Vidushi Smt. Sudha Ragunathan @ MA - Dec 24 2014.

[malolansri]

Smt. Sudha Ragunathan
Charumathi Raghuram - violin
Sri. Anantha krishnan - mridangam
Sri. Raman - Mohrsing
Sri. Sundar Kumar - Kanjira


Song List
1.Varnam-chalamu seya-Valaji-adi-Lalgudi
2. Varanamukha vaa- Hamsadhwani-Adi-Koteeswara Iyer (S)
3. Dharini telusukonti - suddha saveri - Adi - Thyagaraja (S)
4. Venugana loluni - kedaragowla - Rupakam - Thhagaraja (R,S)
5. Palukkutenala talli - abheri - Kantacapu - annamacharya (dedicated to Sangita Kalanidhi Sri. Nedanuri krishamoorthy)
6. Paramapavana - Poorvikalyani - Adi - Ramanathapuram Srinivasa Iyengar (R, N, S, T)
7. RTP - Saramathi - Kandajathi triputa thalam (kanda nadai)-
Pallavi Line : Saramathi ragathil paadi azhaikiren saravanabhava endru Muruganai.-
Ragamalika swaras in Dharmavathi, manavathi, Hemavathi, madhyamavathi, revathi)
8. Ayiram Ayiram - charukesi - adi - K.N.Dandayuthapani pillai
9. Baro krishnayya - Ragamalika - Adi - Kanakadasa


This was my first concert of her for the season. It is for the first time she teamed up with Anantha and Charumathi. Both really good accompanists in my opinion. She started off with a bang by singing this beautiful varnam, followed by Koteeswara Iyer’s composition in Hamsadhwani. Her Kalpana swarams brought out some beautiful facets of Hamsadhwani and she was in getting into the groove. Dharini Telusukonti was the next one. Now, she sang this in typical GNB-MLV school style. This krithi is a gem in Suddha Saveri and she sang it brilliantly. After a quick round of racy swarams in the charanam, she took up Kedara Gowla as her sub main. I haven’t heard Sudha Ragunathan handle this ragam in a while. She did full justice and took up the beautiful Tyagaraja krithi Venuganaloluni. I have to mention her krithi rendition. There was so much bhavam and believe me, nothing more was left in Kedaragowla. She was in full control by now.
An annamacharya krithi in abheri followed and she did mention that this was a tribute to the legend Shri Nedunuri Krishnamurthy who has tuned many annamacharya composition and this is one of those. I am hearing this song for the first time.
We were in store for a treat… The concert was halfway through and after listening to couple of poorvi kalyani’s I was thinking not again. But what followed can’t be explained in words. It was probably the best I have heard so far. In fact finding adjectives to the rend praise the rendition. The brighas were so clear, that I could actually notate them. It wasn’t in excess and her vidwath was clearly seen. Obviously with over thirty years of concert experience, she has evolved as an artist. There were flashes of MLV but she has definitely developed her own style and I just hope she grooms her sishyas to carry forward the legacy. Charumathi was also very good with her replies and also did a good job in her solo rendition. I was expecting Parama pavana rama and that’s what she took up. I was in a different world and the expectations was just rising. This is not an exaggeration. I have attended over a dozen concert concerts this season and this was probably the best. Neraval at Kanakambarathara was neat and Kalpanaswaram had the typical GNB school brilliance.

With more than 45 mins left, I was hoping for a good RTP. I hate these 20 mins fast food RTPs. If you want to take it up do full justice. She took up Saramathi. I was initially little confused if it was Natabhairavi but later she cleared the doubt while singing the ‘NDM’ phrases. She was in full form and her guru too handles this raga with ease. She had to rush up with the tanam, but the PAllavi amaippu was very good. She sang it in Kanta Jathi Triputa Talam (Kanta Nadai). The ragamalika swaras in Dharmavathy, Manavati, Hemavati, Madhyamavati and Revati were sung beautifully. I really loved the way she traversed from one ragam to another.
A thunderous applause, after it was done. She then took up her Guru’s masterpiece in Charukesi and then their school ‘sothu’ krithi Baro Krishnaiyya. Obviously not just me but the crowd too was expecting more but the curtains came down before we realized it was already time for the next concert. This concert will last in my memory for ages and easily one of the best I have attended in years. Truly an amazing vidushi who did casts a spell on all of us

The theermanam was amazing. Anantha and the other accompanists were following like a shadow. I have to mention about Anantha’s accompaniment he was very good teaming up with Smt.Sudha Ragunathan for the first time. The exchanges between the artistes on d stage clearly showed that all of them were in sync. Coming from such an illustrious school he showed his brilliance. Raman is a seasoned accompanist in Sudha’s concert and I don’t have to mention more about him. He and Sundar Kumar on the Kanjira along with Anantha were a brilliant team.
Overall it was an outstanding concert !

[Lakshman]

Ayiram Ayiram is by Nila Ramamurti, daughter of Papanasham Shivan.

[vasanthakokilam]

malolansri, thanks for the review.

btw, it would have been a neat trick to weave in the name of the raga when circling back and singing the pallavi line in the various ragas of the ragamalika, given the pallavi line. 'darmAvathi rAgathil pADi...' . The anta-akshara-prasa among the names of ragas she chose would go along nicely with that!

[Vocalist]

Yes, thanks for the review. Sounds like an amazing concert; wish I was there (or wish for a recording).

[rshankar]

Another new poster in this forum...welcome. You also have a beautiful handle!

[HarishankarK]

How was her voice, good or shaky??
Did she replace the word Saramathi with the next raga during the ragamalika section in RTP? There occurs to me no other purpose for chosing all ragas ending with 'vathi'.
From the songlist it appears to have been a good concert.

[Rsachi]

Great review that shares the flavour of the concert.
These are times I miss my old Chennai season trips

[shankarabharanam]

@Harishankar: Yes she did include the ragas name in the pallavi. Thanks for the detailed review.. Heard from friends that it was indeed a fabulous concert and absolutely no issues with voice.. It was is in very good shape.. Sharing from what I heard..

[Aditto]

http://www.sangeethamshare.org/tvg/SEAS ... ghunathan/

Courtesy : Sri TVG (Sangeetapriya)

[Rsachi]

Poorvikalyani paschaat kalyani sarvadaa kalyani! CRama CRama!

[gardabha_gana]

Is this a second coming for her - doing justice to her lineage? I hope it is..... I read an interview of her recently, where she said recently she decided to not sing her "cassette/CD" songs on request and venture into serious music. Well, I have been waiting.....

[devan]

Second coming.where did she go in the first place.

[rajeshnat]

Smt. Sudha Ragunathan
Charumathi Raghuram - violin
Sri. Anantha krishnan - mridangam
Sri. Raman - Mohrsing
Sri. Sundar Kumar - Kanjira


....
7. RTP - Saramathi - Kandajathi triputa thalam (kanda nadai)-
Pallavi Line : Saramathi ragathil paadi azhaikiren saravanabhava endru Muruganai.-
Ragamalika swaras in Dharmavathi, manavathi, Hemavathi, madhyamavathi, revathi)
8. Ayiram Ayiram - charukesi - adi - K.N.Dandayuthapani pillai
9. Baro krishnayya - Ragamalika - Adi - Kanakadasa

Sudha Ragunathan@Music Academy On Dec 24th,2014
---------------------------------------------------------------
9A. ugabhooga vAmana bandan - hamsanandi + enna nAma -Maand - Purandaradasar
9B. Baro krishnayya - Ragamalika - Adi - Kanakadasa

She also sang a ugabhooga prior to barO krishnayya , tx malolansri for your review , please write more.

My impressions:
----------------
Sudha certainly had a nice voice and season voice entropy did not set in . When I entered she was wrapping up a short taanam. THe pallavi amaippu was very good and saramathi was nice with the emote coming up well . The swara ragamaliga was too short with the names of the raga tossed - I wish she dwelled more in swaras . She could have used the combo of ANantha and Sundar kumar much more considering how few days later another vocalist in the same academy used the same percussion combo for pallavi. Her MLV school was showcased well and there were no flashes of any anavsiyam in tukkada . I particularly liked the ragamaliga ugabhooga and ayiram ayiram in charukesi.

The violinist I almost forgot and the time that I came , i could not get much chance to hear her. The near full bench was very good , as i said before anantha and sundar could have been used more by sudha in pallavi. Sudha in first floor had a 60 to 70% occupancy may be about 650, not sure of Ground floor.

Overall a very good concert

[malolansri]

@Lakshman sir thanks for the point out on the composer of the krithi, aayiram ayiram. . Sorry for the delay in responding as I was hopping sabhas following sanjay and other artistes..

[Vyuptakesha]

How was the violin accompaniment?

[HarishankarK]

Smt Nila Ramamurthy is a composer of beautiful songs. Have heard Ayiram Ayiram (carukesi), Velane Siva balane (Behag) and Dheena Sharanyane (Karnaranjani) - all three are most beautiful and soothing melodies and have commendable literary merit also.
I think she is a better composer than her sister Smt Rukmani Ramani in terms of the laya of the song.

[Madras Talkies]

Woah .. amazing Purvikalyani. Her natural impulses in the razor-sharp brighas through the octaves gave me goosebumps ... Thanks to Sangita Kalanidhi. TVG sir for uploading this track

[rshankar]

Isn't there a rAmAyaNa kRti as well of hers in circulation?

I think she is a better composer than her sister Smt Rukmani Ramani in terms of the laya of the song.

I think so too.

[harimau]

Woah .. amazing Purvikalyani.....Thanks to Sangita Kalanidhi. TVG sir for uploading this track

It is a different TVG who uploads concerts to sangeethapriya.org.

[kvchellappa]

Sangeetah Priya TVG, not Sangeetha Kalanidhi TVG.

[HarishankarK]

You can see this TVG - his photo is available in his youtube posts. My sincere thanks to him - he is really doing a lot of service to carnatic music and helping us rasikas to watch/hear good music videos and audio uploads.