Ramakrishnan Murthy @ SSVT, Lanham, MD ON 5/18/‘19

[Ranganayaki]

Ramakrishnan Murthy (Vocal)
Shiva Ramamurthi (Violin)
Srivatsan Balakrishnan (Mridangam)


1. Mohanam - Narasimha Aagaccha - Misra Chapu - MD

2. Sri Ranjani - Bhuvinidaasudanane - Adi - Thyagaraja (brief alapana, swaras @Bhuvinidaasudane)

3. Arabhi - Narasimha Maamava Bhagavan - Khanda Chapu - Swati TirunaaL (swaras @ pallavi)

4. Gangeyabhushani - Evare Ramayya Nee Sari - Adi - Thyagaraja (alapana, swaras @ evare)

5. Yamunakalyani - Jambupate Maampaahi - Rupakam - MD

6. Shuddha Saveri - Samaja Varada - Rupaka - Poochi Srinivasa Iyengar (swaras @ Samajavarada

7. Todi - Kaddanuvariki - Adi - Thyagaraja (Neraval, Swaras @ Paddu Tappaka Bhajiyiñcu Bhakta Pālanamu Sēyu, followed by Tani)

8. Mukhari - Endraikku Sivakripai Varumo - Misra Chapu - Neelakanta Sivan

9. Bilahari - Taanam Ragamalika in Bilahari, surutti, Hindolam, Nattai - Pallavi in Adi Taala, Khanda nadai: AhoBilaharim Naraharim Sadaashraye Maalolam Muraarim.. swaras in Bilahari, Gowla, Bhimplas/Abheri, Behag, - Composed by Guru Shri RK Shriramkumar.

10. Jonpuri - Sloka: Jaanaati Raama Tava Nama Ruchim (discussed on Rasikas @ viewtopic.php?t=25344) followed by Saapashyat Kausalya - Adi - Panchapakesha Shastri.

11. Kurinji- Sloka: Srutvaa Gunaan (lines from the Srimad Bhagavatam(lyrics and details @ http://kksongs.org/songs/s/srutvagunanbhuvana.html ) : followed by ALiveni Yentu - Misra Chaapu - Swati TirunaaL.

12. Sindhubhairavi - 2 Paasurams - Viruttam : Kondal Vannanai Kovalanai followed by Nadantha Kaalgal Nonthavo.

13. Mangalam - Saurashtra - Adi - Thyagaraja followed by Sloka: Mangalam Kosalendraya (same composer as Jaanaati Tava Nama Ruchim sung earlier in the concert - both stanzas in Sri Rama Karnaamrutam)

[rajeshnat]

ur subjective review please ranganayaki

[Ranganayaki]

It was a very nice concert. I came in late by about five minutes and the first song was just getting done, so I missed that. There was something of a focus on Sri Narasimha as the concert was held during SSVT’s celebrations of Narasimha Jayanthi.

I have heard nicer versions of most of the songs from 3-10 (not 9 or 6), but even though he seemed to fall short a little with the kritis, the singing was very good, the kritis too and his cascading, rapid Kalpanaswaras, which I enjoy mostly independently, were exhilarating, with tight rhythm control.

I can’t say I remember a nicer version of Bhuvinidasudane, but I felt the song was sung too fast for the spiritual lyrics.

Enraikku Sivakripai was begun at the Anupallavi, and I wish he had not done that. In my mind, the beauty of the Anupallavi in this song is heightened in the context of the pallavi and so there is something of a loss when you leave the pallavi out. But otherwise it was very nicely done.

The beautiful RTP pallavi has a play on “Aho - bilahari” to refer to Sri Narasimha as Ahobila Hari in addition to marking the raga. I found that “Bila” means “cave” in Sanskrit. I think there are several Narasimha sannidhis in the Ahobilam vicinity, and one of these sanctums is actually a cave. So with this there could actually be a triple play on aho-bila Hari (Aho being an exclamation of awe). One of these shrines is the gentler form of Lakshmi Narasimha, known as Maalola Narasimha: the RTP Sahitya refers to this form too(Maalolam Murarim). I think there were short nadai changes to Tisra and Chatusra nadais. At one point RKM slipped in his neraval, with a couple of wrong notes at “Aho,” and he waited a few beats to restart. I think the violinist also had his own moment of quick adjustment . It was all easy to forgive as it did not indicate poor preparation, but just a slip. During Kalpanaswaras, the lengthier bhimplas swaras (both by RKM and Shiva Ramamurthi) were very touching. It culminated in a koraippu in all four ragas, leading to quicker raga changes. .

The viruttam and Slokas were nicely done.

Several times in the concert I did not like his endings, for example in the jonpuri song, he ends the song on P, and then finishes if by a sanchara leading to R, and he does R-M-P in separate akaaras, with each heavy kampita gamakas. It doesn’t sound good.

The kurinji song was soothing, as can be expected, the pasurams were enjoyable. I liked the idea of a pasuram as a viruttam preceding another pasuram. In my limited Kutcheri experience, I haven’t ever come across this.

The violinist was excellent, and it turned out that his background is very similar to RKM’s, having learned from Smt. Padma Kutti in Ca, and from Delhi P Sundararajan, just like RKM. The mridangist Srivatsan Balakrishnan was excellent too, playing sensitively, modulating nicely.. He may have had his questionable moment too during tani avartanam, but I’m not sure.

[rajeshnat]

ranganayaki
i usually think with that extra lift of kanrin kuralai kEttu and then the gentle slide to enraikku siva kripai is musically so beautiful. Atleast i have the imagery of anupallavi is cause and pallavi is the effect. All said mukhari zing is there and only that matters. thank u for ur great review.

How long was the concert?

i did not know the mrudangam artist srivatsan . best wishes to him and i am glad to hear about his play through you.

[Ranganayaki]

ranganayaki
i usually think with that extra lift of kanrin kuralai kEttu and then the gentle slide to enraikku siva kripai is musically so beautiful. Atleast i have the imagery of anupallavi is cause and pallavi is the effect. All said mukhari zing is there and only that matters.

Oh, I forgot to mention that my comment was about the lyrics. I meant that the lyrics of the Anupallavi are far more touching in the context of what is supposed to precede them. Musically it was fine. I enjoyed the song. You can say that starting the song at the Anupallavi even sounds more dramatic, and can wake up a lulled audience - especially someone like me who invariably gets drowsy when I hear Todi as in this concert. There are just a few Todi songs that don’t do that for me: Sri Krishnam Bhaja Manasa, Gati Neevani, Thaye Yashoda, etc. I used to automatically run my hands in my hair and get quite sleepy, but I make an effort not to do that, and I’m only drowsy. I did enjoy the Mukhari.

[rajeshnat]

You forgot to answer as,to how long the concert exclusive of speech?

Was anything told about guru school of mrudangist srivatsan thatvyou can share?

The list is quintessential kvn that rkm usually models.From what u initially wrote about your mughari experience,to what u wrote next after my rejoinder about mukhari the second post was bit more upbeat . In mukhari you got a delayed and not denied shivakripai. Still hari kripai came in plenty bit later.

[Ranganayaki]

You forgot to answer as,to how long the concert exclusive of speech?

Adding about 5 mins for the first song I missed, it must have started at 3 exactly and was done at 6pm.

Was anything told about guru school of mrudangist srivatsan thatvyou can share?

He was the shishya of Sri Pammal Krishnamurthy at a tiny age, he then learned from Sri Guruvayur Dorai.

[HarishankarK]

Good to see Birana varalichi making appearance

[Ranganayaki]

Good to see Birana varalichi making appearance

Is this a mistake here?

[Ranganayaki]

I forgot to mention that the pallavi began one mantra prior to samam (I forgot the name for the eduppu) - is it ateeta eduppu? If so, how does one specify that it is ateeta by one maatra? (If the word is wrong then I’m sorry, pl let me know. It just came to me as I was saying I didn’t remember).

So the syllable “Ho”of “Aho” falls on samam in Adi tala (khanda nadai).

[CRama]

Good to see Birana varalichi making appearance

Where is it. I could not see Biranavaralichi in the song llist.

On a side note, Suguna Purushothaman Mami once sang a pallavi on the Ahobilam Sree Narasimhar. I dont recollect the exact words or other details. Whether this is the same pallavi or a different one. Was their any announcement as to who has created the pallavi.

[Ranganayaki]

Was their any announcement as to who has created the pallavi.

CRama, yes, it was RK Shriramkumar, I’ve mentioned it in the list.

[HarishankarK]

Good to see Birana varalichi making appearance

Where is it. I could not see Biranavaralichi in the song llist.

Sorry it is in RKM concert in Bay area post.
Don't think Suguna Mami would have sung the RKSK pallavi