAthrais. You can call them whatever way you want. Each beat has 2 subdivisions, so 24 beats x 2 subdivisions/ aksharams/mathrais = 48 subdivisions/ aksharams/mAthrais.

I really hope this clarifies.

Bottomline :: Thisra jhampai thalam in chatusra nadai has 6 beats.

1. If the school of thought takes this as 6 beats, the subdivisions in the beat is called aksharams. Multiply the total no of beats in a tala cycle as per the kalai along with the subdivisions (aksharams in this case), you get the total no of aksharams for 1 tala cycle.

2. If the school of thought takes this as 6 aksharams, the subdivisions in the beat is called mAthrais. Multiply the total no of aksharams in a tala cycle as per the kalai along with the subdivisions (mAthrais in this case), you get the total no of mAthrais for 1 tala cycle.

[sankark]

Please. Enlighten me on the talam.because as far as I know thisra jambai has only 6 aksharam.so 4 kalai makes it to only 24.

So, in 4-kalai, each beat is counted 4 times and hence one complete tala cycle has 24 beats. Each beat will have 2-subdivisions which you have to internalize and count. These subdivisions, some schools call them akshrams and some of them call mAthrais. You can call them whatever way you want. Each beat has 2 subdivisions, so 24 beats x 2 subdivisions/ aksharams/mathrais = 48 subdivisions/ aksharams/mAthrais.

I really hope this clarifies.

What is this subdivision of each beat that you have to internalize and count? Just so I understand, does this mean the first tap of lagu is done 4 times visibly, but is internally counted as 8?

[Meera]

Thanks semmu for the reply.I havent learned music.just an enthusiast,that's all.

[pperumal]

This was a revelation of sorts for me. Pleasant surprise. Detailed todi and professional execution. Kudos.

- PP.

[harimau]

This was a revelation of sorts for me. Pleasant surprise. Detailed todi and professional execution. Kudos.

- PP.

Revelation about whom: Seetha Narayanan or the current crop of impostors?