Abhishek Raghuram @ SIFA SF Bay Area, Sep 7th, 2019

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iamsundar
Posts: 44
Joined: 24 Feb 2015, 00:08

Abhishek Raghuram @ SIFA SF Bay Area, Sep 7th, 2019

Post by iamsundar »

Abhishek Raghuram
H. N. Bhaskar
Bangalore Arjun Kumar

AR started off his US tour, registering a majestic outing at SIFA in SF Bay Area. I’d always enjoyed AR more when paired with Akkarai & Anantha, but H N Bhaskar and Arjun Kumar showed they are no less in matching Abhishek brilliance.

Natakurunji varnam (Chalamela) suffered a few interrupts due to audio issues, but AR set the tone for what’s to follow, with a melodious murali-gaanam - gAna sudhArasa pAna in Naatai and MDR’s thyAgaraja gurum AshrayE in Kedaram.

A few heavy-hitters in darbar, atAna and thodi characterized the mid-innings; mundu vEnuka (darbar), Anupama Guna (atAna) and the Lalgudi pacharatnam Gathi nEvani (thodi) could have all been main pieces, but Sree raghuvara (kambhoji) was the chosen one.

AR’s alapanas (esp. darbar) and the swara/laya jugglery were thoroughly enjoyable; no excesses, no roller-coasters, all measured performance. HN Bhaskar seemed to relish each and every nuance and gave befitting replies all through. Arjun’s accompaniment was quite seasoned and his thani very polished. His gumki prayogams embellished the music and the UKS-bhani heightened the tempo of the concert.

Thukadas in Kapi (sodhanai sumaikka), Shankarabharanam thillana and Suruti (athi theera) and an elaborate pavamAna wrapped up the concert.

Went home looking for more of his Shankarabharanam on youtube, while wondering if AR is the best of creative geniuses in the circuit today…

rajeshnat
Posts: 9907
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 08:04

Re: Abhishek Raghuram @ SIFA SF Bay Area, Sep 7th, 2019

Post by rajeshnat »

Iamsundar,
How long was the concert ? SIFA and SankritiLaya are the biggies , what happened to RTP. There is even a chance that Abhi would have exhausted close to 4 hours even in absence of RTP. By any chance was the tillana the famous poochi one in shankarabharanam popularized by his paramaguru semmangudi(starting with lines Naadhru dheem dheem tana ).

@Mahavishnu I am assuming you did attend the concert , your thoughts.

iamsundar
Posts: 44
Joined: 24 Feb 2015, 00:08

Re: Abhishek Raghuram @ SIFA SF Bay Area, Sep 7th, 2019

Post by iamsundar »

3.5+ hours concert; No RTP, perhaps Kambhoji could have been a RTP target. Suspect if AR was likely asking HN Bhaskar if he wanted to play the thaanam instead.

The Shankarabharanam Thillana wasn't Poochi's (Tha Thadim Thadeem Thanadeenana...).

rajeshnat
Posts: 9907
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 08:04

Re: Abhishek Raghuram @ SIFA SF Bay Area, Sep 7th, 2019

Post by rajeshnat »

iamsundar wrote: 10 Sep 2019, 00:24 3.5+ hours concert; No RTP

The Shankarabharanam Thillana wasn't Poochi's (Tha Thadim Thadeem Thanadeenana...).
O dear sankritilaya and sifas you are the apple and intel of carnatic music. 12.5 percent reduction in time ah no. Roughly a decade back in annanagar when abhi sang few phrases of alapana in sindhubhairavi some one in audience asked pallavi please ,Abhi looked at his grand aunt padmavathi and took another half an hour to sing a most memorable rtp in sindhubhairavi.

May i know from fellow forumites who is the composer of non insect shankarabharanam thillana.

i just saw the web that next day abhi had a LosAngeles concert. Hope some one can post . @ sindhuja were u there in LA.
Last edited by rajeshnat on 10 Sep 2019, 12:06, edited 1 time in total.

mahavishnu
Posts: 3341
Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 21:56

Re: Abhishek Raghuram @ SIFA SF Bay Area, Sep 7th, 2019

Post by mahavishnu »

The Sankarabharanam tillana was by the Tanjore Ponniah Pillai (of the quartet). This one: viewtopic.php?t=16750#p348389
and Suruti (athi theera) and an elaborate pavamAna wrapped up the concert.
The Surutti kriti was actually pathiki hAratirE; he started with the anupallavi line "ati mrdutara satva bhASaNanuki..."

rajeshnat
Posts: 9907
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 08:04

Re: Abhishek Raghuram @ SIFA SF Bay Area, Sep 7th, 2019

Post by rajeshnat »

@mahavishnu
It is 4 years atleast since you wrote about Abhishek concert
viewtopic.php?f=13&t=25388&hilit=abhishek
Looking at the song list that was put I usually have goosebumps when Abhishek sings KEdaram that too if it is a MD(?R) krithi. Would be nice if you write few paragraphs about this concert.

arasi
Posts: 16774
Joined: 22 Jun 2006, 09:30

Re: Abhishek Raghuram @ SIFA SF Bay Area, Sep 7th, 2019

Post by arasi »

"And they all fell at Sri Vishnu's feet to redress the balance", a mythological story would read :)
Rajesh, I agree with you. How we do relish his reviews!

mahavishnu
Posts: 3341
Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 21:56

Re: Abhishek Raghuram @ SIFA SF Bay Area, Sep 7th, 2019

Post by mahavishnu »

arasi wrote: 11 Sep 2019, 04:15 "And they all fell at Sri Vishnu's feet to redress the balance", a mythological story would read :)
Rajesh, I agree with you. How we do relish his reviews!
I am Vishnu in name only (VINO) :lol: :lol: :lol:
Will try to post some thoughts later. Thank you for all your kind words.

rajeshnat
Posts: 9907
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 08:04

Re: Abhishek Raghuram @ SIFA SF Bay Area, Sep 7th, 2019

Post by rajeshnat »

mahavishnu wrote: 11 Sep 2019, 04:50 I am Vishnu in name only (VINO) :lol: :lol: :lol:
Will try to post some thoughts later. Thank you for all your kind words.
@ mahavishnu

Suryaprakash wrote when Rashmi (Mrs YGP) passed away. THe lines that he wrote went deep in my psyche and I am copy and pasting it here from Facebook . He said "We all will miss the Grand Lady, beloved Rashmi amma (Mrs.YGP). Apex educationist, connoisseur, patron of arts, poet, orator par excellence, the list goes on.., she brought about a revolution. She brought the traditional classical arts, theatre and culture of India to the youth, made them relevant and even, I may say, fashionable to the modern generation, pioneering the efforts through her esteemed educational institutions."

As I read the above lines then , i was thinking about few near my house who are 10 to 15 years . I was also thinking you (mahavishnu), RKSK , VijaySiva, ManojSiva and then my mind raced to your next gen TNSK , Saketharaman, Abhishek and a bit later Sriranjani,ShreyaDevanath. I am not going overboard in telling what I felt then and I am not making it up .

It is time for you to write about this concert supporting your schools one of a kind vidwan/vidushi paying obesiance to (?y)our beloved Rashmi (Mrs YGP).

Ramesh- I cannot think anyone else other than you who can write more fashionable review to appeal to Abhishek's next modern generation . Note the key word is carnatic music review appearing " relevant and fashionable to the modern generation" awaiting your review mahavishnu.

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