Sikkil Gurucharan on 1st June at Rasikapriya Kolkatta

anandabhairavi · Post by **anandabhairavi** » 02 Jun 2008, 10:57

Sikkil C Gurucharan sang under the banner of Rasikhapriya Kolkatta on 1st June
Anayampatti G.Venkatasubramanian - Violin
K.V.Gopalakrishnan - Mridangam.

Intha Thamasama - Kannada - Lalgudi Jayraman
Tatwamariya Tharama - Reeti Gowlai - Papanasam SIvan
Bhuvaneshwariya - Mohana Kalyani - Harikesha nallur Bhagawathar
Maa Mava Pattabhirama - Manirangu - Muthuswami Dikshadhar
Tattwamerura - Garudadwani -Thyagaraja
Appan Avadharitta Kathamrudham - Karaharapriya- Papanasam Sivan
Thani avardhanam.
Viruttam - Kovai chevvaiyil Kuviyum Sirippum followed by
Gangaa desham - Sindhu Bhairavi - ???
Maitrim Bhajatha .

It was a wonderful melodious concert.It was announced as a 2 hour concert but went on for
two and half hours,leaving the audience craving for more in the end.

Gurucharan was on form right from the word go .The varnam was short and perfect.
He gave a brief alapana of ragam Reeti gowlai and followed the song with swaram at Muladhara ganapathe.

The main raga was Mohana kalyani - Bhuvaneshwariya opened with a brilliant alapana and he finished with briliant swara patttern.

Mamava Pattabhirama was rendered with right touch of emotions followed by the rare song Tatwamerura in Garudhadwani.He gave brief swaram at tatwamerura in the end.

Then came the grand karaharapriya.The alapana went on for 8 minutes with brilliant imaginations .Then came the song "appan avadaritha katahmritham".This song was a new one for we Calcuttans and thoroughly enjoyed the song.The neraval at "Triloka mangalamurthy" followed by the swarams were brlliant.

The viruttam followed by Gangadheesam was a brilliant piece in Sindhu bhairavi followed by Maitrimbhajata.

The swaras in both the main ragas had what some one in the audience said that it had Ekkachakka kanaku and vazhakku.

Violin of Venkatasubramanian was apt with correct returns and alapana.

The surprise of evening was K.V.Gopalakrishnan on Mridhangam, while we have always known and seen him as kanjira artiste it was a pleasant surprise.
His thani was short and sweet to the point .

It was nice to see all the 3 young artistes on the stage give a perfect memorable concert with Gurucharan leading the show sparklingly for us calcuttans to remember for a long time to come.

Gurucharan was felicitated in the end for being awarded the Bismillah khan Yuva Puraskar award from Sangeeta nataka academy this year .

The sound system was perfect.If there was any regret then it was only the duration of the concert which was short ,especially when Gurcharan and his coartistes were in full form right from the word go.

knandago2001 · Post by **knandago2001** » 02 Jun 2008, 11:10

Gangadhishwaram sivasankaram, a composition of Guru Surajananda, was a favourite with Sri. D.K. Jayaraman. The concert was very enjoyable indeed. I liked the way Gurucharan sang swarakalpana for "Ganapate" (I tried it for moolaadhara ganapathe as well - and it "works") in Reetigoula. This was the first time I heard a vocal rendition of Sri. Lalgudi Jayaraman's "intha taamasama" and it was a pleasant surprise in more ways than one, given that Kannada had been presented by both artists featured on the previous evening. Kharaharapriya was really evocative - btw is appan avadarita kathaamrutam rendered in 1 kalai or 2 kalai? anandabhairavi: I'm hoping you will post reviews of the other concerts as well. Thanks,

fuddyduddy · Post by **fuddyduddy** » 02 Jun 2008, 19:28

i had heard that master balamuralikrishna was also giving a concert for the same event. could someone provide his song list?

knandago2001 · Post by **knandago2001** » 02 Jun 2008, 19:47

From what I can remember, here is a partial list: deva deva kalayaamide (mayamalavagoula), pankaja lochana (kalyani), ninnadalella (kannada), kaligiyunte (keeravaani), vagalaadi bodhanalaku (behaag) - the keeravaani suite was very good; will wait for anandabhairavi's detailed review.

tkb · Post by **tkb** » 02 Jun 2008, 23:12

I was there in the felicitation function organised by Sri Nalli Chettiar where in, the Bismillah khan Yuva Puraskar awardee of Sangeeta nataka academy this year from Chennai were felicitated and there was a mention by Sri Natarajan that he had received a SMS from the Secy. of the Calcutta sabha about the success of this concert with a great performance given by Sri Gurucharan.

anandabhairavi · Post by **anandabhairavi** » 03 Jun 2008, 14:17

Dear Knandago sir,Unfortunately I was held upin office and could not attend the full concert .I reached late and did hear keeravani and Behag as I was repeatedly summoned over mobile from office.The keeravani was good but well ... was not greatly impressed.Any way it is my view only .

kssuresh · Post by **kssuresh** » 03 Jun 2008, 21:26

anandabhairavi,

I was there. I thought the concert ended exactly after 2 hrs - started at 4.30 and closed around 6.35, including the organiser Sri. Kannan's introduction of the artistes.

While the concert was ok, what I missed was the intensity of Kunnakkudi Balamuralikrishna's performance at the same venue the previous day.

knandago2001 · Post by **knandago2001** » 04 Jun 2008, 12:55

Gurucharan must have been inspired by the presence of Master Balamuralikrishna and Smt. Pantula Rama in his audience! Indeed, it was nice to have all of them perform here in Kolkata. Mr. Kannan of Rasikapriya provided ample incentive for everyone to attend the concerts â€“ it was â€œfree with no strings attachedâ€

kssuresh · Post by **kssuresh** » 04 Jun 2008, 14:51

knandago2001,

You are very right. The hall is just perfect. I might add a mention about the consistently excellent air-conditioning. And what's more, it shares a wall with Homely Raj restaurant, which serves excellent, authentic south indian fare! Just as good a setting as a Season venue. Mr. Kannan has been organizing the festival twice year for the last decade. This time of the year it's the junior/up-and-coming artistes, and later in the year it will feature the leading lights.

vijay · Post by **vijay** » 04 Jun 2008, 15:31

Ah Homely Raj brings back lots of fond memories! I have indulged in many hogfests at that place to escape from the monotony of hostel fare! Would be grateful if someone could also provide details of Pantula Rama's concert as well as KBK's

knandago2001 · Post by **knandago2001** » 04 Jun 2008, 19:01

vijay: here is a partial song list from Smt. Pantula Ramaâ€™s concert â€“ endaro mahanubhavulu (sri raga); ninaadanela (kannada raga & swaras); sri satyanarayanam (shubhapantuvarali raga & swaras); naan oru vilayaattu bommaiya (navarasa kannada); dorakuna ituvanti seva (bilahari raga, niraval and swaras) followed by tani. Sri. M.S.N. Murthy provided accompaniment on the violin and Mangalagiri Sri. Sridhar supported her on the mridangam. Her clarity of tone in the mandra sthayi is remarkable â€“ effortless forays down to the madhyama and gandhara during alapana. For me the highlight of the concert was the bilahari raga alapana â€“ contained exquisite sancharas that reminded me of naajeevadhara â€“ and she sprang a rank surprise with a rendition of dorakuna! Yet again, I was expecting niraval for â€œraamabrahma tanayudauâ€

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 04 Jun 2008, 19:51

nandagopal,
Good to get a whiff of the CM scene in Kolkatta concerts. Not surprising that the organizer and the audience are a pleasing thing to hear about. While Chennai has history, there is also an air of 'we are the pro organizers and discerning audience'. Taking things for granted is something you do not usually find in venues outside Chennai. Of course, there are exceptions either way.

Pantula Rama is another singer I enjoy listening to. One question though. Why is nAn oru viLaiyATTu bommaiyA? such a favorite tamizh song among andhrA singers? parAtparA is another one (both PS's) which makes sense (very few tamizh words to deal with).
Hardly heard a bArati from them!

vijay · Post by **vijay** » 04 Jun 2008, 20:18

Thanks Nandagopal! I really wish I could have heard the Shuba Pantuvarali! Yes her voice is a great asset but not the only one - very strong in laya and at ease in unfamiliar ragas (I remember mind boggling swaras for Devamanohari in Season 06). There is an occasional issue with sruthi but no way she is junior/up and coming in my books although I guess you could say that for the others as well...In fact she is one of the best artistes in the business today, IMO