Double header concert at Bharathi Kala Manram, Toronto

[Lakshman]

Corrections welcome.

One hour concert by:
Bhargavi Balasubramaniam -chitravina
Jaishankar Balan-violin
Amutheesar Sachithananthan-mrdangam

intamODi sEya gati-sArangA varNa-Tiruvettiyur Tyagayya
mahA gaNapaim manasA-nATa-Dikshitar-s
janani ninnuvinA-rItigauLa-Subbaraya Shastri-sketch
ennagAnu rAma bhajana-kAmavardhini-Bhadrachala Ramdas-A
aTukAdAdani-manOranjani-Tyagaraja
mahAlakSmi jaganmAtA-shankarAbharaNa-A,S, tani
celinEnETlu sahintunE-paraju-Pattabhiramiah

2.5 hr concert by:
Carnatica Brothers-Shashikiran & Ganesh
Jaishankar Balan-violin
Tanjavur Murugaboopathy-mrdangam
Karthik Venkataraman-Kanjira

shrI shankara guruvaram-nAgasvarAvaLi-Maha Vaidyanatha Iyer
EkAmrEsha nAyikE-karnATakashuddhasAvEri-Dikshitar-S
enduku nirdaya-harikAmbhOji-Tyagaraja-A,N (at indu nibhnana)
pArvati ninnu-kalgaDa-Shyama Shastri-sketch
mUrutiyenu nilisO-sAlagabhairavi-Purandaradasa
They sang a complicated RTP latAngi in Adi tALA (khanDanaDai)-priyE gItapriyE sangItapriyE kalA rasikapriyE
tAnams in latAngi, kOkilapriyA, SaNmukhapriyA (violin return), kharaharapriyA
svarAs (rendered in khanDa jAti tripuTa tALA) in kanakAngi, candrajyOti,rasikapriyA (I may be wrong here)
samayamidE rA rA nA sAmi (j)-behAg-Patnam Subramania Iyer
narahari vESa nArAyaNAnE-sUryA-Rukmini Ramani
pancarAga tillAnA-kAnaDA, bilahari, kApi, behAg & madhyamAvati
lakSmI kalyANa vaibhavam-maNirangu-Chitravina Ravikiran
makuTakkE mangaLam-madhyamAvati-Purandaradasa

[mahavishnu]

Thanks, Lji. I think the ragamalika swaras were in ratnAngi, swarnAngi and RasikapriyA (IIRC).

It was a wonderful concert by the Carnatica brothers; they really have the art of duo singing down to the minutest details. Shashikiran's forte is in the lower sthayi with his voice rich in bass and Ganesh was just superb in the upper octaves. They harmonize with each other in a style reminiscent of instrumental duets.

There were some wonderful brighas in the latAngi alapana and during the ragamalika tanam. The pallavi line was very apt since the asampoorna melakarta name for latAngi is geethapriyA. The pallavi was in khanda nadai in the purvAngam and chatusra nadai in the uttarAngam. After doing neraval and trikAlam, they changed the gait to a khanda jAti triputa talam. The cadence created a very unique effect.

I had requested them to sing an RTP in Harikamboji before the concert. Since they had planned an elaborate latAngi pallavi, they decided to present a kriti in Harkamboji instead. I was very happy that they sang Enduku Nirdaya, with a detailed exposition of all the beautiful charanam lines with a neraval in "Indruni...". So, at the end of the concert the brothers very unassumingly sang and demonstrated the pallavi line in the lobby of the auditorium.

To me, the Carnatica brothers represent the best of modern carnatic performance, scholarliness and showmanship. They have a strong bond with rasikas, see no boundaries between their music and the audience. They present very intellectual fare yet communicate their music to the audience thus connecting with the rasika viscerally.

Jayshankar Balan was very good in his supportive role. Murugabhoopathy and Karthik played a very competent tani.

[Lakshman]

Thanks for correcting me mahavishnu.

[mahavishnu]

Lji: do you know who composed the pancharaga (panchatAla) tillana? I think the first ragam in it was Durbari Kaanada.
Sorry I didn't get an opportunity to say hello; I saw you from a distance and then couldn't spot you after the concert.

Oh and I really liked Bhargavi Balasubramaniam's concert. Very nice song selection for a short concert. Her presentation was crisp and the instrument had a wonderful nAdham. She makes an excellent addition to the handful of performing chitravina (nee gottuvadhyam) artistes in the world. And probably the only lady artiste other than Gayatri Rajapur Kassebaum (of the Budalur Krishnamurthy sastrigal tradition). Perhaps there are others?

[Lakshman]

Sorry I missed seeing you. We had to leave right after the concert and we did not get to meet many of our friends.
I have no idea who composed the pancarAga tillAnA. I will try to find out.

[arasi]

Lakshman,
Wish I had been there. Sounds like a very good concert.

mahavishnu,
You would have guided me in my learning to appreciate the nuances of an intricately wrought pallavi and I would have been happy to hear Shashikiran and Ganesh sing it Yes, they are very good together, sensitive to each other's singing.

[mahavishnu]

Lji: Sri KNS just confirmed that the tillAna was composed by Sri Ravikiran for the opera Lakshmi PrabhAvam. It was really interesting because the darbari kAnada part is in Adi tAlam; bilahari: roopakam; kApi: khanda chApu, behAg: misra chApu & madhyamAvati: sankIrna chApu (ta ka di mi ta ka ta ki ta). The transitions seemed quite seamless.

Arasi: I think you would have really enjoyed this particular pallavi.

[Lakshman]

Thanks mahavishnu.