Ramani@NCA on Dec 11th,2006

rajeshnat · Post by **rajeshnat** » 12 Dec 2006, 23:29

Dr Ramani on flute was accompanied by Vittal ramAmurthy on violin, Vellore ramAbadhran - mridangam and ghatam-ravichandran in karnatAka sangha school.

...
2. Shree mahagAnapathi ravatumA - gowlai - MD
3. endukku nirdhaya - harikaambhOdhi - T
4. jnAna mosaga rAdA(R,N,S) - poorvikalyAni - T

5. naDaci naDaci (R,N,S,T) - kharaharapriya -T
6. enna thavam seidhane - kApi - papAnasam Sivan
7. teerAda vialayatu pillai - sindhubhairavi+ khamAs + shanmughapriya + mAnd
8. kurai onrum illai - shivaranjani + KApi + sindhubhairavi - rAjaji
9. tillana (KOla mayil) - revati - LGJ
10. pavamAna

There was absolute silence with 50 concert paying rasikas who all took a place spread in this big auditorium all prefering undisturbed music, with a seperation of 3 empty rows between each of them.

I was late ,and must have disturbed the pristine setting and I had just heard the popular gowlai krithi just the second half of it. THe next harikAmbOdhi endukku was played in a rapid fire mode and was quite good.The next rAga alApanai of poorvikalyAni was sublime because he got that exact tinge and pace that makes poovikalyAni perfect.Absolutely stunning and elaborate neraval in the lines "paramAthmudu JeevAthmudu",swarams and reply was an experience as though you are doing a trekking in natural greenery.

This flute mahAvidwan took a small break and came up with another round of very nice kharahArapriyA alApanai . I heard a long blow sometime during the middle of the alApanai , I had to open my eyes I could see him playing with a long flute that you usually see with Hariprasad chaurAsia. The silence was disturbed a bit as I heard few rasikas speculating and thinking it was chakkani rAjA .Nope I am already in the internet forums for a long time and hence knew that was naDaci naDaci. He took a small flute during this kharaharapriya krithi and gave both the subtle and expansive gamakAms of this rAga believed to be brought to life by sadguru ThyagarAja.His neraval in kharaharapriya was in the charanam, not the anupallavi.

The delicacy of kApi is tasted best during tukkada , but today I discovered it tasted better than what I am acclimitized with vocal music. The blow was outstanding with a nice alankAram in the first charanam in the lines "....manadhil porAmai koLLa, uRalil kAtti vAi pOtti kenjavaittAi tAye" of the popular sivan krithi.

The teerAda vilayAtu pillai was again very good , I enjoyed his khamAs the most and spotted a shanmughapriya before the mAnd for the first time. The next kurai Onrum pillai was very good ,he could have avoided or may be he must have choosen either #7 or #8 and not both(lot of overlap).The last tillana was outstanding perhaps not just a customary close , but perhaps as a mark of respect to shri LGJ and a real good pat in the back for Vittal.

Nice bowing by Vittal,perhaps he is the best disciple who gets the best of nAdham like his guru LGJ. All the Other performing violinists of today should get a feel of his play particularly on the usage of both the female and a bit unused male side of violin maintaing the continuity .

The tani was minimum and shri rAmabadran blended well with the flute. Ravichandran played a very energetic good tani , but definitely underplayed a lot for the flute which must have been planned as it demands the same.

I went only to hear vittal and ramani together.A 40 minute main and a 25 minute submain with nice tukkadas in flute after a long time ( decade atleast)was refreshing . All the alApanais and krithis though played by flute , I could identify in just 2 to 3 seconds max, that speaks shri ramani's spark. I was very silent and partly meditative for the whole concert.

mahavishnu · Post by **mahavishnu** » 13 Dec 2006, 04:38

Thank you for that excellent review, Rajeshnat. I appreciate the careful selection of kutcheris that you attend.

I'm glad to hear that Vittal is doing well. He is an excellent violinist. I would like to see more of him accompanying senior vidwans in primetime slots. Does he have many other big performances this season?

jayaram · Post by **jayaram** » 13 Dec 2006, 05:32

Thanks for the review.

I suppose KSG is not performing during this season in Madras? Perhaps in Bangalore? He handles melodious hindustani ragas like Desh using the long flute.

meena · Post by **meena** » 13 Dec 2006, 05:36

9. tillana (KOla mayil) - revati - LGJ

rajesh, was it kola muruganaik?

rajeshnat · Post by **rajeshnat** » 13 Dec 2006, 11:08

mahavishnu,
Yes he is a very competent violinist .Give a search of vittal in the link of Ram's website , he does perform in a quite a lot of concerts.
http://ramsabode.wordpress.com/concerts-in-chennai
But the most exhaustive list , you will only get it in that day's THE HINDU paper.

meena,
Yes it is kOla muruganaik kANa

brindav · Post by **brindav** » 14 Dec 2006, 22:10

Rajeshnat,
That was really an excellent review. You have portrayed the artistes' talents very nicely.

I have posted Sri. Vittal Ramamurthy's Isai Vizha schedule in the December Season - 2006 thread. Please take a look.