Smt. Sudha Ragunathan for Kartik Fine Arts - 12.12.12

[musicdazzler]

Smt. Sudha Ragunathan for Kartik Fine Arts at Narada Gana Sabha

Accompanists

Sri. Raghavendra Rao (V), Sri. Mannargudi Easwaran (Mridangam), Sri. Giridhar Uduppa (Ghatam)

1. Varnam - Sami Ninne Nammi - Panthuvarali
2. Raga Sudha Rasa - Aandholika (S)
3. Endraikku Siva Krupai - Mukhari
4. Brief Aalapana - Mohanam - Sri Parvathi Parameswari - Dikshitar - Rupakam (R,N,S,T)
5. Thulasamma - Devagandhari
6. Detailed Aalapana - Simendramadhyamam - Shruti Bedham From Simendramadhyamam to Bowli
Pallavi Line: "Devi Sri Umamaheshwari Bala Tripura Sundari Nee Dayai Purivaaye" -
Rmalika Pallavi in Hamsadhwani-Sahana-Bageshree

7.Bare Panduranga -
8.Katrinile Varum Geetham
9. Maithrim Bhajatha
10. Pavamana

[musicdazzler]

I started off the season with a great concert from this Vidushi. Right from the start she was on fire and the concert didn't have a single dull moment . Sri. Easwaran's sollu and vaasippu are filled with so much of sowkhyam. Her Mukhari made me feel to listen to her again and again ..Even the mohanam aalapana and krithi was delivered with so much of bhaavam. Sri. Easwaran was so amazed by her kanakkus and there were so much 'bale' for every round of swarams and kuraippu. Special mention should be made about Sri. Raghavendra Rao. His playing was excellent. It was very nice to see a lively conversation between all the artiste on stage .. Kudos to the whole team ! Overall It was an aural treat !

[musicdazzler]

Continuation from where i left off, a brief spec about the concert ..

The popular Andholika piece of course popularized by their school, wasn't a surprise when she rendered it flawlessly and garnered it with some beautiful swaras. There were shades of her guru during the swara rendition. If Andholika was technically perfect, mukhari was filled with bhava. I haven't heard her sing mukhari many times before and looks like a welcome change that she does seem to include these krithis in her repertoire.

This was followed by trademark GNB school raga delineation of Mohanam. Since this looked like the main piece of the concert, I thought she might either take Nannu Palimpa or Ra Ra Rajeevalochana. But this dikshitar piece was a surprise. Neraval was aptly chosen at 'Mohana Sundara swaroopini shankari'. This was followed by her trademark blitzering swaras and Shri Radhavendra Rao gave fitting replies. The only dampener was not so expansive nearaval. Those lines were indeed beautiful for your imagination to flow.

I hardly expect RTPs in a 2.5 hr concert these days and many artist seem to sing it for 20 mins (just for the sake of it). But with more than an hour to go, I didn't know if she was going to take up another raga and chauka kala krithi or an expansive RTP. Given that she was in full flow, RTP was the right choice. Simmehendra Madhyamam was the raga chosen and definitely 15 mins raga exploration had all the elements of the raga. Of course the usual swara bedham was done where she moved to Bowli and returned back to the raga without any flaw. One noticeable change in her music is she seems to be moving towards a new style where she looks to blend sowkhyam and the briga laden sangatis. Hope she continues on the same lines. I can comment on this because I decided to attend her concert after a long hiatus. If she continues in this form, then would definitely like to attend couple of more concerts of this vidushi.

Coming back to the RTP,The usual trikalam was done and then she did sing ragamalika swaras in Sahana, Hamsadhwani and Bageshri/Behag (Not sure) . At this point I was yearning for more of it. You guys would have wondered why haven't I mentioned about Easwaran mama and Giridhar Uduppa yet. This concert wouldn't have been a success without these wonderful artists. They just coordinated wonderfully on stage. They showed their prowess during the thani. Not a single moment I felt that these guys tried to dominate during the concert. But when they were asked to show they did the right job. That is what I like about easwaran mama. He is always a pleasure to hear on the stage. Whether is Sudha Ragunathan or any other artist he plays the perfect role of accompanist, never intruding with the flow of the main artist. A word about the Raghavendra Rao as well. He followed Sudha as a shadow. His exploration of Simmhendra Madhyamam and Mohanam was very nice. He is a seasoned artist and it wasn't a surprise that he played so well.

[sashwathipriya]

Whole heartedly agree with musicdazzler. One of those amazing concerts from a great artist. From the word 'go' the artist seemed to kept the audience spellbound. The Andolika, Mukhari, Mohanam were filled with bhaava and essence of the raagas. The simhendramadhyamam RTP was mind blowing and the sruti bedham showcased the artiste's musical genius. While Bare paanduranga and kaatrinile varum geetham brought out that soothing effect, the sai bajan brought tears to the eyes. The audience were drenched in the bakthi that was pouring out in Smt.Sudha's voice. Eswaran Mama, ragavendra rao and uduppa were great in their own ways.

Overall a wonderful concert and a great team effort.

[rajeshnat]

I hardly expect RTPs in a 2.5 hr concert these days

If you donot expect a rtp in 2.5 hour concert , then the RTP will be totally out in Chennai during music season. It is quite rare nowadays to have a 2.5 hour concert .Tx for your review musicdazzler , keept them coming.

[Jigyaasa]

6. Detailed Aalapana - Simendramadhyamam - Shruti Bedham From Simendramadhyamam to Bowli
Pallavi Line: "Devi Sri Umamaheshwari Bala Tripura Sundari Nee Dayai Purivaaye" -
Rmalika Pallavi in Hamsadhwani-Sahana-Bageshree

I think it's rather more likely that the grahabhEda was to rEvagupti rather than bhauLi.

[Madras Talkies]

You are right .. It sounded more like Revagupti. @ Jig

Endraikku Siva Krupai from Sudha Ragunathan.. Was a true shock to me... I have heard her singing Saranam Iyappa, Ksheenmai Tiruga.. What really surprised me is the Big B factor in Sudha Ragunathan's music.. Big B refers to Bhava.. New sangatis, Bhavam, Chowka Kalam rendition, Small sangatis, reduced Brigas, Increased Gamakam, connecting notes, Ottu swaram.. Fantastic concerts. I heard her at BVB, kartik Fine Arts and Bharat Kalachar. I am gonna continue tracking her this season..

[sureshvv]

From what I hear on the beat, seems to be the "surprise find of the season"

[Jayalakshmi]

Could notice a change in the way Sudha Ragunathan is singing these days from what it was a couple of years ago.

[shankarabharanam]

Here is a review of the concert that was published in Deccan Chronicle..

http://www.dc-epaper.com/PUBLICATIONS/D ... tml?Mode=1