Sri Nedunuri's lecdem in MA on 30th Dec

[kalyani_ragam]

Any one attended. Any review possible.

[MV]

The lec-dem was brilliant with the hall overflowing. There were quite a few musicians-TRS, TK Govinda Ro, Ramani, Patri to name a few. He had Malladi Brothers for musical support but he sang a fair bit-and I might add-very well. No less than 'Nigamashiro' in thara sthayi (Sogasuga) He then realised he had support and turned around and said 'Padu da' He moved from SriRanjani to Kharaharapriya identifying how even though it is a Mela-Janyam duo the swara-gamakas are handled differently. Moved on to Thodi, Bhairavi, Begada. Then he quipped 'I came prepared with a whole different lecdem but now I have got into the concert-mood' He spoke about varnams and their base for manodharmam be it alapana-niraval-kalpana swarams. Ramprasad requested a song in Shankarabaranam and he obliged. The question chits were flying in but he was in such flow that there was hardly any time. The Guru-shishya bond between the three was there for all to see.

He had such presence, such knowledge and an endearing nature. I wish I could have heard a live concert.

[satyabalu]

* The attractions were the vidwat of Nedanuri &Malladi Bros.accompanying him .
* Nothing much coveyed except .paying encomiums to SSI,Ariyakudi ,TK Govinda Rao &TRS.
* He had sung continuously In MA for 55 years.He used to spend sleepless nights atleast one month before MA concert.He loves Tamil language. He advised Telugu to be pronounced well in kritis.
* On elaboration of Raga alapana, TRS summarised saying that it should not confine to the pattern of kriti to follow after Raga singing although an indication could be a good convention.Manodharma should not be restricted. ( RK Sriramkumar in his Lecdem in Tagcentre emphasizing the kriti as a good base for raga singing was a different matter) .In fact, he recallled(TRS) yesteryears Vid .Kitaappa used to sing Raga so well in the dramas ., the leading musicians of yore would long to go to his progs. buying tickets. He also quoted Past secretary of MA -SKA. Parthasarathy as narrating to him about in one of the dramas Kitappa sang a raga so well that brought thunderous applause. When Mr. Parthasarathy met him in the green room he asked'Pacha! what raga did I sing ?"

[thenpaanan]

... He then realised he had support and turned around and said 'Padu da' ...
...
He had such presence, such knowledge and an endearing nature. I wish I could have heard a live concert.

I am surprised at the choice of language -- I am guessing that neither NK nor the Malladi brothers are native Tamil speakers and yet NK spoke in colloquial Tamil right there. Does NK usually converse in Tamil?

I recall a concert in Shanmukhananda Hall in the 80s when NK sang a mind blowing neraval and swaram in begada (anudinamu) and then after the thunderous applause said in Tamil "anda kAlathile ippadi pAduvAnu kEttirukken, namakkulAm vaRAdu, 'try" paNNalAmunu ...." (I've heard that in the olden days they used to sing like this. I cannot do justice but I thought I would try). It was the Tamil of a non-native speaker but the earnestness with which he said it was quite refreshing and inspiring.

NK has quite a reputation of being very approachable.

Having heard many an NK concert in my youth, the one takeaway I have is NK's approach to AlApanA -- no matter the ragam he always develops it methodically adding one swaram after another into the mix carefully and looking at every aspect of the added note before moving on to the next one. Some may consider this too predictable and boring, but he is the perfect model for how to structure a free-form alapana. Given that there are very few, if any, guidelines in CM on how to structure an alapana, NK's portrayals were peerless and invaluable to me for this reason.

-then pANan

[rshankar]

NK has quite a reputation of being very approachable.

Here is an interview where he is very appreciative of the efforts in TN to preserve CM...(is it only me, or does anyone else feel that the whole interview reads choppily without 'flow'?)

[drumroll]

He also talked about the importance of varnams in understanding the structure of ragas.
Also a few funny pokes at current day singing / concert format

[cmlover]

Pl share those jokes! Let us enjoy...

[srikant1987]

I am surprised at the choice of language -- I am guessing that neither NK nor the Malladi brothers are native Tamil speakers and yet NK spoke in colloquial Tamil right there. Does NK usually converse in Tamil?

He might have been misquoted -- maybe he just said pADu rA (or pAD<a> rA?) which would be the Telugu for this sentence.

[cmlover]

Good jocular observation srikant!
Actually if he meant in Tamil he would have said
'pADunga DA'
Don't know how it will be grammatically in Telugu!

[sais72]

He might have been misquoted -- maybe he just said pADu rA (or pAD<a> rA?) which would be the Telugu for this sentence.

Yes, i was squatting on the stage quite close to the artists and he did say "paadu ra" in Telugu. They sang "muddugaare yashoda " in Kurinji (was a request) to conclude the Lec Dem.

[ramanathan]

From Nedanuri Garu's lec-dem at Mudra (Jan 1st 2011):



Season 2010 pic collection