Savita Narasimhan @ Arkay Convention Center

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

Savita Narasimhan @ Arkay Convention Center

Post by sureshvv »

Brilliant performance only streamed recently from the Arkay archives.

Exquisite alapalans for Ragarathnamalikache as submain & Meru Samana as main.

Must watch.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89c5D_aKyus

PS: Spotted Late Sri Boothalingam in the audience who was an avid & vocal organizer & rasika.

CRama
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Joined: 18 Nov 2009, 16:58

Re: Savita Narasimhan @ Arkay Convention Center

Post by CRama »

Hearing the concert. Good. Reached Ritigowla alapana. An unhurried style (Konjam hurry pannalam)

sureshvv
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Joined: 05 Jul 2007, 18:17

Re: Savita Narasimhan @ Arkay Convention Center

Post by sureshvv »

This must have been a "private" concert for invitees only. Otherwise I would have attended and remembered, may be even reviewed it here in 2014 itself.

shankarank
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Joined: 15 Jun 2009, 07:16

Re: Savita Narasimhan @ Arkay Convention Center

Post by shankarank »

She is well known in musical circles in Dallas as the "apt" representative of the tradition.

The unhurried-ness is what characterizes the core of the musical tradition and I suppose you would not have missed the subtle verve in the presentation throughout.

We have enough fire and fury presentations, from the Umayalpuram school and the GNB school and the kitchidi schools!

Her last visit to the Dallas area (that I am aware of!) was organized again as almost a private concert, in a temple with local accompanists. I could not attend it , but heard about it later.

I am not against temples as venues - no mistaking me. I am also not against local accompanists. But having introduced this musician using modest budget and local accompaniment, I don't know if there was an effective followup. All the aficionados, some of them trained from illustrious Gurus ( of other schools than what she comes from) themselves praised her music.

I heard she is selective in accepting opportunities. But in this many years we have let such musicians fade away. I suppose there could have been , even a less frequent ( meaning every 3 years or so!) engagement that could have been attempted.

Unless we project musicians like this against all odds, there is very little chance that we can tame some of the popular musicians also to stay the course ( in large measure) even as they do their "popular stuff".

rajeshnat
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Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 08:04

Re: Savita Narasimhan @ Arkay Convention Center

Post by rajeshnat »

shankarank wrote: 30 Jun 2020, 22:16 I heard she is selective in accepting opportunities. But in this many years we have let such musicians fade away. I suppose there could have been , even a less frequent ( meaning every 3 years or so!) engagement that could have been attempted.

Unless we project musicians like this against all odds, there is very little chance that we can tame some of the popular musicians also to stay the course ( in large measure) even as they do their "popular stuff".
For atleast 5 to 8 years she used to sing in evening I slot in academy where she is followed by Sanjay Subrahmanyan. That was a standard combo. Savita is a great singer but I think she could not position herself right with other sabhas . Since 2 to 3 years this usual slot in academy was taken by Amritha Murali .

The truth of the matter is with youngsters coming in heavily in the last 10 to 15 years and with they pushing themselves much earlier to evening slots lot of vidwans and vidushis who had great music but without crowd pulling strength have to exit due to lack of opportunities. I personally recollect a lovely concert in academy that she sang where i heard and reviewed and few more concerts that i reviewed in this forum . Her music has lot of sowkhyam.

shankarank
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Re: Savita Narasimhan @ Arkay Convention Center

Post by shankarank »

Well why should a Music Academy slot be the yardstick for everything? Because it says "sangIta vidvat sabhai" in bold tamizh on the name board? Is there any connection between the two sets of words?

I am talking about the diaspora who have the means to do this as well! So the diaspora also goes by the program list of The Music Academy? Thought after leaving the country and seeing the world , their outlook about their own tradition would be more enlarged?

Too much to expect?

rajeshnat
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Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 08:04

Re: Savita Narasimhan @ Arkay Convention Center

Post by rajeshnat »

shankarank wrote: 30 Jun 2020, 22:50 Well why should a Music Academy slot be the yardstick for everything? Because it says "sangIta vidvat sabhai" in bold tamizh on the name board? Is there any connection between the two sets of words?

Too much to expect?
There is always stickiness of programs in rasikas heads as academy is like a well managed school. The way they publish slots and pick accompanist and make every rasika talk has more stickiness in the heads of rasikas . From musicians standpoint they holding something like vidwat sabha every Jan 01st where they honour all musicians in stage makes musicians very happy . Most importantly being at alwarpet mylapore intersection it is always a social gathering as they say Location Location Location . THis is like just one school creating a prominent annual day.

I do agree there is a drop in dilution of feel good factor with academy in the last 5 plus years for sure .I used to think SKGS or NGS could do very well and challenge in circa 2000 to 2012 timeframe , but that did not happen say since 2012.SKGS sabha hardly has concerts lined up and they jack a lot for the very few concerts modelling at times like a hall in Mumbai. NGS does well but still not reached the status and stewardship that Late Krishnaswamy brought in . Same steadiness with Ragasudha and Arkay. BGS is lovely but no cataloging , no one recollects due to no catalogue capabilities that academy brings in . MFAC is also like BGS but again poor cataloging and I expect MFAC will do better . VaniMahal is doing quite well but not much catolog capability but they are all year round star.

Mudhra is surely doing well with finest catlog and archives but they have not reached the big top 5 status but they may make it soon. Ofcourse few spectacular sabhas like pozhichalur sangeetha sabha is just wonderful too keeping all things out and just give 3 hours plus , but many feel pozhichalur is too far and not even Madras.

There is a big backend team that is needed for appreciation . THey range from slot selection , publishing in website, seat comfort , accompanist pairing ,social gathering , air conditioning and then ofcourse music . For me personally I dont care about academy but how do i hear Savita in say Mudhra or Pozhichalur sabha , that savita maybe a notch better than academy but that is just fiction.
Last edited by rajeshnat on 01 Jul 2020, 10:25, edited 1 time in total.

sureshvv
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Joined: 05 Jul 2007, 18:17

Re: Savita Narasimhan @ Arkay Convention Center

Post by sureshvv »

One of the very few artistes whose only concert of a particular music season was the Music Academy evening slot - which she cancelled :D

rajeshnat
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Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 08:04

Re: Savita Narasimhan @ Arkay Convention Center

Post by rajeshnat »

sureshvv wrote: 01 Jul 2020, 10:24 One of the very few artistes whose only concert of a particular music season was the Music Academy evening slot - which she cancelled :D
She cancelled is what i heard but not sure of that . Now with suresh opening I am curious . I heard thru grapevine she was given some other evening slot other than the evening before sanjay - now forgeting which one is that was it that last day or something. She decided then she will cancel. Is that right in terms of what i heard thru grapevine. That is actually not the best decision.

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

Re: Savita Narasimhan @ Arkay Convention Center

Post by sureshvv »

A few points.

1. Do not put too much stock into this type of "grapevine" sources - which are people with way too much time on their hands and not nearly a single constructive thing to do.

2. Nobody obsesses about "slots" and their significance other than a handful of us rasikas - most ordinary people would consider any Music Academy slot an honor to perform at.

3. I remember hearing/reading that the cancellation was health (back problems) related.

sureshvv
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Joined: 05 Jul 2007, 18:17

Re: Savita Narasimhan @ Arkay Convention Center

Post by sureshvv »

deleted
Last edited by sureshvv on 01 Jul 2020, 12:39, edited 1 time in total.

rajeshnat
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Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 08:04

Re: Savita Narasimhan @ Arkay Convention Center

Post by rajeshnat »

sureshvv wrote: 01 Jul 2020, 11:05 A few points.

1. Do not put too much stock into this type of "grapevine" sources - which are people with way too much time on their hands and not nearly a single constructive thing to do.

2. Nobody obsesses about "slots" and their significance other than a handful of us rasikas - most ordinary people would consider any Music Academy slot an honor to perform at.

3. I remember hearing/reading that the cancellation was health (back problems) related.
Thanks of 3. 2 is true as long if you have great accompanist to match, but of course footfall varies .

Nick H
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Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 02:03

Re: Savita Narasimhan @ Arkay Convention Center

Post by Nick H »

Due to perceived authority of Music Academy, many of us are glad for artists when they get MA slots, but I seriously doubt if anybody is much influenced by the simple award of such a slot. Especially all-year Chennai concert-goers.

hnbhagavan
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Re: Savita Narasimhan @ Arkay Convention Center

Post by hnbhagavan »

With all due respects to views i still feel by and large Music Academy is upholding the high standards for either giving titles or giving slots for Musicians.True there will be some aberrations but by and large those performing on Music Academy stage is a big recognition.The chance comes after years of performing at junior slots in academy and also in other Sabhas.There is a gradual upgradation for the musicians and definitely getting a prime slot is a great recognition.

CRama
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Re: Savita Narasimhan @ Arkay Convention Center

Post by CRama »

Hearing music in all the sabhas during the season, I find that musicians take extra care to present thier best talents in the MA concerts. The ambience of the venue, the elite audience sitting in the front, the full house audience, good pakkavadyams, strict timings make them plan to the minute details and present concert there. Musicians chose complex talams for the RTP in the concerts in the Academy.

Nick H
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Re: Savita Narasimhan @ Arkay Convention Center

Post by Nick H »

hnbhagavan wrote: 04 Jul 2020, 11:30 With all due respects to views i still feel by and large Music Academy is upholding the high standards for either giving titles or giving slots for Musicians.True there will be some aberrations but by and large those performing on Music Academy stage is a big recognition.The chance comes after years of performing at junior slots in academy and also in other Sabhas.There is a gradual upgradation for the musicians and definitely getting a prime slot is a great recognition.
Although I think that the MA is no more important than people make it, I do not argue with what you say. People do make it important, and its recognition is important to artists.

I was arguing that it is not the arbiter of whom we see, in or out of season, at other venues. I'm sure that we all have favourite artists that do not [yet] have one of limited number of MA slots.
CRama wrote: 04 Jul 2020, 15:25 Hearing music in all the sabhas during the season, I find that musicians take extra care to present thier best talents in the MA concerts. The ambience of the venue, the elite audience sitting in the front, the full house audience, good pakkavadyams, strict timings make them plan to the minute details and present concert there. Musicians chose complex talams for the RTP in the concerts in the Academy.
Have enjoyed many MA concerts, but I know that some artists find it somewhat impersonal: a venue where they do not feel much connection with the audience. I think that the senior-senior-9-am-ers sing the same as they would anywhere. Some of my other favourites I would actually rather see at Ragasudha Hall. At the MA, they may present their vidwat, with, for instance, some complex RTP, but at the smaller, more personal hall, there is more of the soul.

This is not only a very personal and subjective opinion, although I know I am not the only one to express it, but it also one to which I'm sure that exceptions can be found.

sankark
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Re: Savita Narasimhan @ Arkay Convention Center

Post by sankark »

good music! mmg AlApanai is the highlight for me. Royal treatment for a much neglected rAgam.

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