Dr. Pantula Rama at University of Notre Dame, Indiana - 2nd October 2018

[jinija]

Vocal: Vidushi Dr. Pantula Rama

Violin: Vidwan Sri MSN Murthy

Mridangam: Vidwan Sri Kotipalli Ramesh


Song list and notes:

1. Vatapi ganapathim - raga outline - chittai swaram - swaram

2. Seethamma mayamma - raga outline - swaram

3. Mara jananim ashraye - Natakapriya - alapana - swaram - NC Krishnamacharyulu

4. Devadi deva sadasiva - Sindhu Ramakriya - Tyagaraja

5. RTP - Behag - smarajanaka shubhacharitha padmanabha jagannuta - Misra chapu - ragamalika swaram in nalinakanthi, vaasanthi and varamu - thani avarthanam.

6. Ehi murare kunjavihare - Jayadeva ashtapadi

7. Vaishnava janatho

8. English note - Muthiah Bhagavathar

9. Thillana - Brindavani - BMK

10. Pavamana - Mangalam (sung with all charanams).


Report:

There was a lot of anticipation for this concert in South Bend, especially in the light of the amazing concert delivered by Dr. Pantula Rama at the Chicago Tyagaraja Utsavam. She started her concert with Vatapi ganapathim, which was followed by a brief round of swarams. Notably, Vatapi ganapathim was rendered with chittai swarams. A succinct outline of Vasantha followed, and the kriti Seethamma Mayamma was rendered, once again with swarams at the pallavi line. Dr. Pantula Rama then rendered an exquisite Natakapriya with several unusual phrases, and suitably followed it up with the rare krithi Mara jananim ashraye, composed by Sri. NC Krishnamacharyulu. This is the first time I have heard this beautifully poetic composition - apparently, I have rasaali to thank for requesting this piece! The piece was rendered with elaborate swarams in two kalams and a kuraippu. A brisk Devadi deva (sindhu ramakriya) set the tone for the main piece of the day, which was an RTP in Behag. The raga alapana for Behag was the highlight of the concert, with several subtle and aesthetic phrases. The tanam was performed in a pleasant madhyama kalam. The pallavi was set to misra chapu thalam and decorated with ragamalika swarams in nalinakanthi, vaasanthi and varamu. Sri K. Ramesh played a brief but highly effective thani avarthanam for the pallavi. In the post-main section, the Jayadeva ashtapadi Ehi murare was very tastefully rendered, as was Vaishnava janato (the concert being on the day of Gandhi Jayanthi). The concert concluded with brisk renditions of the English Note and the BMK thillana in Brindavani. Overall, the concert was notable for Dr. Pantula Rama's measured and refined delivery, highlighting the very core of every raga that was chosen. The response from the violinist Sri. MSN Murthy was notable for his aesthetic brevity and the beautiful tonal quality he maintained throughout the concert. The Mridangam artiste Sri K. Ramesh enhanced the overall tone of the concert with his subtle and unobtrusive playing.

Thanks to meenaakshi for bringing these wonderful artists to our small town - look forward to your photos of the event!
Also hope to hear more from rasaali..

[rajeshnat]

5. RTP - Behag - smarajanaka shubhacharitha padmanabha jagannuta - Misra chapu - ragamalika swaram in nalinakanthi, vaasanthi and varamu - thani avarthanam.


Thanks to meenaakshi for bringing these wonderful artists to our small town - look forward to your photos of the event!
Also hope to hear more from rasaali..

Jinija,
Behag as RTP is a great choice . There are records of abhishek and sanjay floating that i heard. I think in live for the first time i think i heard TVS singing . In the recent monthh R Satishkumar (MSG disciple)played behag RTP in nageswaran house. I think the challenge in presenting Behag as RTP is to not bend it too much into North ,see how much you can southbend behag.I am assuming you are sivaranjani. Dont blame me if i have revealed your identity the host meenakshi told that in another post.

Rasaali,
Must have heard a lot of MSG behag sangathis as shri MSG has also played behag or may be TK jayarama Iyer vadhya vrinda behag recordings . The suspense of whether behag really bent south in SouthBend is awaited to be resolved by once Delhi based vidwan who learnt violin from South bent Dakshinamoorthy Pillai.

Meenakshi,
The name meenakshi for many many years I used to think that it is only a south indian name , but bit later as i grew up knew even north indians have the name meenakshi . Possibly behag as RTP was quite apt as you were the host. Keep up the great show. I am assuming the concert was just for 2 hours.NotraDame can bend either north or south, but in time it can bend bit more.

[meenaakshi]

Thanks jinija for your lovely review.
"Possibly behag as RTP was quite apt as you were the host"
rajeshnat, I am from the deepest part of the South

Here are some pics:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/oUEMs46HRAHuxMsg6

[rajeshnat]

Meenakshi,
Thanks for your photographs . I was only thinking the name Meenakshi can mean both North and South ,just like behAg. Vageyakkara arasi is very very proud of your roots. On 2nd October when I attended amritha murali concert in EastBend Mylapore,India when some one asked vaishnava janatho, amritha smiled and said she will sing another number on gandhiji and said she is not prepared to sing vaishnavo janatho. Somewhere in the WestBend world we still hear in NotreDame,Indiana a vaishnava janato on October 02nd .Carnatic Music is bending in all four directions.

We will still wait for the aparadhamula jury (rasaali)to know whether behag really did ever have a southbend.

[CRama]

Meenakshi, Thanks for the wonderful pictures.

[cienu]

Excellent pictures from a passionate photographer.
Thank you Meenaakshi

[bilahari]

Thank you, Meenakshi, for your lovely photographs, as always.