PALLAVI DURBAR-DAY 1-29/6/16

[CRama]

LEC DEM ON THE ART OF TANAM SINGING-DR.T.S.SATHYAVATHI
At the outset, Dr.TS mentioned that she will rename the topic as the HEART of tanam singing because tanam is closely linked with the heart- breath control. The syllables that should be used are only tha and na and the continuous use of these syllables will make it ANANTHAM AANANDAM and it should be invested with power to make it meaningful. The energy should come from nabhi and if the tanam is not supported by that much energy coming from the nabhi, it is only superficial. She said that our ancestors have given so much thought, research and refinement to each aspect of music and they have bequeathed a great legacy to us to carry forward. She has coined a new phrase very appropriately- THE PAST IS PRESENT IN THE PRESENT TO PRESENT THE FUTURE. She further mentioned at the right juncture- To those who cry on the top of their voice that tradition should be changed, I will say that we are sitting on the shoulders of our ancestors who have given so much thought and finesse to the music that we are enjoying today and able to see a longer distance. If we remove those shoulders, we will be on the ground and will not see anything. How true.

Tanam should be sung only at the madhyalaya. Alapana should not be done in between tha tanam. The tana varnams are best suited to be sung as tanams. She sang the varnams Abhogi, Mohanam and Saveri in tanam format which was very much enjoyable. There are two kinds of tanams- Sudha tana and Koota tana. Sudha tanam where there is no omission of a note. Koota tanam- where vakra sancharams are involved and in between swaras are omitted. Our Sthothrams adapt to tanam singing very nicely with 3s, 4s, or 5s. She showed examples from Ganesa Panchakam, Venkateswara Suprabhatam, Kalabairavashtakam, Mahishasuramardini stothram etc. Then the various types of tanams were demonstrated- Gaja tanam, Mayura tanam, Kukuta tanam, Markata tanam, Harina tanam, Ghanta tanam, Shankha tanam, Nabhi tanam and Vidyuth tanam. Chakra tanam and Aswa tanam were skipped.

TS has an enviable command over Sanskrit, Music, English, Shastras and Puranas. A very enlightening lec dem for the music students and rasikas alike.

ABHISHEK RAGHURAM
Acc. Mysore Srikanth-Violin, Anantha R.Krishnan- Mridangam, Sreesunderkumar-Ganjira
Pallavi line-Ennai kaakka idu nalla samayam Kandaa Kathirvadivelane
Ragam- Mohanakalyani, Talam- Misrachapu.

Abhishek’s Pallavi Durbar concerts, so far had always been a craze with his fans. I have heard many pallavis and got floored by his imagination, voice power, technicalities invested etc. Multi ragam, Multi nadai pallavis. Many are still etched in my memory. But this concert do not fall under that league. The ragam he selected unfortunately for today is Mohanakalyani. The ragam has got very limited scope. But Abhishek, the wizard of manodharmam stretched the alapana for 40 minutes and again tanam for 25 minutes. Violin alapana was done 10 minutes and tanam may be 5 minutes. This over stretching of the ragam was a test for our patience. If it is any Kalyani or Mohanam, there is substance for his elaboration to this extent. But in this case, only repetitions and display of voice power. Abhishek showed remarkable voice felicity, breath control, long akarams, brighas everything. But it was in vain. I had great expectations for this concert. But was disappointed. There were many great vidwans in the audience like Umayalpuram, Chitraveena Narasimhan, Tadepally Lokanatha Sarma, then a host of other vidwans and vidushis. But the concert was disappointing. Even when Abhishek paused for violin interludes, the applause was feeble. The pallavi was in Mishra chapu which he handled with all the technicalities required. The Sruti bhedam to Hindolam got revealed after a few attempts. But Suruti came off clearly. I did not stay for the full concert. The violin returns of Mysore Srikant were much appreciable. I didn’t stay to listen to Anantha R.Krishnan. The concert is still available in the webcast.

[Rsachi]

CRama, nor just for this concert, but in general I agree with you that any RTP if it is stretched beyond a point just to complete the agenda or show off virtuosity, can border on boredom for the average rasika like me. Great talents like Abhishek should not be wasted in the process.

[gardabha_gana]

Sachi sir, if you are an average rasika, we are....

[Rsachi]

You must read my book, "In praise of the Average"!

[rajeshnat]

Abhishek strength is always alapana . In RTP atleast the alapanai he always goes bit more than all vidwans and vidushis. I am glad that he also sang the taanam instead of giving to violinist. One crib for me is that he usually does not pay attention that much to elaborate in swara kalpana. That has partially put me off in the past . I guess most of the ragas if you take alapana beyond 20 mins the repetition is bound to happen - the only catch is some times the rasika spots it , some times the rasika gets an ahA oho feeling - looks CRama got the first feeling. Crama was there any swara ragamaliga??

[Rsachi]

My own assessment is that the "normal" Abhishek, left to himself, excela in every department. His swaras are also electric. If anything, his raga, tana, swara are not matched by niraval.

[CRama]

Rajesh, I left before he started swaras.

[munirao2001]

CRama Sir,

Thanks for the report of quality on Lec-Demo of Vidu.T.S.S. Her reported statement and your observation in reporting prompted me to intervene.

She has coined a new phrase very appropriately- THE PAST IS PRESENT IN THE PRESENT TO PRESENT THE FUTURE.

It is not a new phrase. Not very appropriate also. This phrase is use in philosophy describing how the conditioning of the past in experience influence the present thinking and the present thinking and action with past experience influence the future and thus the past is present in the present and in future. In art practice, growth and development is this a truth? No, art also is subject to both creation and evolution. Manodharma of great vaggeyakaras and great practitioners contribute in both creation and evolution of the art form. Creativity of anew, afresh, not in existence is rare of the rarest in occurrence; recreativity, also anew, afresh, but on the existence with the spirit of the original creativity and creator, is universal truth. The roles of kalpana and kalpita. Past with changes or value additions in the present, past in unity of the present, latent and potent for the kalpana and kalpita in the future, present also transforming with value additions. Our sense of insecurity results in glorification of the immediate past, decrying the present and raising concern or fear of the future. Art history and musicology will give the empirical evidence. For e.g. the changes and value additions to the art of Karnataka Sangeetham by the trinity; vaggeyakaras and practitioners in the present ushering in changes and value additions, seamlessly. Excellence is beyond time, past, present and future. Excellence is tradition.

munirao2001

[rajeshnat]

JUST HEARD the pallavi . Certainly the alapana was stretched far far beyond . The swaras as usual in a typical abhishek occurence was extremely short . But definitely liked the taanam and also the pallavi neraval where Abhishek musical intellect was in a lovely flow. Anantha rocks as usual with sundar . I wish he took a lot less alapana time and dwelled with more swaras .