TMK Guruguhamruta Annual Award Function - 13th Nov 2016

[raviraj]

Guruguhamruta Annual Award Function - 13th Nov 2016 @ Raga Sudha Hall

Artistes: TM Krishna ; H N Bhaskar ; Manoj Siva and BS Purushottam

1. Svaminatha Paripalaya - Natta- Adi - raga sketch, svarams @ kAmitartha
2. Sami ninne - Sriranjani -cauka varna - ramasvami Diksitar - raga sketch
3. Renukadevi - Kannada bangala - Jhampa - raga sketch
4. a. Moulau ganga sashankau - sloka in Devagandhari
b. Vadanyesvaram - Devagandhari - Adi
5. Meenakshi memudham - Gamakakriya - Adi - neraval at madhumatha moditha
6. Rama rama kalikalusha - Ramkali - rupaka
7. Sarasvati Manohari - Sarasvati Manohari - Adi - Raga outline
8. Sri Sarasvati hite - Manji - Adi


Commentary provided by Sri TMK during the concert for the compositions:

Sri TMK provided a gist/quick overview of the oral and documented patantharams of Dikshitar compositions. Included in his narrative was the SSP, DKP of Natarajasundaram Pillai, the notations of Cinnasvami Mudaliar and the oral traditions spawned by Ambi Diksitar, Satanur Panju Iyer and others. For this specific concert, his emphasis was on the SSP and the notation provided therein, save for item 4b which is not found in the SSP. He also highlighted how apart from structurally tampering with the compositions such as changing the raga- as in the case of Girvani to Keeravani, normalizing the musical setting of many compositions etc - terminologies too have been introduced, for example samashti caranam, which has to be eschewed as Subbarama Dikshitar names them only as anupallavi. He then proceeded to the recital, prefacing every composition with a succinct commentary in chaste English.


1. For the Natta composition TMK highlighted how the current, in circulation version of the kriti is devoid of the nuances of the jarus and other gamakas found in the SSP and also changes made to the mathu especially for the madhyamakala sahitya.

2. For the Sriranjani cauka varna he said he was including it in this concert since Muthusvami Dikshitar (MD) had a hand in creating the final ettugada svaram and sahitya. As documented in the SSP while the main varna up to the first ettugada svara was composed by ramasvami Dikshitar, the second ettugada svara section was created by Syama Sastri, the third by Cinnasvami Dikshitar and the final one by Muthusvami Dikshitar.

3. On item 3, he demonstrated how Malahari is different from Kannada Bangala despite having the same scale under mela 15. He also rendered the graha svaram passage appended to the kriti and gave the commentary as to how the 300 old tradition has been archived by Dikshitar in a bunch of compositions documented in the SSP.

4. On the Devagandhari composition he gave a justification why he was including it in the recital despite it not being in the SSP. He added that he learnt it from Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer.

5. TMK highlighted how the Gamakakriya raga is different from what we today sing as Purvikalyani and how certain phrases of Gamakakriya and also the mathu of Meenakshi memudham has been normalized to Purvikalyani during the 19th/20th century. Thus the carana line mathura puri nilaye is sung begining with pancama ( PMGGRS) while the notation starts as sadja as SdS. Similarly the beautiful madhyamakala sahitya has been normalized as well. TMK went on to add how pancama varjya prayogas particularly in the descent and also GPDS usages abound. He drew an analogy with Saveri on this point.

6. On the 'rama rama kalikalusha' composition he rendered it with both the madhyamas as per Subbarama Dikshitar's commentary and drew parallels with the Hindustani tradition of singing this raga, which akin to its Carnatic counterpart too picked up M2 subsequently, just as how Subbarama Diksitar has recorded in the SSP.

7. On the Sarasvati Manohari kriti he said the SSP version which he will present will slightly deviate from the oral version of Smt T Brinda and is not at all related to the Sarasvati Manohari of Tyagaraja found in enta vedukondu.

8. TMK wound up the 2 hour recital with a sedate Sri Sarasvati Hite in Manji.

[Rsachi]

Seems like archival material. Could someone please share the audio? Thanks in advance.
I havw also heard TMK and RKSK have produced CDs with all MD kritis in the "original" versions. Wonder where I can buy them.

[ram1999]

A short 2 minute odd clip was posted in FB of the purvikalyani kriti
The voice modulation was very artificial and was off sruti most of the short clip.

Not sure if MD would be happy if he heard this concocted version

[Rsachi]

Ooooookkkkkkkk...

[CRama]

Guruguhamritam is an organisation spearheaded by G.Ravikiran, Disciple of T.M.Krishna for propagation of Deekshitar compositions. Two major events are conducted by the organisation every year- One Deekshitar Akhandam at Ettayapuram and conducting of Deekshitar Kriti competition and awarding of prizes and arranging an exclusive MD kritis concert by a reputed singer. Yesterday, in this function the winners of the National Level Competition 2016 were awarded prize which included tempura prize instituted by Vijayalakshmi Rajasundaram and family. The competitions were held in Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Tiruvanantapuram. The prize for senior level was won by Kum Visruthi Girish, daughter and disciple of Gayathri Girish. Congrats to Visruthi Girish. There were other prize winners in Junior and Sub junior category.

The concert of TMK was fabulous. Educative for most part. Many subtle things he mentioned are eye openers for music students. The previous years concerts are available in YT. So I fervently hope that this concert will be uploaded in YT shortly which will be a boon for the music students and rasikas.

Raviraj. Thanks for your erudite report. Let me add some more points
• You have mentioned DKP-Natarajasundaram Pillai. What does that mean? Did DKP learn from Natarajasundaram Pillai?.
• Swaminatha paripalayamsumam. He said that the madhyamakala sahithyam now we render as charanam should be rendered is a part of the Anupallavi and it should be followed with the pallavi.
• The Sriranjani varnam is a pada varnam. But I am intrigued that the same comments- like the chittaswarams being composed by Syama Sastri, Chinnaswami Deekshitar and the final one by Muthuswami Deeklshitar has been told for the Daru varnam Nee sati deivamendune also. Are there two varnams like this?
• He sang a brief alapana of Gamagakriya.
• Saraswati hite in Manji was rendered in a very soft tone and the percussion team also played in a very sensitive manner. But I personally fell that such soft tone is not required for this song. That may be appropriate for Varugalamo.
• There was no Tani avartanam.
• Before start of Saraswati Manohari, he announced that I will sing two more small songs. But after finishing Saraswati Manohari, he simply announced that I think I need not sing any more kritis and stopped abruptly. That puzzled the vast audience. Normally he concludes with Mangalam Kosalendraya. The concert could have been concluded in a more dignified manner.

Ragasudha Hall was packed with rasikas. There was not an inch of space not occupied by rasikas. This hall is not enough for people like T.M.K.

[bhakthim dehi]

What was the justification he gave for singing the krithi vadanyeshvaram?

What did he say about Satanur Panchanadha Iyer?

CRama, DKP is Deekshithar Keerthana Prakashika written by Thirupamburam Natarajasundaram Pillai.