Thamarakad Govindan Nambhoothri-S Varadarajan - Sherthalai Ananthakrishnan - H.Sivaramakrishnan. (Nadha Inbam - 25072019

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ram1999
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Joined: 26 Nov 2015, 17:20

Thamarakad Govindan Nambhoothri-S Varadarajan - Sherthalai Ananthakrishnan - H.Sivaramakrishnan. (Nadha Inbam - 25072019

Post by ram1999 »

This is a treat. music sans frills and theatrics that brings in a meditative mood. Sri ragam varnam sung soulfully, the mayamalavagowla sets the tone for this amazingly beautiful concert. I would rate this to the mayamalawagowla sung by Tadepalli Lokanatha Concert years ago in a concert organised by dear Kulkarni under his rasikas banner (a 55 mins exposition over a 2 1/2 hour concert and Lalgudi Vijayalakshmi providing a brilliant support). Another masterpiece is the bhairavi swarajathi of Shyama Sastry.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=do8ONXNRISw

rbharath
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Re: Thamarakad Govindan Nambhoothri-S Varadarajan - Sherthalai Ananthakrishnan - H.Sivaramakrishnan. (Nadha Inbam - 2507

Post by rbharath »

the main harikAmbhOji (enduku nirdaya) was just too good.

CRama
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Re: Thamarakad Govindan Nambhoothri-S Varadarajan - Sherthalai Ananthakrishnan - H.Sivaramakrishnan. (Nadha Inbam - 2507

Post by CRama »

GOVINDAN NAMBOOTHIRI AT RAGASUDHA HALL- 25/7/19
Semmangudi Sreenivasa Iyer 111th birthday remembrance concert
Accompanists.
S. Varadarajan- Violin
Shertalai Ananthakrishnan- Mridangam.
H.Sivaramakrishnan- Ghatam
List of songs.
• Varnam- Sree.
• Merusamaana- Mayamalavagowla- T (R,S)
• Vaageeswari Varade- Bhooshavali- Maavelikkara Prabhakara Varma
• Kamakshi Amba- Swarajati- Bhairavi- SS (R,S)
• Seve sree kaantham- Mohanakalyani ST (R,N,S)
• Enduku nirdaya- Harikambodi- T (R,S)
• Thani
• Pankajaakshanaam Ramesan- Thodi- ST
• Ganesakumara- Chenjuruti- MD
• Madhyamavathy ra
ga outline.

Thamarakadu Govindan Namboothiri, disciple of Mavelikkara Prabhakara Varma of Kerala, has already acquired a name for his offering of pristine Carnatic music in his concerts, without any eye on winning thunderous applause of the serious rasikas of Carnatic music.

Starting the concert with the Sree raga varnam in a sedative manner, he proceeded to give unadulterated pure music which had abundant, sruti sudham, sahithya sudham, raga bhavam and manodharmam taking special care to avoid improper splitting of words. An instance could be Maha Merusamana in the Mayamalavagowla kriti. In the concert he presented four ragams – Mayamalavagowla, Bhairavi, Mohanakalyani and Harikambodi which were replete with raga bhavam. The Mayamalavagowla alapana was very elaborate in a step by step manner. The alapana of Bhairavi started from Mel shadjam and had a somewhat different format. Mohana kalyani revealed herself in the opening phrased itself devoid of any hide and seek with Kalyani or Mohanam. The alapana of Harikambodi was also elaborate with the characteristic phrases. There was a meditative element in his alapanas. Govindan Namboodiri followed a uniform kalapramanam for the alapanas- never indulging in faster phrases during the alapana.

The kritis were rendered following the SSI patantharam and it was most appropriate considering that the concert coincided with the 111th birthday of the late Doyen. The favourite ragams and kritis of SSI found centre space in the concert. Govindan Namboodiri presented the monumental Bhairavi swarajati in unique pattern. For the kalpana swarams he ended each avartanam landing on swaram of each of the charanams. After reaching the mel shadjam, while coming in the reverse, the kalpana swarams landed on the sahithyam of each of the charanams. It was a very intelligent way of presentation reflective of his hard work. A worthy innovation within the format of the Carnatic kutcheri sampradayam. Earlier, he presented a rare composition of his Guru Mavelikkara Prabhakara Varma in the ragam Bhooshavali. The kriti had a nice varnamettu. Prabhakara Varma is very famous teacher known for tuning the kritis of Tulasivanam. But I had never heard his compositions. This song had Prabhakara as the mudra.

Neraval on the lines Syanandoorapuraamala deepam in the kriti Seve Sreekaantham and following kalpana swarams were refreshing.

Elaborate sarva laghu swaras in the main kriti Enduku nirdaya was ample proof of his manodharmam. In all the kritis he eschewed kanakku or any type of pre rehearsed korvais to win applause. But applause poured heavily on its own. Pankajaakshanaam Ramesan is Utsavaprabandham for the second day of the Utsavam in the Padmanabhaswamy temple. It is a very nice kriti in Thodi given life by KVN and Dr. S.Ramanathan which Govindan Nambodiri rendered very soulfully.

Govindan Namboodiri could not have bargained for better pakkavadyams. S. Varadarajan embellished the concert skilfully with his raga alapanas and swara returns following the main artist like a shadow but revealing his manodharmam at appropriate places. Shertalai Ananthakrishnan on the Mridangam and H. Sivaramakrishnan on the Ghatam played very supportively with their anticipation and understanding. The thani was much enjoyed by the audience. The two and half hour concert will be etched in the memory for long.

ram1999
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Re: Thamarakad Govindan Nambhoothri-S Varadarajan - Sherthalai Ananthakrishnan - H.Sivaramakrishnan. (Nadha Inbam - 2507

Post by ram1999 »

Varadarajan is the perfect violinist for musicians like Thamarakad, Malladi Siri Babu etc. he follows them like a shadow and adds sheen to the free flowing music. In fact in the Malladi Siri Babu’s concert for Ramnad krishnan’s Centenary celebrations, he refused to play the violin raga alapana after sri Suri Babu completes the alapana (the 2nd major raga) stating he didn’t want to interrupt the free flowing music by him playing. Ganapathy Raman also refuses to play the Thani saying that the meditative mood has been set and he didn’t want to intrude. He was forced to play. What a brilliant concert that was !!

nadhasudha
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Re: Thamarakad Govindan Nambhoothri-S Varadarajan - Sherthalai Ananthakrishnan - H.Sivaramakrishnan. (Nadha Inbam - 2507

Post by nadhasudha »

CRama wrote: 26 Jul 2019, 17:12 GOVINDAN NAMBOOTHIRI AT RAGASUDHA HALL- 25/7/19
Govindan Namboodiri presented the monumental Bhairavi swarajati in unique pattern. For the kalpana swarams he ended each avartanam landing on swaram of each of the charanams. After reaching the mel shadjam, while coming in the reverse, the kalpana swarams landed on the sahithyam of each of the charanams. It was a very intelligent way of presentation reflective of his hard work. A worthy innovation within the format of the Carnatic kutcheri sampradayam.
This is indeed an intelligent innovation and fits in with the overall melodic aesthetics of the composition. Shyama Shastri has composed the Masterpiece swarajathi to have each Charanam start on the swaras of Bhairavi in the arohana. So Kundaradana starts in S, Kambu starts in R and so on until Shyama krishna starts in Mel Shadjam. Very thoughtful of this vidwan to have sung Kalpana swarams landing on the Swaram on the ascent and on the sahithyam on the descent thereby highlighting the aesthetics of the composition!


Incidentally I have also come across a Thyagaraja composition which has multiple Charanam with each Charanam starting on the Swaras of the Shankarabharanam. First Charanam in S, second in R and so on. The song is called Shambho Shiva and is in Shankarabharanam.

CRama
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Re: Thamarakad Govindan Nambhoothri-S Varadarajan - Sherthalai Ananthakrishnan - H.Sivaramakrishnan. (Nadha Inbam - 2507

Post by CRama »

nadhasudha wrote: 26 Jul 2019, 22:26
CRama wrote: 26 Jul 2019, 17:12 GOVINDAN NAMBOOTHIRI AT RAGASUDHA HALL- 25/7/19
Govindan Namboodiri presented the monumental Bhairavi swarajati in unique pattern. For the kalpana swarams he ended each avartanam landing on swaram of each of the charanams. After reaching the mel shadjam, while coming in the reverse, the kalpana swarams landed on the sahithyam of each of the charanams. It was a very intelligent way of presentation reflective of his hard work. A worthy innovation within the format of the Carnatic kutcheri sampradayam.
Incidentally I have also come across a Thyagaraja composition which has multiple Charanam with each Charanam starting on the Swaras of the Shankarabharanam. First Charanam in S, second in R and so on. The song is called Shambho Shiva and is in Shankarabharanam.
A news to me. Never heard this song. WElcome audio link if available. Why nobody is singing this composition.


CRama
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Joined: 18 Nov 2009, 16:58

Re: Thamarakad Govindan Nambhoothri-S Varadarajan - Sherthalai Ananthakrishnan - H.Sivaramakrishnan. (Nadha Inbam - 2507

Post by CRama »

Enjoyed the song. Never heard this earlier. Thanks.

Dilettante
Posts: 8
Joined: 20 Mar 2006, 05:27

Re: Thamarakad Govindan Nambhoothri-S Varadarajan - Sherthalai Ananthakrishnan - H.Sivaramakrishnan. (Nadha Inbam - 2507

Post by Dilettante »

Thank you for highlighting this amazing concert and this vidwan. I have listened to the Mayamalavagowla repeatedly. The sowkhyam that shines through in his singing reminds me very much of a couple of other famous vidwans from Kerala - the musical output is tranquil, unhurried, unpretentious but yet absolutely satisfying.

PS 1 - In a really selfish way, am almost glad that artists like him are not in the limelight - it lets us enjoy music that pays true homage to the composition and the art form, rather than music that showcases the virtuosity of the individual artist.

PS 2 - +1 on post #4 on Varadarajan. He simply elevates every concert he is a part of.

rbharath
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Joined: 05 Feb 2010, 10:50

Re: Thamarakad Govindan Nambhoothri-S Varadarajan - Sherthalai Ananthakrishnan - H.Sivaramakrishnan. (Nadha Inbam - 2507

Post by rbharath »

another aspect to be highlighted about the kalpana swarams that were sung for bhairavi svarajati is that when he sang swarams to land on a particular note, he did not wander into svarams above the landing note in the octave. That is, say, when he sang svarams landing in ma, only prayogams containing swarams upto ma in the octave were sung. he did not sing any pa, da containing prayogams. similarly, when singing svarams to each of the sahityam line, only prayogams with svarams upto that landing note, from the tharasthayi were used. very intelligent and intellectual, and yet a pleasing presentation.

the bhairavi and harikambhoji were both very very touching and wonderful.

gardabha_gana
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Re: Thamarakad Govindan Nambhoothri-S Varadarajan - Sherthalai Ananthakrishnan - H.Sivaramakrishnan. (Nadha Inbam - 2507

Post by gardabha_gana »

A superb concert indeed. I just loved it especially the bhairavi and HK. Never heard or heard of him before.....Thanks to parivadini for telecasting such gems. Many namaskarams to the vidwan and the accompanying artists!

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