Sudha Ragunathan,SICA,Hyderabad-22nd March,2011

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revanthv552
Posts: 449
Joined: 31 Jan 2008, 22:26

Sudha Ragunathan,SICA,Hyderabad-22nd March,2011

Post by revanthv552 »

The concluding day of SICA's annual music festival had Sudha Ragunathan.
She was accompanied on the violin by Sri B Raghavendra Rao, on mridangam by Sri Tiruvarur Vaidyanathan and on the mohrsing by Sri Raman.
The concert began 5 mins in advance. It was actually a good thing. Generally in Hyderabad, concerts start half an hour past the schedule time. All the concert in SICA's music festival go on for two and a half hours and this one went for three hours.
It was one of the finest concerts I heard off time and I was immensely satisfied. The song list,

1.Panthuvarali Varnam
2.Ekadantam-Bilahari-Dikshitar[S]
3.Mariyadagadayya-Bhairavam-Thyagaraja
4.Meenalochana-Dhanyasi-Syama Sastry[R,N,S]
5.Paal Vadiyum-Natakurinji-Oothukadu
6.Sadasraye Abhayambike-Shanmukhapriya-Dikshitar[R,N,S,T]
7.Marugelara-Jayanthasri-Thyagaraja
8.RTP-Khamboji,Mohana,Brindavana Saranga
"Bhooloka Vaikunta pathe, Mohana Muralidhara, Brindavanasarangendra"
9.Vadavaraiyai-Ragamalika-Ilango Adigal
10.Ugabogam followed by Harismarane-Yamankalyani-Purandaradasa
11.Bho Shambho-Revathi-Dayananda Saraswathi
12.Pavamana-Sowrastram-Thyagaraja

The concert began with a rendition of Panthuvarali varnam which was sung in two speeds. It was followed by the Bilahari piece. The krithi was rendered well and there was a brisk round of swarams at the pallavi. Then she sang the composition in Bhairavam. I always noticed the clarity in the sahithyam while she sings this krithi. The bhaavam in the song is catered well and there are certain beautiful sangathis which I enjoyed a lot. The alapana of Dhanyasi started next. I kept reading her reviews online and I noticed her singing Dhanyasi many at times. So before the concert I was hoping she'd take dhanyasi. Dhanyasi is not often heard here. Last time I heard Dhanyasi was back in 2006 from Nithyasree. It was a wonderful alapana. Then she took up the Syama sastry krithi, "Meena Lochana Brova Yochana." The neraval was done at "Samaja gamana" and there were rounds of swarakalpana in both the kaalams. Then came the filler in Natakurinji. The main piece was Shanmukhapriya. I was just hoping she'd sing something apart from the regular "Marivere dikkevarayya" or "Saravana bhava ennum" which she sings often. She did sing the Abhayambha vibhakthi krithi. I enjoyed this rendition thoroughly. She sang a detailed neraval at the lines "Chidhaasraye Chidambara Chandrike" followed by a detailed swarakalpana. I liked both the main and the submain having neraval. The patterns she incorporated were superb. I heard her Shanmukhapriya quite a few times and always it wins my heart. The thaniavarthanam was scintillating. I always wanted to listen to tiruvaru Vaidyanathan sir play the mridangam here. This was the first time I heard him live and he was fantastic. Sri Raman was amazing as usual. At this point of time, the governor of the state walked in. He's regular at almost all the concerts these days. But there were no irritating speeches or long felicitation ceremonies. The felicitation was brief. Then she took up the Jayanthasri composition. This being a popular number, there was a synchronized "Ahaa" from the audience the moment she started the krithi! She then moved to Khamboji alapana. I really wanted an RTP and there it was! Off time, every concert in Hyderabad I attended had an RTP! Relief that is! :) A wonderful change. Listening to RTP in almost every concert is a treat for the ears! When I expected a full time Khamboji RTP, she surprised with a transition to Brindavana Saranga. The Ragam was very well rendered and then she moved to Mohanam. The thanam in Khamboji and Mohanam was played on the violin and she did not sing it, that was slightly disappointing but considering the time factor it was the right thing to do I believe. She took up the thanam in Brindavana Saranga. The transitions on the violin were well played. She then sang the pallavi. It was set to Khanda Ata. After the pallavi she explained the details about the pallavi. The samai eduppu was on the little finger, she started with 2 kalai ata, then moved to 1 kalai and finally sung in misrachapu. The RTP was a real treat. BJ treated us with dwi raga rtp, and Sudha with tri raga rtp! :D The post main items were also well rendered. I liked the composition "Vadavarayai". "Hari smarane" anyway is a popular song and was enjoyed by everyone. She sings "Bho Shambho" quite often but the effect she left this day was unforgettable. It was full of Bhakthi bhaavam.
I enjoyed the concert thoroughly. I also attended concerts of sri Shashank and sri TNS. Will give the reviews shortly. Every concert in Hyderabad in 2011 have not failed to win the hearts! Now comes the long break. Probably the next music festival will be in November or so! Will miss live concerts till then! :)

weird.world
Posts: 12
Joined: 18 Feb 2011, 10:45

Re: Sudha Ragunathan,SICA,Hyderabad-22nd March,2011

Post by weird.world »

Pallavi line ???

mohan
Posts: 2808
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 16:52

Re: Sudha Ragunathan,SICA,Hyderabad-22nd March,2011

Post by mohan »

weird.world: The pallavi line is stated in the song list "Bhooloka Vaikunta pathe, Mohana Muralidhara, Brindavanasarangendra"

Interesting choice of Kambhoji with Mohanam as these share common notes. Would take a lot of skill to bring out the right shades of the respective ragas when singing the various parts of the pallavi and associated kalpana swaram.

revanthv552
Posts: 449
Joined: 31 Jan 2008, 22:26

Re: Sudha Ragunathan,SICA,Hyderabad-22nd March,2011

Post by revanthv552 »

@ mohan. I wondered the same thing about the common notes between khamboji and mohanam. But when she was singing, one could clearly differentiate between both the ragams. She handled it very well.

srikant1987
Posts: 2246
Joined: 10 Jun 2007, 12:23

Re: Sudha Ragunathan,SICA,Hyderabad-22nd March,2011

Post by srikant1987 »

revanth552 wrote:6.Sadasraye Abhayambike-Shanmukhapriya-Dikshitar[R,N,S,T]
Dikshitar (is believed to have) called that rAga as cAmara.

weird.world
Posts: 12
Joined: 18 Feb 2011, 10:45

Re: Sudha Ragunathan,SICA,Hyderabad-22nd March,2011

Post by weird.world »

Ooops missed that... thanks for reiterating .@ Mohan.

And note in Dikshitar school of music Shanmukhapriya is called as Chamaram. ( Correct me if I am wrong)

squims
Posts: 447
Joined: 04 Feb 2010, 22:10

Re: Sudha Ragunathan,SICA,Hyderabad-22nd March,2011

Post by squims »

Looks like a lovely list! Would have loved to hear the pallavi.

ragaranjani
Posts: 4
Joined: 23 Mar 2011, 21:40

Re: Sudha Ragunathan,SICA,Hyderabad-22nd March,2011

Post by ragaranjani »

The selection of songs and ragas are very nice....a real treat to listen!!!

rajeshnat
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Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 08:04

Re: Sudha Ragunathan,SICA,Hyderabad-22nd March,2011

Post by rajeshnat »

revanthv552 wrote:6.Sadasraye Abhayambike-Shanmukhapriya-Dikshitar[R,N,S,T]
Tx revatnv552, I have not heard this song at all or perhaps I have forgotten that I heard this number. Does MLV sing this number?

srikant1987
Posts: 2246
Joined: 10 Jun 2007, 12:23

Re: Sudha Ragunathan,SICA,Hyderabad-22nd March,2011

Post by srikant1987 »

Rajesh, I have heard this twice from Vidushi Kalpakam Swaminathan, in two concerts -- both Abhayamba navAvarNam concert-cum-lecdems. :P I treat them as concerts only, so I am not sure if vibhakti krtis is the more appropriate name for them. :$

jaysriks
Posts: 66
Joined: 08 Oct 2007, 13:07

Re: Sudha Ragunathan,SICA,Hyderabad-22nd March,2011

Post by jaysriks »

Smt. Sudha Ragunathan has already sung this before .. I have heard her sing this as a main piece at Krishna Gana Sabha During December season 2004. It was very nicely rendered.

@Revanth ..Thanks for the very nice review and i bet you wud have enjoyed this concert. Keep up the good work of Reviewing more concerts !

revanthv552
Posts: 449
Joined: 31 Jan 2008, 22:26

Re: Sudha Ragunathan,SICA,Hyderabad-22nd March,2011

Post by revanthv552 »

jaysriks wrote:
@Revanth ..Thanks for the very nice review and i bet you wud have enjoyed this concert. Keep up the good work of Reviewing more concerts !
Thank you so much jaysriks :) I did enjoy the concert a lot! :)

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