Maharajapuram Ramachandran @ Nadasurabhi on 15.5.2016

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kssr
Posts: 1596
Joined: 30 Nov 2009, 15:28

Maharajapuram Ramachandran @ Nadasurabhi on 15.5.2016

Post by kssr »

A cracker of a concert for 3.5 hrs by Maharajapuram Ramachandran- CN Chandrasekhar- Cheluvaraju - Vyasa Vittala at Nadasurabhi on Sunday 15.5.2016.

List of songs:
1. Vanajaksha ninne Varnam Mandhari (S)
2. Pranamamyaham Gowlai (brief R,S)
3. Salakallaladu Arabhi (N-Ilalo sari..,S)
4. Smarane onde Malayamarutham (R,S)
5. Muddumomu Suryakantha (S)
6. Upacharamulanu Bhairavi (R,S) Main, Tani avartanam
7. Sarangam… Ragamalikai, Tamil
8. RTP – Naadanai dinam … Brindavanasaranga, Khanda triputa, 2 kalai,
Ragamalika swaras Vasanthi, Sumanesaranjani,
Sriranjani, Janaranjani.
9. Ksheerabdi kannike Ragamalikai
10.Kelo sacharita Maand
11.Neerajadala nayana Maand
12.Thillana Shivaranjani
!3.Pavamana Mangalam Sourashtra

In mid May, when it was still burning hot with no signs of rain, there was something that made people get over the gloom and rejoice. It was the vibrant concert of Vidwan Maharajapuram S. Ramachandran. The concert was arranged by Nadasurabhi on 15th May, Sunday at the Indian Heritage Academy hall. For over three and a half hours, there was a down pour of ragas and swaras by Vidwan Ramachandran. Hailing from the Maharajapuram family, he stuck to the tradition and classicism throughout, following the pattern /‘bani’ set by his father and grand father. His virtuosity was reflected in the swaras that followed each one of the compositions he presented. There was brilliance in the sahitya places he chose to attach the swaras, like for eg: for ‘Pranamamyaham’, it was at ‘siddhivinayakam, pranamamyaham’, at an unexpected ‘eduppu’! His elaboration of ragas ‘Malayamarutham’ and ‘Bhairavi’ were of a high standard. The RTP in ‘Brindavanasaranga’ was crisp and adorned with ragamalika swaras in all pleasing ragas to go with the main raga. His inclusion of several popular kannada devaranamas at the appropriate places delighted his many fans. There were also a number of requests from the audience which he did not ignore.
His full throated presentation was appealing and well appreciated. The hall was full to the brim from the beginning till the end! Everyone was glued to the seat anticipating the next super song! The artists themselves expressed happiness about the audience and their response to every song.
The accompanying artists, Vidwan CN Chandrasekhar on violin, Vidwan C.Cheluvaraju on mridangam and Vidwan Vyasa Vittala in khanjira are all highly accomplished, senior artists. They had perfect understanding with the main artist and provided excellent support throughout. This added to the success of the concert.


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arasi
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Joined: 22 Jun 2006, 09:30

Re: Maharajapuram Ramachandran @ Nadasurabhi on 15.5.2016

Post by arasi »

Thank you, kssr for the review :)

It sounds almost like his Dad's concert. Had I been in Bengaluru, I would have been there. Over the years, Rajesh has urged me to listen to him. Hope it happens soon.

rajeshnat
Posts: 10144
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 08:04

Re: Maharajapuram Ramachandran @ Nadasurabhi on 15.5.2016

Post by rajeshnat »

maharajapuram ramachandran usually sings RTP in very very few concerts. In chennai I dont think he has sung for 3 and 1/2 hours. For his deep voice, that too hearing a bhairavi main (wish he had sung even kapata nAtaka neraval)must have been quite a treat as it is very rare.
Jayan has also reviewed
https://kpjayan.wordpress.com/2016/05/1 ... -may-2016/

kssr
Posts: 1596
Joined: 30 Nov 2009, 15:28

Re: Maharajapuram Ramachandran @ Nadasurabhi on 15.5.2016

Post by kssr »

Not a single person left the hall till the very end. Sri.Ramachandran appeared very pleased. He also mentioned it at the end. He was actually prepared to go on with a few more songs and seemed almost reluctant to close. "Muduchoodalamaa"- shall we close it- he asked twice and everytime there was an audience choice shouted from the hall and he sang- even Neeraja dala nayanaa - "ippo thane paadinen (but) sari" and went on to sing a second maand in succession. Very cheerful, energetic vidwan especially as he was happy with the accompanying artists as well.

I was reminded of Sri.Santhanam in a Malleswaram Ganesh Utsava concert in a huge pandal erected in the road, covering the entire stretch.This was about 30 years back. He went on and on waiting for listener's request each time. I was standing all the time holding on to a pandal support bamboo in order to have a vantage position closer to the stage :) . The place was really packed.

kssr
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Joined: 30 Nov 2009, 15:28

Re: Maharajapuram Ramachandran @ Nadasurabhi on 15.5.2016

Post by kssr »

Rajeshnat: No neraval in Bhairavi. Probably as the Brindavana saranga RTP was coming.

hariniraghavan
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Joined: 15 Mar 2010, 20:48

Re: Maharajapuram Ramachandran @ Nadasurabhi on 15.5.2016

Post by hariniraghavan »

The concert was brilliant. Surprisingly, no Pratimadyama Raga compositions at all. Also, songs in ragas close to each other, like gowlai, malayamarutam and suryakantham!!
But for this, the whole concert was a rare treat:)

rajeshnat
Posts: 10144
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 08:04

Re: Maharajapuram Ramachandran @ Nadasurabhi on 15.5.2016

Post by rajeshnat »

hariniraghavan wrote: Surprisingly, no Pratimadyama Raga compositions at all.
Harini
The varnam is in mandAri which is the janya of pantuvarali (melakartha 51)
The ragamaliga had sumanasaranjani whiich is the janya of shanmughapriya(melakartha 56)
Atleast you can treat varnam as a composition.

rajeshnat
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Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 08:04

Re: Maharajapuram Ramachandran @ Nadasurabhi on 15.5.2016

Post by rajeshnat »

kssr and harini
What time this concert started? Was it before 06:30 PM. kudos in giving performers 3 and 1/2 hours time.

bhakthim dehi
Posts: 539
Joined: 24 Feb 2014, 21:28

Re: Maharajapuram Ramachandran @ Nadasurabhi on 15.5.2016

Post by bhakthim dehi »

Originally, mandari is (was) a Janya of namanarayani!!

braindrain
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Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 09:25

Re: Maharajapuram Ramachandran @ Nadasurabhi on 15.5.2016

Post by braindrain »

rajeshnat wrote:kssr and harini
What time this concert started? Was it before 06:30 PM. kudos in giving performers 3 and 1/2 hours time.
Rajesh,

Nadasurabhi monthly concerts starts at 4:15 pm.

rajeshnat
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Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 08:04

Re: Maharajapuram Ramachandran @ Nadasurabhi on 15.5.2016

Post by rajeshnat »

braindrain wrote: Nadasurabhi monthly concerts starts at 4:15 pm.
In north america concert starts at 04 pm. In chennai few sabhas like sarvani sangeeta sabha start at 4 pm and they used to do that as they used to have 4 hr concerts. This idea of starting concert at 04:15 pm on weekends is really wonderful . I am assuming only nadasurabi in bangalore does and others donot follow that. I love this time as you can also free up your weekend in the night where you can spend time with the kids and family . More importantly there is a hope that musicians sing for 3 and 1/2 hours. Wow keep it up Nadasurabi- the only way to have more nadA is to give more time to artists.

pvs
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Re: Maharajapuram Ramachandran @ Nadasurabhi on 15.5.2016

Post by pvs »

Only a few weeks ago a few rasikas were discussing that Maharajapuram Santhanam or his disciples do(did) not sing Bhairavi as main. Sri Ramachandran must have heard it!

A vidwan with exceptional manodharman, often displaying spontaneous torrents of imagination on stage. The accompanying artists have more than their handsfull with him!

braindrain
Posts: 587
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 09:25

Re: Maharajapuram Ramachandran @ Nadasurabhi on 15.5.2016

Post by braindrain »

rajeshnat wrote: I am assuming only nadasurabi in bangalore does and others donot follow that..
Not really, most of the monthly concerts by regular sabhas start early. Ranjani Fine Arts starts at 5:00, Pranava Arts starts at 4:00, Essae Music Foundation starts at 3:45 pm, Unnati(SGBS Trust) starts at 5:00 ( they used to do 10:00 am to 1:00 pm on Sundays couple of years ago), BTM cultural Academy and Gayana Samaja starts at 5:30.

Purist
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Joined: 13 May 2008, 16:55

Re: Maharajapuram Ramachandran @ Nadasurabhi on 15.5.2016

Post by Purist »

It was Gayana Samaja that started the '4-15pm' commencement concept way back from 60's or so,
for two reasons. For a Sunday, rahukalam begins 4.30 pm and so 15 min earlier, and secondly
to enable artists who were invariably from neighbouring states to catch the night train/bus which
would all leave by 9-30/10 pm.

Purist
Posts: 431
Joined: 13 May 2008, 16:55

Re: Maharajapuram Ramachandran @ Nadasurabhi on 15.5.2016

Post by Purist »

kssr wrote:
I was reminded of Sri.Santhanam in a Malleswaram Ganesh Utsava concert in a huge pandal erected in the road, covering the entire stretch.This was about 30 years back. He went on and on waiting for listener's request each time. I was standing all the time holding on to a pandal support bamboo in order to have a vantage position closer to the stage :) . The place was really packed.
@kssr, I vividly remember attending this concert sometime during 1978-79. The pandal was erected on the 11th Cross
Road Malleswaram close to Venugopalaswamy temple. I sat on the pavement stone(footpath) -the "vantage position
close to the stage" you have mentioned. It will all look like a story now . Sri R.K.Venkatrama Sastry accompanied on the
Violin and Vellore Rambhadran on mridhangam. In between Santhanam spoke of RKV as 'of 'gurusthanam' to him and a
Sangeetha Kalanidhi. He was prompted to intervene when he had sensed that the audience were appluading the violonisit very meekly. It had the desired effect, and thereafter it was equal claps. When he sang " Sarangan " ragamalika,at the point of " Perumai thandha Nattai ", he smilingly added another sangathi " perumai thandha INDHA KARNATAKA Nattai" and said no where he had come across audience listening with such a bhakti fervour and in such numbers on a road side pandal. Post Thani ,most of the songs were on audience request, 'Sri Chakraraja' and 'Sarangan' being on voice vote.
Such experiences are truly etched for life.

rajeshnat
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Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 08:04

Re: Maharajapuram Ramachandran @ Nadasurabhi on 15.5.2016

Post by rajeshnat »

Purist wrote:
When he sang " Sarangan " ragamalika,at the point of " Perumai thandha Nattai ", he smilingly added another sangathi " perumai thandha INDHA KARNATAKA Nattai"
The recording of Karnataka nattai which santhanam sings is indeed available , I had a chance to hear that some time back thru IIRC sangeethapriya

Vocalist
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Joined: 19 Feb 2006, 18:53

Re: Maharajapuram Ramachandran @ Nadasurabhi on 15.5.2016

Post by Vocalist »

pvs wrote:Only a few weeks ago a few rasikas were discussing that Maharajapuram Santhanam or his disciples do(did) not sing Bhairavi as main. Sri Ramachandran must have heard it!
Actually, I'm fairly sure Santhanam and Ramachandran sir have sung the same Bhairavi composition as main before.

Vocalist
Posts: 1030
Joined: 19 Feb 2006, 18:53

Re: Maharajapuram Ramachandran @ Nadasurabhi on 15.5.2016

Post by Vocalist »

kssr wrote:A cracker of a concert for 3.5 hrs by Maharajapuram Ramachandran- CN Chandrasekhar- Cheluvaraju - Vyasa Vittala at Nadasurabhi on Sunday 15.5.2016.

List of songs:
1. Vanajaksha ninne Varnam Mandhari (S)
2. Pranamamyaham Gowlai (brief R,S)
3. Salakallaladu Arabhi (N-Ilalo sari..,S)
4. Smarane onde Malayamarutham (R,S)
5. Muddumomu Suryakantha (S)
6. Upacharamulanu Bhairavi (R,S) Main, Tani avartanam
7. Sarangam… Ragamalikai, Tamil
8. RTP – Naadanai dinam … Brindavanasaranga, Khanda triputa, 2 kalai,
Ragamalika swaras Vasanthi, Sumanesaranjani,
Sriranjani, Janaranjani.
9. Ksheerabdi kannike Ragamalikai
10.Kelo sacharita Maand
11.Neerajadala nayana Maand
12.Thillana Shivaranjani
!3.Pavamana Mangalam Sourashtra
Wow kssr, what an awesome list. I am so envious about not being there to listen to the RTP; it must have been a real treat.

If the charanam of the Thillana was something like "Vaa Velava Vadivelava Mayil Meedhinil Vaa Kumara", I gather that is his father's composition which is in Misra Sivaranjani.

rajeshnat
Posts: 10144
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 08:04

Re: Maharajapuram Ramachandran @ Nadasurabhi on 15.5.2016

Post by rajeshnat »

Vocalist wrote:
pvs wrote:Only a few weeks ago a few rasikas were discussing that Maharajapuram Santhanam or his disciples do(did) not sing Bhairavi as main. Sri Ramachandran must have heard it!
Actually, I'm fairly sure Santhanam and Ramachandran sir have sung the same Bhairavi composition as main before.
Almost all recordings of shri santhanam were released by santhanam for the last 10 years prior to his death in 1992. To the best of my knowledge with respect to santhanam , there is a upachArmulanu recording - i think it was sung as a number between submain and main (my memory is bit hazy there). Ramachandran has taken as a R S T , i wish soon he takes that as R N S T . I still dont know or forgotten how maharajapuram school sing a bhairavi .

There is a recording of swarajathi of Santhanam available in casette- i am assuming they have not taken that in a concert ? Why am i posting this swarajathi- just rubbing the genie in rasikas so that hopefully ramachandran sings some where some time (hopefully there) with R N S either the kamakshi or upachAramoolanu in bhairavi.

varsha
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Re: Maharajapuram Ramachandran @ Nadasurabhi on 15.5.2016

Post by varsha »

MS has sung yAro ivar yAro for close to half an hour , saree evvaramma for close to an hour , in concerts

hnbhagavan
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Re: Maharajapuram Ramachandran @ Nadasurabhi on 15.5.2016

Post by hnbhagavan »

KSSR,
Please provide the recordong of this concert.

pvs
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Joined: 21 Jan 2008, 19:28

Re: Maharajapuram Ramachandran @ Nadasurabhi on 15.5.2016

Post by pvs »

@vocalist
Actually, I have a very faint recollection of hearing Sri. Santhanam singing Bhairavi elaborately somewhere in AnnaNagar (I think) Chennai during my undergraduate years (90 or 91?). I'm not sure what kriti it was. I have heard maybe two or three of his live concerts in all, only one start to finish. I brought up the topic because I just remembered the rasikas discussion. He has a special place in my memory because I have listened to two fabulous Arabhi's in those concerts.

CRama
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Re: Maharajapuram Ramachandran @ Nadasurabhi on 15.5.2016

Post by CRama »

There is one Times Music casette where Santhanam has sung Upacharamulanu. The casette starts with Rama ninnu nammina (Mohanam). It also has got Ehi Annapoorne. But the entire casette is somewhat dull in presentation, May be due to a low sruti. Now I don't remember exactly.

kssr
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Re: Maharajapuram Ramachandran @ Nadasurabhi on 15.5.2016

Post by kssr »

@Vocalist: Yes. It was very much Vaa Velava Vadivelava... He concluded the piece with the AIR tune so that we do not miss the point. I have been believing that it is Sivaranjani. :)

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