OST at Hyderabad on 24-1-2007

mridhangam · Post by **mridhangam** » 26 Jan 2007, 20:16

O.S.Thiyagarajan, Vittal Ramamurthy, Mannarkoil J Balaji and Ravikrishnan

List : 01-Varnam-Sahana-Adi-Tiruvottiyur Tyagarajar
02-Evarani-Devamrutavarshini-Adi-Tyagaraja
03-Enduku Nirdaya-Harikamboji-Adi-Tyagaraja
04-Aparama Bhaktiyanto-Pantuvarali-Rupakam-Tyagaraja
05-Nee dayarada-Vasantabhairavi-Rupakam-Tyagaraja
06-Hecharika ga-Yadukulakamboji-Khanda Ekam-Tyagaraja
07-Mitribhagyame-Karaharapriya-Adi-Tyagaraja
08-Eppovaruvaro-Adi-Jonpuri-Gopalakrishna Bharathy
09-Hanumanai Anudinam-Ragamalika-Khandachaapu
10-Pahirama Doota jaga-Vasanta Varali-Rupakam-Tyagaraja
11-Mangalam

Veteran O.S.Tyagarajan sang a 2 1/2 hour concert for the Chandrasekara Educational Society's 8th Year Tyagaraja Festival at Keyes High School, Hyderabad on 24 Jan 2007 to a packed audience. Starting with Sahana Varnam, he briskly sang Evarani and Enduku Nirdaya with swarams in Enduku Nirdaya. Following the Ariyakudi Baani he didnt leave gap for the next song and sang Aparama Bhaktiyanto in Pantuvarali. As per a request of a Rasika he elaborated Vasanta Bhairavi with excellent phrases mingling both technicality and aesthetics. He nearly sang Vasantabhairavi raga, kriti and swaram for 18 minutes making that sub-main. Then came Hecharika Ga in Khanda Eka talam (2 kalai). The speciality of this kriti is that some of the musicians sing this in Khanda Chaapu tala. But OST and a few other artistes sing in Khanda Eka talam (2 kalai) taking the pace of the tala little slower thereby making accompaniment little challenging. Charanam "Ninnujooda Vachu baghi" starting at 1 beat after samam ending one beat before samam is a treat for listeners since a discerning accompanist can explore nice laya possibilities as Shri OST sings a few sangatis in that place. Next came Karaharapriya with elaborate Raga alapana for about 25 minutes and Vittal Ramamurthy followed it with an excellent sketch creating an excellent platform for Mitri Bhagyame of Tyagaraja meaning :

"How great is the fortune of Sumitra's son, Lakshmana. His fortune alone is the fortune worth having.
He had the rare fortune of rocking Sri Rama to sleep on a gem bedecked couch, which is actually Adi Sesha, lying on the Ocean of Milk.
He is no less privileged to hear the songs of Tyagaraja, set to rare and beautiful ragas, highlighting the significance of Rama's incarnation, its circumstances and significance." (Source http://www.saintthyagarajar.com/gems.htm )

He sang Niraval and swara at Baguga (charana) 3/4th idam after samam (Adi oru kalai) and gave us Tani in that place. He sang excellent varieties of 7 from the last veechu and also sang many other varieties what we call "poruthams" to coincide with Baguga.

Tani went on for about 12 minutes with Ravikrishnan playing few good combinations. I played Mohara and korvai from samam to 3/4th idam. The korvai goes like this :

8+4 (2) (that 8 means for 2 beats 4 means 1 beat and 2 means 1/2 aksharam)
2+8+4 (2)
4+8+4 (2) --> Poorvangam

Utharangam
5 (1) 5 (1) 5

Di.tangidathakatharikitathaka (8) thom tha (4) thom (2)
kitathaka(2) Di.tangidathakatharikitathaka (8) thom tha (4) thom (2)
kitathakatharikita (4) Di.tangidathakatharikitathaka (8) thom tha (4) thom (2)
thathikinathom (1) thathikinathom (1) thathikinathom (to be played three times to start from Samam and come to 3/4th idam).

Post tani included Eppovaruvaro, Hanumanai Anudinam, Pahirama Doota jaga and Mangalam.

On the whole the concert was very gripping in the sense that his concerts are marked with perfect alignment to sruti and great control over laya.

Vittal Ramamurthy's Vasantha Bhairavi and Karaharapriya drew wide appreciation.

Ravikrishnan Ghatam, follows the Mridangist very well and his accompaniment to the songs and violin turn swaras are worthy of praise.

Chandrasekara Educational Society conducts concerts every year at Hyderabad during the month of January-February featuring top artistes. This year featuring OST, Nityasri, Sanjay Subrahmanyam, Shashank and others culminating with Pancharatna rendition on the final day morning. The concerts draw large crowds and the audience are knowledgeable and appreciative of good music which is also evident from the choice of artistes chosen for the annual festivals.

JB

Lakshman · Post by **Lakshman** » 26 Jan 2007, 21:21

hanumAnai anudinam is by Guru Surajananda.

sunayanaa · Post by **sunayanaa** » 27 Jan 2007, 13:03

mridhangam wrote:I played Mohara and korvai from samam to 3/4th idam. The korvai goes like this :

Balaji, that was a good korvai.

vijay · Post by **vijay** » 28 Jan 2007, 13:32

Thanks once again Sri Balaji for your valuable insights. The korvai is very interesting as Sunayanaa notes. Your obsveration on poruttam in swara kalpana is also very intersting. Please continue to provide us such insights on laya and other aspects as many concerts as you can.

If you feel it appropriate maybe you could also include small clips just to elucidate certain points.

Thanks once again.

mridhangam · Post by **mridhangam** » 03 Feb 2007, 22:43

i will upload the final korvai shortly ... i was out of station for 10 days and came bk only today. pls wait ..thks

MANNARGUDIYAAN · Post by **MANNARGUDIYAAN** » 05 Feb 2007, 11:21

mridhangam,

once t.k.murthy said its not correct to play from samam to idam like plans....

what is it.... can you explain?

mridhangam · Post by **mridhangam** » 05 Feb 2007, 22:31

Kindly tell the reference and the context if you remember correctly Mr.Mannargudiyan sir, as it would be very helpful for all of us here. The explanation could be like this: If you are playing from Idam to Idam you can play upto a certain point say up to Farans. But while playing faster continuous beats like farans and moharas where every beat count is filled it will be very difficult for the main artiste to keep time (with due regards to all the musicians capacity here sir..no offence intended) especially during Farans and Moharas. Even while playing Madyama Kala sollukattus like "Tha Din Din Na" from Mukkal Idam it will be difficult to continuously put talam for nearly 10-15 mins for the entire duration of Tani Avartanam. Hence it can be called a later development and also having in mind the convenience of the main artiste, the audience and the tani avartanam performer himself. Any further doubts can also be clarified. I have also heard that for the Desadi talas also in olden days the ending point will be Samam and from there they play "thomthadikitathom" in third kala to come to the desadi starting point.
JB