VVS and VVS Murari @ Bay Area

[Gadolinium]

V.V. Subrahmanyam and V.V.S. Murari - Violin Duet
Tirupunitura Radhakrishnan - Mridangam
Ravi Balasubramanian - Ghatam

Date: 14th September, 2013
Organizer: SIFA

Song list

1. Neeke teliyaka? - Ananda bhairavi - AS - T
2. Paridanamichithe - Bilahari - ANS - PSI
3. Rama rama guna seema - Simhendra Madhyamam - ANST - ST
4. Uyyala loogavayya? - Nilambari - A - T
5 ...

Feel free to add the missing items and also make any corrections to the above. I had to leave after 2 hours at which point he had played only these 4 (with detailed treatment to each).

Amazing concert. I didn't know VVS still gave concerts, and when I saw a link to this concert, cancelled everything else for the Saturday. Tough to verbalize what I felt yesterday, will try though.

The first 10 minutes of ananda bhairavi alapana was absolutely magical. He seamlessly stitched many haunting phrases of AB to great effect. I think the song that followed was Neeke teliyaka, not 100% sure. Nevertheless, was a top class Ananda Bhairavi which will be in my memory for long.

The simhendra madhyamam was another highlight, I have never enjoyed this ragam more. Sri VVS dedicated this to Smt. MSS (her birthday was two days prior), which was very appropriate and very worthy of dedicating to her (especially the neraval). VVS used pauses to a great effect in each of his renditions, during which you could've heard people breathe.

Murari and the accompanists were fully deferential during VVS's manodharmic phases, and took over at VVS's cue. Murari played the perfect "second fiddle", a bit restrained at times but excelled whenever opportunity presented itself (particularly swara exchange for the main piece). I would like to see him accompany more (does he?).

I really enjoyed mridangam and ghatam of Radhakrishnan and Ravi Balasubramanian. The former got special words of praise from VVS after the thani avarthanam. Personally, I enjoyed their playing for Paridanamichithe even more.

Overall, a wonderful concert from an underrated violinist, and a great team effort!

[mahavishnu]

Unfortunately, I couldn't make it yesterday due to other commitments.
And what a nice surprise to have Tirupunitura Radhakrishnan on the mridangam! I thought Poovalur Srinivasan was supposed to perform...I love it when Ghatam vidwans play mridangam (like the late TV Vasan). They have such a unique touch!

Gadolinium, I thought you were in San Diego. Do you live in Northern California now?

[Gadolinium]

I love it when Ghatam vidwans play mridangam (like the late TV Vasan). They have such a unique touch!

In fact, VVS had words to this effect. He mentioned how Radhakrishnan has accompanied him on the ghatam a number of times but never on mridangam, and how his mridangam playing reminded VVS of Radhakrishnan's dad and uncle.

Gadolinium, I thought you were in San Diego. Do you live in Northern California now?

Yeah, I moved last year. Hope to meet you in one of the spring concerts.

[CRama]

That was a good review of a classic concert and you are lucky to hear him live. Here in Chennai, we rarely get chances to listen o his concerts. Sure, he had been eclipsed by the other three legendary violinists. We had discussed about this at length in this forum. Pray that he should give more concerts and give us an opportunity to enjoy and get immersed in his vidwat and artistry.