"Genius of GNB"-Special concert by Trichur Ramachandran at Nadasurabhi 18.1.2015

[kssr]

Special New Year Concert @ Nadasurabhi- "Genius of GNB"

Nadasurabhi
Wishes you all a Happy New Year-2015 and
Cordially invites you for the Monthly Programme on
Sunday, 18th January 2015 at 4.15 PM

Venue: The Indian Heritage Academy Hall,
Near Police Station, 6th Block,
Koramangala, Bangalore. 560 095.

Padmabhushan Sangeetha Kalanidhi
Vidwan Trichur V.Ramachandran - Vocal
Vidwan Eashwaran Bhattadhiri - Vocal Support
Vidwan Mysore Srikanth - Violin
Vidwan Arjun Kumar - Mridangam
Vidwan Ranganatha Chakravarthy - Ghatam

Sri.Trichur Ramachandran is a senior, highly decorated carnatic music maestro. He is a prime disciple of the legendary musical genius Vidwan G.N.Balasubramaniam. This special New Year Concert will emphasise the various facets of Sri.GNB. Sri.Ramachandran is accompanied today by senior artists on violin, mridangam and ghatam.

February Concert dates: For the first time, Nadasurabhi will be conducting a four day festival featuring highly accomplished, popular young artists from 19th to 22nd February 2015. Saints Thyagaraja and Purandaradasa aradhana will form part of the festival.


ALL ARE WELCOME

[kssr]

The concert is tomorrow-Sunday. I am eager to listen to the personal glimpses of Sri.GNB's life and music, expected to be highlighted by the veteran Sri.TVR. The concert is free.

[gardabha_gana]

Great opportunity!! Too bad I will be out of town

[rshankar]

Sri TVR does a great job on this theme, by the way! I have listened to a previous production along similar lines. He is really good, and such a humble man brimming with guru-bhakti - just that is awesome - getting his insights on how Sri GNB sang, composed, chose the right rAga to being out the bhAva in the sAhitya (I hope he demonstrates the rAgamAlika the latter tuned - sonnadai seidiDa sAhasamA - and the notations for the phrase 'minnoLiyE undan mEni') etc. is like the cherry on the top - just thinking about it gives me goose-bumps.

Will you be recording the concert?

[gardabha_gana]

kssr sir - can the concert be recorded?

[kssr]

The concert was simply brilliant. Sri.TVR , to start with, read a short prepared speech about his guru. Then, right through the concert, for each song that he presented, he gave its relevance to the "Genius of GNB" title- in what way that song is special and so on. Besides the historical background of the song itself, what impressed me most was the impressive way in which Sri.TVR was able to sing these songs even today. He mentioned that January is the birth month of Sri.GNB and it is 50 years since his passing away - January 2015, therefore being quite relevant to his great guru. The admiration and adoration of the guru, comes out in every sentence that he speaks of Sri.GNB. It is amazing how, after 50 years, the awe and image that has been imprinted by a genius artist is still fresh. His disciple Sri.Bhattadiri could synchronise well with Sri.TVR - sang well too - while supporting the main artist and also during individual performance in the limited opportunity that was given to him. Sri. Mysore Srikanth could play with comfort and ease, many of the difficult ragas as well as sharp peculiar sanchaaraas in the new ragas. Sri.TVR was very appreciative. Sri.Arjun Kumar shone well as usual. Sri. Chakravarthy gave understanding support.

If no one else does, I will attempt to give a list of songs. I have to also try and recall the speciality mentioned for each song !! Overall it was an extremely rewarding experience. I am his fan and have been listening to him for over 25 years and he is definitely a top class vidwan.

[rshankar]

Sri Raghavan, was this event recorded?
IIRC, the time I heard him, Rajna's father accompanied him.

[hariniraghavan]

Sri.TVR presented a GNB centric concert and for each number, he explained its uniqueness as structured by his illustrious guru Sri.GNB. The songs and its speciality (as mentioned by Sri.TVR) are given here.

1. Sri.TVR started the concert with a Varnam 'Kamala vaasini' in raga 'Gaavathi' composed by GNB. Once when Pt.Bade Ghulam Ali Khan was invited to Chennai, he presented raga Gaavathi in his concert. Impressed by this raga, GNB in his concert the next day added this raga in his 'Ragamalika' rendering and later composed a varnam in this raga. Sri TVR also demonstrated the Scale and sanchaarams of this raga. A brief swara prastharam for charanam was impressive. This was an example of GNB's appreciation of Hindustani music and great skill in composing songs in new ragas.

2. The next song, 'Swaminatha pariplaya..' in raga 'Nattai' was GNB's favourite. This again was followed by swaras for '....Parvathi sukumara.' This song was sung by GNB in the august presence of King Chitra Tirunal of Travancore with his mother Parvathi, the ocassion being the birthday of HH Chitra Tirunal- Parvathi sukumara meaning the good son of Parvathi, in this case the king himself !!

3. The concert day here being 'Pradosham' day, Sri TVR chose to present 'Nada tanumanisham' in raga 'Chittaranjani'. The swaram at Pallavi was pleasing. Next, singing the Alapana for raga 'Pantuvarali', he explained how his Guru insisted that right at the beginning by first singing the outline of the raga, the artist should clearly indicate which raga it is. He sang 'Sundaratara deham' which is a GNB speciality. GNB was a specialist in singing 'Neravals' and that too at unexpected places in a song. TVR did the neraval for 'ragadi samharam' and pepped it up with catchy swara patterns.

4. Of the varoius new ragas that were explored by GNB 'Veenaadhari' - a janya of 'Chakravakam' - was one and the composition was 'Sharachchandra nibhaanana' in 'Rupaka tala', well presented with swaras for the pallavi line by TVR.

5. It is very well known to most of us that 'Brochevarevarura..' in 'Kamach' was composed by Sri Mysore Vasudevachar. During one of GNB's concerts at Mysore, where Mysore Chowdiah was accompanying him on the violin, Mysore Vasudevachar entered the concert hall and Sri Chowdiah noticing this, started playing 'Kamach' and quickly grasping it, GNB started singing 'Brocheva...' At the end of the concert Vasudevachar emraced GNB and said, " I composed the song but never knew it was so nice until I heard you sing it so beautifully". Recalling this incident TVR presented 'Brocheva...' once again with swarams for pallavi line. This was the pattern followed by GNB - swara pratharam for every composition in a concert! GNB used to compose 'chitta swaras' for many compositions, these were sung by TVR also.

6. Singing the raga 'Hindolam', TVR presented Thyagaraja's 'Manasuloni..' which was originally composed in 'Suddha Hindolam' which GNB adopted to 'Hindolam', and with an elaborate swara prastharam, landing on and around the swara - 'Ma', he sang a number of 'avartanams' and moved by emotion, said this was how GNB would hover around 'madhyamam' - 50 to 60 avartanams! This received a huge applause as well!

7. GNB was so pleased by the raga 'Maalavi' sung by Devakottai Subbaraya Bhagavatar, during one of their meetings, that he immediately composed 'ninnuvina veravvaru' in 'Maalavi' and this was sung by TVR with a crisp swaras at the pallavi.

8.'Kaanada' was GNB's another favourite raga and he composed 'Paramuka melaniah' in this, starting at a high octave (higher shadja) while most of the songs in'kaanada' start at a lower octave. This was yet another speciality of GNB.

9. While singing Ragam Tanam Pallavi, GNB would sing the raga following the 'Sopaana Paddathi' as per the "shastras" and also following the method of Mahavaidyanatha Sivan. Also GNB was the pioneer in doing 'Sruthi Bedam' . TVR demonstrated these aspects while singing the raga 'Shanmukhapriya' for RTP. The pallavi lines were 'Koniyaada tarama nee mahima, in Chaturasra Triputa, Tisra Nadai, which once again is very rare and a composition of GNB. This was followed by Ragamalika swaras in 'Sahana, Bhupalam and Behag'

10. GNB's tukkadas were so popular that his fans would be waiting for this. TVR sang some of them - Dikkuteriyaada .., Ninnu pogadatarama in kuntalavarali-a composition of GNB, kannane en kanavanm and Radha sametha krishna to conclude the superb concert.

He did the best by introducing almost all facets of his guru in his concert also giving explanations and demonstrations which enthralled the over flowing audience at the Indian Heritage Academy.

Sri Eashwaran Bhattadiri, TVR's disciple gave able vocal support. Mysore Srikanth gave an excellent following on the violin according to the moods of the artist. Arjun Kumar on the mridangam almost sang the sangathis with his mridangam and with attractive embelishments raised the level of the concert. Ranganatha Chakravarthy on Ghatam gave an understanding and calculated support. The programme was well appreciated by all rasikas.

Harini Raghavan

[kssr]

[rajeshnat]

4. Of the varoius new ragas that were explored by GNB 'Veenaadhari' - a janya of 'Chakravakam' - was one and the composition was 'Sharachchandra nibhaanana' in 'Rupaka tala', well presented with swaras for the pallavi line by TVR.

Harini Raghavan and Kssr
Thanks for the review . WHile I have heard GNB compositions in rare ragas like gavati, amritabehag, shivashakthi, I have personally not heard this veenadhaari.

[HarishankarK]

Thanks for the detailed review rajeshnat.

SudhaMadhurya Bhashini in raga Vandanadarini is also rare and i think the only song in that ragam.
It is worth mentioning that Sandeep Narayan rendered in a radio concert Manasu Radha in the rarer SamaKadambari ragam, GNBs composition.

[CRama]

Sudha madhurya bhashini- authorhship is doubtful. There is a debate whether it is GNB composition or not.

[munirao2001]

Vid.Smt.Harini Raghavan,

Your detailed review of the concert made us 'listen' to Sangita Kalanidhi Trichur Ramachandran's speech and also singing resulting in recall of the Genius GNB Sir. You have made a very good beginning for the year 2015. I wish similar thematic concerts of GURU-SHISHYA PARAMPARA is planned and presented in the future.
Mysuru Vasudevacharya was well known in his profuse praise on the Vidwans singing his compositions, besides GNB, other Great Maestros to receive his praise, to my personal knowledge were-MSSAmma for Brochevarevura. He praised and blessed Amma by saying " the listening experience is like one's own young daughter, a poor man's, growing up and become a 'Yukta' and 'Proudha' rich and adorned with ornaments". He praised and blessed Genius BMK when BMK sang an elaborate raaga aalapana of Sunadavinodini and his composition 'Devadi Deva', saying you have sung as a ghana raaga and made it a major composition. He listened to SSRao reetigowla raaga aalapana and his composition 'Mama Hridaye Vihara Dayalo' and said "with his daya of masterly handling of his composition done 'poorna mama hridaya vihara'. There must have been more such instances in the life history of Tatanavaru. Your detailed report and review made such good recall experiences, alive. Pranams to Mysuru Vasudevacharya, GNB, T.R. to you and the team of Naada Surabhi.
munirao2001
Sandhyavandanam Madhva Muni Rao

[gardabha_gana]

Looks like I missed a wonderful concert kssr sir/ harini m'am - is there a recording of the concert?

[arasi]

Harini,
An excellent review!

g_gAna,
Old expression: pOTTa plate-aiyE thiruppip pODugiRadu: playing the same old disc (CD)! However many times we ask, it looks as if sharing is not possible. Perhaps one or two songs, kssr? vINAdhAriNi, which Harini appreciated, for instance?