Ranjani Gayathri at Fine Arts Society, Mumbai - 24th Feb 200

arunsri · Post by **arunsri** » 25 Feb 2007, 00:29

Ranjani and Gayathri - Vocal
Charumati Raghuraman - Violin
K. Arun Prakash - Mridangam
K.V. Gopalakrishnan - Kanjeera

6:45 pm - 10 pm
======================
sAmi dayajUDa - kEdAragauLa varnam - Adi - tiruvOTriyur thyAgaiyer
kanakasabhApati - dhanyAsi - Adi - gOpAlakrishna bhArati (S)
diwAkara tanujam - yadukula kAmbhOji - charturashra Eka - muthuswAmy dIkshitar (O)
paridAnamichhitE - biLahari - khanDa chApu - paTnam subrahmaNya iyer (R, S at rokkamIchuTaku)
hiraNmayIm lakshmIm - lalitA - rUpakam - muthuswAmy dIkshitar (N at gIta vAdya)
rAmA nIyEDa - kharaharapriyA - Adi - thyAgarAja (R, S at tanasaukhyamu)
tani Avartanam
vararAgalaya - chenchukAmbhOji - Adi - thyAgarAja
RTP ranjani - 'niranjani kanchadaLa lOchani brOvavammA talli' - tishra tripuTa (khanDa naDai) - ni is one aksharam before samam, ranjani starts on samam ranjani (6), kanchadaLa (5) lOcha (4) ni (6) - arudi. brOva (3) vamma (5) talli (5) ni (1)
rAgamAlika swaras in shrIranjani, janaranjani, mEgharanjani, manOranjani, sivaranjani and sumanEsaranjani
short tani
sUlam piDittu - viruttam in kAmbhOji, sAvEri and sindhubhairavi
manadirkku uhundadu - sindhubhairavi - Adi - tanjAvur shankara iyer
enta puNya - mAnD - khanDa chApu - purandaradAsa
hE gOvinda - dEsh - sUrdAs bhajan
panDharichE bhUtamOThE - chandrakauns - tukArAm abhang
mangaLam

A well packaged concert, I personally do not prefer ranajni, but that is a personal opinion - a better choice for the RTP would be great. But their RTP was nice, nearly 60 min long This was the first time I was listening to the duo. They seemed well planned and delivered the pieces with finesse. Choice of ragas, songs were nice and especially after Sanjay's concert yesterday, the need for concert planning was felt more. It is one thing to give free reign to one's manOdharma, but at the same time-one must realise that we are in front of an audience and it is important not to lose their interest.

Suprise dhanyAsi with a good round of second speed swaras put the ocncert on the right track after a sprightly varnam. Being saturday, diwAkara tanujam with a short rAga sketch was an apt choice. biLahari fromed the first major piece with a well structured, brisk alapana. The tempo of the piece was quite fast, the swaras were rapid fire, the young violinist rose upto the challenge well and her replies were right on the mark. A surprise hiraNmaym with nEraval at gItavAdya came next. The duo did well to abstain from swaras, which would have spoilt the mood built. A very nice alapana of kharaharapriyA came next. Some of the prayOgas around madhyama were great. The violinist's reply belied her age. The swara built up at dhaivata (Korappu) starting with slow speed and gradually accelerating to the second speed was good, especially in view of the time they needed for the RTP. vararAgalaya followed at jet speed - maintaining clarity of all the swaras and sangatis even at that tempo was great. RTP started off with the sisters sharing the alapana. There were a couple of slips during the raga (shruti, since panchamam is absent, fo rme such ragas seem to be a tight rope walk). The pallavi laya exercises were kept simple and they went on to do the ragamaliks swaras, as expected in all ranjanis. It was greeted with thunderous applause. The viruttam was soulfully rendered, and so were the tukkada pieces. the purandaradasa piece was sung on request. The abhang and bhajan were rendered soulfully. They explained the meaning of the abhang for the benefit of the people who did not know Marathi.

All in all a great team effort, underlying the importance of concert planning, feeling the pulse of the audience and how to present yourself and your music well. Violinist was superb through out. The percussion bench was very supportive. Arun Prakash's playing revealed sensitivity towards the song being sung and lifted the concert.

vijay · Post by **vijay** » 25 Feb 2007, 00:58

Thanks Arun...don't like Ranjani (the raga!) much myself....

Could you write about Sanjay's concert as well....

Also, was the violinist Charumathi Raghuraman or Charumathi Ramanujam? I know the former plays very well too....

arunsri · Post by **arunsri** » 25 Feb 2007, 01:28

Vijay

Inadvertantly, I wrote the violinits' name as Charumati Ramanujam, though I knew it was Raghuraman, the error is now rectified.

Sanjay/Varadarajan/Neyveli Venkatesh/KVG

varnam - hindOLam - Adi - tiger
shrI kAnchi nAyikE - asAvEri - rUpakam - annaswAmi sAstry
appA nAn vEnDudal - pUrvikalyAni - khanDa chApu (R, N, S at tappEdu nAn seidu nI)
shrI panchanadIsham - sahAna - rUpakam - paTnam (R)
ennADu jUtunO - kalAvati - Adi - thyAgarAja (S)
kaddanuvAriki - tODi - Adi - thyAgarAja (R, N, S)
tani
tillai chidambaramE - kApi nArAyaNi - Adi - mArimutha piLLai (?)
RTP bahudAri
(I left after the first phase of ragam)

Lakshman · Post by **Lakshman** » 25 Feb 2007, 03:16

appA nAn vENDudal is by Ramalingasvami and tillai cidambaramE is by Marimutta Pillai.

vasanthakokilam · Post by **vasanthakokilam** » 25 Feb 2007, 04:51

Thanks Arun...don't like Ranjani (the raga!) much myself....

I was caught in that ambigous ranjani reference for a few seconds myself

coolkarni · Post by **coolkarni** » 25 Feb 2007, 06:45

vijay
Next time you will have to modify your statement as

...don't like Ranjani (the raga!- the Carnatic one I mean) much myself....

after you listen to this Ranjani of Mohmad Husain Sarahang

http://www.badongo.com/file/2310024

rasam · Post by **rasam** » 25 Feb 2007, 08:28

There were a couple of slips during the raga (shruti, since panchamam is absent, fo rme such ragas seem to be a tight rope walk)

Do you mean that since in ranjani there is prati madhyamam without panchamam that it is difficult to handle? Because otherwise there are scores of ragas without the panchamam like abhogi, hindolam etc.

Personally, ranjani is always welcome given that its not sung too often. An RTP (with an extended alapana) would be just wonderful!

prashant · Post by **prashant** » 25 Feb 2007, 10:22

rasam wrote:Do you mean that since in ranjani there is prati madhyamam without panchamam that it is difficult to handle? Because otherwise there are scores of ragas without the panchamam like abhogi, hindolam etc.

Personally, ranjani is always welcome given that its not sung too often. An RTP (with an extended alapana) would be just wonderful!

Rasam: Exactly. Pratimadhyamam without panCamam makes it difficult to handle.

In my personal opinion, the lacklustre ranjani rAgam and tAnam,[at least to me] brought down the ebullient mood created by bilahari and kharaharapriya. A weightier pratimadhyamam like shaNmukhapriyA, simhEndramadhyamam, kalyANi, rAmapriyA etc would have been more appealing. Full marks on the pallavi though - it was presented very elegantly. The sisters sang very well with great support. Kum. Charumati is a star in the making.

rasam · Post by **rasam** » 25 Feb 2007, 11:07

Yes, Prashant, that is what I assumed. I have heard that playing ranjani on the violin is difficult because of this issue but I guess this applies to vocalists as well since the gamakam for m2 is not anchored on pa.

I believe MSG is of the opinion that ranjani is probably the most difficult ragam to play on the violin. The Mysore brothers (Nagaraj and Manjunath) also concurred when I had a chance to ask them.

sbala · Post by **sbala** » 25 Feb 2007, 17:01

I think they sang the same pallavi at KGS during the season and the audience was thrilled (based on the applause they got).

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 25 Feb 2007, 18:13

Also in Bangalore, earlier this month. I did not even expect a pallavi, and was pleasantly surprised when they sang this one quite well...

arunk · Post by **arunk** » 25 Feb 2007, 20:40

i find ranjani to be a very powerfully emotive raga - not that different in terms of effect (on me) from simhendramadhyamam.

Arun

rajeshnat · Post by **rajeshnat** » 25 Feb 2007, 21:24

Lji
Is appA nAn vendudal sung in both vAgadeeshwari and poorvikalyAni. I have only heard the vAgadeeshwari by Dr .BMK and his disciple (thiruvayAru Sekar)

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 25 Feb 2007, 21:29

Rajesh,
I have not heard the vAgadIshwari one. pUrvi kalyANi is pretty emotive.

Lakshman · Post by **Lakshman** » 25 Feb 2007, 22:08

BMK has sung it on a commercial cassette in vagadIshvari.
The pUrvikalyANi version is notated in the book aruTpA isai amudam by K.S.Krishnamurti.

prashant · Post by **prashant** » 26 Feb 2007, 09:53

Just to complete Sanjay's list partly posted by Arun:

RTP - bahudAri. tAnam rAgamAlika in subhapantuvarALi, kEdAram and kApi.
Pallavi: "kandanaDi avar enakku sondamaDi, vaLLi maNALanadi". adi - eduppu 1 aksharam after samam;
kan = 2; da = 1; na = 1; Di = 2; a = 1; var = 1; e = 1; na = 1; kku = 1; son = 2; da = 1; ma = 1 = Di = 7; vaL = 2; Li = 2; ma = 1; NA = 2; La = 1; na = 1; Di = 1
nijagAdasA - sindhubhairavi
rAmanai bhajittAl - mAND
orumaiyuDAn - tiruvaruTpa [sung as a viruttam in bhairavi, CArukEsi, bEhAg and kApi, and then the entire piece sung in kApi]
pavamAna - mangaLam

saranga · Post by **saranga** » 26 Feb 2007, 10:23

Did anyone attend Sudha Ragunathan's concert in this same series on Sunday 25th February? If so review is welcome.

anandabhairavi · Post by **anandabhairavi** » 01 Mar 2007, 17:35

I felt they should have sung more tamils songs.Limiting to just 2 was a bit insulting since entire audience were mamas and maamis

mahesh_narayan · Post by **mahesh_narayan** » 03 Mar 2007, 09:05

Didn't Sanjay perform at fine arts too? No reviews?.

coimbatorerasigan · Post by **coimbatorerasigan** » 03 Mar 2007, 09:17

why does having mamas and mamis mean "tamils songs" have to be sung? :insulting:?

On an other note, similar to the parallel sudha concert thread going on, whats with all the women, abhangs and their avial RTP's? They sound contrived....having the same kind of "whisper-and-shiver" dialogue delivery of pseudo tamil people in "maniratnam" movies.....is it just me or are there others that feel Sowmya is the only woman artist of substance worth following among the Priya Sisters..RG...AS...Nityasree...Sowmya..Sudha regime! What do I know though....these women sell concerts and cds by the 1000's after all...

rshankar · Post by **rshankar** » 03 Mar 2007, 10:21

coimbatorerasigan wrote:whats with all the women, abhangs

What is wrong with an abhang as a tukkaDA? In what way is it infra dig to say a tIrAda viLaiyATTu piLLai, or an earthy jAvaLI that would make a sailor blush if he understood the lyrics?

coimbatorerasigan · Post by **coimbatorerasigan** » 03 Mar 2007, 10:49

rshankar, making a sailor blush is not particularly the point of a carnatic concert....

an abhang as a tukkada is not wrong...however, an abhang as the centerpiece of a concert, or the concious/unconcious setting of a trend where people go to the concert for the sake of an abhang is not necessarily welcome ......in my own opinion! I would go watch Anup Jalota, if thats the case. As regards ragamalikai swaras also, the same thing as Bala747 pointed out sometime ago in his reviews...few notes in the main raga have become the standard these days and they are followed by long duration of ragamalika swaras in kapi/behag and/or sama....usually to thunderous applause. These kind of things dumb down the audience in the long term.....by preconditioning them.

Some examples of "better presentations" to my mind:

raagas like Dwijawanthi/Desh/Sarasangi/Komalaangi/Brindavana Saaranga are better illustrated throgh alapana/RTP's. Stalwarts like TNS,Sanjay have done this. Yesteryear stalwarts like Voleti, Ramnad Krishnan were particularly adept at this.introducing different shades to carnatic music without making it monotonous and predictable.

Sowmya has succintly presented ragas like Manirangu, Bhavapriya, Kosalam bringing up the general awareness of ragas to audiences. She also sings padams so wonderfully, its a joy to behold. She hasnt sold out....

presenting a Kaapi for eg, the way Neyveli presented recently in Music Season is so much more agreeable...a renedition of Intha Sowkya preceded by alapanas of Hindustani and Karnataka Kapi....

presenting a meditative virutham prior to a major piece like Vijay Siva so often does in every concert of his, he is a guy who could so easily get every concert of his filled if he were to take the abhang route. Who would be there to sing a "Kasi Visweswara" or a divine Kalyani without a single sangathi that you and I can recognize....Sudha is brilliant, but I fear we havent seen the intricacies she is capable of...we may perhaps never see it...the full bloom of her powerhouse talent...I mean, in truth, is there anything she can't really do. Her layam, her voice, her range, her brilliance...she should been the MLV of her generation!

RG in this concert have perhaps done a wonderful job, but I feel its only a matter of time before they will have to give in to audience demands....like Sudha/Aruna /Nityasree already have. As Anandabhairavi wanted, RG will be required to sing "tamils songs"......Nityasree/Unnikrishnan sing inane "tamils songs" in several of their concerts (not ALL, but several).....to satiate the mama's/mami's out there...

an avial of an RTP is a bad trend to set...no matter how you look at it. It is mudddled, unfocussed and a total waste of time, ultimately

jeyaar · Post by **jeyaar** » 04 Mar 2007, 08:35

"Sudha is brilliant"-yes i heard a brilliant 1 hour Manirandu pallavi in December season this year.

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 04 Mar 2007, 09:37

Ravi,
I agree with you that bhajans and abhangs needn't be considered 'outsiders' in a concert.

On the other hand, 'aviyal' RTPs, as coimbatore rasigan calls them are not what I am looking for, either. As much as I enjoy listening to Ranjani and Gayatri, I am also concerned that they may take the popular path and settle for the highly remunerative mArgam than take us on a journey which would bring to us the rewards of their brilliance in exposition...

vijay · Post by **vijay** » 04 Mar 2007, 13:45

Coimbatore Rasigan, salaam! You echo my own views to a considerable extent...I personally don't really care what's sung in the tukkada section but the way RTPs are handled these days is a crying shame...

...and I do object if tukkadas take up more than 15-20 minutes in a concert - ideally a nice vruttam, a padam and a tillana followed by mangalam would be the best combination. I have nothing against Abhangs but like C-Rasikan points out, if audiences are streaming just to listen to Abhangs/Other Tukkadas, something is wrong somewhere...

arunsri · Post by **arunsri** » 04 Mar 2007, 16:01

As someone who attended Sudha's concert at FAS last week, I would like to say that the pallavi was sung well and correctly. The only thing she did was to sing a line of the four OVK kritis - the first line. The swaras did not end at this kriti. The swaras (even in ragamalika) ended at the pallavi line chosen for the RTP. This was probably done by her to indicate the theme say 'Krishna Ganam' or some such. In fact, I made a mention that it may have been enough that she chose these ragas and then at the end made a statement that the ragas were chosen from popular kritis of OVK. This was not the typical avial and meaningless rtps rendered by AS. Personally choosing ragas like kAmbhOji, kAnaDa, nATajuranji and madhyamAvati for RTP as done by Sudha is FAR FAR better than the rEvati, madhuvanti et al. that are featured in the ragamalika swara sections.

I am not aware if Sudha presented avial RTP elsewhere, but what was presented here was decent enough. I am not defending Sudha or something, but just wanted to set the records straight, in case it was not made clear in my write up on Sudha's concert.

rshankar · Post by **rshankar** » 04 Mar 2007, 20:17

vijay wrote:I have nothing against Abhangs but like C-Rasikan points out, if audiences are streaming just to listen to Abhangs/Other Tukkadas, something is wrong somewhere...

This is somewhat akin to the issue where McDonalds gets blamed for serving food with too much fat and way too many calories and absolving the customers who choose McDs over say Subway or eating at home!

vasanthakokilam · Post by **vasanthakokilam** » 04 Mar 2007, 23:50

Is the fear or apprehension that rasikas will want to make a full meal out of just desserts!!

rshankar · Post by **rshankar** » 05 Mar 2007, 05:38

What is the point of having a cake if you can't eat it too?

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 05 Mar 2007, 08:58

Cakes and all (Ale), Ravi...

bala747 · Post by **bala747** » 05 Mar 2007, 17:49

>>As regards ragamalikai swaras also, the same thing as Bala747 pointed out sometime ago in his reviews...few notes in the main raga have become the standard these days and they are followed by long duration of ragamalika swaras in kapi/behag and/or sama....

I am humbled that other members remember my reviews in some way. Seriously.

It seems almost a given that when someone sings a "ranjani" RTP there must be a range of ragamalika swaras in the different ranjanis, which I don't particularly care for. As for tukkadas, I have voiced long and loud and often about people who give chits to artistes to sing the same old stuff. Whoever you are. Stop. Please.

Looking at this list it does appear rather 'tukkada-heavy" and all that time could have been spent in elaborating another raga, I dunno, like cutting the surdas bhajan out for an alapana preceding Divakaratanujam instead of just outlining it (what I wouldn't give for an elaborate Yadukula Kambhoji!), and I echo many sentiments of Rasigan sir in his views of Ragas for RTPs.

BUT I would disagree re: Kaapi. It has become too common, and there is only one major krithi anyone ever sings, Inthasowkyamanine. Usually there is no neraval, and the raga alapana runs the risk of being just standard applause gathering phrases. Neyveli yes, handles this raga beautifully but I would think twice before requesting anyone else to handle it. I feel the same about ragas like Abheri and Mohanakalyani, especially the former, and the way musicians handle the highly emotion laden Nagumomu, goodness gracious! It sounds like band music!

I personally would prefer elaborate RTPs in Dhanyasi, Surutti, Kedaragoula, Sahana (I have a heard a few good Sahanas by current artistes), Yadukula Kambhoji, Bilahari, Mukhari, Begada (it seems to have fallen out of favour for some reason), Arabhi, Devagandhari, Ghanta etc. I am not a big fan of "short" RTP's. The RTP is supposed to be the crowning jewel of a concert, and should be treated as such, not frivolously as an afterthought as so many musicians are doing. I rather they not sing an RTP at all, rather than produce a hackneyed one just for the sake of it. It need not be the "longest" piece, but at least should be long and elaborate enough to do justice to the raga, and not slotted into place as something they just remembered.

I agree that there is no need to sing so many abhangs and bhajans in concert (good lord! 20 minute abhangs!). My personal view: "Save those for cassettes and CD's please". The ones that especially infuriate me are those Saibaba bhajans. They used to be hugely popular amongst artistes who sang here in the late 90's and early part of this decade, but thankfully their frequency has dropped rather drastically.

Having said all that, the sisters have pretty amazing synchronisation and they always produce good concerts, so I suppose that the concert otherwise must have still been very good.

And Rasigan sir, I'll always remember you as the person who said "avial pallavi", thanks! I am going to use that term more often now.

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 05 Mar 2007, 19:00

bala747,
Your comments are often refreshing. For someone so young, they are mature and intuitive --except when you need to occasionally tone down your views:) Coming to think of it, the majority of reviewers here are young!

Coimbatorerasigan's coinage 'avial pallavi' says it well. A pallavi better be what it purports to be--a satisfying, unhurried presentation of rAgA (s), tALam and pallavi line. Yes, if there is no time for elaboration, there is no need for a pallavi in a concert. If the time is limited, a concert can still be satisfying with a few detailed AlApanAs, solid kritis and just a few thukkaDAs.
Interesting. Yesterday, I went to hear Neyveli, and it was almost as if you were there, the way you have said it about his kApi!
I feel the same way about the sisters--about their capability in giving a good concert--if only they wouldn't get less serious about their craft as they progress...

rajeshnat · Post by **rajeshnat** » 05 Mar 2007, 19:52

arasi wrote:Interesting. Yesterday, I went to hear Neyveli, and it was almost as if you were there, the way you have said it about his kApi!

Arasi,
Where is your review on Shri NSG in Malleshwaram?YOu have to keep your promise, by reviewing his kApi for 1 hour(you are very lucky to hear a one hour main) !;)! With you and NSG knowing each other, there must have been a great inspiration that he must have derived from you.

rajeshnat · Post by **rajeshnat** » 05 Mar 2007, 19:53

BalA747,
I would agree with your view that the main rAgam of the RTP has to be elaborated in depth. But if the rAgam is very elaborate in the main rAgam, I personally like either a tAnam in rAgamAliga or(not and) a pallavi-swarams in rAgamAliga. This choice will sustain interest , especially say if the RTP is in rAgas that I dont cherish that much like say kalyAni.:/

But the key in rAgamAliga is the choices of rAgas should be on spot, not the usual end in sindhu bhairavi preceded by behAg or kApi. That is not that great!!I am sure my subjective opinion may not be preferred by all.

coimbatorerasigan · Post by **coimbatorerasigan** » 05 Mar 2007, 20:41

Arasi,

Its wrong to say that singers sing for the sake of audiences satisfaction...mostly, they sing for their own personal growth and satisfaction.

And, when I say "sell out", I dont necessarily mean from a commercial stand point. Nityashree, Unnikrishnan, Yesudas and Aruna have their audiences locked....irrespective of whether they sing an abhang/"tamils song" or not...my point of view is that, they can esily afford to trust more in the audience's sensibilities. Loud, headshaking reneditions of Abhangs (Ganpathi Bappa), Thillanas, Rasam songs, Avial RTP's and HamsanAdham extempores are atrocious choices to spew on the general public....this is not proper presentation of carnatic music, and its not meant to be appreciated in this manner either. It also causes the artist to stagnate...just ask Unnikrishnan and Mandolin Srinivas. Compare these two to a Sanjay. One took the path less travelled upon, the other took all and sundry along with them to listen to an RTP in Amruthavarshini...without realising that water only comes when mind, body and soul are in harmony. When a Sudha presents an RTP in Jhampa taalam, it is truly thrilling, given her distinguished lineage...she doesn't need to resort to singing swaras followed by lines of AAdadhu Ashangaadu..trying to fulfil some crazy's idea that improvization in carnatic music is singing "tamils songs" and being "creative" all in one... Never thought the day would come, but it has....wut to do?

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 05 Mar 2007, 22:21

Hey, Rajesh,
I don't know Neyveli more than you do! He can recognize me, I suppose, though he knows my family--and that's about it. He is a kind man who respects the rasikas.
You have put me in a spot, though you know I am not good at writing reviews--my lack of knowledge in theory and techniques aren't assets. I was wondering if someone else would post a review on this lovely concert..If not...

mahesh33 · Post by **mahesh33** » 06 Mar 2007, 09:53

RG sang a very satisfying RTP in Nattaikuriniji with ragamalikai swarams in Nattai, Nayaki and Behag in NJ lst year. They sing well.

Sankar K · Post by **Sankar K** » 06 Mar 2007, 11:57

rajeshnat - especially say if the RTP is in rAgas that I dont cherish that much like say kalyAni. For a moment, I thought I had typed that. Somehow I can't stand kalyani either. Neither Mohanam, Hindolam.

My favourites - saveri, thodi, asaveri, kambhoji, yk kambhoji, sahana, mukhari, kh priya, s'baranam, bhairavi, purvi kalyani, pantuvarali, madyamavathi etc. Has anyone ever done a RTP in Sri?

Just listening to a saveri alapana of Aleppey Venkatesan as I type it (available in sangeethamshare.org). This is one raga that always makes me yearn for more and more. Everytime. There is something haunting about this raga for sure.

+1 for c rasikan, bala747 views. More raga, less tukkada please (a la more decoction, less sugar in degree coffee

coolkarni · Post by **coolkarni** » 06 Mar 2007, 13:05

sri rtp

balchander-msg have done it

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 06 Mar 2007, 22:48

Rajesh,
The one hour main (kApi) included the thani. My friend timed it, and since it was all a unified piece and I was wrapped up in it, I said it was one hour long.
You asked for it, and you have my not such a pukka review in the Reviews section