Nagaswaram studio concert - up close & personal

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Sachi_R
Posts: 2174
Joined: 31 Jan 2017, 20:20

Nagaswaram studio concert - up close & personal

Post by Sachi_R »

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Congratulations to Lalitharam and Parivadini for debuting in Bengaluru with a stellar Nagaswaram concert. It was held in the Shaale studio.

When I went to the venue, my enthusiasm was a bit tempered. As Wodehouse said, my feelings were a bit like letting "I dare not" wait upon "I would". My fears were based on my acquaintance with Nagaswaram music in temples.
Would the music be too loud?
Would the alapanas and swaras go on interminably?
Would they be playing a type of Carnatic music very different from the kutcheries I have attended and enjoyed?

All my fears were magnificently squashed in the first one minute. As they began a rare varnam, what I heard was a very pure tonality i haven't associated with Nagaswaram thus far. The music wasn't loud. And the main artiste was playing such a sonorous, gamaka-filled, laya-precise, engaging, type of music, that it was an eye- and ear-opener. More so, mind-opener.
So once more, congrats to L & P.

The song list:
Varnam - Raga Indhirai
Gam Ganapathe - Hamsadhwani
Akhilandeswari- Dwajavanti
Kediliyan - Kalyani
Sarasa Sama - kapi narayani
Elara- kamboji
Gunijanadi - gurjari
Rtp - keeravani, Tisra triputa
Thani
Mira bhajan - yaman
Muruganin - film song played by ramanathan ‘s father
Tillana - desh
Tiruppugazh - hamsanandi
Madhyamavati

The first song in Indhirai was a varnam composed by Sri. Ramanathan's father. It was very nice.

The Hamsadhwani song was rendered with great verve. The raga shines when a musician hits pure notes. This was the case.

The Akhilandeshwari was fabulous. Even a big name vocalist wouldn't easily create such a mood. What a song indeed.

There was then a really beautiful Kalyani. It was a pure classic. The composition is by one Nagaswara maha vidwan. Anyone could mistake it for a rare Thyagaraja song.

Sarasa Sama Dana had a different flavour from the MMI school, but sounded good.

Kambhoji was launched magnificently. The very opening was in top Sa. The song that followed was a haunting Thyagaraja song. Elara, addressed to Krishna. May be in the interest of time, no niraval or swaras were offered.


I couldn't fathom the Gurjari song.

Kiravani RTP was the main piece. Big raga build-up. Long straight notes. Two nagaswarams engaging in tonal play to showcase the raga. They covered two and half octaves. Touched the Mandra Sa.

I can say I haven't heard this quality of nagaswaram sound ever. May be I am ignorant. But if they can play like this, hats off.

The tavils were brilliant. They had two different timbres and playing styles. The younger player on the left played a lot of gumkis. Great embellishments of sangatis.

I request Gardhaba_gana and Lalitharam to add their erudite comments

Finally, let me say you're lucky. You can catch The entire concert here! Click the pic. (it will take you to the Youtube archive of the concert which was livestreamed)

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Last edited by Sachi_R on 15 Sep 2019, 11:29, edited 2 times in total.

rajeshnat
Posts: 9906
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 08:04

Re: Nagaswaram studio concert - up close & personal

Post by rajeshnat »

nagaswaram : tpn ramanathan and yuvaraj
tavil : balashankar and manikandan

rajeshnat
Posts: 9906
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 08:04

Re: Nagaswaram studio concert - up close & personal

Post by rajeshnat »

lalitharam
what is this raga indhirai. any resemblance to other ragas.

parivadini
Posts: 1190
Joined: 22 Oct 2013, 22:44

Re: Nagaswaram studio concert - up close & personal

Post by parivadini »

Rajesh: Indhirai raga is a four note raga (like the ones popularized by BMK),

Arohanam: S G2 P N2 S
Avarohanam: S N2 P G2 S

It is sumanesaranjani without Madhyamam.

The Varnam is a composition of Dharmapuram Govindaraja Pillai.

Thank you Sachi for the instant yet a detailed review! Lucky are those who attended the concert yesterday.

Sivaramakrishnan
Posts: 1582
Joined: 02 Jan 2010, 08:29

Re: Nagaswaram studio concert - up close & personal

Post by Sivaramakrishnan »

parivadini,
Glad to note about your 'Nagaswaram initiatives' in Bangalore.
Could you please arrange to post a link to the concert herein?

rajeshnat
Posts: 9906
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 08:04

Re: Nagaswaram studio concert - up close & personal

Post by rajeshnat »

parivadini wrote: 15 Sep 2019, 10:42 Rajesh: Indhirai raga is a four note raga (like the ones popularized by BMK),

Arohanam: S G2 P N2 S
Avarohanam: S N2 P G2 S

It is sumanesaranjani without Madhyamam.

The Varnam is a composition of Dharmapuram Govindaraja Pillai.

Thank you Sachi for the instant yet a detailed review! Lucky are those who attended the concert yesterday.
I love the emote haunt of sumanesaranjani without the core madhyama may be it is still only slightly less haunting , looking forward to hear indirai.?

Sachi says Ramanathan father is the composer, You say Dhamapuram Govindaraja pillai is the composer but the surname of Ramanathan is T P N as per invite. How can i extrapolate Dharmapuram Govindaraja pillai to initials T P N, even if I erroneously extrapolate T as (T?D)harmapuram.

Sachi_R
Posts: 2174
Joined: 31 Jan 2017, 20:20

Re: Nagaswaram studio concert - up close & personal

Post by Sachi_R »

Youtube link for the concert:
https://youtu.be/n9ZDmkV0VE4

parivadini
Posts: 1190
Joined: 22 Oct 2013, 22:44

Re: Nagaswaram studio concert - up close & personal

Post by parivadini »

rajeshnat wrote: 15 Sep 2019, 11:31
parivadini wrote: 15 Sep 2019, 10:42 Rajesh: Indhirai raga is a four note raga (like the ones popularized by BMK),

Arohanam: S G2 P N2 S
Avarohanam: S N2 P G2 S

It is sumanesaranjani without Madhyamam.

The Varnam is a composition of Dharmapuram Govindaraja Pillai.

Thank you Sachi for the instant yet a detailed review! Lucky are those who attended the concert yesterday.
I love the emote haunt of sumanesaranjani without the core madhyama may be it is still only slightly less haunting , looking forward to hear indirai.?

Sachi says Ramanathan father is the composer, You say Dhamapuram Govindaraja pillai is the composer but the surname of Ramanathan is T P N as per invite. How can i extrapolate Dharmapuram Govindaraja pillai to initials T P N, even if I erroneously extrapolate T as (T?D)harmapuram.
Rajesh: the Varnam is not a composition of Ramanathan's father Thirumeignanam Natarajasundaram Pillai.

Sachi_R
Posts: 2174
Joined: 31 Jan 2017, 20:20

Re: Nagaswaram studio concert - up close & personal

Post by Sachi_R »

Ok, my misunderstanding. Sorry.

gardabha_gana
Posts: 1033
Joined: 24 Dec 2006, 07:44

Re: Nagaswaram studio concert - up close & personal

Post by gardabha_gana »

What a superb concert it was! Kudos to Parivadini, Ram and Shaale for hosting this traditional instrument that was played in all its glory by the Vidwans Tirumeignanam Ramanathan and Pandamangalam Yuvaraj, with superb thavil by Kattimedu Balashankar and Idumbhavanam Manikandan. Nagaswaram when played well, transports you to a different world and indeed we were. We were treated to rare varnam in a rare ragam, the kalyani krithi too was beautiful and not heard before (by me). Khamboji, Keeravani and Kalyani were played in detail. I wish we had swarams in Khamboji - probably dropped couple of smaller songs if time was a challenge. Akhilandeswari was top class. The ragamalika swarams in the RTP transitioned so well... when I was hearing the the Keeravani - was wondering if they should have played a Mallari too! Lucky were the few who came to the concert.... I wish there were more of them.

gardabha_gana
Posts: 1033
Joined: 24 Dec 2006, 07:44

Re: Nagaswaram studio concert - up close & personal

Post by gardabha_gana »

What a superb concert it was! Kudos to Parivadini, Ram and Shaale for hosting this traditional instrument that was played in all its glory by the Vidwans Tirumeignanam Ramanathan and Pandamangalam Yuvaraj, with superb thavil by Kattimedu Balashankar and Idumbhavanam Manikandan. Nagaswaram when played well, transports you to a different world and indeed we were. We were treated to rare varnam in a rare ragam, the kalyani krithi too was beautiful and not heard before (by me). Khamboji, Keeravani and Kalyani were played in detail. I wish we had swarams in Khamboji - probably dropped couple of smaller songs if time was a challenge. Akhilandeswari was top class. The ragamalika swarams in the RTP transitioned so well... when I was hearing the the Keeravani - was wondering if they should have played a Mallari too! Lucky were the few who came to the concert.... I wish there were more of them.

shankarank
Posts: 4042
Joined: 15 Jun 2009, 07:16

Re: Nagaswaram studio concert - up close & personal

Post by shankarank »

I listened to the vaRNam and two other items - AkhilANDESvari included. I cannot believe the tavil flows like what it does! Even as it provides that refreshing feel, it is somewhat shocking to hear it. A texture that is unique and hard to produce in another percussion. The online stream has sound issues. But then I could take whatever from time dimension and reconstruct ;) :lol:

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