Date 5th January 2015
Venue Kuthiramalika Palace, Thiruvananthapuram
Prince Rama Varma with Sri Varadarajan on the violin, Sri Harikumar on the Mridhangam, Dr. S. Karthick on the Ghatam, Paiyanoor Sri Govinda Prasad on the morsing and Sri Ananthapadmanabhan on the Tampura.
I take privilege in posting excerpts of this review from Facebook. Starting from the ambience, the happenings and the music, it is captured so beautifully and written from the heart.
" Today was magical as I was hoping for.
Kuthiramalika, full moon, Prince, Varadarajan, Harikumar, Karthick and Govindaprasad! I don't know how he does it, but Prince's voice is just getting better and better every day! Kuthiramalika sound system is very good anyway. But when Prince sings, we feel that this kind of sound system is made for this kind of voice.
Prince started with Kamas Padavarnam. It was so melodious and beautiful. Right from the beginning, there was this very very rich, grand, peaceful, calm and dignified atmosphere. Prince seems to be very very relaxed and not desperate at all to try and prove something or impress people, but like he says about Varadarajan, he doesn't try to sound better than others, but it just happens automatically. Today was like that. I have heard some people say that Prince must be Swathi Thirunal Thamburan's next birth. I really feel it can be like that. That Prince came now to popularize the songs he made in his previous birth.
Prince was introduced today by his student Amrutha Venkatesh. She really is the best student possible for Prince. Even in speaking, she has taken so much from him. She knew that Prince and Varadarajan were Nadal fans and Harikumar was a Federer fan and brought that in her introduction! It was so much like something Prince would do. The best was when she said that if a young mridangam artist asks Prince what he should do to play well, Prince will just say Be Harikumar!Harikumar's name is B.Harikumar. The introduction was so nice that the musicians all clapped spontaneously, along with the audience. From that time until the mangalam, the same warm, happy, very peaceful and settled feeling continued until mangalam.
After varnam and a very beautiful explanation of some swaraksharams, Prince sang Deva Deva Kalayami. Though we have heard this song sung so many times by so many people, it was so fresh and shining like a jewel. I don't know exactly what Prince does, to give that special kind of polish and sparkle and also depth and feeling, that I have heard only with him. Very nice and new type swarams and very very big claps at the end.
Then he sang Paramananda natana in Kedaram and dedicated it to Lord Siva as today was Thiruvathira. Then refering to Varadarajan being a Nadal fan and Harikumar being a Federer fan, he said that Swathi Thirunal Thamburan was a Padmanabha fan, but he also made songs on Shiva.
The next song was Bhogeendrashayinam. I thought he would sing swarams, but he did not, for both these songs. Then he sang the main song, Saroruhasana in Panthuvarali. Prince's Panthuvarali is the best I have ever heard.
https://www.youtube.com/watch…
The thaniyavarthanam was amazing too, and Karthick saying konnakol was unbelievable! The thukkadas were so peaceful and melting and nice.
Haraswedam, Aliveni in the full moon light and Japath Japath. "
Prince Rama Varma's Swathi Sangeethotsavam Concert
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Rasikapriya2013
- Posts: 146
- Joined: 13 Dec 2013, 22:23
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Rasikapriya2013
- Posts: 146
- Joined: 13 Dec 2013, 22:23
Re: Prince Rama Varma's Swathi Sangeethotsavam Concert
I had the opportunity of attending this concert, with its unique and regal ambience.
Very nice concert by Sri Rama Varma.
What I wanted to say, the reviewer in Face book had already expressed so nicely. The review that focused on the emotional aspects of a performance as well as the technical aspect neatly.
As a lay rasika I have often wondered whether Technical knowledge in carnatic music is really that important.
Maybe to a critic whose bread and butter depends on it or an aspiring musician who wants to sink deeper into music. I do not know much to compare styles either. But on the contrary should'nt we be enjoying on the singer’s expressiveness and phrasing, the warmth and tone with which he/she delivers, the joy with which he/she sings, making the listeners enjoy it as well?
For me Music is something when the only reaction is to close the eyes and just surrender to the moment. A feeling that helps me connect with my inner self and also with the supreme being.
I get to experience this when I listen to Sri Rama Varma's music as I do with Voletti, Kumar Gandharva, Dr.Ramanathan, Paluskar, Madurai Somu, MMI, MS Amma, MDR and many others.
Very nice concert by Sri Rama Varma.
What I wanted to say, the reviewer in Face book had already expressed so nicely. The review that focused on the emotional aspects of a performance as well as the technical aspect neatly.
As a lay rasika I have often wondered whether Technical knowledge in carnatic music is really that important.
Maybe to a critic whose bread and butter depends on it or an aspiring musician who wants to sink deeper into music. I do not know much to compare styles either. But on the contrary should'nt we be enjoying on the singer’s expressiveness and phrasing, the warmth and tone with which he/she delivers, the joy with which he/she sings, making the listeners enjoy it as well?
For me Music is something when the only reaction is to close the eyes and just surrender to the moment. A feeling that helps me connect with my inner self and also with the supreme being.
I get to experience this when I listen to Sri Rama Varma's music as I do with Voletti, Kumar Gandharva, Dr.Ramanathan, Paluskar, Madurai Somu, MMI, MS Amma, MDR and many others.