Gayathri Girish, Gokulashtami concert at Krishna Gana Sabha

Rengarajan · Post by **Rengarajan** » 09 Aug 2007, 23:05

Gayathri Girish, Amirtha Murali, Melakaveri Balaji
Gokulashtami series concert at Krishna Gana Sabha on 8th August,2007

1. Varnam- Vasantha- Adi (S)
2. Kanna Katharul- Madhyamavathi-Adi-Papanasam Sivan
3. Charanam Vijayasaraswathi- Vijayasaraswathi-Adi-Harikesanallur Muthiah Bhagavathar(R,S)
4. Balakrishnan Paadhamalar-Dhanyasi-Rupakam-Papanasam Sivan
5. Pakkala Nilabadi-Karaharapriya-Misra Chapu-Tyagarajar(R,N,S)
6. Nandagopala-Yamunakalyani-Adi-Muthuswami Dikshitar
7. RTP-Purvikalyani-Adi-2 nadai-Chatusram and Tisram
"Lambodara Lakumikara Ambaasutha Amaravinutha"
8.Sri Madhava-Behag-Adi-Papanasam Sivan
9.Kannanidam Eduthu Solladi-Ragamalika-Adi-Ambujam Krishna
10.Thillana-Sindubhairavi-Adi-Uthukkadu Venkatasubbier
11. Mangalam â€“ Narayana Tirthar

Gayathri Girish is one of the artists who plans her concerts for neat execution which was again evident in her concrt for Krishna Gana Sabha. There was balance in everything she rendered, be it raga elaboration or sangathis, neraval or swara redering, keeping the audience engaged witout a dull movement.
The pallavi was in chatusra nadai in the first half and in tisra nadai in the second half. Neraval was also done with nadai alternation throughout.Trikalam was perfectly done, and was slightly different from the usual method of rendition.
And, then swaras followed for the different eduppus in the different nadais.
After the one-avarthana ragamalika swaras in alternating nadais, she came back to Purvikalyani.She then sang a swara koriappu and ended with a nice korvai, yet again alternating in the two nadais.
A fitting Guru Dakshina to her mentor.
Young Amirtha took the challenges admirably, and contributed greatly for maintaining the high quality of the concert.
Balaji was his usual best for concerts of this type but the sharpness in the sound system of the hall inhibited the aestheticity in his playing

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 10 Aug 2007, 03:48

Rengarajan,
Thank you for the nice review.
Was the varNam 'ninnu kOri'?
It is a nice surprise that her next song (2), a PS kriti was in madhyamAvati. I have some compositions in the rAgA, a few about gaNESA. I wonder about the combination--normally, vinAyakA appears in the beginning of the concert and madhyamAvati later or at the end of the concert! This PS's kriti is about krishNA, I realize.
PS's Balakrishnan pAda malar is a classic. Always brings KVN to mind.

Balaji,
Could we expect more on the concert from you? Rengarajan speaks about the sound glitch. Would the sabha's organizers take care of the problem since there are going to be numerous concerts in the gokulashtami series?

Sathej · Post by **Sathej** » 10 Aug 2007, 08:04

A very well planned concert. As for Madhyamavathi, I have heard Nadhupai being rendered at the beginning of a concert.
The Harikeshanallur Muthiah Bhagavathar Krithi in Vijayasaraswathy with the Chittai Swarams was well rendered. The Ragam is a Janyam of Simmendramadhyamam, it was announced. Balakrishnan Pada Malar, yes, it is a classic, one of my favourites in Dhanyasi. The Kharaharapriya was elaborated well. Amritha's version was very nice too. The elaborate Ragam demanded a heavy Krithi and Pakkala Nilapati was a good choice. Then the Dikshithar Yamuna Kalyani Krithi was presented well as an interlude. The Purvikalyani Tanam was especially nice. The Pallavi was a Rettai Nadai one as pointed out. Very well exceuted. The Korvai, yes, was very nice. The Ragamalika of Ambujam Krishna and the Sindubhairavi Thillana provided a fitting finale.
Overall, a good concert well planned and executed.
Sathej

sbala · Post by **sbala** » 10 Aug 2007, 08:47

Arasi,
The varnam was ninnukori. The mridangist is a different Balaji. Not our JB.

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 10 Aug 2007, 08:58

Oops! I must have just noted the 'Balaji' part of the name. Sorry.

prashant · Post by **prashant** » 10 Aug 2007, 09:12

The varNam 'saraguNa' in madhyamAvati is a great start to any concert. I think madhyamAvati sung briskly would lift a concert at the start. Smt. Gayatri Girish's selection is very nice. Even the ever-popular closing piece karpagamE would be a lovely choice after a weighty varNam - perhaps capped off by swarams at 'mayilai', 'tirumayilai' and 'inbamum tarum'?

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 10 Aug 2007, 09:25

prashant,
I suppose it means that my instinct with the songs on gaNESA in madhyamAvathi were not off the mark...

prashant · Post by **prashant** » 10 Aug 2007, 09:56

I would say - absolutely not!!!

bhaktha · Post by **bhaktha** » 10 Aug 2007, 11:16

Will it be possible for someone to provide the exact structure of the pallavi? And details as to how the trikalam was done?
-bhaktha

sbala · Post by **sbala** » 10 Aug 2007, 11:59

Bhakta,
I can provide you an approximate structure. The purvangam Lambodhara laghumikara was in chatusram and uttarangam ambasutha amara vinuta was in trisram.

s_hari · Post by **s_hari** » 10 Aug 2007, 13:37

Seem to be another great concert. Is there any recording of the concert or Pallavi?

-hari

mridhangam · Post by **mridhangam** » 10 Aug 2007, 20:39

Arasi and others,

Actually what we hear on stage is different from what the audience hears. By far in the recent times i hv found the acoustics at KGS is very good. I have also found the atmosphere to be very silent for the music to pervade the ears of the audience as well as the artistes. Generally under trying circumstances i leave it to the organizers/audience/or mike man himself to provide the necessary balance. But when our feedback is good and the audience are not able to hear properly, i concentrate more on the audience side of the volume levels and try to adjust the mridangam playing to suit the atmosphere. It is absolutely a difficult task and my good friend MELAKKAVERI BALAJI is also very adept at all these stage crafts. KGS has certainly improved on the system in the recent years while developing its auditorium also. When the auditorium was open there were many disturbances but recently i found that KGS provides an excellent ambience for the artistes to give their best.

Mannarkoil J Balaji

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 10 Aug 2007, 22:39

Thanks, forumite J.Balaji. In a way, my oversight brought in your informative post which we appreciate!

sureshvv · Post by **sureshvv** » 11 Aug 2007, 01:05

I am a big fan of Gayatri Girish but I think she had an average day at the office at KGS.

Things that bothered me:

1. The Madhyamavati started off sounding like Sudha Saveri or Devamanohari. Admittedly I am hearing this kriti for the first time but it appeared that there were some small mess up at the beginning.

2. The tisra nadai portion of the pallavi felt almost like chatusra nadai. This was probably because she did not use the 2 quick beat version of tisra nadai.

Vijaya Saraswathi and the Nandagopala Dikshitar kriti were really great and made the concert worthwhile.

PS: All subjective opinions of a somewhat informed lay rasika

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 11 Aug 2007, 02:03

sureshvv,

Your PS applies to most of us!

Lakshman · Post by **Lakshman** » 11 Aug 2007, 02:25

I am a little confused here.
Rengarajan's post shows that the first item was a varNa in vasantA.
sbala's post identifies the varNa an ninnukOri (by Garbhapurivasa)
Prashant is talking about the varNa saraguna in madhyamAvati.
But then was the second song she sang - was it also in madhyamAvati?

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 11 Aug 2007, 03:05

Lakshman,
Prashant's mention about madhyamAvati was in response to how often madhyamAvati is rendered very early in a concert (the second piece in this concert). He said that it is sung as the opener even, as with this madyamAvati varNam...

Lakshman · Post by **Lakshman** » 11 Aug 2007, 03:39

Thanks arasi.

sbala · Post by **sbala** » 11 Aug 2007, 08:46

Sureshvv,
I agree that it wasn't a great concert till the pallavi but she certainly did a good job in the pallavi.

Rengarajan · Post by **Rengarajan** » 14 Aug 2007, 13:38

I am a fan of all Balajis because of their handling the instrument softly (mrudhu) and being supportive to enhance the value of the concerts. Sharpness, i mentioned, relates to the balancing which is basically a mikeman's job. I have no complaints against the ambience or the sound system as such.
In fact some of the old recordings of concerts held many years ago at the same venue when sofisticated equipments were not availble, are brilliant and perfectly balanced adding to the listening pleasure