RAMAKRISHNAN MURTHY IN ARKAY- 4 FEB 2018

Review the latest concerts you have listened to.
Post Reply
CRama
Posts: 2939
Joined: 18 Nov 2009, 16:58

RAMAKRISHNAN MURTHY IN ARKAY- 4 FEB 2018

Post by CRama »

along with-
S.Varadarajan- Violin
Trichy Sankaran-Mridangam
K.V.Gopalakrishnan-Ganjira.
List of songs.
• Tamasinchuka- Varnam-Asaveri-PSI
• Samajavarada-Sudhasaveri- Poochi Srinivasa Iyengar (S)
• Etulabrotuvo-Chakravakam-T (R,S)
• Samajavaragamana-Hindolam –T (R,N)
• RTP_Kalyani- Adi-2 kalai. Ateeta eduppu
• Pallavi-Un darisanam Kidaikkumo Nataraja Dayanidhe
Ragamalika swarams
Kambodi, Bhairavi, Sankarabharanam, Thodi, Nata, Gowla, Varali, Sree, Neelambari, Bhowli, Kapi, Behag, Revati, Suruti.
• Tani
• Chidambaram ena manam kaninthida-Kalyani-Papanasam Sivan
• Vame bhoomi sutha- slokam-Sindubhairavi.
• Ramanai taruvay- Sindubhairavi-Arunachala kavi rayar


Music is slowly picking up in Chennai after the Season. Quite surprisingly, this was a ticketed concert. Very reasonable- Rs 200 and Rs.100. However, the hall gradually became Housefull once the concert started at 6.15 P.M. RKM-Trichy Sankaran is a wonderful combination which created waves in Mudhra. Added to that, S.Varadarajan and KVG- Result a Wonderful concert.

After the spright varnam in Asaveri- popularised by DKP-DKJ- a not commonly heard one, the Samajavarada a KVN number was rendered with the brisk kalapramanam it deserved and was ornamented a few bouts of kalpana swaram. Next came a chaste alapana of Chakravakam for the kriti Etulabrotuvo of the bard of Tiruvayyar. The song was rendered well and measured swara prastaram at the pallavi. Next RKM started the Hindolam alapana. I felt happy because I never heard any Hindolam during the season. It was started in a methodical manner suitable for a 5 minute alapana. But my happiness was short lived. Just after two minutes, he seamlessly launched into the Samajavaragamana kriti. I felt his inner voice yelled- Porunda ragam padinadu!!. There was an elaborate neraval at Yadavakula muraleee vadana. When the neraval became lengthy I sensed that he will be skipping swaram, conforming to the present day trend.

The main was the RTP in Kalyani. The raga was unfolded with sensitivity, palnning and imagination weaving sancharams around the vantage points and in a combination of leisurely and vibrancy moods with the right blend of gamakams, jarus and brighas and long akara phrases reflecting abundant raga bhavam and the much needed sowkhyam. The ragam and tanam including violin segment took 36 minutes. The tanam had very innovative patterns and the crowd lavishly showered their appreciation. The pallavi is an age old pallavi handled by all the stalwarts of the Golden era of music. The pallavi, neraval, trikalam all bore testimony to the vidwath, practice and acumen of the young vidwan. The pallavi was later converted to one kalai and brisk ragamalika swarams added towering beauty to the entire exercise. The entire RTP (excluding Tani) took 52 minutes.
After the tani, the Kalyani kriti was new to me. The slokam in Sindubhairavi was deeply emotive and the kriti continued in the same mood.

But to me, it felt that except the pallavi, everything was rationed. A few more rounds of swaram for Etula brotuvo and a complete alapana of Hindolam or a few rounds of swaram at Yadva kula muralee would have made this concert a kalyana sappadu. I have to go for a kalyanam to get that sappadu. I missed Aiswarya’s kalyana sappadu also.

S.Varadarajan, with his long experience, gusto and sharpness, made his alapanas of Chakravakam and Kalyani a highly memorable one for sheer manodharmam and his lively thick and thin shades. His tanam and swara returns also got many rounds of applause.

Trichy Sankaran – whenever he happens to be part of any concert, the worth of the concert is increased manyfold just by his mridangam quality. He has a powerful stroke matched by speed and sensitivity which has been developed over the decades. The clarity of strokes, the dexterity, the variety of sollus employed, the patterns he creates in the Mridangam, the way he fills up the pauses during the kritis, his anticipation- all creates magic in the hall and elevates the concert to sky high. K.V.Gopalakrishnan partnered with Sankaran with high energy and imagination and the 25 minutes tani received many rounds of applause and also a standing ovation at the end of the tani. I don’t know whether this has happened elsewhere. I had never seen.

Notwithstanding my laments for kalyana sappadu, this was an excellent concert for two and half hours.
Last edited by CRama on 05 Feb 2018, 18:43, edited 2 times in total.

HarishankarK
Posts: 2216
Joined: 27 Oct 2007, 11:55

Re: RAMAKRISHNAN MURTHY IN ARKAY- 4 FEB 2018

Post by HarishankarK »

The Chidambaram song is by Papanasam Sivan

CRama
Posts: 2939
Joined: 18 Nov 2009, 16:58

Re: RAMAKRISHNAN MURTHY IN ARKAY- 4 FEB 2018

Post by CRama »

Harisankar, Thanks for correcting me. I have now corrected my main post. Some young sangita vidushi near me told me it is of Muthu tandavar.

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

Re: RAMAKRISHNAN MURTHY IN ARKAY- 4 FEB 2018

Post by Sachi_R »

CRama,
Thank you.
There are two names mentioned for Khanjira. Who played here?

CRama
Posts: 2939
Joined: 18 Nov 2009, 16:58

Re: RAMAKRISHNAN MURTHY IN ARKAY- 4 FEB 2018

Post by CRama »

Again sorry. It was K.V.Gopalakrishnan. Nerundram Sankar played in a concert I attended day before yesterday. Hence confused. Corrected main post.

sureshvv
Posts: 5523
Joined: 05 Jul 2007, 18:17

Re: RAMAKRISHNAN MURTHY IN ARKAY- 4 FEB 2018

Post by sureshvv »

Nice review! Dream team of accompanists.

Varadu's talent showed in plenty! I was floored by how he presented the ragas in well rounded form during the ragamalika swara section of the RTP (each lasting 1 avartana in 1 kalai IIRC).

CRama
Posts: 2939
Joined: 18 Nov 2009, 16:58

Re: RAMAKRISHNAN MURTHY IN ARKAY- 4 FEB 2018

Post by CRama »

sureshvv wrote: 05 Feb 2018, 21:43 during the ragamalika swara section of the RTP (each lasting 1 avartana in 1 kalai IIRC).
It was so fast gushing- one after another- even difficult to identify. Yes. it was half avartanam vocal and half avartanam violin.

MaheshS
Posts: 1186
Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 22:36

Re: RAMAKRISHNAN MURTHY IN ARKAY- 4 FEB 2018

Post by MaheshS »

I can't see this in Arkay's YouTube feed, guess it for live listeners only or will it be available in future?

CRama
Posts: 2939
Joined: 18 Nov 2009, 16:58

Re: RAMAKRISHNAN MURTHY IN ARKAY- 4 FEB 2018

Post by CRama »

It was a ticketed concert. Hence it wont be uploaded in you tube. That is my gut feeling.

MaheshS
Posts: 1186
Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 22:36

Re: RAMAKRISHNAN MURTHY IN ARKAY- 4 FEB 2018

Post by MaheshS »

CRama wrote: 05 Feb 2018, 22:09 It was a ticketed concert. Hence it wont be uploaded in you tube. That is my gut feeling.
Ahh OK OK, thanks. Didn't realise it was a ticketed concert, fair enough.

sureshvv
Posts: 5523
Joined: 05 Jul 2007, 18:17

Re: RAMAKRISHNAN MURTHY IN ARKAY- 4 FEB 2018

Post by sureshvv »

HarishankarK wrote: 05 Feb 2018, 17:21 The Chidambaram song is by Papanasam Sivan
Could have been from a movie. Sanjay sang it just a couple of days before in Nanganallur! Varadu was there too.

ram1999
Posts: 534
Joined: 26 Nov 2015, 17:20

Re: RAMAKRISHNAN MURTHY IN ARKAY- 4 FEB 2018

Post by ram1999 »

CRama wrote: 05 Feb 2018, 17:00

But to me, it felt that except the pallavi, everything was rationed. A few more rounds of swaram for Etula brotuvo and a complete alapana of Hindolam or a few rounds of swaram at Yadva kula muralee would have made this concert a kalyana sappadu. I have to go for a kalyanam to get that sappadu. I missed Aiswarya’s kalyana sappadu also.
"everything was rationed"

Measured / the right proportion would be more appropriate, I guess :)
anything that is excessive becomes a rigmarole !! That was the speciality of Somu, Ramnad, Voleti, Ariyakudi - A highly measured raga alapana, nereval and swarams. RKM perhaps follows the footsteps of those greats !!
A lovely artist of the current generation..

HarishankarK
Posts: 2216
Joined: 27 Oct 2007, 11:55

Re: RAMAKRISHNAN MURTHY IN ARKAY- 4 FEB 2018

Post by HarishankarK »

sureshvv wrote: 06 Feb 2018, 09:27
HarishankarK wrote: 05 Feb 2018, 17:21 The Chidambaram song is by Papanasam Sivan
Could have been from a movie. Sanjay sang it just a couple of days before in Nanganallur! Varadu was there too.
Not sure - I think its one of the less popular carnatic song of Sivan vaal

sureshvv
Posts: 5523
Joined: 05 Jul 2007, 18:17

Re: RAMAKRISHNAN MURTHY IN ARKAY- 4 FEB 2018

Post by sureshvv »

CRama wrote: 05 Feb 2018, 17:00 "everything was rationed"
Could be partly because of the massive RTP which itself was probably in deference to Sankaran Sir.

CRama
Posts: 2939
Joined: 18 Nov 2009, 16:58

Re: RAMAKRISHNAN MURTHY IN ARKAY- 4 FEB 2018

Post by CRama »

Agree with Suresh.

Venkat Ramachandran
Posts: 72
Joined: 05 Feb 2015, 16:47

Re: RAMAKRISHNAN MURTHY IN ARKAY- 4 FEB 2018

Post by Venkat Ramachandran »

The concert is uploaded in YT by Arkay today!!!

K Nagarajan
Posts: 138
Joined: 09 Jul 2015, 22:19

Re: RAMAKRISHNAN MURTHY IN ARKAY- 4 FEB 2018

Post by K Nagarajan »

Thanks CRama ji for the review.
'Chidambaram' in kalyANi has been sung by Sri Ariyakkudi and Sri Madurai Mani in concerts and is available in sangeethapriya.

ram1999
Posts: 534
Joined: 26 Nov 2015, 17:20

Re: RAMAKRISHNAN MURTHY IN ARKAY- 4 FEB 2018

Post by ram1999 »

CRama wrote: 05 Feb 2018, 22:09 It was a ticketed concert. Hence it wont be uploaded in you tube. That is my gut feeling.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K21iAb6 ... GSqLJUPb_0
There is a Part 2 which is of approx 1/2 hour

Post Reply