Jeyaraaj-Jaysri at Bangalore

[Radhika-Rajnarayan]

Venue: H N Kalakshetra, Jayanagar,Bangalore, Aug 20, 2010
Jeyaraaj-Jaysri - veena duet
Mridangam - Jayachandran
Ghatam: Shreeshyla
Organised by Lalita Kala Parishat, National College, Bangalore.
Item list:
1. Varnam - Nattakuranji -Adi- Rangaswami Nattuvanar
2. Vathapi Ganapatim Bhajeham - Hamsadhwani - Adi - Muthuswami Dikshitar
3. Akhilandeswari - Dwijavanti - Adi - Muthuswami Dikshitar
4. Manavyala - Nalinakanti- Adi - Tyagaraja
5. Nidhi Chala Sukhama - Kalyani - Misra Chapu - Tyagaraja
6. Tillana- Hamsanandi - Adi - Muthiah Bhagavatar
7. Pavamaana - Saurashtram - Adi - Tyagaraja (Mangalam)

The Varnam started serenely in the pallavi and anupallavi, and continued at a brisker pace in the charanam. Great appetiser.

Vatapi Ganapatim - brief raga alapana by Jeyaraaj, touching on the salient sancharams, kriti played in medium-slow pace as is usual with the JJ couple, for this piece. A brief round of flowing swarams ended the invocation.
The kriti - Akhilandeswari -presented alone without ragam or swaram, was rendered with feeling.
Nalinakanti ragam was taken up by Jeyaraaj, bringing out the delightful turns and twists of the sancharams. The fast passages in this were awesome. The kriti was not played at the usual TGV express speed, but at a medium pace, allowing the listener to savour the beauty of the sangathis. The quick-fire swaram conversation between the two veenas was thoroughly enjoyable.
Jaysri then took up Kalyani ragam, elaborating it with finesse and depth. The tanam included a short ragamalika of Bilahari, Saveri, Sri and Miya-Malhar. Superb stuff. Lovely little cameos of each ragam.
The kriti paathaantaram seemed slightly different at some places from the standard one I know. Neraval and swaram at (I think) 'mamataa bandhana' - were fluent, followed by a brief Tani.
Tillana in Hamsanandi ended the concert. I haven't heard this before, and it was a refreshing change from the usual ones doing the rounds.
The accompanists played with understanding and enhanced the 2 hour concert .

One did not know whether this was a vocal or veena concert. The veenas, in perfect synchrony, seemed to sing, especially the sahityam.

Thank you for the treat, JJ!

The downside? As usual, the audience. Really, maybe it's better to hold concerts in peoples' homes rather than a big empty hall with a sprinkling of listeners. And yes, it would have helped if the organisers took care to get the artists' names right - after all they were reading out from their notes!

[squims]

Sounds like an excellent concert. Did not know it was happening. Else, would have tried to attend it.
Anyway, was this in the morning? Because Dayananda Mothie played for Saketharaman in the evening.

[Radhika-Rajnarayan]

oops! sorry. The ghatam was Shreeshyla, and mridangam was Jayachandran.Editing and correcting my post.

:$

[Radhika-Rajnarayan]

Did not know it was happening. Else, would have tried to attend it.

I didn't know till the last minute, which is why I hurriedly posted it in the 'Music and Festivals' forum. We should ask JJ to post info about their next concert in advance.

[Sreeni Rajarao]

Thanks for the review!
I would like to know if they played on electronic vINa or the saraswati vINa.

[gardabha_gana]

I would have definitely made it had I known. It is walking distance from where I live. I am a student of veena - I really feel sad that the audience was thin. Please advertise such programs at least in http://kpjayan.wordpress.com/upcoming-c ... bangalore/

[cienu]

Thanks for the review!
I would like to know if they played on electronic vINa or the saraswati vINa.

I have heard J&J play only on Radel Veena

[Radhika-Rajnarayan]

They played on the Radel Sunadavinodini electronic veena

[Sreeni Rajarao]

Thank you for your response. I vaguely remember seeing a picture or a YouTube clip where I thought they were playing the traditional vINa, so I was curious.