Ranjani Gayatri-SICA Annual Cultural Festival-Nov 7, 2014

[revanthv552]

Ranjani Gayatri performed on the final day of SICA’s 56th Annual Cultural Festival. They were accompanied by Sri Ganesh Prasad on Violin, Sri Delhi Sairam on Mridangam and Sri Hari Babu on the Ghatam. I moved to Ahmedabad for my work and was missing concerts happening in the city for quite some time. It would not be an exaggeration if I say I consider myself lucky for being in Hyderabad for this concert for if I need to describe this entire experience in one word, it was an unbelievable. It was one of those concerts that I will remember for a very long time.

The song list:

1. Vande Vasudevam-Sri-Annamacharya[S]
2. Neerajakshi Kamakshi-Hindolam-Dikshitar
3. Ninnu Jeppa-Mandari-Patnam Subramanya Iyer[R, S]
4. Edayya Gathi-Chalanata-Koteeswarayyar
5. Evari Maata-Khamboji-Tyagaraja[R,N,S,T]
6. RTP-Natakapriya
Ragamalika swarams in Poornachandrika, Abhogi, Vasanthi, Dipali
7. Muddugare Yashoda-Kurinji-Annamacharya
8. Dasara Nindisa Beda-Sindhubhairavi-Purandaradasa
9. Dhanya Dhanya-Durga-Sant Ekanath
10. Mangalam-Sowrastram-Tyagaraja

Personally, I believe Ranjani and Gayatri are extremely promising as musicians for they don’t settle for anything but delivering their best. From 2010, I never missed a single performance of theirs in the city and I am extremely honest when I say that I was not disappointed even once. Every concert of theirs leaves me with immense satisfaction. Their sincerity is commendable and it is very evident in the way they present the songs in the concerts. They have things perfectly planned and they avoid wasting time on stage by indulging in any discussion about what to sing next. They give ample time to every piece they intend to sing and that I believe is very important for a musician. They also take utmost care to pronounce the lyrics in the right manner and emphasize on the bhava aspect.

They began with the famous Annamacharya composition in Sri Ragam and did a quick round of swarams at the pallavi. The second song was Dikshitar’s “Neerajakshi Kamakshi”. The presentation of this song was neat and the ease with which their voices move up and down added a lot of beauty. Ranjani’s Mandari was a perfect exploration of the raga’s beauty and the sisters presented the brisk “Ninnu Jeppa”. The song just flowed like a river. The swarakalpana was presented in madhyamakalam in an extremely interesting manner where all the three, the vocalists and the violinist were particularly determined to explore the beauty of the raga and succeeded creating the best experience for the listeners. Chalanata came in perfectly before the grand Khamboji that lasted for a very long time.

Gayatri’s Khamboji was splendid. After the detailed treatment, I was curious as of what the song would be. It was a pleasant feeling to listen to the beautiful “Evari Mata Vinnavo”. Thyagaraja’s emotions are beautifully expressed in this composition and the sisters did amazing justice to this song. The grand neraval at the line “Bhakta Paradheenudanuchu” stands as one of the best neravals I heard till date. There was endless enthusiasm among all the rasikas when the neraval was going on. It was a truly a wonderful experience. A musician should thoroughly enjoy what he or she sings. That music enhances the listening experience and everyone on the stage were justifying this statement with the way they presented. This neraval will remain in my mind for a long time. A grand thaniavarthanam came up next. The entire part went for around one hour and it truly created the impact that a main piece is intended to do.

Ragam Thanam Pallavi is one part in their concert that I really look forward to. In the last couple of years, Hamsanandi, Khamas, Varamu, Bahudari, Reetigowla and Brindavana Saranga are a few that still continue to remain in the top of my head. No matter which raga they pick, they do perfect justice to that with their treatment. They share the alapana, the thanam and the pallavi equally and do wonders with their ragamalika swarakalpana. This concert had a ragam thanam pallavi in Natakapriya. The beautiful Natakapriya! The duo shared the details of the pallavi before presenting it. It was set to Misra Triputa Talam and was in Gopuchcha yati. The pallavi lines go like this: “Vasumahitam Sumahitam Mahitam Hitam Tam Ashraye Natakapriya nutam” They unveiled the beauty of the raga in a pace that did perfect justice to the ragam and they shared a brilliant thanam. Then they presented the beautiful pallavi. I am honestly short of words to describe how beautifully the pallavi was presented. The ragamalika swaras were shared by both of them. Poornachandrika and Vasanthi were presented by Ranjani while Abhogi and Dipali were by Gayatri. Gayatri did an interesting shruti bedham to Valaji while presenting the Abhogi. She was very kind to explain how she did it to a couple of us when we happened to meet her on stage after the concert. Dipali was a dwi madhyama raga and this was the first time I heard it. I felt it could be pretty tricky, but my God, Gayatri did magic on the stage with both the madhyamams. It was so commendable and a truly enjoyable presentation of the raga. It was magic indeed.

A sedate Sindhubhairavi, crisp Kurinji and a delightful Durga adorned the concert after the Ragam Thanam Pallavi. The concert left me with a hundred percent satisfaction and it has been three days, the pallavi is still stuck in my head. Enjoying music as the concert goes on is an experience. But enjoying the experience of the music three days after the concert is altogether a different experience. Such is the power of music presented with sincerity. One cannot deny the fact that these sisters present music with utmost respect and thoroughly enjoy their music as they present it to us. The selection of the pieces included a wide range of composers and a decent choice of ragas. It is undeniable that all the factors it takes to call a concert successful were evident in their performance.

[rajeshnat]

Revanth
Glad that i asked you in another thread ,Tx for the review. I personally like natakapriya and this pallavi would have interested me a lot . You are so young and you have taken so much passion to write , you started perhaps writing from school days, then definitely college , now few years into work . Hope ahmedabad also has carnatic concerts atleast half the frequency of hyderabad. Give us a surprise of a review from the shores of sabarmathi soon.

[revanthv552]

Totally my pleasure. Thank you so much for your kind words rajeshnat.

Natakapriya was dealt for a solid fifty minutes if I remember. I am still in awe of how that ragam was presented that day. Such a lovely presentation it was!

And Yes, I started writing in this forum from my school days.
I always love to write about the concerts here

Ahmedabad has a very bright scene in fronts of Hindustani music is what people tell me. I hear that there is Saptak Festival coming in January which has concerts of all the doyens. I am looking forward to it. Also, I remember Ranjani and Gayatri performing here for that festival last year. I seriously hope, I do get to listen to Carnatic Music here some time soon. It would be amazing!

[arasi]

Revanth,
So good to hear from you, bringing us a review of what seems to have been a super concert. Ra-Ga bring those elements to a concert that you mention which make a concert very appealing to the audience.

When I read your remark about Sindhubhairavi and kuRinji, I wondered if you had juxtaposed the adjectives. Then I went to the song list and knew what you meant! Lively muddugAre being a far from sedate kuRinji and the usually energetic sindhubhairavi in CM IS ruminative in dAsara nindisa bEDa! There is viSvESwar darSan which is slow in its pace too, but dAsara nindisa bEda appeals to me more.

You are now an Ahmedabadi! Hope you get to listen to many HM concerts there. Hyderabad isn't that big on CM concerts, and what can one expect of Ahmedabad? You should perhaps try and take a week off to spend in Chennai any time from now to the beginning of January (we can see that you are yearning for live concerts).

Yes, you have been bringing reviews to Rasikas.org, writing with enthusiasm even from your student days

[revanthv552]

Thank you arasi.

Yes. Indeed I am yearning for live concerts. The effect that a proper live concert creates is so beautiful to experience. I wish to take an off and spend time in Chennai to get a good dose of Carnatic Music. There are so many musicians I'd love to hear who I never got a chance to hear in Hyderabad or who visit Hyderabad very rarely. As there is no way to experience Carnatic Music here, must make the best out of the Hindusthani concerts that happen.