Gayatri Venkatraghavan at Seetha Rama Bhakta Samajam Selaiyu

mridhangam · Post by **mridhangam** » 13 Apr 2007, 23:49

Gayathri Venkatraghavan-Pudukkottai Ambikaprasad-Mannarkoil J Balaji

In an excellent Ashta Sidhi Vinayaka temple at Selaiyur to a jam packed audience Gayatri Venkatraghavan provided an ethereal performance. I am playing for her after a gap of nearly 4 months since my music season stint with her in Kalarasana. Her adherence to strict pAtAntarA and classicism has always been my awe in these days of wavering trends. Her concerts are always a listeners treat and also accompanists treats too. She provides excellent fare based on traditional time-tested kritis which she renders with natural flair and felicity. Her voice is so much suited for this type of traditional renditions and she does an excellent art work of it.

The Concert list includes :

Sarasi Janaaba - Naata Varnam-Adi

Vara Vallabha Ramana-Hamsadhwani-Adi

Ennaganu Rama Bhajana - Pantuvaraali -Rupakam

Dwaitamu Sukhama - Reetigowla - Adi

Ramanukku Mannan Mudi - Hindolam - Adi

Gopalaka Paahimaam - Revagupthi - M Chaapu

Evari Maata - Khamboji - Adi

Rama Naamame thudi - Desh=-Adi

Hanumanai Anudinam - Khanda chaapu

Mangalam.

Her first three songs bordered on Ariyakudi Baani of rendering the first two or three items in quick succession. Didnt sing Raga alapana till Reethigowla may be to provide for those breezy renditions that preceeded a break and slowly glide into vishraanti. Reethigowla had a great impact on the audience for the Raga itself and she sang Dwaitamu Sukhama.

Kamboji was taken up for elaboration as the main raga and Evari Maata Kriti was rendered very well. She sang swara for "Bhakta Paraadi Nudanutsu Parama" with well rendered phrases in both Mantra Staayi as well as Taara Staayi. Her voice had the maturity to handle difficult sangatis with ease. The striking aspect of today's concert is that she didnot sing Korvai at the end of Kamboji Swaraprastaara. She sang Korvai for Ennaganu in Rupaka Tala which was rendered at a shade faster than the usual speed, creating the tempo and take off for the concert.

All the tukkadas were relished by the audience.

Gayatri's music is very lilting in the sense that her sangatis are diamond-cut and she always borders more on the Bhava aspect of our music which brings out the soul of the Raga than the gimmikry that it could offer. Her music is all the more exciting as she is very pleasant faced on stage with positive acknowledgement for the accompanists also.

Pudukkottai Ambikaprasad was tuned to the best today with stealing the show for both Reethigowla and Kamboji. His accompaniment for the songs are really nice provides excellent cushion for the main artiste to render the swaras and niraval nicely. Recently he has acquired NiDaanam in his playing which is quite evident in his rAga AlApanAs.

I played Tani in Kamboji.

The concert to be remembered for years to come. The sabha was one of my Guru's favourite one and i have a very long association with that Sabha having accompanied stalwarts like Mysore Doraiswamy Iyengar, Mani Krishnaswamy, R.Vedavalli and MPN Sethuraman-Vocal (of MPN Sethuraman and Ponnusamy brother Nadaswaram) and many other concerts. That place being a temple offers silent and enlivening ambience for a soothing evening. Audience are also very receptive and most of them seemed to be veteran listeners which i could gather from the list they gave through chits.

J.Balaji

rshankar · Post by **rshankar** » 14 Apr 2007, 00:00

GREAT review! Ringside view!
gOpAlaka pAhimAm - rEvagupti, right? Sounds like bhUpALam to me...

Question for you and Sriram: do you have an idea of the concert layout (at least in skeletal form) before the program starts, or is it a surprise to you?

mridhangam · Post by **mridhangam** » 14 Apr 2007, 00:02

Might be Revagupthi too .. Not that technical with ragas as yet sir. Edited that post sir.

rbharath · Post by **rbharath** » 16 Apr 2007, 15:34

gOpAlaka pAhimam is listed as bhUpALam in www.swathithirunal.in

i have learnt it in bhUpALam only.

is there a rEvagupti version as well?

drshrikaanth · Post by **drshrikaanth** » 16 Apr 2007, 15:35

Even in the old books giving notations of swAti tirunAL, gOpAlaka is in bhUpALa only.

pallavi.pr · Post by **pallavi.pr** » 16 Apr 2007, 16:35

Rasikas,
Gopaalaka paahimam is in raaga Revagupthi.

kaapi · Post by **kaapi** » 16 Apr 2007, 16:55

I have heard gOpAlaka being in rEvagupthi both by MSS and KVN. IIRC swAthi krithi edited by SSI also lists it as rEvagupthi.
www.swaththirunal.in says

Sl. No.78; Gopalaka paahi mam; Revagupthi; Chaapu; Keerthanam; Saanskrit.
Artist: Dr. B. Arundhathi.
Note: This very popular composition describing the playful baby Krishna includes jathis which evoke the experience of listening to baby Krishna's anklets. This was also popularized through a Malayalam movie in which it was sung by Dr K.J. Yesudas. Palakkad Dr. K. V. Narayana Swami also excels in singing this Krithi. Vidwans like Dr S Ramanthan used to render this Krithi in Bhoopalam.

mridhangam · Post by **mridhangam** » 16 Apr 2007, 17:21

Question for you and Sriram: do you have an idea of the concert layout (at least in skeletal form) before the program starts, or is it a surprise to you?

We dont know anything about what they are going to render sir.
99% of the concert we play are on the spot.

J.Balaji.

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 16 Apr 2007, 18:43

Balaji,
A very nice review indeed. I heard Gayatri Venkataraghavan this march in Bangalore--a short concert in the ThiruvaiyAru in Bangalore Festival organized by Carnatica. Let alone her voice, her bhAvA in rendering, her choice of songs and her fine presentaion of them which you speak of, aptly describe her music. Her pleasant stageside manners, her encouraging smile, her enjoying the playing of her accompanists, and above all, her nidAnam appeals to me...

rbharath · Post by **rbharath** » 18 Apr 2007, 10:28

kaapi wrote:I have heard gOpAlaka being in rEvagupthi both by MSS and KVN. IIRC swAthi krithi edited by SSI also lists it as rEvagupthi.
www.swaththirunal.in says

Sl. No.78; Gopalaka paahi mam; Revagupthi; Chaapu; Keerthanam; Saanskrit.
Artist: Dr. B. Arundhathi.
Note: This very popular composition describing the playful baby Krishna includes jathis which evoke the experience of listening to baby Krishna's anklets. This was also popularized through a Malayalam movie in which it was sung by Dr K.J. Yesudas. Palakkad Dr. K. V. Narayana Swami also excels in singing this Krithi. Vidwans like Dr S Ramanthan used to render this Krithi in Bhoopalam.

However the kriti listings on http://www.swathithirunal.in/linkfiles.htm call it as bhUpALam. entry # 78 in the table.

rshankar · Post by **rshankar** » 18 Apr 2007, 21:46

mridhangam wrote:We dont know anything about what they are going to render sir.
99% of the concert we play are on the spot.

J.Balaji.

Thanks, Balaji - so, the whole concert from your point of view is extempore then! WOW!
...and PLEASE call me Ravi/Shankar....

mridhangam · Post by **mridhangam** » 19 Apr 2007, 19:41

i confirmed from the artiste that she sang the kriti gopalaka in Revagupti Only

J.Balaji