RAMAKRISHNAN MURTHY AT KGS ON 14/9/14

[CRama]

The rising star of CM Ramakrishnan Murthy accompanied by Lalgudi Vijayalakshmi on the violin, Arun Prakash on the Mridangam and BSPurushothaman on the Kanjira presented a concert as a part of the on going Gokulashtami series organised by Krishna Gana Sabha. The list of songs.

Varnam
Smarane Sukhamu-Janaranjini-T (N,S)
Ninnunera namminanura-Panthuvarali-T(R,N,S)
Notru suvargam-Thodi-Thirupavai
Parakela nannu-Kedaragowla-SS
Balagopala-Bhairavi-MD(R,N,S)
RTP-Gowla-Adi 2 Kalai
Vande Mataram- Slokam-Kambodi,Kalyani,Ranjani and Ahiri
Mayamma-Ahiri. I left after this song.

RKMurthy is winning over rasikas all over the globe with his sensitive, sowkhyam focussed music and vidwath laden concerts. He is really good with strong sruti sudham, good imagination, padantharam, stage manners and presence. These attributes along with the repertoire of KVN favourites he successfully spreads the KVN aura in all the concerts. When I entered, the varnam was over and Smarane Sukhamu was going on. The song was rendered with the emphasis on the sahithyam with the required pauses and punch. RKM decision to do an elaborate neraval for the opening kriti itself at Rama Naama Sravanamu valla naama rupame hridayamu nini in the first two lines of the charanam was very wise for it brought the kalai kattifying effect for the entire concert. Elaborate swaras were icing on the cake. Then he launched on the first ragam of the day- evergreen choice for the submain- Panthuvarali. The raga was painted on a wide canvas demonstrating the thick and thin shades for about 5 minutes. The popular song in this ragam- Ninnu neranamminanura was taken up. He sang two charanams for the song- Veda sastra purana and another charanam-ee janmamunaninnu raaji jesukona lega. Elaborate neraval in ee janma....and sparkling swarams in second kalam kept the audience hooked. Thodi thirupavai as well as Parakela of Syama Sastri with lovely chittaswarams were the fillers. This SS song has a medium tempo as compared to the leisurely kalapramanam of many of SS kritis. (To be continued)

[CRama]

(Continued)
The main song of the day was Balagopla, to appease the butter licking Unni Krishnan savouring the soulful music sitting in the flex baner behind. The raga was sung very elaborately traversing three octaves with much ease and pleasure. Neraval was done at Vainika gayaka Guruguhanuta and elaborate swaras in two kalams gave the required gowravam to the main song. Even though his alapana, rendition of kriti had KVNish flavour throughout, the neraval was at an unusual place. It was a welcome change. RKM once again proved that he is easily a vidwan for neraval lovers. In this concert,he has done neraval for three songs plus the pallavi. Great. The swaras had some interesting patterns which was a testimony to his manodharmam. This was followed by the energetic thani which lasted for 15 minutes.

After the thani, Gowla was chosen for presenting the RTP. The raga was presented for 3 minutes and the violinist took 2 minutes, Thanam was presented as ragamalika in all the ragams of the Pancharathnam. The entire thanam took 8 minutes. The pallavi was Avananri or anuvum asayathu nammai kaakkum iraivan avan coined by Vidwan Arun Praksh. Swarams were also rendered in all the ragams of the Pancharathnam. The enire RTP took 30 minutes. This was a disappointment for me. Having spent 30 minutes, he could have taken a weighty ragam like Begada, Mohanam, Natakurinji etc for a pallavi. Any 3 minutes ragam for a pallavi is a big no no for me. I do remember the special pallavi concerts he has presented in the Pallavi Darbar.

Lalgudi Vijayalakshmi provided a fitting accompaniment to RKM. Her violin alapanas were full of raga bhava so unique of her lineage and returns for neraval and swaras very succinct. Arun Prkash played really vibrantly. IN many concerts, I have heard him play very minimal. Here he played with full energy and verve, but was not interfering with the manodharmam of the vocalist. His follow up for neravals and swara passages embellished the concert to a great extent. BS Purushothaman also proved his mettle in the energetic thani. Overall a very good concert.



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[rajeshnat]

After the thani, Gowla was chosen for presenting the RTP. The raga was presented for 3 minutes and the violinist took 2 minutes, Thanam was presented as ragamalika in all the ragams of the Pancharathnam. The entire thanam took 8 minutes. The pallavi was Avananri or anuvum asayathu nammai kaakkum iraivan avan coined by Vidwan Arun Praksh. Swarams were also rendered in all the ragams of the Pancharathnam. The enire RTP took 30 minutes. This was a disappointment for me. Having spent 30 minutes, he could have taken a weighty ragam like Begada, Mohanam, Natakurinji etc for a pallavi. Any 3 minutes ragam for a pallavi is a big no no for me. I do remember the special pallavi concerts he has presented in the Pallavi Darbar.

Crama,
I am asssuming it was a 2 and half hour to 3 hr concert . Having sung a pantuvarali submain and bhairavi main, I think it is inevitable that he had to cut some thing . Gowlai is a very limited raga in scope , so after singing the gowlai raga he had to go with the pancharatnam rAgas in taanam and swara ragamaliga. Pallavi is either a single raga or multiple raga - here he took a choice of showcasing the pancharatna ragas as multiple ragas with a touch and go with gowlai raga as alapana . The cut had to be made in gowlai alapana which is ok. IIRC KVN has also sung a gowlai RTP in the past. With the heaviness of heavy balagopala in pantuvarali - bhairavi combo ,I would personally like a little loosening gowlai and not another BEgaDa. Thanks for your review- liked the overall songlist.

[Rsachi]

CRama,
As usual a comprehensive review by an avid rasika.
I want to say something a bit tangential.
Even the current reigning stars of CM, all in their mid 30's to mid 50's, will appreciate the leverage social media like FB and rasika forums afford the rising stars. Unlike in the past, when reviews were scarce, opinionated and agenda driven in a few newspapers, and there was a patronising role played by Sabha secretaries, today feedback and artiste reach is crowdsourced. Rasikas, with perhaps no agenda except a craving for good music, have a voice and a reach like never before. The digital media like Parivadini and ARTery play their wonderful role in disintermediation as much as these rasikas. Surely wonderful days ahead! If Google had to happen to Microsoft, and Apple had to happen to nameless electronics worthies, the rasikas voice is happening to the straightjacket priests of CM.

More power to the likes of RKM. More power to the likes of CRama! Not to forget the evergreats like Varsha...

[Ramasubramanian M.K]

Rsachi: Well said!!Today no artist of true merit can complain either he/she has no following or does not get chances to perform in Institutions. Rasikas' word-of-mouth can compensate for "benign neglect by the Sabhas. But such meteoric rises due to overwhelming rasikas support thro various forms of social media(including our org) can also dissipate quickly and only the Superlative 'stars' will stay at the top.Overexposure has its own drawbacks!!!

[Rsachi]

Well said.
Nothing is more fickle than instant stardom.

[CommonMan]

Rsachi: Well said!!Today no artist of true merit can complain either he/she has no following or does not get chances to perform in Institutions. Rasikas' word-of-mouth can compensate for "benign neglect by the Sabhas.

I am not sure if this is completely true - especially the part on the "benign neglect of the sabhas" ! So many deserving artists who hardly perform..... I have been an ardent rasika of carnatic music listening to concerts for at least the past 7 decades (starting from Chemabi, ARI, Musiri and the likes). I know of few artists today with so much of vidwat (talent) who hardly get to perform - not even remotely close to the number of concerts that artists with far less talent and high PR do....Sad! From what I heard (and can easily believe based on the change in the music field in the recent years), many artists high on talent do not bend to the whims and fancies of organizers and are typically poor in PR and hence lose out on opportunities.....this I heard from accompanying artists themselves (who respect these artists much) as well as friends close to the organizers - so am sure there should be an element of truth, given this intersection of information......