Madhuradhwani-OVK's Ramayana-Chitravina Ravikran's Musical Discourse

[RAMAKRISHNAN]

Thursday,25th May at 6.15pm
Madhuradhwani
Special Musical Discourse (Sangeetha Upanyasam) by Chitravina N Ravikiran
on Oottukkadu Venkata Kavi's "Shree Rama Jayame Jayam - RAMAYANA"
Arkay Convention Center. Mylapore.
Watch the web relay https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMx82LQB5Uk

[sureshvv]

Very enlightening program. Started a bit earlier than stated here I think. Would have been nice to hear the kriti in full once (Hopefully that was not the part I missed).

[arasi]

Thanks a lot for the streaming...

Ravikiran's zeal and dedication in bringing to the world Venkata kavi's compositions is unmatched. Who better to do this than a musician of his standing--a composer himself to boot!

Ravikiran's maturity in presenting his music and discourses on stage is something to emulate. In spite of all his enthusiasm, he is calm, clear and is highly communicative. His expertise in everything does not exclude rasikAs of the humbler kind as he does not make them feel as if they don't belong in the audience. His calm but crystal-clear presentations (just like his concerts) are a joy to listen to for all.

Venkata kavi's works are breathtaking. Ravikaran calls him a mahAkavi, extolling him as one--in both tamizh and sanskrit. He illustrates amply why he thinks so. Venkata kavi's vidvat and bhakti fires his imagination which erupts into spontaneous verses of merit.His work is immense in number and is of high quality.

This one composition Sri rAma jayamE jayam is complete episodically of Rama's story and is pristine in its lyrical quality. Ravikiran brings in in Valmiki (Venkata KAvi's main source of inspiration), Tulasi and also Kamban. He takes time to spell out the lines here and there, so that they stand out in their splendor when you hear them--something we often miss, because the beautiful lines are not highlighted in a concert--not even a lecture at times.
With all his vidvat and missionary zeal, Ravikiran takes us rasikAs seriously and shares, rather than lecture to us.

His reference to popular notions about the Trinity too, is pertinent--as to how they are classified as lyrical, scholarly and so on, when their compositions show a blend of all those aspects.

A ray of sunshine Ravikiran truly is, in shedding light on the so called krishna bhaktA whose love for RAmA is so radiantly channeled into this rAma jayam of a work.

Thanks again!

[melam72]

The boy singing behind Ravikiran had a good voice and good swara jnanam too...

[sureshvv]

Appreciated many of his comments. Particular among them was how much of a disservice we do to the genius of these composers by elevating them to the "divine" status or attributing these godly attributes to them. What he didn't mention was how much of a discouragement it may be to potential new composers who may be drawn to the art form.

[Sivaramakrishnan]

Who are the boys on the key board and vocal support? They have obviously internalised the verses of Srirama jayame jayam as well as other compositions selected by Sri Ravikiran for the discourse. Excellent homework.
The Bhairavi segment is just exhilarating.
Congratulations Sri Ravikiran.
Rasikas applaud your tireless efforts in discovering the treasures in carnatic music.