PROF VENKATARAMANAN IN SASTRI HALL 25/12/16

[CRama]

Prof.K.Venkataramanan of Thiruvananthapuram is one of the Sangeetha Kala Acharya nominees.
Prof.K, Venkataramanan born on 4 February 1936 had his lessons in Carnatic music at the Swathi Thirunal Music College under the tutelage of Dr.Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer, Madurai Kesava Bhagavathar, Prof.C.S.Krishna Iyer and Kallidaikurichi Harihara Iyer . He successfully completed his Ganabhooshanam course in 1958 and later, Sangeetha Vidwan course with a First Class.

He subsequently became the primary disciple of the famous vidwan Nellai T V Krishnamoorthy (Retd Principal of the Swathi Thirunal Music College, Thiruvananthapuram and nephew and disciple of the celebrated musical genius Harikesanallur Muthiah Bhagavathar) for advanced training and accompanied his Guru for many years in many concerts all over South India and in the AIR and Doordarshan.

In 1956 he stood 1st in the National Level music competition conducted under the auspices of All India Radio and received Gold Medal from the then President Dr.Rajendra Prasad.

He joined the Swati Tirunal Music College as faculty in 1972 and retired in 1991 as Professor.
Prof. Venkatramanan is a well accomplished tune smith too. He has tuned about 200 krithis of Haridasa Lakshminarayanappaya of Paavanja Mutt in South Karnataka, apart from many compositions of Sri Purandaradasa. At age 82 now, blessed with a powerful voice and razor sharp intellect, he continues his musical performances as a Tapasya in Thiruvananthapuram.

THIS CONCERT
The concert was organised by Chennai Fine Arts in Sastri Hall. The concert was scheduled to start at 6.30 P.M. Everybody sat on the dias and sruti checking was going one when the power failed in that building alone. The hall did not have generator. So we had to wait in pitch darkness till 7.30 when the power resumed. By time, many people had left. But those who waited were amply rewarded for their patience. It was a wonderful concert, of the old world charm, serenity and purity of notes. There were no gimmicks, no acrobatics. But sincere and absolute music. The voice of the Prof still retains its timbre and able to execute gamakams and brighas with perfection. While introducing himself the Prof said that he had participated in the All India Music competition in 1956 in the very same hall and got first prize Gold Medal which he received from then President Dr.Rajendra Prasad. Hence he had sentimental attachment with Sastri Hall.
He was accompanied on the violin by S.R.Mahadeva Sarma from Trivandrum, B.Ganapathyraman on the Mridangam and Udupi Balakrishnan (also from Trivandrum) on the Ghatam. His senior disciple Ramanathan provided vocal support.

List of songs.
• Slokam followed by Paripahimam Sidhivinayaka-Vakulabharanam- Mysore Maharaja (S)
• Saraswathy Namostute-Saraswati-GNB (R,S)
• Parasakti janani-Hamsadhwani-PS (R,S)
• Parama paavane Paarvati paripaalisau –Megharanjani -HMB(R,S)
• Sree Ramanavibho-Arabhi-ST (R,S)
• Sarasasamadana-Kapinarayani-T
• Somasundareswaram-Sudhavasanta-MD
• Ati sundaram avyaktam-Simmendramadhyamam-HMB (R,N,S)
• Jaladhisutha-Lavangi-ST
• Ganga Yamuna-Yaman-Meera bhajan
• Aparadhi nanalla-Kalyanavasantam-PD
• English Note –HMB (A different one).

Prof used to give minute details of the rare ragams before each song. Megharanjani is MMG minus da and pa. Sree Ramana vibho was tuned by Dr BMK and popularised by him. Prof gave lot of accolades to BMK and offered this song as a tribute. In tha alapana of Simmendramadhyamam, he made sruti bhedam to Bhowli which violinist also played very beautifully. Neraval was made at the lines Sruti swara grama alankara sukshma sangita pradam and elaborate swaras in two kalams followed. Jaladhisutha is from the Kuchelopakhyanam of ST. Prof tuned this in Lavangi as a tribute to Dr.BMK who created this ragam with just four notes. The English Note is different from what MMI had popularised. The concert concluded at 9.30 P.M. Prince Rama Varma is a great admirer of Prof and he was present throughout the concert.

Prof Venkitaramanan is a great repository of rare compositions as could be seen from the concert list. I have heard some of his concerts and got to hear many unheard compositions of the Trinity, Muthiah Bhagavatar, Mysore Maharaja, Swati Tirunal etc in those concerts. He is regularly featured in Navarathri Mandapam. Some of his concerts are available in YT.

The accompanists played with sensitivity and reverence. Mahadeva Sarma is a top ranking violinist from TVM who is regular accompanist for Yesudas. His raga essays and swara returns were very beautiful and appropriate. His bowing had innate sweetness and thick and thin shades developed through long years of experience. Ganapathyraman and Udupi Balakrishnan played with lot of understanding and embellished the concert. Because of late start of the concert tani was rather brief.

[Sivaramakrishnan]

When the Music Academy honours the Vidwan from West of the Vindhyas on New year day, it will be recognising an unassuming musician who carries his credentials lightly on his shoulders. A strong link of the Muthiah bhagavathar sishyaparampara, he has a larger patronage in Karnataka perhaps due to his repertoire of MB as well as Mysore Maharaja kritis.
Me and CRama luckily got time also to interact with the professor before the concert. We look forward to more of his concerts in chennai. Prince Rama Varma certainly deserves accolades for familiarising the music of the Mahavidwan in Chennai circles as in the case of Smt Parasala Ponnammal.