Violin Solo by Dr.M.Narmadha at YGP for BharatKalachar

[raghukrishnaswamy]

Violin: Dr.M.Narmadha
Mridangam: Trichur K.M.S. Mani
Ganjira: S. Sunil Kumar
Venue Y.G.P. Auditorium
Organisers: Bharat Kalachar
Date: 04-Jan-2015 10.30am

Dr.M.Narmadha started the concert with the parur traditional rendering in single string of the naattakurunji varnam chalamela. The warm up piece - varnam in two kaalams made the platform ready for something big.
It was followed by Ganesha-sthuthi in the raagam purna shadjam gananaayaga a traditional composition of sri muthuswamy dikshithar. Crisp swarams were rendered by Narmadha madam on this unique raagam which follows a scale s r g m n n s.. s n p m r g r s. I recollected earlier concerts of madam with MSG Guruji while she portrayed the swarams in all its beauty.
Amrithvarshini raaga and song aanandaamrithavarshini was presented with all its magnificent splendour.

Sarasa saama dhaana song in kaapinarayani by saint tyagaraaja was simply mind blowing.
Swarams and raagam rendering in parur style is something which is always unique when it comes to special raagams.
MSG has always been a pioneer and exponent to dare and venture where others don’t even think of stepping into.
When Narmadha madam played kaapi naarayani raaga, the krithi and swarams, the thought of MSG guruji lingered throughout the krithi.
One can always think of hithavu maata.. by Sri. Madurai Mani iyer.. but when it comes to MSG school of rendering it is always something special.
Dr.M.Narmadha being the scion of Parur tradition has mastered and experimented immensely each and every aspect when it comes to such songs.

A very different mood of atana was brought forward by Dr.M.Narmadha when she rendered a tamil composition of sri.papanasam shivan.(dont recollect the song name...)

The main item was naadoopaasana in Begada. Narmadha madam's profound knowledge and anecdotes "which are not known to many" are something very unique in her concerts.
She explained that in western, Hindustani and classical we can find similarities in most of the raagas.
However Begada is one raaga which has got no equivalent or in any other form of music and which is very unique in the Carnatic music world because of its phrases.
I recollected another such quote of madam in a lec demo about the difference between natabairavi and shanmughapriya is just one madhyamam. It was really an eye opener for an instrument learner to correlate and differentiate the two.

Thaanam with mridangam and ganjira in the traditional kerala style was performed with the PARUR supremacy shown in each and every phrase.
It is very evident that we cannot find a bowing technique in the contemporary music world as good as Dr. M.Narmadha.
The profound research that is the foundation for such parur bowing technique is always evident when she renders the thaanam.

During the later stage of concert, raamachandrarabho in sindhubairavi was rendered by her.
Sindhubairavi is one such raaga which can be easily termed as parur family property.
This time Narmadha madam started the raaga with note on Top shadja which was very unlikely though different.
As a listener who heard MSG and her play raamchandra prabho, eagerly i waited for the gmpdnsrs ndpmgrs bowing technique of MSG.
In this concert she rendered that sanghathi only once and was wishing to see it once more in its majestic grace.
It is difficult to express and also practice to put bow that moves mm by mm in one stroke for n number of notes.
A kaavadi chinthu was performed and though Dr. M.Narmadha remarked earlier in the concert that she had a bad throat she couldn’t refrain herself from singing murugaa murugaa while she played the song.

A very good support was provided by Sri KMS Mani in the mridangam from Trichur while krithis were being rendered.
Sunil kumar in Ganjira has played for her now in multiple occasions in this season and was able to adapt well while thisram, swarams were presented by Narmadha madam.
Trichur K.MS.Mani in the mridangam provided good support for the concert and was quick to adapt while playing the thukadas when Narmadha madam told him to play a bit louder.
Such minute aspects and the big difference it makes can only be understood when in depth analysis is done on tonal clarity and to what extent percussion could support, gel or dominate etc.
It was good to experience the difference after Dr.M.Narmadha asked him to play in such a manner.

Summary:
In malayalam about the concert: "vaidhyan kalpichathum rogi ichichathum paalu" something like "what the doctor asked for and the patient expected was milk".
The best part of a morning concert, the listener who attends the concert will be fully aware of music and the expectation levels will be very high. A concert of high quality content. Pleasant and soulful rendering.

[cacm]

NICE IF WE CAN HEAR THE WHOLE CONCERT. VKV

[CRama]

I attended this concert. The atmosphere was very appropriate for the violin concert- Sunday morning 10.30 at Bharat Kalachar. Glad to mention that the mike system has improved much in the venue as compared to last year. The concert was excellent- Dr. Narmada gave explanations as to the ragam, keerthanam, sahithyam in some cases before each song that enhanced the listening pleasure. Some pieces she vocally sang also. For convenience, I give below the complete song list.
Natakurinji varnam
Gananayakam-Poornashadjam
DEvadeva kalayamide-MMG
Nee iranganyenil-Athana-Papanasam Sivan
Sarasasamadana-Kapinarayani
Anandamrithakarshini-Amritavarshini
Nenarunchinanu-Malavi
Sreenivasa-Hamsanandi
Nadopasana
Elaborate raga alapanas for Athana, Amrithavarshini and Begada(with thanam).

[raghukrishnaswamy]

Thanks for publishing the song list.
I had mentioned it wrongly. It was Nee iranganyenil-Attana-Papanasam Sivan

Regards
Raghu

[raghukrishnaswamy]

Dear VKV/cacm
Kindly contact madam directly for getting the audio. Her contact# is available in her website.
Regards
Raghu

[rshankar]

nI irangAyenil pugal yEdu - brings back memories of the EP disc cut by Smt. NCV in her heydays...