Malladi Brothers at Unnati, Bangalore on 15.08.2010

[squims]

Vocal: Sri Sriram Prasad & Sri Ravikumar (Malladi Brothers)
Violin: Sri TKV Ramanujacharyalu
Mridangam: Guru Karaikudi Sri R Mani
Kanjari: Sri N Amrit

1. Karunimpa (Varnam) [R] - Sahana - Adi
2. Gajaananayutam Ganeshwaram - Chakravakam/Vegavaahini - Adi - Mutthuswamy Dikshitar
3. Marubalka kunna [R S] - Sriranjani - Adi - Tyagaraja
4. Sri Shankachakragadaapani - Poornachandrika - Rupakam - Mutthuswamy Dikshitar
5. Raama Needu charanamule [R N S] - Simhendra Madhyama - Misra Chapu - Tyagaraja
Neraval line: Vedavedaanta viditudani velayu Sri Sarvesha Raama
6. Chetashri Baalakrishnam [R] - Dwijavanti - Rupakam - Mutthuswamy Dikshitar
7. Teliyaleru Raama - Dhenuka - Adi - Tyagaraja
8. Enduku Peddalavale [ R N S T] - Shankaraabharanam - Adi - Tyagaraja
Neraval line: Vedashaastra tatvaarthamulu telisi
9. Smariso sarvadaa Hariya - Hameerkalyaani - Adi - Purandaradaasa
10. Iyam Swatantra Bhaarati - Behag, Abheri, Sindhu Bhairavi - Adi - Perala Paartha Sharma(lyrics), Nedunuri Krishnamurthy(music)
11. Antaryaami - Kuntalavaraali - Adi - Annamacharya(lyrics), Sri Pinaakapani(music)
12. Shlokam followed by Tava naama vadaami sadaa (Bhajan) - Saalaga Bhairavi - Adi
13. Maadhava maamava - Neelaambari - Adi - Naaraayana Teertha
14. Chandrashekara Eesha - Sindhu Bhairavi - Adi
15. Mangala shlokam - Madhyamaavathi

The brothers were really good. Every piece was rendered perfectly. As far as I'm concerned, the Simhendra Madhyamam was the highlight! Beautiful rendition. Apt support on the violin. The Shankarabharanam was excellent too. The swara kalpana in it was exemplary.
As you can see from the list of artists, this was a special concert because of Guru Karaikudi Mani. He matched every nuance of the singers/violinist's performance with such ease. The thani was a treat. He even spoke for a few minutes after the main piece, saying that he had planned a lot more, but was able to deliver only 10% of it. I can only imagine what would have happened if he'd played a 100%!
The concert started at around 5:15 and ended at 8:50. Excluding the speeches etc. in between, it was a concert lasting just over 3 hours. Didn't even feel the time fly by.

P.S. T.M. Krishna sir's concert tomorrow. Looking forward to it!

[Enna_Solven]

Looking forward to their concert here in October.

The Simhendra Madhyamam krithi was composed by Tiger Varadachari's brother, from what I read.

[rajeshnat]

[quote="Enna_Solven"

The Simhendra Madhyamam krithi was composed by Tiger Varadachari's brother, from what I read.[/quote]

K.V. Srinivasa Iyengar is the composer of simm madhyamam krithi

Squims
Glad to hear that malladis are accompanied by Guru Karaikudi mani.

[squims]

Oh I was quite sure I heard the 'Tyagaraaja nuta' mudra. Must be mistaken.

Anyway, does anyone know why the two Mutthuswamy Dikshitar krithis(2 and 6) on this list do not contain the raaga mudra? I couldn't make it out while they were singing. So, I checked the lyrics on the net as well. But the raaga mudra seems to be absent. I was under the impression that every MD krithi had one. Could anyone shed light on this please?

Also, I forgot to mention in my main post, but I was really really impressed by the brothers' sahitya shuddham. They sang all the languages with excellent pronunciation.

[KSJaishankar]

Oh I was quite sure I heard the 'Tyagaraaja nuta' mudra. Must be mistaken.

I believeTiger and his brother took it up as a challenge to compose kritis in the saint's style, with the Tyagaraja mudra, and pass them off as the saint's own.... my guess is that this must have been their way to respond to debates on the authenticity of some other compositions, and they wanted to prove that style and signature are not sufficient proof of authenticity.

Anyway, does anyone know why the two Mutthuswamy Dikshitar krithis(2 and 6) on this list do not contain the raaga mudra? I couldn't make it out while they were singing. So, I checked the lyrics on the net as well. But the raaga mudra seems to be absent. I was under the impression that every MD krithi had one. Could anyone shed light on this please?

Shankha Chakra has the raga mudra in the charanam - bhajE pUrNa candrikAnga - guru guhAntaHkaraNaM

Also, I forgot to mention in my main post, but I was really really impressed by the brothers' sahitya shuddham. They sang all the languages with excellent pronunciation.

[squims]

That's very interesting info about the brothers! Thanks!

And yeah, I caught the raaga mudra in Shankha Chakra. That's why I mentioned songs number 2 and 6. Those are the ones in which I don't see the raaga mudra.

[gardabha_gana]

How is Unnati center. Can someone comment how to get there - how is the hall, acoustics and the timings on when the concert is held. I do have the program list from the net.

[squims]

Hey gadarbha_gana, Unnati Center is excellent. It is a small auditorium, but feels really personal and is very comfortable. The acoustics are very good too. Crystal clear sound. No malfunctioning mics/speakers etc.
The concerts all start at 6 in the evening except on Sundays when they start at 5pm.
Regarding how to get there, you have to go on old madras road, and take the left that goes to NGEF layout(Sadaanandanagar). There are boards that'll guide you after that. Or you can always ask someone.

[sais72]

The only drawback of Unnati as a performing venue is it is not an open auditorium and has air conditioning. Definitely not comfortable for some of the audience. Bangalore for most time of the year does not require one. Guru Karaikudi Mani pointed it out as well, that the AC duct right above the artistes was not good for sensitive instruments such as the Mrudangam.

Would prefer the odukathur mutt hall, with its high ceiling, large windows and a larger capacity. Felt a lot more closer to the artistes there.

[kssr]

. Guru Karaikudi Mani .

Just a small doubt. Is "guru" here used as a title to the senior Karaikudi Mani (bearded) or is there a new artist by name Guru with surname karaikudi mani?

[squims]

It's the same old senior Karaikudi Mani. The Guru is a title.

[Supraja Sridharan]

Regarding Gajaananayutham, there is some discrepancy as to whether it is an authentic composition of Sri Muthuswamy Dhikshithar. As some rasikas in this forum post have pointed out, there is no mudra of Guru Guha in the lyrics - this is one of the factors that suggests that it might not be a composition of Sri Muthuswamy Dhikshithar. Also, I believe the piece was composed in Chakravaham (unless they sang PDNDS while ascending, as opposed to PDNS - the former would make it Vegavahani, a janya of Chakravaham). Thought I'd contribute my 2 cents worth

[mahakavi]

Regarding Gajaananayutham, there is some discrepancy as to whether it is an authentic composition of Sri Muthuswamy Dhikshithar. As some rasikas in this forum post have pointed out, there is no mudra of Guru Guha in the lyrics - this is one of the factors that suggests that it might not be a composition of Sri Muthuswamy Dhikshithar. Also, I believe the piece was composed in Chakravaham (unless they sang PDNDS while ascending, as opposed to PDNS - the former would make it Vegavahani, a janya of Chakravaham). Thought I'd contribute my 2 cents worth

I am reproducing the whole kriti below.
See the guruguha mudra in the last line. Of course, the rAga mudra is not there.

gajAnanayutam
gaj¯ananayutam
r¯agam. : vegav¯ahini (16) t¯al.am. : catura´sra ekam
pallavi
gaj¯ananayutam. gan. e´svaram. bhaj¯ami satatam. sure´svaram
samas.ticaran.am
ajendrap¯ujitavighne´svaram. gan. ¯adisannutapadapadmakaram.
ku˜njarabha˜njanacaturatarakaram. guruguh¯agrajam. pran. av¯ak¯aram

[Supraja Sridharan]

Whoops - Thanks for pointing that out It says Vegavahini in the book by TK Govinda Rao as well when I checked. So I'm wondering how come it's cited as Chakravaham in many places??

[mahakavi]

VEGAVAHINI ----> CAKRAVAHAM
I think it is an "alias" like kamavardini ---> pantuvarali

[squims]

Yes, it is an alias.

[hariniraghavan]

What MD's nomenclature calls Vegavahini is Chakravakam in the other used by Thyagaraja. They both are same.
Harini.

[Supraja Sridharan]

Thanks for clarifying