Lalgudi Siblings - RSM, Fort , Bengaluru 13th Apr 2011

[gardabha_gana]

Vid. Lalgudi GJR Krishnan (LGJR)
Vid. Lalgudi Vijayalakshmi (LV)
Vid. Harikumar
Vid. Guruprasanna

1. Varnam - HamirKalyani - Adi - LGJ
2. Nenerunchara - Simhavahini - Adi - Tyagaraja (S)
3. Enthani Varninchunu - Mukhari, Rupakam, Tyagaraja (Sketch+ LGJR/LV, N, S)
4. Parama Pavana Rama - PoorviKalyani - Adi - Poochi Srinivasa Iyengar (R by LV, S)
5. Seethapathe - Kamas - Adi - Tyagaraja
6. Nee Dayaradha - VasanthaBhairavi - Rupakam - Tyagaraja - (Sketch by LGJR)
7. Nadachi Nadachi - Kharaharapriya -Adi - Tyagaraja (R by LGJR, S, T)
8. Speech
9. RTP - Rasikapriya
Pallavi : Nandana Raghunandana Sethubandana Hare Mampahi - Chatusra Jampai Khanda Nadai
Ragamalika Swarams: Sahana, Husenish (?), Suddha Desi, Hemsaroopini
10. Naneke Badavanu - Behag - Purandaradasa
11. Ramachandra Prabho - Sindubhairavi - Swati
12. Srinivasa - Hamsanandi
13. Tillana - Misra Mand - LGJ
14. Prahlada - Saurashtram/Madhyamavati

Superb concert filled with Sowkhyam
I had requested the varnam and tillani and big thanks to Lalgudis for fulfilling the request
I will post a more detailed writeup tomorrow

[squims]

Lovely list. Thanks for the report.

[mahavishnu]

Thanks G_G.

Beautiful song list. Almost like a textbook version of what a kutcheri list should be in terms of changes in tempo, melodic structure and rotation of composers.

I love their playing of nenaruncharA, epecially the first line of the charanam; their style has so much sahitya bhAvam. They began their Music Academy kutcheri a few years back with this song.

And wow, RTP in Rasikapriya, with swarams in suddha desi and hamsaroopini! There is a commercial release of them performing Koteeswara Iyer's "arul seyya vEndum ayyA" with Palghat Raghu/Abhishek Raghuram (back when he was still playing the khanjira) which is incredible. GJR's handling of vivAdi-ish ragams is superb. And the misra mAnd tillanA is back.

How was Harikumar? He is definitely very talented and has a different style for accompanying instrumental music. He can also be loud (for e.g when he plays with Mandolin Srinivas).

[badari]

" How was Harikumar?"

He was just the opposite of how he accompanied Kadri a day before. I was wondering he would be a spoil sport...But it turned out that the MIC system played its part. The volume levels were as feeble as though we were hearing live Mridanga and not via PA system.

decibel level in auditorium was less than half of what we experienced in Jugalbandi concert few days back

[srikant1987]

The volume levels were as feeble as though we were hearing live Mridanga and not via PA system.

Oh no! Fort High School DOES need mics. It's one place where I would like mics even for a nadaswaram concert!

[gardabha_gana]

When I attended LGJ sir's 80th birthday celebrations, it was mentioned that he had recently composed a varnam in Hamir Kalyani. Since then, I have been wanting to hear it as I loved that ragam very much. I had sent Krishnan sir an email requesting that and misra mand tillana - and I was thrilled that they started the HK varnam. It was very very nice to hear it - reminded me of the Neelambari varnam, rythmic and melodious. My next wish is to hear it on the vocals and the veena Next was the tyagaraja composition Nenerunchara with a nice set of swarams. A nice short mukhari was played by both - wish it were a little longer. Mukhari was handled very nicely in Entha ninne varninthunu with Neraval and swarams by both. An excellent poorvi kalyani followed by LV. An apt krithi for the occassion Parama pavana rama (hearing it for the first time) was played with a nice set of swarams. I realized then all the songs were on Lord Rama! Seetha pathe and Nee dayaradha were rendered well. A superb alapana by LGJR followed in Kharaharapriya and I was hoping for Nadachi Nadachi - having heard LGJ sir play it and it was indeed! All the lalgudi sangathis were flowing - and just transported me back in time! The organizers had to do their vote of thanks - where they compared violin and LGJ to cricket and sachin (as a cricket and music lover - i think it should be the other way around) I was praying for an RTP - when a short RTP was announced - I was happy that there would be one but unhappy that it would be short. I recognized that it was pratimadhyamam and vivadish - but had no clue it was rasikapriya and was reminded of my music classes (kanakangi to Rasikapriya melakarthas). It was very very nice - sadly the ragam was short as time was running out. After a nice tanam - pallavi was rendered in Chatusra Jampai in Khanda nadai on Lord Rama. Nice experience to put talam for such pallavi's for students like me. Ragamalika swarams followed in Sahana followed by ragams that I later came to know were suddha desi and Hamsaroopini (mohanam + madhyamavati). Naneke badavanu in behag, ramachandra prabhu in sindubhairavi and srinivasa in hamsanandi were soulful - and the concert ended with my requested tillana in Misra mand!

Overall the concert was superb, a typical Lalgudi bani concert - blissful. Ragams was delicately handled, and full of bhavam. The song selection was excellent and it was a very classical fare. I am extremely thankful to them for including my requests. Lalgudi Sir is a legend and to perform in his style and give such a concert -have no words for it - and I sincerely hope they play in bangalore more often. I hope the RTPs are longer The percussion accompaniment was very apt - sometimes volume variations were due to the audio (im)balance.

I was impressed with the turnout - considering that i was a week day. The audio system was consistently being meddled by the technicians and the kharaharapriya alapana was faint at times being drowned out by the BTS buses plying. I don't know why they don't set it once and leave it alone!

[squims]

Thanks for the wonderful write-up! Looks like I missed a great concert!

Oh no! Fort High School DOES need mics. It's one place where I would like mics even for a nadaswaram concert!

LOL you should have been at the jugalbandi. Looks like it's going to end up being either too loud or too soft or just plain irritating! :@

[mahavishnu]

g_g. thanks for your more elaborate post. Yes, I would love to listen to the Hamir Kalyani varnam also. The swarams in Simhavahini must have been brilliant. I just love the way the Lalgudi school handles Sarasangi, Charukesi and the janya ragas from that chakra.
Glad that your requests got played.

[srikant1987]

LOL you should have been at the jugalbandi

Naan enna paavam panninen? ;( ;( (How have I sinned?)