Sriram Parasuram & Anooradha Sriram @ IFAS, Chennai (01 May

ram · Post by **ram** » 02 May 2007, 00:57

Venue: Balamandir German Hall, Prakasam St, T.Nagar, Chennai

Date: 01 May 2007

Organizer: The Indian Fine Arts Society (G.N.B. Day)

Vocal: Vid Sriram Parasuram & Vid Anooradha Sriram

Violin: Vid Embar S. Kannan

Mridangam: Vid Pathri Sathish Kumar

Ghatam: Vid B.S. Purushothaman

List of songs:

1) evari bOdhana (varnam) - AbhOgi - Adi - paTTaNam subramaNya iyer (S)

2) karimuka varadA - nATTai - Adi - g.n. bAlasubramaNiam (AS)

3) ranjani niranjani - ranjani - Adi - g.n.bAlasubramaNiam (A)

4) varada nipuNa - pUrNacandrikA - Adi (tisra gati) - g.n. bAlasubramaNiam

5) sadA pAlaya - mOhanam - Adi - g.n.bAlasubramaNiam (AS)

6) kamala caraNE - amritabehAg - Adi - g.n.bAlasubramaNiam

7) santatamu ninnE - valaji - Adi - g.n.bAlasubramaNiam (A)

8 ) rAgam tAnam pallavi - tODi - misra tripuTa (2 kaLai) (T)

rAgam - tODi; tAnam - tODi, rItigauLa, kalyANi, takka, hindOLam, AndOlikA & back to tODi

pallavi wordings: "mama kulEshvaram shAstAram santatam, cintayEham Ananda tANDava puravihAram" - g.n. bAlasubramaNiam

9) rAdhA samethA â€“ misra yaman â€“ Adi â€“ ??

10) nI nAma rUpa mulaku (mangaLam) - saurAshTram - Adi - thyAgarAja

(Key: O=raga outline, A=raga alapana, N=neraval, S=kalpana swaram, T=taniavartanam)

The concert by Vid. Sriram Parasuram & Vid. Anooradha Sriram followed that of the Trichur Brothers and a short talk by Dr. V.V. Srivatsa on GNB. All songs they sang except for the varnam and the mangaLam were compositions of Sri G.N. Balasubramaniam.

The star accompanists (Vid. Embar S. Kannan, Vid. Pathri Satish Kumar and Vid. B.S. Purushothaman, all of them my personal favorites) stole the show. Vid. Embar S. Kannan's alapanas and tAnam were worth their weight in gold. Vid. P. Satish Kumar played excellently for all the songs. In my opinion, he is the best out of the mrudangam artists of the present generation when it comes to playing for songs. His imagination is very fertile. He is very quick in calculations and in translating the calculations readily into patterns that are presentable and enjoyable. Many of his endings for songs are intelligently (& instantly) derived from calculations that either the vocalist or the violinist uses. Vid. B.S. Purushothaman followed him like his shadow for all the songs. Both the percussion artists were very appreciative of each other.

The pallavi line in the RTP "mama kulEshvaram shAstAram santatam, cintayEham Ananda tANDava puravihAram" was structured as follows (B=beat; 1 Avartanam of misra tripuTa, 2 kaLai = 22 B):

starts 5B after samam ......

ma (0.5B) ma (0.5B) ku (0.5B) lE (1B) shva (0.5B) ram (1.5B) shA (1B) stA (1B) ram (1B) san (1B) ta (0.5B) tam (+gap = 2.5B) cin (1B) ta (0.5B) yE (0.75B) ham (0.75B) A (1B) nan (1B) da (0.5B) tAN (1B) Da (0.5B) va (0.5B) pu (0.5B) ra (0.5B) vi (0.5B) hA (1B) ram (0.5B)

The pallavi was sung in trikAlam.

The taniavartanam played by Sri P. Satish Kumar and Sri B.S. Purushothaman was really good. It comprised the chatusra and tisra naDais and a kanDa kuraippu. While doing kanDa kuraippu, Sri Satish Kumar and Sri Purushothaman used tisram and double speed versions of patterns of 5 along with the usual patterns of 5 to add variety. For example, instead of playing 2 patterns of 5 aksharams in chatusram, they would play 3 patterns of 5 aksharams each in tisram or 4 patterns of 5 aksharams each in double speed. Sri Satish Kumar also played other varieties for the 80 aksharam patterns like the following:

tha ki Ta thom, tha ;, dhi ;, ki;, Na;, thom;,

tha ki Ta thom, tha; dhi; ki; Na; thom;

tha ki Ta thom, tha, dhi, ki, Na, thom,

tha ki Ta thom, (tha dhi ki Na thom - 3 times)

The kuraippu involved many other intelligent structures as well that I couldn't note down.

Source: http://ramsabode.wordpress.com/2007/05/ ... i01052007/

Margasahayam · Post by **Margasahayam** » 02 May 2007, 06:33

So my ld friend Sriram Parsuram is back and active as well. I am glad his talent is actively flourishing - Parasu if you see this - Its your old classmate from SIES - Nagendra:]

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 02 May 2007, 07:15

I have heard the Parasurams only in jugalbandis, and Sriram Parasuram several times as an accompanying violinist. A man and wife concert of CM this time. Do they do this often? Also, has Sriram played violin for any of Anooradha's concerts?

coolkarni · Post by **coolkarni** » 02 May 2007, 08:04

Ram.You have barely touched the part of the main music fare.

I am forced to give some of my thoughts, especially since I consider Sriram a very very exciting artist.
If only he could sing Solo.

This is not a technical review (since I cannot write one) but more from the heart.
In all my years of listening to Classical Music, I have never been able to understand the need for two people singing as a duet (with the rare exception of Alathoor Brothers and Nazakath-Salamath).

And worse , I have never been able to appreciate the need for a Male-Female duet.I had thought that Dilshad Khan's efforts with Parveen would be the last time this was experimented , but my optimism is obviously misplaced.

Somehow it boils down to a common ground ,where both the artists are comfortable and the listener is left wondering what would be happening if one of the singers was singing alone.
Sure all concerts have to be like a journey on a Highway, with the road ahead guided by line and compass.
But great musical experiences also owe their excellence to the occasional detours on roads, like the ones that have come into existence only by the footmarks of a moody traveller on virgin grassland.

Having heard Sriram so often in Lecdems , I was tempted on so many occasions to think ...
"Oh ! only if he goes solo from now on and experiments with his thoughts "
But I had to be content with snatches of his manodharma in the Nattai alapana alone.
And true to the dharma of a HM exponent , he did try a few wonderful phrases in Ranjini .
Not letting his impulses go,even as they seemed to slip away.
And managing to grab them back from thin air.

If I am seen as rude to his singing partner , I must apologise.But then I have never been a big fan of Shrill singing - The mohana alapana said it all-I am of the firm opinion that there is no worthwhile music there , in those high reaches.The few occasions , when she gave a contrasting reply in a MDR like tone, the effect was there for all to see.

And those three wizards on the Viloin , Mridangam and Khanjira- were'nt they sweet and full of punch.I could have hugged them.Embar's way of reconnecting with the world after he has played a mesmerising bit is so innocent- as though a child is giving you a beautiful flower it has plucked and making a present of it , to you.
with eyes that say "Do you like it as much as I do ?"

ram · Post by **ram** » 02 May 2007, 08:59

Ram.You have barely touched the part of the main music fare.
smile

Coolji: I am sure you know the reason

BTW, looks like you were there for the concert. Where were you sitting? It would have been nice to meet you.

In all my years of listening to Classical Music, I have never been able to understand the need for two people singing as a duet (with the rare exception of Alathoor Brothers and Nazakath-Salamath).

I would place my bets on Trichur Brothers. If only they continue with the same zeal and get class accompanists to play along with them (nothing wrong with the team that played with them yesterday ... the same team almost always plays for them .. but then there are some accompanists who really lift the level of a concert and get a lot more out of the main artist). It is probably too early though to compare any of the present day duos to Alathur Brothers. They were in a different league altogether and I feel it will take a lot of time and concert experience to get another duo like that, if at all we manage to get one.

Having heard Sriram so often in Lecdems , I was tempted on so many occasions to think ...
"Oh ! only if he goes solo from now on and experiments with his thoughts "

If I am seen as rude to his singing partner , I must apologise.But then I have never been a big fan of Shrill singing - The mohana alapana said it all-I am of the firm opinion that there is no worthwhile music there , in those high reaches.The few occasions , when she gave a contrasting reply in a MDR like tone, the effect was there for all to see.

I want to hear both of them give solo performances before I draw any conclusions on their abilities. Yesterday Anooradha was singing with Sriram's upper shadjam as her lower shadjam which is so difficult to do, especially when she has to reach her own upper shadjam and beyond in alapanas. She can still kind of manage in such situations by singing in lower octave while the kriti is on. But alapanas are a different ball game altogether. Her tendency to quickly move to upper reaches in the alapana coupled with this high shruti for her is what produced the shrill effect you are describing. While she had to struggle with the high pitch, Sriram was singing comfortably in either his own pitch or one slightly lower.

coolkarni · Post by **coolkarni** » 02 May 2007, 09:09

Where were you sitting?

Always in a seat closest to the Exit

ram · Post by **ram** » 02 May 2007, 09:18

rajeshnat · Post by **rajeshnat** » 02 May 2007, 09:30

I was also there did say a big hi to ram. I came into the concert at 8:30pm and was till 09:20pm(end) , just entered when the pallavi line of todi was sung. My first experience of hearing them did not turn out good.

# The vidwath and the voice of srirAm was quite good , but during the tOdi pallavi and swara kalpana rendition and the mishrayaman tukkada , I did feel the excess shrieky voice of Smt anoorAdha sriram was dipping the concert to below mediocre. I was expecting that lovely voice of anoorAdha sriram in the film minsAra kanavu when she sings that lovely song "anbhendra mazhayilE"

The tani was very good , liked the second half more. There was a lot of controlled aggression by satish and BSP supported well.

ram · Post by **ram** » 02 May 2007, 10:13

but during the tOdi pallavi and swara kalpana rendition and the mishrayaman tukkada , I did feel the excess shrieky voice of Smt anoorAdha sriram was dipping the concert to below mediocre. I was expecting that lovely voice of anoorAdha sriram in the film minsAra kanavu when she sings that lovely song "anbhendra mazhayilE"

I would blame the pitch chosen. Whatever shruti they choose, at least one of them has to struggle. Smt. Anooradha was the unlucky one yesterday.

coolkarni · Post by **coolkarni** » 02 May 2007, 10:21

I would blame the pitch chosen. Whatever shruti they choose, at least one of them has to struggle.

That is exactly what I meant when I wrote

the need for a Male-Female duet

ram · Post by **ram** » 02 May 2007, 10:30

Coolji: I am in agreement with your views on male-female duet. Missed posting it in my reply to your post earlier.

coolkarni · Post by **coolkarni** » 02 May 2007, 12:15

There is another angle to this subject.Have you Kishori Amonkar sing with her Male disciple accompanying.That has a wonderful effect.

ram · Post by **ram** » 02 May 2007, 12:36

Haven't heard that. Would be interesting to hear and check out the factors that make it good.

coolkarni · Post by **coolkarni** » 02 May 2007, 14:00

Would be interesting to hear

http://www.sendspace.com/file/r34uuk

a snatch from a 91 minute rendering of ahir bhairav in hubli.
this is around the 35th minute or so.
will put up another around the 60 minute mark.
If you like it we can hear the full track on the Kishori thread.
it is an amazing rendering.

ram · Post by **ram** » 02 May 2007, 15:27

If you like it we can hear the full track on the Kishori thread.

Coolji: I am all ears !!

Will listen to this clip in the night when I have some free time and get back to you. I could be wrong here but I think the shruti is lower than 1 kaTTai. May be even 0 kaTTai. Will have to check with a shruti box.

coolkarni · Post by **coolkarni** » 02 May 2007, 15:48

Ram
Watch out the Kishori Thread tonight.
Rajeshnat.
You can start your much awaited tryst with HM with Kishori .
It may be a bit liking diving into the deeper end of the pool, for a starter, but you will like it.

Ragjay · Post by **Ragjay** » 03 May 2007, 14:30

I am reminded of a phrase of the great critic which I read years back but it is firmly etched in my memory. I agree with the view expressed bu Kulkarni. The concert generated more heat than light. That expression of the late critic sums up the effect of the concert. It is a pity that both talented and brilliant artist do not sing separately. But their joint effort i am afraid does not produce the soothing effort ......

kartik · Post by **kartik** » 03 May 2007, 15:03

Just curious-was the concert sung with a mic?

Coolji and I learnt it the hard way when we didnt sit near the exit for a AIR national program Hindustani vocal concert we attended.
That was the day,I decided that I will always sit near the exit,except of course, for TNS's concerts.

It is also unfortunate that many other gems of GNB are rarely sung- the same old hits over and over again.