MDR Day concert at Tripunittura (Kerala), Apr 26th

ramanathan · Post by **ramanathan** » 26 Apr 2008, 22:43

Songlist from the MDR Memorial concert held today at Tripunittura

S. Sowmya, Avaneeswaram Vinu, Neyveli Narayanan
MDR Tribute, Tripunittura (Kerala), Apr 26th 2008

(Compositions of MDR and select compositions popularly associated with him)

Ninnukoriyunnadi (Tana Varnam) - Manirangu - Adi - M. D. Ramanathan
Palukavemina - Purnachandrika - Adi - Tyagaraja (Chittaswarams as taught to Sowmya by MDR)
Hariyum Haranum - Athana - Rupakam - M. D. Ramanathan (R)
Diwakara Tanujam - Yadukulakambhoji - Chaturashra Ekam - Muttuswami Dikshitar
Neepadamula - Chakravakam - Jhampa - M. D. Ramanathan (R, S)
Tyagaraja Ashtakam - Ragamalika (8 ragams) - Adi - M. D. Ramanathan
Kamakshi (Swarajati) - Bhairavi - Mishra Chapu - Shyama Sastri (R, N, S, T)
Rama Shri Janaki - Nilambari - Rupakam - M. D. Ramanathan
Maname Ramanai - Sindhubhairavi - Adi - M. D. Ramanathan
Mangalam - Saurashtram - Adi - Tyagaraja (Three charanams sung)

PS - Eager as I was to attend this special tribute to the legend, I could not make it due to unforeseen circumstances. So I am unable to report on the speeches and other proceedings.

revanthv552 · Post by **revanthv552** » 26 Apr 2008, 23:11

Can i know more about the thyagaraja Astakam??What ragas was that sung in??

sankirnam · Post by **sankirnam** » 27 Apr 2008, 00:40

Ramanathan, thanks very much for the review, I was waiting for this!

s_hari · Post by **s_hari** » 27 Apr 2008, 06:35

I wanted to travel to TPT to attend this, but got notification from a friend barely few days, and i already planned for some thing else during this weekend. Would be great, if someone can post the schedules in advance, so it will help for people like me to plan travel, book tickets etc.

Hope to attend it next year atleast...

MDR's memorial concert review from ramanathan!! What a coincidence

-hari

meena · Post by **meena** » 27 Apr 2008, 06:59

s_hari wrote:Would be great, if someone can post the schedules in advance, so it will help for people like me to plan travel, book tickets etc.

Sree R. Krishnamoorthy org. the event every yr.
Kutcheribuzz. had posted the event on its site.

coolkarni · Post by **coolkarni** » 27 Apr 2008, 07:25

ramanthan
I just wonder how you were unable to attend this one ..
of all concerts.
Given your fascination for MDR
Must have been a WOW Concert.
Tradition... as it winds its way through generations ....So comforting to see someone who adds value every inch of the way and not fall prey to populist sentiments.
Someday you must consider releasing a book of just Sowmya's song lists over the years.That will be the perfect record of CM as a contemporary art deriving inspiration from past generations.
I will stop here since I seem to be getting carried away with my fascination for two of my Singing Idols

ramanathan · Post by **ramanathan** » 27 Apr 2008, 14:45

revanthv552 wrote:Can i know more about the thyagaraja Astakam??What ragas was that sung in??

It is an ashta-ragamalika kriti by MDR in praise of Tyagaraja. Ragas are Sama, Mukhari, Varali, Asaveri, Bilahari, Kuntalavarali, Surutti, Madhyamavati. Chittaswarams at the end of each charanam in the various ragas weave smoothly back to Sama... a lovely piece.

s_hari wrote:Would be great, if someone can post the schedules in advance, so it will help for people like me to plan travel, book tickets etc.

Hari, I had posted details of the concert in this forum itself, almost a month ago in the "Music & Festivals" section as well as the MDR thread under "Vaggeyakaras". The info was also posted on the Carnatica Rasika Forum.

coolkarni wrote:ramanthan I just wonder how you were unable to attend this one .. of all concerts. Given your fascination for MDR

Coolji, I was all set to go to Kerala. Had to cancel my tickets barely three hours before departure, thanks to an unforeseen situation

I was eager to go, not only because of my fascination for Ramanatha Swamy, but because I was privy to the effort put in by my colleague Sowmya over the past few days to master the unfamiliar compositions. MDR's notebooks contained the lyrics of his compositions - mostly Telugu - but he has written elaborate notations only for a few of them, thus making a faithful interpretation of his musical ideas quite difficult. I daresay MDR would have been pleased with Sowmya's interpretation

coolkarni wrote:That will be the perfect record of CM as a contemporary art deriving inspiration from past generations.

Hey, that's a very nice way of looking at it and expressed as always, in your inimitable style!

prashant · Post by **prashant** » 01 May 2008, 12:23

Ramanathan - any plans by Carnatica to release this concert?

devi · Post by **devi** » 02 May 2008, 08:40

Friday Review report on MDR Day.
http://www.hindu.com/fr/2008/05/02/stor ... 340300.htm

Devi

s_hari · Post by **s_hari** » 04 May 2008, 05:21

ramanathan wrote:Hari, I had posted details of the concert in this forum itself, almost a month ago in the "Music & Festivals" section as well as the MDR thread under "Vaggeyakaras". The info was also posted on the Carnatica Rasika Forum.

Oh ho... i missed it... Let me try next year...

is this program held on a fixed date / week every year? So that, i can set a reminder to myself in my calendar...

-hari

ramanathan · Post by **ramanathan** » 12 May 2008, 10:32

prashant wrote:Ramanathan - any plans by Carnatica to release this concert?

No, Prashant! Quality of recording not that great... lots of ambient noise and hum

prashant · Post by **prashant** » 12 May 2008, 10:37

Oh no!

I would respectfully suggest that Carnatica explore the possibility of having Smt. Sowmya record these compositions and release a thematic album of Sri MDR's compositions. The maNirangu varNa, tyAgarAja ashTakam and chakravAham song apart, I am sure Smt. Sowmya must be having an even bigger stock of rare MDR compositions to put on that CD!

coolkarni · Post by **coolkarni** » 12 May 2008, 10:52

ramanathan
then can this be released here ?
we wont mind the ambient noise and we will add our own hum , too.

sankirnam · Post by **sankirnam** » 12 May 2008, 20:06

I second Cool's request...

gn.sn42 · Post by **gn.sn42** » 12 May 2008, 23:05

Count me in as another of coolkarni's seconds.

Carnatica could (should!) release many more recordings. The traditional economics of CD production and distribution don't matter - when there is a rare recording with a small but serious audience, they can make it available on their website for download. Close to zero additional cost, and a small positive revenue (and the gratitude of connoiseurs).

srkris · Post by **srkris** » 13 May 2008, 02:45

ramanathan wrote:No, Prashant! Quality of recording not that great... lots of ambient noise and hum

Perfect for a non-commercial (internet) release then, if the artists concerned dont mind, since it is anyways not going to be marketable?

s_hari · Post by **s_hari** » 13 May 2008, 06:52

Waiting to hear from Sowmya & Ramanathan in our favor!!!

kmrasika · Post by **kmrasika** » 13 May 2008, 10:54

ShrI Ramanathan : Please do share the concert with us enthusiastic rasikas. Awaiting eagerly for it.

ramanathan · Post by **ramanathan** » 23 May 2008, 22:14

Ok folks.. sorry for the delay in responding. I was away from home-base for a few days and hadn't visited the forum in a while. I got Sowmya's consent for uploading the recording of the MDR special concert and here it is (Pls be warned that the audio quality is not the best):

Part 1:
http://rapidshare.de/files/39499739/STE ... 1.mp3.html

Part 2:
http://rapidshare.de/files/39500330/STE ... 2.mp3.html

rshankar · Post by **rshankar** » 24 May 2008, 02:45

Sri Ramanathan,

Thanks for your efforts, and please convey to Smt. Sowmya our (the rasikas) heartfelt appreciation of her generosity!

prashant · Post by **prashant** » 24 May 2008, 07:11

Wow. I second rshankar. Truly nice of Smt. Sowmya and Ramanathan.

Sathej · Post by **Sathej** » 24 May 2008, 07:29

Nice gesture by Smt Sowmya indeed. Highly appreciable especially in today's times.
Sathej

rajumds · Post by **rajumds** » 24 May 2008, 09:45

Thank you sir.

gn.sn42 · Post by **gn.sn42** » 24 May 2008, 22:06

Thank you, ramanathan (and Sowmya).

Is there a way for us to make a donation to Carnatica online?

bilahari · Post by **bilahari** » 25 May 2008, 06:36

A big thank you to Sowmya and Ramanathan. May I please request this concert be uploaded to sangeethapriya?

sankirnam · Post by **sankirnam** » 26 May 2008, 00:05

Thanks Sowmya for giving permission to upload the concert, and thanks to Mr. Ramanathan for uploading a concert of my guru...

devi · Post by **devi** » 27 May 2008, 13:27

Dear Ramanathan,

thank you ! Appreciate your efforts very much.

kmrasika · Post by **kmrasika** » 27 May 2008, 14:19

Thank you, ShrI Ramanathan and Smt Sowmya for consenting the recording to be released to Rasikas. It was wonderful hearing some rare pieces. I think the real credit goes to Smt Sowmya whom according to the article has within her safekeeping the diaries containing compositions of MDR which she has continued to preserve scrupulously. Hopefully Carnatica will take the initiative to notate and publish these gems in the future for the benefit of the Carnatic Music world at large.