Smr. Gayathri Girish at Sastry Hall - Thematic concert

sureshvv · Post by **sureshvv** » 30 May 2008, 12:36

Gayathri Girish presented a novel and innovative thematic concert consisting only of "priya" ragas. Here are the details:

Gayathri Girish
Akkarai Subbalakshmi
Poongulam Subramaniam
Dr. S. Karthik

Song list:

1. Gananayakam, Rudrapriya, Adi, Dikshitar (S)
2. Na moravinaa radha,Gopriya, Rupaka, Dr. Ramanathan
3. Ramapriya, Sandehamulu theerrpavaiya, Adi, Thyagaraja (RS)
4. Nadanilai Kanduruga naan, Gayakapriya, Misra Chapu, Koteeswara Iyer
5. Rasikapriya, Arul Seyya vendum, Adi, Koteeswara Iyer (RS)
6. Iti samayamu brova radha, Natakapriya, Rupaka, Mysore Vasudevachar
7. Sri kantha nee, Bhavapriya, Adi, Thyagaraja
8. Kharaharapriya, Chakkani raja, Adi, Thyagaraja (RNS)
9. Thani
10. Saravanabhava, pasupathipriya, Adi, Harikesanallur
11. Tillana (managalakarini), Rathipathipriya, Adi, Dr. S. Karthik
12. Mangalam kosalendraya, kokilapriya

Casual Observations:

1. For most of the items, the artiste announced the raga, in some cases the janaka raga and the arohanam, avarohanam

2. The swaraprasthara for the main piece included a recap of all the ragas sung during the concert and a preview of the two thukkadas to follow

3. I think all priyas except Shanmukhapriya were presented.

4. The thani was both energetic and crisp

5. It was a novel theme. Grapevine says that more of these types of concerts are planned. Stay tuned.

6. Akkarai Subbalakshmi draped in "Rajasthan Royals" colors for the evening excelled in her accompaniment, particularly the rasikapriya swara prasthara, confirming that she is one of the top violinists today.

madhavan · Post by **madhavan** » 30 May 2008, 13:33

I attended this katcheri. It was very good. Smt.Gayathri has taken an extra effort to weave all 'priyas' in the main song's swaram. Unique idea, I have not heard before. KUDOS Smt.Gayathri! Looking forward to hearing this type of novel katcheries in the days to come.

Thank you, Mr.Suresh for your complete song list and review ! I heard there are around 25 to 30 ragas with a suffix of Priya.

Lakshman · Post by **Lakshman** » 30 May 2008, 16:53

Madhavan wrote:

I heard there are around 25 to 30 ragas with a suffix of Priya

Here is the list of rAgAs with priyA as suffix:

alankAra, amarasEna, bhAgavata, bhagavat, bhakta, bhAnu, bhava, Damaruga, dAsharathi, gamaka, gamana, garuDa, gAyaka, gIta, gOmAtaka, gO, guha, gurunAtha, guru, haridAsa, hari, harita, hEma, kamalApta, kAmAri, kAnana, kEshava, kharahara, kOkila, kOmala, latAnta, lavanti, manasija, nATaka, pashupati, prabhu, praNava, raghu, rAma, rasika, ratipati, rati, riSabha, riShi, rudra, sama, samudra, sankrandana, Sanmukha, shArada, sImantini, snEha, sumana, sunAda, sundara, tANDava, tava, varuNa, vishva, vishvEshvara, viSNu, viThala, vivAha, yAga.

cienu · Post by **cienu** » 30 May 2008, 18:12

Lakshmanji ,

You are too good

From the above it appears that there can be 4 more thematic concert consisting only of "priya" ragas !

Sreeni Rajarao · Post by **Sreeni Rajarao** » 30 May 2008, 18:15

My Father Veena Raja Rao has composed (back in 1941-42) one kriti in Kumuda priya and one kriti in Shankara priya.
I do not see these two rAga names in Lakshmanji's list above.

Sreeni Rajarao

rajeeram · Post by **rajeeram** » 30 May 2008, 19:32

Nice list, I don't think this is a novel theme though. Smt.Sowmya has a CD with the same Priya-suffix ragas as the theme ( I think it has 9 Priya ragas) that came out 8 or 9 years back. I see 3 or 4 common items and IIRC, that CD had Shanmukhapriya as the main.

Lakshman · Post by **Lakshman** » 30 May 2008, 19:35

I did miss shankarapriyA but kumudapriya is a new one for me. Do you have the lyrics of your father's compositions? If you can share these I can add them to my datadase of songs. Thanks.

sureshvv · Post by **sureshvv** » 31 May 2008, 01:59

do you mean kumudakriya? have not heard of kumudapriya

Lakshman · Post by **Lakshman** » 31 May 2008, 03:13

There is a rAgA called kumudakriyA but I compiled the list from my compositions database. I did not have any songs listed in kumudakriya.
Here is the scale:
SRGMDS / SDMGRS (mELA 51)

Sreeni Rajarao · Post by **Sreeni Rajarao** » 31 May 2008, 03:47

It is clearly written as kumudapriya with a scale
sa ri2 ga2 ma1 pa sa* / sa* ni2 da2 ni2 pa ma1 ga3 sa

( I have with me a photocopy of the original notebook in which my Father had carefully written down his compositions from 1939-1942)

Lakshmanji, I will get in touch with you in a personal email regarding my Father's compositions.

Last edited by Sreeni Rajarao May 30, 2008

Lakshman · Post by **Lakshman** » 31 May 2008, 04:45

There are a couple of Vina audio clips here: Looks like they are your father's records?

http://www.archive.org/details/VeenaRajaRao1930sAlbum

gobilalitha · Post by **gobilalitha** » 31 May 2008, 06:40

Extremely happy that you performed a priyamana kutcheri with raagas suffixed priyas. I am sure you would have done full justice to the kutcheri, as is your wont ..,which is reflected in the reviews. I heard that you love doing thematic concerts,since it gives chance to artists to do some researches and learn new songs too in the process . wish you all success in such attempts, with blessings of GODDESS OF LEARNING. .GOBILALITHA

PUNARVASU · Post by **PUNARVASU** » 31 May 2008, 07:15

Lakshman wrote:There is a rAgA called kumudakriyA but I compiled the list from my compositions database. I did not have any songs listed in kumudakriya.
Here is the scale:
SRGMDS / SDMGRS (mELA 51)

The MDS kriti, Ardhanareeshwaram is in kumudakriya, I think.

rasaali · Post by **rasaali** » 01 Jun 2008, 15:52

Punarvasu

You are correct. Ardhanareeswaram is indeed in Kumudakriya.

I think I have heard versions of S. Ramanathan and TNS and a vioiin version by MSG with a breathtaking alapana in the ragam.

Sathej · Post by **Sathej** » 01 Jun 2008, 15:56

Yes, have heard Ardhanarishwaram with a detailed Alapanai by MSG (along with Parur Sundaram Iyer, I think).
Sathej

Vocalist · Post by **Vocalist** » 01 Jun 2008, 16:40

in Kumudhakriya...which is different from Kumudhapriya (!!)

I can't remember the name of the song, but there is one Yesudas sings that is associated with the latter, I think.

T Speak · Post by **T Speak** » 03 Jun 2008, 10:10

"Garland of Priyas" presented by Smt. Gayathri Girish was very good. Lot of effort has gone into the preparation for the concert. Sastry hall was packed to capacity. Good show. She deserves all praise and encouragement. Efforts notwithstanding, I hope Lady Luck will smile at her and she gets her due soon. Best wishes.

Within a time frame of 7 - 8 days, I attended three concerts of Smt Gayathri Girish at:

(a) Vani Mahal, T.Nagar,
(b) Sastri Hall, Mylapore; and
(c) Dakshinamurthi Auditorium, Mylapore.

Too many concerts in a short span of time results in thinner attendance at concerts (for e.g. at Vani Mahal) and concert fatigue for the rasikas in respect of that particular artiste. By the way, lack of quorum need not deter Smt Gayathri from pursuing excellence. Presence of a good crowd need not necessarily reflect the calibre of the artist or the quality of his / her performance. I think, concerts should be spaced out properly so that rasikas really look forward to the performance. People/person concerned may, if necessary , ponder over this point. Nevertheless, number of concerts one performs counts for the performer as more visibility makes them popular etc etc.

sureshvv · Post by **sureshvv** » 08 Jun 2008, 23:52

Observation #6 added. Somehow this slipped my mind originally!

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 09 Jun 2008, 01:15

T Speak,
The very fact that you as a rasikA heard her thrice in a week means that it does not matter if the concerts happen to fall within a narrow time frame. It also shows that she is already a popular singer. Unless two offers of concerts fall on the same day, performers tend to accept those engagements. Some accompanists do two in a row on the same day! While sparsely filled halls don't inspire the artistes, they as professionals are not discouraged by it. If they have a handful of good listeners, they are happy.