y aesViolin duet by Vittal Ramamurthy and Padma Shankar on 2

manoranjitham · Post by **manoranjitham** » 22 Jan 2008, 10:17

Mastery over the instrument and virtuosity in performance is normally the goal of every instrumentalist. Intuitve understanding is an additional must while duetting. But when these faculties are inspired by an extraordinary sensitivity to project the aesthetic beauty of the compositions, instrumental limitations falde away and sublime music surfaces.

So it was, in the Violin Duet offered by Sri Vittal Ramamurthy and Smt Padma Shankar on the concluding day of the Violin Festival held to commomerate the memory of Sangita Kalanidhi Sri Marungapuri Gopalakrishna Iyer on 21st January at the Raga Sudha Hall.

Belonging to the Lalgudi School, virtuosity and laya mastery could never be in doubt. But by their extraordinarily sensitive aesthetic approach, they transformed the concert into a memorable musical experience. The rapturous mood was infectious and enveloped the audience.

The song list:

Varnam Kannada Adi Lalgudi Jayaraman
Sri Maha ganapathi(S) Gowlai M.chapu Muthuswami Dikshitar
Lalithe (S) Bhairavi Adi Thiagaraja
Garudagamana (S) Nagaswarali Rupakam Patnam Subramania Iyer
GatiNeevani (R) Thodi Adi Thiagaraja
Taamadam Tagaadaiyya Mohanakalyani Adi Lalgudi Gopala Iyer
Marivere (R) Anandabhairav M.chapu Syama Sastri (R)
Brovabaarama Bahudari Adi Thiagaraja (S)
Ramakatha Sudha Madhyamavati Adi Thiagaraja R S
Jagadhodharana Kapi Adi Purandaradasa
Manasa Sancharare Sama Adi Sadashivabrahmendra
Thillana in Sindhubhairavi Adi Lalgudi Jayaraman

Raga elaborations were crisp and beauteous. Swaras offered were very measured and dovetailed into the overall mood of the compositions. Mutual understanding was almost intuitive.The krithis Lalithe and Gati Neevani in praise of the goddess Srimathi of Lalgudi, and the vivacious Mohanakalyani piece of Lalgudi Gopala Iyer bespoke their Lalgudi lineage. The thillana simply danced its way into the hearts of the listeners.

Ganapathiraman was inspired so much by the quality of the music that he virtually sang on the mridangam.

Great parampara. Extraordinary aesthetics .Great music .Rapt listening.

bilahari · Post by **bilahari** » 22 Jan 2008, 19:49

Pardon my ignorance, but what is the connection between Vittal Ramamurthy and Padma Shankar? I've only heard Padma Shankar once couple of years back, and she thoroughly impressed me with her ability to provide the essence of ragas with concise phrases.

erode14 · Post by **erode14** » 22 Jan 2008, 20:28

both padma and vittal are sishyas of lalgudi sir..

she regularly plays in concerts and gives vocal recitals too...

sbala · Post by **sbala** » 22 Jan 2008, 20:35

erode14 wrote:she regularly plays in concerts and gives vocal recitals too...

Didn't know she gives vocal recitals as well. Hope to listen to her singing sometime soon

rahm221 · Post by **rahm221** » 23 Jan 2008, 12:32

I thought they were both sishyas of Kanyakumari

mahavishnu · Post by **mahavishnu** » 23 Jan 2008, 18:45

Rahm221, as Erode sir mentioned they are both students of LGJ. Embar Kannan and V. Sanjeev are students of Kanyakumari.
Both Vittal and Padma are top-class accompanists. I heard them on a violin duet tour in US/Canada in 2006. At times it felt like Lalgudi himself was playing...

violinrasika · Post by **violinrasika** » 25 Jan 2008, 02:51

In addition to being a top-class accompanist, Vittal is a great teacher too. Embar Kannan, Amrita Murali and Karaikal Venkatasubramaniam had
their initial training from Vittal.
Some of his students in the US have also started performing now.

mahavishnu · Post by **mahavishnu** » 25 Jan 2008, 05:24

Quite right, Violinrasika. In fact many of Vittal's students are in great demand these days.
Unfortunately, the already small instrumental concert market is so saturated right now, it will take many years before such talented violinists will be able to get prime time solo slots in sabhas.