R.Vedavalli at Shanmukhananda Sabha on 18th January 11

[S.Balaji]

This is the second concert of the Kanchi Mahaswami Trust sponsored Shri Kanchi Mahaswami Festival 2011.
The Organisers earlier said that it will be a lecture demonstration. The invitation showed concert. Indeed it was a demo of how classical music has to be sung and it’s a lesson . Around 3 hours of pure unadulterated carnatic music at its best.

Accompanied artists :
Sumitra Vasudev and Sumathi Krishnan – Vocal support
R.K.Sriram Kumar – Violin
Arunprakash – Mridangam
Trichy K.Murali – Ghatam

The concert was supposed to commence at 7 pm but instead started at 7.35 pm

Unperturbed, the doyen of carnatic music started with a divine Twat Padhaambuja marchayami…. Adi Shankara’s Shivananda Lahari and the atmosphere totally changed from thereon. She took us to an elevated level……. Eekambara nadham bhaje , the Poorvi Kalyani classic was sung in pristine grandeur. There was a lovely neraval at Panchaakshara roopam…… Sumitra V complemented with a brilliant counter Prasanna roopam and supplemented by RKS …. There were Swarams too at Panchaakshara again …. Here was a grand challenge between the veteran- her disciple – the top ranked violinist of date and it was real delightful 22 minute kriti !


Chandrasekharam aashraye guruvaram , the Keeravani kriti ( 10 minute ) was sung next. There was no alapana however.

Ninthu vetha pudhuraa Hari… was the third..

Next was a fabulous 2 minute alapana on Mukhari ….Sumitra continued with an outstanding 5 minute alapana which RKS responded remarkably with a 5 minute return and finally RV ji finished it… Enta ney vannintunu shabari , the Thyagaraja Swamigal kriti was sung with Neraval and Swaram at Kannulara Sevinchi… the essence of the raga was aptly displayed the entire team….the whole package was an enthralling 30 minute session

RTP was the next with Shankarabaranam being the starter >> Gowla >>> Reedhi Gowla …this was a terrific piece …. The ragam and thanam part was for a solid 25 minute …RKS showed his class here …the seasoned violinist perfectly matched RV right from the start and especially the Shankarabaranam part was striking….. RV went back to Shankarabaran to finish the Thanam… The Pallavi was on Guruvin arulai naadu…maname…. As the Pallavi picked up pace, a sudden shift to Ataana to Abogi to Bageshri to Suruti all just happened seamlessly ! Sumitra V was given enough space here too and it was effectively utilized as she followed Tara styai all the way while RV was on Mandra and Madya stayi… RKS was equal to the task for both the vocalists . RKS seem to have the ability of judging what the Vocalist is likely to come up with and in anticipation most of the times on par with them or even gets ahead.. the 15 minute pallavi was ended with Shankarabanam… Thani avarthanam followed the pallavi.

Sumitra Vasudev is a top class vocalist and deserves to be in a much elevated status to what she is today. Vedavalli ji and Sumitra have formed a formidable combination and the concert saw RV giving space at the right moments which SV latches upon beautifully…

By the time Sarvam Brahmamayam re re started it was 10 pm and I had to leave…. Requesting those who were present to fill …

What a concert !!!!!!!!!! If at all the concert could have started on time !!

[kssr]

Thanks for the review. We could feel the pulse of your enthusiasm. However concerts going beyond 10 pm is not too comfortable. Was there a concert on 17th as well? 16th was Sanjay.

[Enna_Solven]

...

[mahavishnu]

Balaji: thanks for your complete coverage!

Trichy Arunprakash – Mridangam
K.Murali – Ghatam

Did you mean K. Arun Prakash and Trichy Murali? Or is our Arun Prakash actually carrying a Trichy Moniker these days?

[annamalai]

[quote="S.Balaji"]

Balaji

Thanks very much.

[srikant1987]

S Balaji,
Thanks for the review. Your enthusiasm for Carnatic Music events held in Mumbai is amazing, and even though I am not living in Mumbai, I can see how useful your info on schedules of these events will be to fellow Mumbaikar rasikas. Your youtube uploads are no less useful for non-Mumbaikars like me.

That said, you should at least try to get the names of artists right -- KAP (Arun Prakash Krishnan) especially is very well-known.

Though I think the announcer must have made a mistake. These announcements can actually be very difficult to make :$, but after a few of them probably the stage fear might disappear, and we will only have carelessness to blame.

[S.Balaji]

Dear all,

Audios have been uploaded now. Pls hear them and comment.

Yes. Its my mistake on Mridangam. Regret. Its Trichy K.Murali and Arunprakash . Seems the edit mode is disabled now !

I am sure, the concert would have continued further. Probably other Mumbai rasikas can fill up the remaining part as I left at 10 pm.

KSSR.... The first was Sanjay's and Smt Vedavalli's concert was the second one in this series.

[arunsri]

The Keeravani Kriti is by Dr. V. Raghavan in Khanda Triputa Talam.

Third one should have been nEnendu vedukuturA - karnATaka bEhAg

tAnam was in varALi and rItigauLa, the ragamAlika involved shrIranjani and not Aboghi - this info given to me by Prashant

[rbharath]

aah. must have been great.