M.Balamuralikrishna @ Nadasurabhi on 19th June 2016

[nadasurabhi]

Nadasurabhi Cultural Association, (Regd.)
Phone: 25539368. Email:[email protected] Web: http://nadasurabhi.org
FB: www.facebook.com/nadasurabhi

Cordially invites you for the Monthly Programme on
Sunday, 19th June 2016 at 4.15 PM

Venue: The Indian Heritage Academy Hall,
Near Police Station, 6th Block,
Koramangala, Bangalore. 560 095.

Grand Carnatic Music Concert

Vidwan Kunnakkudi M.Balamuralikrishna - Vocal
Vidwan Vittala Rangan - Violin
Vidwan B.C.Manjunath - Mridangam
Vidwan G.Guruprasanna - Khanjira


ALL ARE WELCOME


Kunnakkudi Balamuralikrishna, is one of the rising stars of carnatic music and his performances during the Chennai Music Season 2015 received great appreciation. He is a disciple of senior musicians and gurus like Sri.Santhanagopalan and Sri.P.S.Narayanaswamy. He can perform on mridangam as well, having been under the tutelage of leading vidwans like Karaikudi Mani. Endowed with rich manodharma, Balamuralikrishna is a strict follower of tradition.

Vittala Rangan, a young violinist from Bangalore is a disciple of Vidushi Kanyakumari. He has made a name for himself as one of the highly accomplished carnatic musicians. Manjunath on mridangam is son and disciple of leading vidwan B.K.Chandramouli. He has accompanied leading musicians in India and abroad. He also plays for other genres of music in the international arena. Guruprasanna is a brilliant and much sought after khanjira artist who is successfully balancing his professional career in industry with his musical career.

[kssr]

This concert is tomorrow.

ENTRY FREE. ALL ARE WELCOME.

[Rsachi]

I wonder why you write M. Balamuralikrishna. Is there an M lurking somewhere in Kunnakudi?

[kvchellappa]

His name is given as Kunnakkudi M Balamuralikrishna, M for Meenakshisundaram, his father.

[Rsachi]

The other M is Mangalampalli.

[hnbhagavan]

It was a very captivating concert.starting with Natakuranji followed by Kriti in Bowli of Dikshitar,followed by Birana brovaithe in Kalyani,Marivere gathievaramma.
Main Krithi was in saveri Rama bana.
A detailed report i am sure will be posted by KSSR.
Highly captivating and energetic concert.He seems to have adopted a style of his own sometimes tending to Semmangudi school.
Very good violin support by Vittal rangan,Mridangam by BC Manjunath and Khanjira by Guruprasanna.
Turn out was very good and extra chairs were provided to overflowing rasikas.

[Rsachi]

Yes, HNB, indeed a very energetic concert that didn't disappoint at all.
KBMK struck me as a man with a mission. He has his special briga-laden treatment of every raga and song. He has a keen sense of each swara's potential and spares no effort across 2.5 octaves to pour out his aesthetics. His Brindavana Saranga RTP with swara changes to Varali, Chandrajyoti, and Madhuvanti established his quicksilver manodharma. He got the best out of BCM and GGP also in their tani.

As I mentioned to someone during the concert, he can go from 0 to 100 kmph in 10 seconds flat. KBMK: Tempo is his forte, Brigha is his middle name, enthu is his credo.

Only thing, I am almost 100% sure of this: KBMK won't be able to sing a lullaby. Even to save his own life.

[kvchellappa]

Do you mean he won't let anyone sleep on his concert, or can't sing in vilamba kalam, or something else?

[Rsachi]

1) Yes. 2) Yes, as I have heard him and 3) Have you seen a parrot do a peacock dance?

[kssr]

Marivere in Anandabhairavi was quite viLamba and lovely. No one slept as it was rendered so melodiously.

[Rsachi]

Yes, Marivere was rendered at the right royal tempo. He did justice to it. But of course my definition of true vilamba or lullaby speed is quite a bit slower.

[hnbhagavan]

Sri Rsachi

I wish i could have said hello to you. Ananda hairavi was good as well as the RTP.

[Rsachi]

Yes sir. Next time, I will look around and reach out to you.

[hariniraghavan]

Kunnakkudi Balamuralikrishna – Concert review:

Songs List:

1. Chalmela Varnam Nattakurinji (S)
2. Sri Parvathi Parameshwaram Bouli
3. Birana Brovayide Kalyani (R) (N) (S)
4. Marivere gati Anandabhairavi
5. Ninnadanella Kannada (S)
6. Ramabana Saveri (R) (S) TANI
7. Manam kollai konda kanna manivanna RTP, Brinadavana saranga
(ragamalika tanam in Varali, Chandrajyothi, Madhuvanti) set to
Khanda nadai, tisra jhampa talam)
8. Narajanma bandaga Madhuvanti
9. Erumayil - Tiruppugazh Ragamalikai
10. Pavamana – Mangalam Sourashtra


Kunnakkudi M.Balamuralikrishna, a rare gem among the upcoming artists in the field of carnatic music, gave an extraordinary concert on Sunday, 19th June2016, performing for Nadasurabhi, at The Indian Heritage Academy Hall, Koramangala. As he sang the Varnam, the audience sat back comfortably, fully convinced that it was going to be a wholesome treat. The sahityam for all the chittaswaras of the varnam (which is very rare), and embellishment of the charana- nannu brova neeku with swaras added weight. His ‘Parvathi Parameshwaram’ in Raga Bouli was crisp and appealing. Next he delved in to rendition of Kalyani. His innovative ‘sancharas’ were refreshing and with his rich intonations he captivated the audience. He traversed with lot of ease in all the three octaves. The composition ‘Birana brova’ was replete with beautiful sangathis. Neraval and Swaraprastharam at ‘Nee pada pankaja….’ were ornamented with mature manodharmam. ‘Ninnadenella’ in Raga ‘Kannada’ with swaras was brisk and enjoyable. The main piece was in Raga Saveri. He made it very interesting with pleasing and melodious ‘sancharas’ and ‘brigas’. Presentation of St. Thyagaraja’s composition ‘Rama bana’ was full of ‘bhava’ throughout. Sparkling swara passages with interesting combinations were classy. After a brilliant and power packed ‘Tani avartanam’ by B.C.Manjunath – mridangam and G.Guruprasanna – khanjira, Balamuralikrishna went on to present an RTP in Brindavani. Raga alapana was sweet and melodious. The ragamalikai in tanam, added more charm to it. Pallavi was short and sweet. He concluded with a Purandaradasa's devaranama and a Tiruppugazh. The three hour mesmerising concert delighted the jam packed hall of rasikas.
With his powerful voice, rich manodharmam, high energy level and vast repertoire, he is an asset to the field of Carnatic music.

Young Vittala Rangan on violin was outstanding with his following and his solo playing of ragas and swaras. He proved his excellence and maturity.

The percussion duo – B.C. Manjunath and Guruprasanna gave excellent support, with their perfect understanding of the mood of the main artist. Their authority over the instruments as senior, experienced artists was evident throughout.

Harini Raghavan.

[kssr]

Click on picture to enlarge




Click on picture to enlarge

[hnbhagavan]

Dear Kssr,

Well captured moments.I really appreciate your public relations approach.Many Sabha presidents do not even glance at some of us even though they see us frequently and also support by small donations.

[kssr]

I found another interesting review of the concert

https://kpjayan.wordpress.com/2016/06/2 ... -june-2016

[hnbhagavan]

Generally these days in Chennai,most of the concerts often webcast are for 2-2.30 hrs duration.In Bangalore serious Rasikas do come prepared to sit for 3 hours and some times little over.The artists perform in Chennai,Bangalore....... places in USA and they have to adjust their planning depending on the place.
As pointed out by Sri KP Jayan,the post main items are crucial.But perhaps due to various constraints and inputs given to artists,there are wide variations.
Some times a couple of Dasa Kritis are sung,followed by a ragamalika,tillana etc.I feel about 45 minutes should be left for Post main items.

[kssr]

To be fair to BMK, he sang for more than 3 hours. It contained an elaborate Kalyani submain, elaborate saveri main and a fairly elaborate RTP. Something will have to necessarily take a cut. This time it was the thukkadas. Two songs post thani, I think is not too bad.

Probably in the artists' estimate of the audience, a heavier concert was appropriate and in order to give that, a little compromise on the number of thukkadas. Seems OK to me.

[Rsachi]

Yes, KSSR. Agree. Also don't think of KBMK as a tukkadas man.

[hnbhagavan]

I was fully satisfied with the contents,i referred KPJayan's review.

[kvchellappa]

It is heartening to see The Hindu carry a review of a concert in Bengaluru. Feather in the cap for Nadasurabhi.
http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp ... 765780.ece

[Rsachi]

Surely Mrs Harini Raghavan should feel gratified as the organiser as well as the reviewer - the Hindu should have mentioned her name though.

[kvchellappa]

Sri RSachi,
If you have time, pl listen to Maye in the last 4 min.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ww107pQIqM
Is it sufficiently vilambam and melodious, or it has to be dead slow?

[Rsachi]

Sri KVC,
Before I respond, I am stating the obvious, kindly bear with me:
1. Rasikas respond individually and differently to music and we have to respect and accept differences in response.
2. I have a deep new-found passion for KBMK's music as I have stated clearly in my recent posts, so my comment about the lullaby doesn't militate against my admiration. It is only a qualifier of my assessment.
3. A lullaby is not characterised merely by slowness but a singing shorn of frills and adornments (eg kampita gamakas, sangathis, gatibhedas, muktayas, korvais etc.)

Now about Maye, thanks for your pointing to rhe YT audio. Another very interesting KBMK concert from 2015. I think he is singing even better these days!

I prefer this Maye, from another of my favourites. It has an SSP-based version of Tarangini, and a rendition that is to my personal taste:
http://youtu.be/PCkqgErorz8

[kvchellappa]

Thanks. I respect your taste. I am trying to understand, but lacking in basics, I may not succeed.

[arasi]

KVC,
Take it from another one who lacks the basics: rasikatva has an elusive quality, no doubt. Even when it comes to fans of a specific school or performer, they may all react differently to a particular concert.

Were you there at his concert (the SRLKM one) at the start of the year? I heard him after several years, and was impressed just as much, if not more by his singing this time. However, his virtuoso side was more evident, and viSrAnti was a bit elusive for me that evening--however dazzling his singing turned out to be. A slowly rendered rAgA or kriti lodges in your mind as a soothing thing. vilamba kAlA is not merely singing slowly but also lulling the listener into a state of mind where calmness prevails.