Cleveland Aradhana 2016 (March 23, 2016 to April 3, 2016)

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 28 Mar 2016, 02:00

Prize distirbution followed. For the kids, the fruit of their labor and love for the music they learn. It's always a scene to relish...

Kunnakudi Balamurali Krishna next.

After a bit of fussing about the sound (I know, that's not uncommon!), he sings the varNa--Tanjavur Sankara Iyer's mAl marugan, murugan in hindOLa. Something of a favorite.
He sings effortlessly, brimming with brighAs, then on to panthuvarALi, raghuvara? The words I hear not, only the decorative motif. pArthasarathy sung along with a student
summoned to the stage at that juncture (could have had him on stage before the concert started?).

Then a paras piece,the whole thing going past me in a whirl.So far, an exposition than his settling into a concert, at least for me.

He has started on a kAmbOji now, bhAvA creeping in, I see. Let's see how it goes. I have to be elsewhere for a while. Others who are watching, please share your thoughts...wait, it's the RTP! Let me know how it goes...

maduraimini · Post by **maduraimini** » 28 Mar 2016, 03:35

I missed the morning shows. I was able to hear Kunnakkudi Balamuralikrishna's concert. I have not heard this young man's concert before- maybe a song or two on the YouTube. This is the first time I hear a full concert of his. He sings very well. He was accompanied by Delhi Sundararajan on the violin, Murugaboopathy on the Mridangam and Shree Sundarakumar on the Kanjira.
1. After a short alapana in Sriranjini he sang a song I don't know- Madhavan (may be a Varnam). I was a little late sitting down to listen.
2. Pantuvarali seems to be the raga in vogue this season. After a nice alapana, he sang Raghuvara Nannu. Sang some swarams but no niraval.
3. Next was a short alapna followed by Dikshitar's 'Sri Parthasarathy' in Suddha Danyasi. Was very good.
4. Swathi Tirunal's 'Pannaga sayana Pahi mam' was beautiful. This was in ragam Parasu.
5. He sang a beautiful Kamboji alapana followed by Tanam and pallavi. Pallavi was Krishna Mukunare Mdhava Madhusudhana. Niraval, swaram. The pallavi also had ragam Hameer Kalyani and another raga that sounded like Basant or Madhuvanthi ( I cannot recognize the raga). The ragam tanam was good. It is nice to hear a Ragam Tanam, as many people don't sing this now.
6. The last song was in Kapi- I cannot hear the words.
The concert was very good and I am glad I listened to this today. He is a good artist .

Sundara Rajan · Post by **Sundara Rajan** » 28 Mar 2016, 03:43

The last song by Kunnakkudi was "engaL kaNNammA, en pudhu rOjA". I thought it was in Behag ending appropriately in Suruti.
His kAmbodhi RTP pallavi had ragamAlika swaras.

Sundara Rajan · Post by **Sundara Rajan** » 28 Mar 2016, 03:49

Pantula RamA, accompanied on the violin by her hubby,started her concert with Dikshitar's mAmava pattAbhi rAmA in maNirang. Her samskrit diction was remarkably correct.
She followedd it with T's kApinarAyNi composition "sarasa sAma dAna".
After a brief alApana in kAntAmaNi, she is now reenting another composition of T "pAlintuvO pAlimpavO". This is the fist time I hear the song.

Sundara Rajan · Post by **Sundara Rajan** » 28 Mar 2016, 04:02

Pantula ramA stated that she would next present a pallavi of her own set in raga Arabhi, structured similar to that of MSS's "vEkatEsa suprapAtham".
RTP in Arabhi follows.
Strangely, she did not remember the exact lyrics of the pallavi, she is improvising words to fit the structure she was talking about:
"paramAnanda paramAnanada, Ananda Ananda nanda nandanA, sanAthanA".
Swaras were in rAgamAlika, mukhAri, behAg and back to Arabhi.
Now Tani Avardhanam.

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 28 Mar 2016, 04:37

Panthula Rama's mAmava paTTAbhirAmA reminded me so much of DKP in its sowkyam and nidAnam--beautifully presented lyrics. Thus, even a child can hear the words clearly, I suppose. Absolute clarity. Neraval at kOmala dhara pallava pada explained the words in music with sowkyam.

Sarasa sAma dAna began with an intent to explore more of RAmA's kalyANa guNAs--what all he was caturA at. After a long while, I hear someone elaborate on the kriti as interestingly as MMI did.

KAntAmaNi unfolded beautifully. Had a fitting response from her mate on the violin.

Now, the Arabhi pallavi, inspired by MS's Venkatesa suprabhAtham structure; paramAnanda paramAnanda Ananda nandanA!

After the alluring Arabhi, it is a soothing mukhAri, now a multi-faced sindhubhairavi...

Good to see Ranjani Sivakumar (our Ahiri) playing tamburA for her guru. Want to catch her concert, of course

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 28 Mar 2016, 04:38

MAE's (a surprise addition) masterly strokes now...along with Vinod Seetharaman and Gopalakrishnan...

Dr.Rama's bhAvayAmi gOpAla bAlam moistened my eyes. How very very true what Sundaram said about her intellectual and aesthetic sense! They are balanced so well to make her music what it is...

cienu · Post by **cienu** » 28 Mar 2016, 06:12

Sundara Rajan wrote: Strangely, she did not remember the exact lyrics of the pallavi, she is improvising words to fit the structure she was talking about:
"paramAnanda paramAnanada, Ananda Ananda nanda nandanA, sanAthanA".
.

Ofcourse she remembered the words of the Pallavi ! What Pantula Rama said she did not remember were the stanzas from the Venkatesa Suprabatham which were the trigger for the RTP .
Sri Murthy narrated the stanza beautifully with the talam

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 28 Mar 2016, 06:33

Sundara Rajan,
I forgot to mention Behag in the svara rAgAs...

Sreeni Rajarao · Post by **Sreeni Rajarao** » 28 Mar 2016, 06:36

Sorry I am taking this thread back to Saturday March 26th just for a bit:

I was there from 11 am to 7 pm and enjoyed it thoroughly.

Post # 39 and 41 have captured the details of Aishwarya's concert very well and I would like to add this picture:

kvchellappa · Post by **kvchellappa** » 28 Mar 2016, 06:41

A great night. Kohli's knock and 4 grand concerts of Cleveland in between sleep which dictated what I would listen to. Kunnakkudi Balamuralikrishna justified his carrying reference to 2 renowned musicians. Madhava and even Semmangudi might ave been sighted at the venue.

maduraimini · Post by **maduraimini** » 28 Mar 2016, 07:35

Sorry. Kunnakkudi Balamuralikrishna's first song was a varnam in Hindolam. not Sriranjani.

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 28 Mar 2016, 08:04

Chellappa,
Did you have a chance to listen to at least a bit of Panthula Rama or to the exuberant flow of music which NSG, Nagai M and Tiruchy Sankaran generated this evening?

And to end a day of music listening to NSG! He was on a roll, from ninnu kOri to vinAyakuni. His I vasudhA materialized his parama guru Sankara Sivam in front of me. The silent eternal spring of music in that great musician (which in my youth, even my unlettered mind had a clue of), I saw gushing out of NSG today.

Sundaram could not stop himself (in his own words), heaping praises on NSG.

A musician's musician, NSG is described by some, and the musician in him is inexhaustible. Bring in a dozen formula singers and call them the best, I don't mind. But to me, NSG's music speaks, not as someone who has a mere 'oh, so good a voice'. It speaks of music as I relish it. It feeds my soul, and it certainly is an inexhaustible source of good music...

thanjavooran · Post by **thanjavooran** » 28 Mar 2016, 08:05

Many thanx for the interesting reviews on the activities and the concerts. It seems in the Ravikiran and Vishwa Mohan Bhatt jugalbandhi , Mr Bhatt played solo more hours than stipulated 30 min. resulting in RK's solo and the rest of the jugalbandhi collaboration cancellation. Any information on this ?
Thanjavooran
28 03 2016

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 28 Mar 2016, 08:17

More youngsters on stage at concerts today! They come in all sizes, and how good they all are!

This includes the Sri Lalitha Kala Mandir students from CA (yes, bengaluru folks, mark it) who this morning gave a touching recital of Purandara Dasa's songs. Jayshri Varadarajan, their guru can be mighty proud of them. They were a delight to listen to this morning.

Before that, due to streaming problems, missed the philharmonic with the kids and Sashikiran which I watch every year...

kvchellappa · Post by **kvchellappa** » 28 Mar 2016, 08:21

Arasi,
I heard Rama (two or three); she is the sweetest I can think of, voice, bearing, clarity, look and grandeur. I heard NSG I vasudha, sankarabharanam, thani.
NSG's music (also Rama's) fits this description of Kalki about DKP posted by Pasupathi, today being her birthday. What a graceful person she was! Apart from music these persons have served as reminders of a divinity that might exist after all.
"ஸாஹித்யத்தில் கவனம் செலுத்தி அக்ஷரங்களைச் சுத்தமாக உச்சரித்துப் பாடுகிறார். அவற்றின் பொருளையும் உணர்ந்து, சொற்களை இசையுடன் கலந்து பாடத் தொடங்கும்போது, உயர்தர சங்கீதத்தில் நாம் எதிர்பார்க்கும் எல்லா அம்சங்களும் இவருடைய பாட்டில் பொருந்தி விளங்குவதைக் காண்போம்."
(கும்பகரணனும் தோற்றும் எனக்கே பெருந்துயில் தராவிட்டாலும் தூக்கம் என் ஆதிக்கத்தில் இல்லை).

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 28 Mar 2016, 08:22

Thanjavooran,
Thanks. yAm peTRa inbam (sharing our joy).

Sundara Rajan and I wondered about it, but news (or the semblance of it travels fast, it seems). No, we have no idea about what really happened. All I can say is I sorely missed not hearing Ravikiran

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 28 Mar 2016, 08:32

Chellappa,
Thanks to Pasupathy for bringing such gems to us.

Yes, the description does fit. Panthula RamAgAru has those qualities as well.

Here's the translation for those who do not read tamizh:
she pays attention to the sAhityA, pronounces the words clearly--understands the words and blends them with music. When she does that, we find all that we expect in fine music in her music.

Sreeni,
So, you were there! Thanks for the picture of Aiswarya's concert. Did you meet Cienu, Meenaakshi and others? The Ragdes? MKR? VKV?

rshankar · Post by **rshankar** » 28 Mar 2016, 09:12

Arasi, Sundara Rajan, and Maduraimini: thank you bringing the ArAdhanA to us!

Sreeni,
Thank you for the picture! Looks like Aishwarya and Saundarya also paid tribute to 'MS Blue' with their coordinating outfits!

rajeshnat · Post by **rajeshnat** » 28 Mar 2016, 10:43

Sundara Rajan wrote:The last song by Kunnakkudi was "engaL kaNNammA, en pudhu rOjA". I thought it was in Behag ending appropriately in Suruti.
.

Engal kannamma nagai pudhu Roja- Raagamalika - kApi, Sarasangi, Saraswathi, Amruthavarshini and ShuruTTi - mahakavi Bharathiyar
Last year I had heard this song sung by gurucharan and I remember there was a review of KBMK with this song mentioned. TNS also sings this song

Ramasubramanian M.K · Post by **Ramasubramanian M.K** » 28 Mar 2016, 17:12

Hi folks: I am here since last Friday and will be here till April 1st. Lots of stories and side bar discussions. Meena has taken plenty of pics.Just got access to the internet--not too good with my i-phone.
So much to write. Perhaps a summary sooner than later. Did not meet any of our forumites.If any of you are here please contact me 718-775-5256. I am at the comfort inn. Had an interesting forum discussion with senior vidwans lauding the need for tradition. I inserted myself in the discussions and a few demos of nostalgia..
Great to see over 870 kids from all over NA attending the festival and the competitions. VVS and Co have outdone themselves in this noble effort.
My reflections later--bye for now!!!!

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 28 Mar 2016, 17:47

Happy that you have chimed in MKR

Rajesh,
I'm asking you to zero in on him and get his stories to us. For once, I won't mind your urging us the old bunch

Sundara Rajan · Post by **Sundara Rajan** » 28 Mar 2016, 19:30

Enough said about Pantula ramA's and Neyveli's performances yesterday by Arasi and others. I have no more to add except that, in recent times, EACH one of their concerts that I have attended/listened to have been memorable ones for their correct diction, akshara and sruti suddham as well as soothing melody. Best wishes to both the teams.

Sundara Rajan · Post by **Sundara Rajan** » 28 Mar 2016, 19:54

There seems to be a lighting inadequacy on the stage with respect to the main artist, whose face is not at all visible clearly. It was so yesterday also with Pantula RamA and Santhangopalan. Is it because the artists found the light too bright on them and asked that it be dimmed or because the light is right over their head ? There should be a way to correct this so we can see the main artists better.

meenaakshi · Post by **meenaakshi** » 28 Mar 2016, 20:59

Here are a few glimpses:

https://picasaweb.google.com/Minavg/Cle ... stival2016

My camera misbehaved

for a while and couldn't capture, Smt. R.S. Jayalakshmi, who was awarded Acharya Rathnakara award. Caught up with her during dinner, captured her in action

and in kind she decoded Dr. Rama's pallavi

Had fun listening to Rama's concert with MKR

, he engaging me with finer aspects of music

icarnatic · Post by **icarnatic** » 28 Mar 2016, 22:04

Dear Rasikas,

First of all our sincere apologies for less than usual quality of our webcast. We had quite a few technical challenges at the venue. We are doing our level best to address the issues. For those who have subscribed to the program, we will make sure you will get to see a high quality VOD. We expect to release first few of the recordings by end of this week.

Thank you for your patience and continued patronage.

Regards

Team iCarnatic

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 28 Mar 2016, 22:50

Thanks, icarnatic team. Our reporting trouble (as you say, more than before) has been addressed quickly most of the time, I have to say.

The lighting of the stage Sundara Rajan has mentioned bothered me as well.

Meenaakshi's pictures make up for that

PhotokkAri,
You outdo yourself lady, with your bountiful shots, each filling in for our absence.

We see the smiles, all reflection of the happiness of folks steeped in the music which flows at Cleveland. Not 'fake ones' as someone said last year. Not that 'american' kind as menioned, but smiles from India too, from music makers and rasikAs--from the Cleveland kshEtra of the families of music and old friends, rasikAs all , the young ones lighting up the scene. Great to see them all.

See Ramanathan with his camera. More candid shots on the way, I hope...

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 29 Mar 2016, 01:52

About ninety youngsters sang/played songs of TyAgarAjA and PApanasam Sivan (tamizh tyAgrAjA) this morning.The latter's grandson, Ashok RAmani does a great job of propagating his songs all across the globe. At Cleveland, he has been presenting his grandfather's work each year by training the children to sing them, with the help of teachers all over NA.

This year was no exception. This time, they alternated T and PS's songs in their presentation. I started listening to them when they were singing tulasi dalamulacE. JanakipathE of PS came next. I heard I vasudhA, kANa vENDAmO?, kapAli (the tamizh letter zha pronounced perfectly in the line karuNai nilavu pozhi vadanam).To celebrate MS, they ended their singing with PS's enadu uLLamE, niRaindadinba veLLamE from the film Meera.

I also heard Ashok Ramani's concert (same theme,T and PS). He started with brOcEvArevaru raghupathE, sang kannaDa rAgA and Sri mAtrubhUtam with ease and peace. NinnaruL iyambalAgumO in panthuvarALi, kapAli nIyirukka kalakkamEn in sAvEri, a main in kIravANi, Delhi SundarRajan playing so well.Then ISan anbar uvamai solla evarum illaiyE!

I remember Ashok Ramani singing in a labored way years ago. I really liked listening to him today, with the ease, poise and feeling with which he sings. May his music and his spreading his grandfather's great works flourish...

rshankar · Post by **rshankar** » 29 Mar 2016, 03:28

Meenakshi: beautiful pictures that make us appreciate the reports from Arasi even more! Thank you!

maduraimini · Post by **maduraimini** » 29 Mar 2016, 06:16

Meenakshi,
Thank you for those beautiful pictures. Makes us feel we are there. Thanks for taking us there.

maduraimini · Post by **maduraimini** » 29 Mar 2016, 06:33

I wanted to write a few things on Dr.Pantula Rama's concert. It was splendid and she sang very well. Her choice of songs were good. Her Mamava pattabhirama was without pronounciation errors and as elaborate as the kriti itself was. I have never heard this song at the beginning of a concert- but I think I am way behind in concert paddatis- belonging to the HyderAli era!
I was mesmerized by her Kantamani raga alapana. Along with the violinist (who I hear is her husband) they did a Herculean job adorning that beautiful raga. I am getting bored with Sarasa Sama dana. This kapinarayani kriti has been put on the gurney of Carnatic music and dissected and bisected so many times. As a rasika , I want that song to take a rest for a while! The Arabhi raga song with the tananm and pallavi was very good. The tanam was so good I did not even get up to get a drink of water. The pallavi was short with just a few words. With the Arabhi, she had Mukari and sindhu bhairavi. The Marulu konnadira and Annamayya's Bhavayami Gopala were good. The concert was very enjoyable.

maduraimini · Post by **maduraimini** » 29 Mar 2016, 07:00

Neyveli Sri Santhanagopalan's concert took me back to the olden days when the artist sang to please not just the audience, but the Music Devatha and his own self. Sri Nagai Muralidharan on the violin and Sri Tiruchi Sankaran worked along with him to embellish the concert.
1. He started with the Vasantha varnam 'Ninnu kori'. I was having interruptions with the streaming and I may be wrong, as I caught bits and pieces of the songs.
2. After a short alapana in Sahana he sang 'Ee vasuda of Thyagaraja.
3. The next song, I am not sure- I thought it was Vagadeeshwari and Arasi thinks it may be Nasikabhushani. Somebody, please clear that.
4. Sanatana parama pavana in Phalamanjari.
5. Astounding alapana of the ragam Shankarabharanam followed. He sang a not often heard song of Thyagaraja ' Emi Neramu nannu Brova'. He had a young kid, about 8 or 9 and another young teenager on the stage with him. When he sang the niraval, swaram at 'Deena bandhu' he let those young boys sing swarams on their own and they did a good job. I thought that was very nice of him to give the kids a chance to sing along with him. This encouraging gesture will mean a lot to these young men.
6. He sang a good viruttam in Sindhubhairavi.
7. Muruganin maru peyar of Swami Surajananda in Behag was melodious.
8. Rama namame tuthi in Desh, composition of Tanjore Sankara Iyer was the next one.
9. He sang 'Vinayakuni Valanu brovave' in Madhyamavathi to finish the concert.
All in all it was a soul stirring concert and I enjoyed it.

maduraimini · Post by **maduraimini** » 29 Mar 2016, 07:11

Nagai Sri Muralidharan and Nagai Sriram violin duet was good. I have been having streaming problems and it has completely stopped now. These are the songs I heard.
1. I heard Nattai.
2.Mukari, Thyagaraja's Karubayru (M.S. favorite)
3. Purvikalyani. Did not get the song.
4. Swathi Tirunal's Bhogeendra Shayinam' in Kuntalavarali
5. Short sama raga alapana followed by Shantamu lekha by Thyagaraja
6. Nohanam - really beautiful alapana by the violinists. I love ths ragam when they are sung or played so wonderfully- Narayana Divya Namam- Old M.S. song. He said that. I love this song.
My streaming has stopped. Hope to hear the rest sometime.
The violins were enchanting.

Sundara Rajan · Post by **Sundara Rajan** » 29 Mar 2016, 08:02

Maduarimini:
Nagai brothers started their violin duet concert with a short varNam in nAttakkurichi followed by a nAtta composition "rE rE mAnasa".

You only missed the last item, an experimentof sort, a shanmukapriya pallavi in Adi tAla sankeerNa nadai, after prolonged discussion with V.V. Subramaniam, SanthAngOpAlan, mannArgidu Eswaran and others, all of which went over the head of this tAla jnAna sUnyam. Only short thAnam followed by the pallavi "OrArumugane etc". thALam support was provided by Bharat Sundar.
The program concluded with thirppugazh "kAdi madi" in sankarAbaraNam and mangaLam.

thanjavooran · Post by **thanjavooran** » 29 Mar 2016, 08:08

Team icarnatic
Thanks for the webcast
Meenakshi ji
A very good coverage of the gala. Not few more glimpses.
With wishes,
Thanjavooran
29 03 2016

kvchellappa · Post by **kvchellappa** » 29 Mar 2016, 15:16

What happened to artists like Aishu Venkataraman and Shyamala Ramakrishna?

rshankar · Post by **rshankar** » 29 Mar 2016, 17:34

rshankar wrote:Meenakshi: beautiful pictures that make us appreciate the reports from Arasi even more! Thank you!

I should add Maduraimini and Sundara Rajan too - all three of you are making us live through it vicariously! Thank you!

kvchellappa · Post by **kvchellappa** » 29 Mar 2016, 19:01

..last but not least..Arasi.

bilahari · Post by **bilahari** » 29 Mar 2016, 19:25

kvchellappa wrote:What happened to artists like Aishu Venkataraman and Shyamala Ramakrishna?

It's dreaded USMLE season for Aishu in med school.

bilahari · Post by **bilahari** » 29 Mar 2016, 19:27

Excellent reports from all about the Aradhana. Thank you and please continue.

Sundara Rajan · Post by **Sundara Rajan** » 29 Mar 2016, 20:36

Viji Subramanyam started this morning program with
1. Abhogi VarNam: Evaribodhana
2.Ananda natamAduVar thillai in poorvikalyANi of N. Sivan.
3. After a delectable AlApana in B.SAranga she follows with D's swAminAthEna
rakshthoham, followed by beautiful kalpana swaras

Sundara Rajan · Post by **Sundara Rajan** » 29 Mar 2016, 20:47

4. Brovavamma- Neelambari of S.S. started with the charaNam kAnchi noopura rathna
5.something new to me: gAnAmudam in raga sAlagam by kOteeswara Iyer ?

Sundara Rajan · Post by **Sundara Rajan** » 29 Mar 2016, 21:06

Viji confirmed at the end my guess that this vivadi raga was a request from the audience.

Sundara Rajan · Post by **Sundara Rajan** » 29 Mar 2016, 21:14

Curious to know what will be her choice for the Thodi.
I hope it is some thing off the beaten rack, like her swAminAthEna rakshithOham in BrindAvana sAranga, instead of sri rangapura vihAra.

Sundara Rajan · Post by **Sundara Rajan** » 29 Mar 2016, 21:25

It is koluva maragada of Thyagaraja !

Sundara Rajan · Post by **Sundara Rajan** » 29 Mar 2016, 21:55

ten minutes neraval & swaras at thamboorakEliki ( I did not find these words in TKG's book ! ) followed by ten minutes of thani Avarthanam.
7. T's composition in Yamuna kalyANI on Darmasamvardini of ThiruvayAru:
vidichakrAdulu
8. Kabir"s RAma Govinda hari in mAdukauns !

Sundara Rajan · Post by **Sundara Rajan** » 29 Mar 2016, 22:06

9. She sang D's "mAyE thvam yAhi" in Tharangini as per Charukesi's janya as opposed to the common version. A request by Mannargudi Eswaran.

Sundara Rajan · Post by **Sundara Rajan** » 29 Mar 2016, 22:13

Nine compositions by seven different composers !
Excellent presentation by Dr. Vijayalakshmi Subramaniam well complemented ably by V.V.Murari on the violin and the mridamgam & Ganjira artists. I enjoyed the performance, well complimented by Neyveli Santhanagopalan.

10. Concluded with a thillana of BMK.
Two + hours of bliss !

maduraimini · Post by **maduraimini** » 29 Mar 2016, 23:29

Yes. She sang a variety of songs by different composers. I always liked her Music.' Maaye' in the Charukesi Janya Tarangini,was different- I have never heard this before. The Kabir bhajan was wonderful. Sri Neyveli Santhanagopalan's speech brought out all the Best of this concert. I think he is the right person to speak, as he himself is into Music with Bhakthi in his Music. This was one of the Best concerts.

The young girl, Shradha Ganesh who sang next, did a fine job. She started with the Guru Brahma slokam and sang Sri Jaya Chamraja Wodiyar's "sri Jalantaram asrayami' in Gambeera Nattai with gambeeram. For a young girl her age, it was very good. I am sure she'd be a very good singer, when she grows up. Best wishes to you, Shradha!

maduraimini · Post by **maduraimini** » 30 Mar 2016, 01:23

I have heard songs of Saketaraman on the You Tube- But never a full concert. After listening to his concert here, I won't miss any of his concerts. He has a rich voice and his patantaram seems solid. Nagai Muralidharan was on the violin, Neyveli Venkatesan on the Mridangam and Gopalakrishnan on the Kanjira. The concert was really good.
1. He started with a beautiful Begada. Thyagaraja's 'TanavAri' with niraval at Rama Rama.
2. A beautiful Suddha Dhanyasi raga AlApana was followed by 'Azsaga azshaga'. This song was about Lord Muruga in Pazshamudir solai.
3. Next was a grand Todi AlApana. The beauty of this ragam was all enveloped into the AlApana. Thyagaraja's Munnu Ravana was sung well, with niraval, swaram and Tani. Both Venkatesan and Gopalakrishnan did a great job.
4. A beautiful lullaby to Sri Rama, 'mannu pugazsh kosalai' was rendered in rAgamAlika.
5. Next was a viruttam ' vAzshvile vAdi varundinen' followed by Sri Purandara Dasa's Venkata Ramana.
6. The last was a melodious Tillana in Yamunakalyani.
The concert was superb and the artist brought joy to us with the good selections. I see today's youngsters sing many new songs. There are many songs of Thyagaraja and other famous composers, plus all the new composers that are not sung enough. The youngsters sing the songs we seldom hear. They also bring out many Tamil songs by our poets.