Abhishek Raghuraman for Nadabrahmam journal anniversary

sureshvv · Post by **sureshvv** » 11 Jun 2008, 00:02

Abhishek Raghuram gave a creative, spontaneous and scintillating performance at the P.S.High School Dakshinamurthy auditorium on 7-6-'08. He was accompanied by M.A.Sundareswaran, Tiruvarur Bhakthavatsalam amd E.M.Subramaniam.

The song list:

1. Vanajakshiro, Kalyani, Ata
2. Sabhapathikku, Abhogi, Rupaka, GKB, S
3. Kannada, Paridaapamula neechi, KC, Poochi, S
4, Bhairavi, Janani Mamava, MC, Swathi
5. Theruvil Varaano, Khamas, Rupaka, muthuthaandavar
6. Viruttam (Alaiyum maname arivaayo), Shanmugapriya, Behag
7. Vagaladi, Behag
8. Pavamaana

Observations

1. Abhishek, fondly referred to as Shek by rasikas, is highly original and improvisational. His raga alapanas are out of the world and contain phrases that sound totally novel. He does not sing all the "stock" phrases and sings many unconventional ones. This causes some level of consternation to some "dyed in the wool" rasikas.

2. M.A.S on the violin went toe to toe with Abhishek sometimes following and sometimes leading

but always melodious. In one instance I think he played to the mike feedback also

It made for a vigorous performance.

3. Shek really has to make the mike as his friend. Frequently he turns away from it making him inaudible or creating massive feedback. They added an extra mike in the middle of the concert and that made things a little better.

4. Shek, being a Kanjira player also, has an excellent grasp of laya. It made for an interesting thani also.

PS: I tried to hold out hoping for someone else to cover this event here, as I have a hard time not gushing about this artiste

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 11 Jun 2008, 01:06

Thank you for the review, sureshvv.
Another young vocalist who has everything going for him (layA in capital letters too). It is going to be fun watching the Shek emerge into a big timer. And having MAS for an accompanist made the concerteven more special for the listeners, no doubt.

I haven't heard the viruttam 'alaiyum manamE aRiyAyO?' The composer?

completelyclueless · Post by **completelyclueless** » 11 Jun 2008, 01:32

How was the crowd?

Sam Swaminathan · Post by **Sam Swaminathan** » 11 Jun 2008, 02:27

"It made for an interesting thani also"

You don't mean he took up the Kanjeera and joined in the thani? That would have been very interesting...

A talented young lad!!!

Sathej · Post by **Sathej** » 11 Jun 2008, 09:43

I was there for the concert until the Khamas piece. It was a very delayed start as the concert began only at 7:15 after the initial felicitations. The audio system was very poor, to say the least.
Abhishek sang quite well. The pick of the concert to me was the Bhairavi Alapanai. It was elaborate and was rendered very well. The Neraval and Swaram for the main piece were a bit curtailed, maybe due to lack of time. The Abhogi Ragam outline was sung with Madhyama Shruthi and evoked a sort of Hindusthani feeling. The Swarams for Kannada were very good.
Sathej

madhavan · Post by **madhavan** » 11 Jun 2008, 13:31

I would call him "super boy"! He handles ragas differently with his own creativity. It is always spontaneous and he never mugs-up to emit, it seems.. And a tremendous amount of 'laya gnanam too'.

As Mr.Suresh pointed out, he has to make the mike as his friend or he needs a lapel mike.

s_hari · Post by **s_hari** » 11 Jun 2008, 13:49

sureshvv - "This causes some level of consternation to some "dyed in the wool" rasikas"...

There are boundaries defined in carnatic music, and typically performer / artist stay with in that. It calls for using time tested proyagas used by PD and other trinity, ST, PS etc and other stalwarts in past like GNB, ARI, SSI, MVI, DKP/MSS/MLV, MDR etc.

One is free to experiment... We have enough examples today on experimentation. I have no comments to offer on this.

-hari

coolkapali · Post by **coolkapali** » 11 Jun 2008, 16:46

Well as long as wat is rendered is within the scale and Bhava of the particular raga, experimentation or rather improvisation would be worth looking out for. However, our music is so dependent on the Bhava. A particular phrase for example in Sankarabharanam might be within the scale but it is most necessary that it conveys the bhava too. I have seen ppl like TMK and Sanjay always come out with the traditional Pidis in their raga rendering. their improvisations are always constructed over and above this strong foundation. Look at TN Seshagopal. I was swept off my feet when i listened to one of his raga rendering in Begada. Man, he has sung for nearly 20 mins. Raaga alone. And u need to be a master improviser to keep the audience hooked to a twenty minute elaboration ( which he did!!!!!!). But throughout the rendering the Pidis were never missed.

Thnx,
Cool Kapali.

s_hari · Post by **s_hari** » 11 Jun 2008, 19:30

Kapali - You said it all... I belive improvisation can be done within its limits... Going overboard with movement up and down the scale doesn't help. A grand carnatic music concert needs vishranti and sokhyam as demostrated by many vidwans in past and present..

That being said, i never attend this concert, so no comments on this concert. I did attend Abhishek's MA concert in december, and my comments are based on that... No doubt, Abhi has good talent and future...

-hari

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 11 Jun 2008, 19:52

Some call him Abhi, others Shake!
Very good points, Hari and Kapali. He has the talent, the background and plenty of imagination.
I heard him in MA as well, and my impressions concur with yours. You both zeroed in on bhAvA and going up and down the scales.
If one has an appealing voice and the piece has a lot of rAga bhAvA, yes, you hear bhAvA, but it means much more when the performer invests his own bhAvA to the rAgA and sAhityA.
Here is a very talented young man who can do that too, I suppose, as years go by.

PUNARVASU · Post by **PUNARVASU** » 11 Jun 2008, 20:55

I also had the same feeling-listening to his Madhyamavati in MA inDec-2007 In many places it sounded like Brindavani/ Brindavana saranga to me .

sureshvv · Post by **sureshvv** » 11 Jun 2008, 23:44

s_hari wrote:There are boundaries defined in carnatic music, and typically performer / artist stay with in that. It calls for using time tested proyagas used by PD and other trinity, ST, PS etc and other stalwarts in past like GNB, ARI, SSI, MVI, DKP/MSS/MLV, MDR etc.

One is free to experiment... We have enough examples today on experimentation. I have no comments to offer on this.

-hari

1. Lots of people say Carnatic music has evolved quite a bit over the last few decades - leave alone PD's time when Carnatic and Hindustani were much closer than they are now.

2. I am sure GNB, SSI and some of the others (I know for sure MDR was) roundly censured by the puritans of the day.

3. I feel that it is mandatory to experiment. Even if it may not be applauded or successful every time. Only then it becomes art.

sureshvv · Post by **sureshvv** » 11 Jun 2008, 23:57

coolkapali wrote:But throughout the rendering the Pidis were never missed.

What about if Pidis are being created? Thats the excitement I am talking about.

sureshvv · Post by **sureshvv** » 11 Jun 2008, 23:59

madhavan wrote:I would call him "super boy"! He handles ragas differently with his own creativity. It is always spontaneous and he never mugs-up to emit, it seems.. And a tremendous amount of 'laya gnanam too'.

Are you by any chance the vocalist who sang Desh during the SAFE series a few months back? If so, you were quite "super" yourself

sureshvv · Post by **sureshvv** » 12 Jun 2008, 00:02

Punarvasu wrote:I also had the same feeling-listening to his Madhyamavati in MA inDec-2007 In many places it sounded like Brindavani/ Brindavana saranga to me .

No fault of yours

Brindavana Saranga and Madhyamavati do share some common ancestry and are related.

arunk · Post by **arunk** » 12 Jun 2008, 00:04

I don't think people are saying experimentation should be avoided. A particular instance of experimentation can be a hit or a miss - i would think experimenters are aware of this (atleast they should be!). Just because it is bold/creative to experiment, does not mean *the result* of every experiment is laudable - the effort to experiment can be.

Arun

sureshvv · Post by **sureshvv** » 12 Jun 2008, 00:10

coolkapali wrote:Look at TN Seshagopal. I was swept off my feet when i listened to one of his raga rendering

<snip>

Man, he has sung for nearly 20 mins. Raaga alone. And u need to be a master improviser to keep the audience hooked to a twenty minute elaboration ( which he did!!!!!!).

My point exactly. I have heard him elaborate Atana for about the same length of time, a raga which mostly gets the filler treatment at express speed. Sheer genius!

PUNARVASU · Post by **PUNARVASU** » 12 Jun 2008, 05:47

sureshvv wrote:
Punarvasu wrote:I also had the same feeling-listening to his Madhyamavati in MA inDec-2007 In many places it sounded like Brindavani/ Brindavana saranga to me .
No fault of yours Brindavana Saranga and Madhyamavati do share some common ancestry and are related.

Thats what I want to convey; they both have common ancestry and common swaras, but the way the swaras are handled are ,and should be ,different for both the ragas. Many of the prayogams he used were more of B or BS than Madhyamavati.

s_hari · Post by **s_hari** » 12 Jun 2008, 08:55

Punarvasu - exactly, i wanted to write on that...Many ragas are almost same, but have different pidis / sangathis / ragha bhava.. for example darbar / nayaki.... harikambhoji/kamas etc etc... So it is responsibility of artist to not to give clues on other ragas while singing one raga.

Atana -- I was just listening to Nedunuri garu on about 30 minute rendition on Balakanaka maya this morning!!... What a rendition!! what a alapana...

sureshvv - Please let me know what censures SSI / GNB / MDR etc got!! I am curious to know...

On TNS - i can compare him with Krishnamachri Srikanth / Virendra shewag in cricket... He is good in his own day!! Awsome music... Lot of artists have improvised in past like GNB, TNS, MLV for example, MSS too upto some extent... But, may be, they established themself first, and then tried improvising / experimenting.. Abhi / Shek may be young for this i feel... But i am aware that he is in safe hands with his grand father and other noble souls around him.. Definitely he doesn't need my advice.

Sureshvv - If you happen to know shek personally, please convey my best regards to him... We all have high expectations from him...

-hari

sureshvv · Post by **sureshvv** » 12 Jun 2008, 09:07

s_hari wrote:Sureshvv - If you happen to know shek personally, please convey my best regards to him... We all have high expectations from him...

-hari

I am the nerd who shows up 2 minutes before the concert and leaves a minute later. Too intimidated by celebrity to know any artiste personally

sureshvv · Post by **sureshvv** » 12 Jun 2008, 09:33

arasi wrote:I haven't heard the viruttam 'alaiyum manamE aRiyAyO?' The composer?

Arasi... No clue. Wish I could remember the start of the 2nd verse now as that sounded more familiar at that time. But taking notes on a cell phone is a pita and you end up missing out on the kutchery itself, so I try to optimize :-/

coolkapali · Post by **coolkapali** » 12 Jun 2008, 11:31

Well creating Pidis ...................................tats a nice way to look at it.......U have a point i agree.

sureshvv · Post by **sureshvv** » 12 Jun 2008, 11:44

s_hari wrote:sureshvv - Please let me know what censures SSI / GNB / MDR etc got!! I am curious to know...

-hari

NMN's consistent bordering-on-abuse reviews of MDR in The Hindu.

Purist · Post by **Purist** » 12 Jun 2008, 13:37

s_hari wrote 'On TNS - i can compare him with Krishnamachri Srikanth / Virendra shewag in cricket... He is good in his own day!!

If one is looking for Saukhyam and Vishranti in carnatic music ...very few artists of present days seem to pay
attention. I don't know what excessive briga's achieve except to showcase vidwat. Overdoing embellishments is another area indulged in often. They may make the concert electrifying ,but the mute question is does it linger in your heart?
I feel one or two such thrillers in between is fine that provide a change (break the montony you may call) and exhibit mastery as well. But continuing the thread all long the concert is what should be avoided.
In hindsight it is the artist himself who should savour the saukhyam first before it GELS to the audience.

coolkapali · Post by **coolkapali** » 12 Jun 2008, 13:51

Purist !!!!!!!!!!!!, u r one, I must say. Anyways buddy, its not easy to please today's audience with a mere Soukhyam rendering like KVN. Well, its not easy to sing like tat too. However, as u say it will be really nice ,if the audeince look upto such soulful rendering .

madhavan · Post by **madhavan** » 12 Jun 2008, 15:04

sureshvv wrote:
madhavan wrote:I would call him "super boy"! He handles ragas differently with his own creativity. It is always spontaneous and he never mugs-up to emit, it seems.. And a tremendous amount of 'laya gnanam too'.
Are you by any chance the vocalist who sang Desh during the SAFE series a few months back? If so, you were quite "super" yourself

No Mr.Suresh. I am a listener.

babaji · Post by **babaji** » 25 Aug 2008, 23:04

The problem is that there are many singers who can sing alike and they all sing well and most people don't even know about certain artistes.because you will find them in festivals like :-
tiruvaiyyaru(in tiruvaiyaaru or chennai),mantralayam,hanumantapuram,pillaiyaarpatti,manamadhurai,neyvelli and such and such places were festivals are now and then being held throughout the year.the ones singing popularly in The hindu newspaper don't even bother to attend(No offense for speaking the truth) much less even sing there.hence people only judge the ones that stick to the city.and if any artiste feels that the only way for him/her to be recognized is by presenting a unique experimenting concert we brand him/her as an existentialist.while even popular artistes today are experimenting BUT WE WILL ACCEPT THEM BECAUSE THEY ARE WITHIN BOUNDARIES OF "YOUR OPINIONS".

When i start thinking like this i think of a lot of different situations.

WHAT IF THYAGARAJASWAMY WAS BORN IN THE 21ST CENTURY WILL HE JUST COMPOSE SONGS OR WILL HE BE FIGHTING WITH THE COMPETITION.AFTER ALL HE WAS ALSO A HUMAN.