Shri RKVS Centenary Celebrations

sbala · Post by **sbala** » 12 Nov 2007, 17:56

After my backsides got burnt by a combination of Roast 'em Fateh Ali Khan and "rock-solid" Academy chairs, it was time to head back to the source of pristine carnatic music, Raga Sudha Hall, to listen to the delicious music of TNK. The occasion was the birth centenary of Shri RK Venkatramana Shastry, grandfather of Shri RK ShriramKumar.

The Carnatic restorative treatment began with (no coincidence this) Yamuna Kalyani, a beautiful haridasulu vedale by a future torchbearer of the Maharajapuram bani. Bring on the world's music with the greatest set designs and blazer clad comperes (with an accent that wouldn't fetch them a all-night job in a call centre in Madurai), Thygaraja still wins by an innings with a day to spare.

This was followed by two short speeches by TNK and Rk Srikantan. TNK alluded to the majestic bowing style of Shri RK Venkatramana Shastri and the greats he had accompanied during his times. He specifically mentioned that RKVS accompaniment to Maharjapuram Viswanatha Iyer was a testimony to his expertise. RK Srikantan speech was also very dignified.

The moment of the day however belonged to Shri Easwaran Mama and Smt DKP. It was quite moving to see legends referring to them as Paravati-Parameshwaran and getting their blessings. When RK ShriramKumar held the mic for DKP to speak, there was absolute silence in the hall. On reflection, I don't think there could have been absolute silence, atleast not in Chennai. Maybe, it was my ears that blocked everything else with the hope of being part of a historic moment. And when it did unfold, I knew I had a story to tell my grandchidren. She displayed considerable humility by saying she had very little speaking experience. She spoke about the highly disciplined and religious life led by Shri RKVS and pointed out that his grandson follows the same path. Her talk was slow but the words were crystal clear. The voice still has the capability to reach an entire hall without any assistance from the mic. Her humilty, sense of humour and grandmotherly affection for ShriramKumar were all in display. Shri Easwaran mama then rounded it off by saying they won't be able to stay for the concert because of health reasons and apologised for the same. He sought blessings from the audience before leaving the premises. It was only a few minutes but an experience of a lifetime.

The concert itself was special with some of TNK's favourites like ganjanayutam, varanarada. The main, if I recall correctly, was in Shankarabhranam. The tailend of the concert was filled with the usual suspects like Surutti and Sindhubhairavi but in TNK's hands, they take on a life of its own. A great day and I have recovered sufficiently for another tryst with the Academy today.

prashant · Post by **prashant** » 12 Nov 2007, 21:54

Who sang haridAsulu veDalE?

sbala · Post by **sbala** » 12 Nov 2007, 22:11

I think his name is Maharajapuram Ganesh Viswanathan. Seemed a bit nervous at the start but he managed it quite well.

Sathej · Post by **Sathej** » 12 Nov 2007, 22:14

I think the main in Shri TNK's concert was Ksheenamai in Mukhari with Neraval and Swaram at Eti Jesina. Enduku Peddala in Sankarabharanam was also rendered with Neraval and Swaram at Veda Shastra.

sbala · Post by **sbala** » 12 Nov 2007, 22:44

Thanks Sathej. You are right.

rbharath · Post by **rbharath** » 12 Nov 2007, 23:21

this celebration is going to be on for the whole week.

today Sri T K Govinda Rao sang... what an amazing concert it was. detailed post soon..

at 6:30 pm on
13th - R K Srikantan - M Chandrasekaran - Umalayapuram Sivaraman - B S Purushottaman

14th - R Vedavalli - Lalgudi Vijayalakshmi - Vellore Ramabadran

15th - Kalpakam Swaminathan - Manoj Siva

16th - Rudrapatnam Brothers - Mullaivasal Chandramouli - K V Prasad - Anirudh Athreya

17th
5 pm R N Srilatha - Padma Shankar - Ganapathiraman
6:30 pm N Ramani - T Rukmani - Palghat Raghu - S Karthick

18th
9:00 am Rama Ravi, Nanditha Ravi - MA Krishnaswamy - K Arun Prakash
4:25 pm Radha Viswanathan , Aiswarya Srinivasan - Amritha Murali - B Sivaraman
6:30 pm V V Subramanian - Thiruvarur Bhaktavatsalam - V Suresh

vijay · Post by **vijay** » 13 Nov 2007, 00:31

What a fine set of performers...is it any surprise that I am off again tomorrow...

rshankar · Post by **rshankar** » 13 Nov 2007, 06:39

18th: Smt Radha Viswanathan - is that Smt. MSS/Sri Sadasivam's daughter?

rbharath · Post by **rbharath** » 13 Nov 2007, 09:38

of coz not vijay.

rshankar, yes!

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 13 Nov 2007, 19:41

Inaugural Function...

I don't really do concert reviews: I don't have the knowledge to give other than my very personal reaction, not even to list the items performed.

Exception for this one! And, for reasons that will become clear, I want to review the event rather than the concert

First I want to congratulate the family/organisers of this event. A number of people spoke at the beginning, paying their tributes and their respect with warmth and sincerity.

Nobody, not even me, can complain that such a function includes speeches: how could it be otherwise?

That this section of the proceedings was over in half an hour and the concert started promptly afterwards is setting an example to all such function organisers. It was enough for us to feel the nature of the event, but not to become impatient.

I'm sure that many great people were involved, that I do not have the education to have recognised, but I was amazed and delighted to see and hear a few words from D K Patamal.

Now all I have to do is to find out who RKVS was, and I'm sure someone here will give me a pointer or two.

The concert ---what can I say? My favourite violinist and my favourite mridangist. One of my first Carnatic CDs was "Maestro's choice" featuring TN Krishnan and Guruvayor Dorai, and I have been hooked ever since.

Loved every minute of it.

(I'd started a new thread, but moved my post here when I discovered this one)

rasaali · Post by **rasaali** » 13 Nov 2007, 23:35

Nick

RKVS is late RK Venkatarama Shastri, grandfather of RK Shriram kumar and, I believe, elder brother of Sri RK Srikantan. He was a violinist who worked for a long time in AIR.

Will leave details to rasikas more knowledgable than me.

cienu · Post by **cienu** » 14 Nov 2007, 00:25

Dear Nick,

We already have a photograph of Vidwan Venkatrama Shastry in Rasikas

Please go to the forum "Vidwans and Vidushis" and under the topic "M.S.Subbulakshmi" , kindly refer to the postings and photographs of Srkris # 38 and # 39( to be read in conjunction with # 119.)

In posting # 39 , Sri Venkatrama Shastry is standing on the extreme right (as we face the picture).

Apart from being an eminent Violin Vidwan , Sri Venkaratama Shastry had the "Bhagyam" of perfoming Pooja and Abhishekam to the great Thyagabrahmam on the Aradhana day at Tiruvaiyaru every year for a very very long time ( 1965 - 1990 ? atleast).

Other rasikas may have some more details.

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 14 Nov 2007, 01:20

Nice to be having the history filled in.

Is there any relationship to TN Krishnan? ...He being the musician to open the event.

I missed the concert by R K Srikantan tonight. I no longer live just around the corner, so cannot manage every night. I do expect to be there for the next two nights.

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 14 Nov 2007, 03:49

Nick,
I hope you can catch a concert of RKS during the season. Vintage stuff. At his age, he gives spirited performances in a robust voice.
No.TNK is no relative and his family is originally from kerala whereas Rudrapatnam is in Karnataka--of course, they are brothers in playing the violin...

Sam Swaminathan · Post by **Sam Swaminathan** » 14 Nov 2007, 05:58

"18th: Smt Radha Viswanathan - is that Smt. MSS/Sri Sadasivam's daughter?"

I may be getting my wires crossed here...but is this the same lady who used to accompany Smt MSS in her concerts?

Own daughter eh?

uday_shankar · Post by **uday_shankar** » 14 Nov 2007, 07:00

Sam Swaminathan

Does it matter whether Smt. Radha is her "own" daughter or adopted from Jupiter or even whether somebody is a human or a cyborg ?!

Is this a relevant musical question ?

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 14 Nov 2007, 07:48

Sam,
The one and the same who was more than her own to her.

harimau · Post by **harimau** » 14 Nov 2007, 10:04

There are times when one wants to write a review. And then there are times when one looks back on the concert experience and decides there are no words to describe it.

Sri R K Srikantan's concert belongs to the latter category.

The hall was full, people were sitting in the benches along the wall and more were standing both inside and outside the hall. The audience included senior vidwans and vidushis, those currently making a mark or trying to make a mark for themselves, and rasikas who cherish old-time values in music.

The concert comprised of a varnam in Kambhodhi; 'Sri Mooladhara' in Sri; 'Jaya Mahishasuramardhini' in Hamsadhwani, 'Harihara putram' in Vasantha; 'Rama Ika Nannu' in Sahana, and a brilliant 'Jesinathella' in Todi. The last piece was a Devarnama in Surutti followed by the traditional Mangalam.

The tani by Umayalpuram Sivaraman and B S Purushothaman was outstanding; it drew a comment of appreciation from Sri Srikantan himself. In return, Sri Sivaraman said that he was inspired by the 85-year-old (in reality, 88-year-old) Srikantan. Sri Sivaraman reminded Sri Srikantan that he will be accompanying him in a future concert (Music Academy, maybe?)

A musical treat that those of us who were lucky enough to be present at will cherish for a long long time.

rajeshnat · Post by **rajeshnat** » 14 Nov 2007, 12:19

I was there too for this concert, missed the first sarasijanAbha varnam. For me the biggest high of the concert was the rendition of shree rAgam and the tOdi first half. A very deep and unsagging voice at the age of 85 or 88 just gave a right thrust for me to enjoy shree rAgam. Shri RKS's voice and manOdharmam was very good in tOdi , the start of the pallavi line with different gamakams gave me a very complete tOdi experience in "cEsinadella maracitivO O rAma rAma". The hamsadhwani rAga alApanai did appear diffferent or can I say there were quite a few traces of kalyAni in lakshyam.

While Shri rks's voice culture and delivery is immaculate , his son ramAkanth matched somewhat only in alApanai , his swara delivery was very average in hamsadhwani , and a bit below average especially in the last half of the tOdi swaram .

UKS played as usual energetically, tani was bit long . Any upapakkavadhyam artist who plays with the artist Shri UKS takes one of the two routes , face Shri uks head on and try to not get subdued or just succumb and appreciate the vidwath and senior status of Shri UKS. Looks like BS PurushOttaman did the later. Shri MC's violin was good , a bit too squeaky in nAdham especially in the return of rAmakAnths tOdi.

Overall "antha KAlathu pAdantharam of Shri Rk Shrikantan" was expressed well , I am just amazed in this vidwans finesse in voice and delivery .

rajeshnat · Post by **rajeshnat** » 14 Nov 2007, 12:23

devarnama in shuruTTi was swami suvajanakEnnA ??? . The composer was PurandaradAsar and the rendition was very good

ram · Post by **ram** » 14 Nov 2007, 18:13

rajeshnat wrote:devarnama in shuruTTi was swami suvajanakEnnA ???

smarisuva janakella - suruTTi - Adi - purandaradAsa

Sam Swaminathan · Post by **Sam Swaminathan** » 15 Nov 2007, 02:47

Thank you Arasi...

rbharath · Post by **rbharath** » 15 Nov 2007, 10:30

I wasnt very happy with Sri Srikantan's concert for similar reasons as rajesh.

The Vedavalli mami concert was amazing.

prashant · Post by **prashant** » 15 Nov 2007, 14:22

Where is the list, bharath?

rbharath · Post by **rbharath** » 15 Nov 2007, 15:37

prashant, i dint put the list coz others have already wrote about the concert and have told the songs presented. the list is here:

R K Srikantan - M Chandrasekharan - Umayalpuram Sivaraman - B S Purushottaman

R K Venkatarama Sastry Birth Centenary Celebrations.
Raga Sudha Hall.
13 Nov 2007. 6:30 pm

sarasija nAbha - kAmbhOji - aTa tALam (R)
srI mUlAdhAra - srI rAgam - Adi - MD (RS)
jaya mahishAsura mardini - hamsadvani - rUpakam - HMB (RS)
harihara putram - vasantA - kaNDa Ekam - MD (R)
rAmA ika nannu - sahAnA - rUpakam - PSI (RS)
jEsinadella - tODi - Adi - T (RNS)
tani Avarththanam
smarisuva janakella - suruTTi - Adi - Pd
mangaLam kOsalEndrAya
nI nAma rUpamulaku - saurAshTram - Adi - T.

Sri Srikantan was awesome. Sri Ramakanth was good in parts. Sri Chandrasekharan was enjoying and playing as usual. Sri Sivaraman was good as well. Sri Purushottaman couldnt do much in front of the giant.

venkatpv · Post by **venkatpv** » 15 Nov 2007, 17:51

bharath,

prashant was asking about Vedavalli mami's concert!

rbharath · Post by **rbharath** » 15 Nov 2007, 22:37

if you havent seen it already

http://rasikas.org/forums/viewtopic.php?id=4039 or http://me-and-music.blogspot.com

rshankar · Post by **rshankar** » 17 Nov 2007, 09:10

A lovely picture in this link:
http://www.hindu.com/fr/2007/11/16/stor ... 300400.htm

And Nick, a biography of sorts for you!

ANU · Post by **ANU** » 17 Nov 2007, 10:45

I too was there at the concert. I was surprised to see the senior mridangist clutch Ramakant's hand roughly and make him follow his dad's tala. Even though the mridangist was justified in stopping a distraction, I would have liked more finesse in his approach, especially as he is so senior and revered.

vijay · Post by **vijay** » 17 Nov 2007, 10:52

Ouch! Brings to mind a VCD of SSI accompanied by BMK on the viola in the late nineties. One of SSI's disciples on stage was eidently not keeping time to Kanjira legend Harishankar's satisfation. Just before one of the Vinyasa rounds Harishankar grabbed the disciple's wrist and non-chalantly continued with his round! The disciple, who was until then completely absorbed in the music, did not look amused at all...

A warning to the members of the incompetent time-keeper's club...of which I happen to be a card carrying member!

ANU · Post by **ANU** » 17 Nov 2007, 11:01

Which reminds me on the other hand of vocalists hiding their 'thalam putting hand' under a towel during the Pallavi to prevent the violinists from seeing it an overshadowing them!

vijay · Post by **vijay** » 17 Nov 2007, 11:06

IIRC Kancheepuram Naina Pillai v Dakshinamoorthy Pillai - I remember Srimushnam dismissing this as a rumour in one of his LDs

sbala · Post by **sbala** » 17 Nov 2007, 11:54

this towel story has been doing the rounds for so many years with different characters thrown in. I've heard PMI also being featured in one of the versions. Srimushnam sir's assertion is possibly closer to the truth.

ANU · Post by **ANU** » 17 Nov 2007, 22:33

I too think it is a rumour. I'm sure no musician would be that blatant in his tactics. Using the hands to drink water, to replace hair tufts, to hit at mosquitoes would perhaps be better strategies. Anyway, surely the violinist would have had a role in thalam keeping too wouldn't he?

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 18 Nov 2007, 15:43

Rshankar, yes than you

I read the article in the Hindu and asked my archivist (among the many, many vital roles my wife fulfils for me!) to cut it out and keep it.

rbharath · Post by **rbharath** » 19 Nov 2007, 13:55

did anybody attend the VVS concert?

ANU · Post by **ANU** » 19 Nov 2007, 15:10

Yes. VVS was good and threw in a lec-dem with each item that dealt with health matters too (If you listen to Surya kantam you will not get diabetes- MVMohan are you listening?
It was rather dramatic right from choice of ragas (something just like sindhubhairavi which he emphasised was jarjari or somehting like that which I don't recall and which he described as the grandfather of Thodi. The RTP had all 4 violinists bowing away to glory especially in korappu with each ascending note being the landing point in turn.
The tani was indeed, as VVS put it, a 10000 wala. After that, Jagadhodharana which brought back the violinist to his normal style was really soothing and brought tears to the eyes with Bhaktavatsalam too drenching the piece with melody soaked beats.Entertaining show on the whole. But after TNK's Shankarabaranam on the first day....

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 19 Nov 2007, 19:09

I was on the way (wearing my best clothes, too, for the closing item of this series) and, knew, as I reached Thirvanmiyur and knew I hadn't locked the front door, so I doubled back.

At least I was right: I had left it open, although the exterior grill was padlocked.

I try to avoid acting according to superstition (yes, even in this country I try

) but felt it wrong to begin the journey again.

My loss.