Malladi brothers at Sri Ramaseva Mandali, 18th April 2008

[sowmya]

Vocal : Vid. Sriramprasad and Vid. Ravikumar [Malladi Brothers]
Violin : Vid. T K V Ramanujacharyulu
Mridangam : Vid. K V Prasad
Kanjari : Vid. B N Chandramouli

Venue : Ramanavami celebrations, Sree Rama Seva Mandali, Chamarajpet, Bangalore. 18-04-2008.

1. Neranammiti – Kaanada – Khanda Ata
2. Bhavanuta – Mohana – Adi – Thyagaraja [S]
3. Mama hrudaye – Reetigowla – K Triputa – Mysore Vasudevachar [R, S]
4. Entaraa nee – Harikambhoji – Adi – Thyagaraja [N, S]
5. Upachaaramulanu – Bhairavi – Adi – Thyagaraja [R, N, S, T]
6. Shri kamalaambikaayaam – Shahana – Mishrachapu – Dikshitar
7. RTP – Gamanashrama – Mishrajhampa
Raama raghukulasoma marakatamanishyaama seetaamanoramana
8. Paahi paahi jaganmohana - Kedara – Adi – Narayana Teertha
9. Emitiki dayaraadu – Anandabhairavi – Adi – Annamacharya
10. Madhukara vritti - Chenchurutti – Adi – Purandaradasa
11. Gadaadhara sri - Bageshri - Adi - ???
12. Maa kulamunaku iha [Mangalam] - Suruti - Thyagaraja

I’m surprised nobody’s reviewed this concert so far… With so many people in the audience, and it being a great concert, I thought somebody would put it up before me. Anyway, here’s my take.

I missed the beginning of Vijay Siva’s concert, but I’m borrowing the word ‘jumpstart’ for this review too. From the varnam to the mangalam, the concert did not sag anywhere. This is one of the things I admire very much in Malladi brothers’ concerts. They plan their concerts so well!!

The Varnam in Kaanada was followed by a beautiful kriti in Mohana without any prelude. The swarakalpana was superb. This was followed by a concise alapana of reetigowla, and a kriti of Mysore Vasudevachar. I remember reading somewhere that this was the last kriti of Vasudevachar. It was rendered well, with attractive swaras.

Entaraa nee followed, in a brisk pace. Whenever I’ve heard this kriti, I’ve felt that rough edges invariably creep into it, in an effort to maintain the pace. Same was the case today. But the neraval and swaras more than made up for it. Neraval was at the usual place, but there was a difference. People always sing the neraval for just one avartham – ‘Sheshudu Shivuniki bhooshudu Lakshmana’, which doesn’t give the complete meaning. They took two avartams for the neraval, completing the sense of the phrase - ‘Sheshudu Shivuniki Bhooshudu Lakshmanaveshiyai koluvaledaa’.

The main piece of the day followed, with a detailed treatment of Bhairavi. Neraval at ‘Kapatanaatakasootradhaaripai’, and swaras. They sang the Navavarana kriti in Shahana after this. It was already 9.00 by now, and I was surprised when they announced that they would sing an RTP. Raga elaboration, tana and the pallavi were all brilliant. The tukkada section, as is usual with them, contained some very nice songs.

The accompanying team was very good today too. Ramanujacharyulu’s smooth, melodious bowing added flavour to the brothers’ music. Percussion was great, with Prasad and Chandramouli complementing each other, and the singers very well.

[braindrain]

Sowmya ,

8 pAhi pAhi jaganmOhana krishna - I thought they sung in kEdAram . I have heard another version in nAthanAmakriya as well.

10 madhukara vritti ennadu - chenchurutti - Purandara Dasa

11 gadAdhara Sri venkatagiri nilayA - bhAgEsri - ?

12 mA kulamunaku iha ( mangala padam)- surutti - Thyagaraja

13 srIya kAnthaya ( slOkam ) - madhyamAvathi

[s_hari]

Wow! I couldn't attend due to other business meetings, i told braindrain so! Gamanashrama RTP! Can one of you provide more details? MisraJampa again!! Did they do any kanakku in pallavi, trikalam, tisram etc? Any ragamalika swaras?

I too was looking for concert review in these sections until 12.30pm, and stepout for a while, saw your posting just now sowmya. Thanks...

Jumpstart and "jampa" talam goes together itseems. Let's hope for another jumpstart for VS concert this evening(;-

[108talas]

While RaamapriyA/RamAmanOhari is having many kritis, the next rAg Gamanashrama is not having many kritis. Their M1 counterparts (ChakravAham & SooryakAntam) too have disparity in usages.. more kritis in ChakravAham and less kritis in SooryakAntam.

[braindrain]

Hari,

It was misrajampa , again !! There was trikalam , no ragamalika swarams.

They started RTP around 8:50 , saying it would be a short one, but was better and longer that VijaySiva's RTP the day before. I had confused gamanAsrama with pUrvikalyaNi . Thanks for online help ( Ram and you).

...and you can address me by name

[rshankar]

Sowmya,

Thanks for that nice review.

12 mA kulamunaku iha - one of the loveliest mangaLam's IMO - from prahlAda caritam.

The brothers have easily become one of the leading duet acts - and their intimate knowledge of telugu leads to very nice situations like Sowmya described - about making the nereval meaningful....I find their diction and the care with which they split words very commendable.

They have an extensive repertoire of Narayana Teertha tarangams - wonder why they did not sing something other than pAhi pAhi (araitta puLi)?

[PUNARVASU]

'ariachcha maavu'?

[PUNARVASU]

compositions in GS-
Srichakrapuravasini Adi Muthaiah Bhagavathar
Enni marulu ne M.Chapu Balamurali krishna
Sri gayatri Dhruva Jayachamaraja wodayar
Idi niku nyayama M.Chapu Vasudevachar
Parvathesa mam Adi Bidaram krishnappa
Ubhaya kaveri Rupaka Vina Seshanna

There is a song'Pahi Ramadhootha'-think it is also in GS

[PUNARVASU]

Iam sorry.Paahi Raamadootha is not in GS.

[Ragjay]

pahi Ramadhootha is in the ragam Vasanthavarali... Bye ragjay

[annapoorne]

Pahi Raama dhootha ---- is also sung in Shatvidamargini

[sowmya]

braindrain,

Thanks for filling up the blanks..

[Sreeni Rajarao]

One more composition in Gamana shrama.
I have with me (swara and sAhitya only, not any audio file, unfortunately) a composition of my Grandfather Bhairavi Lakshiminaranappa (1878 - 1934).
Gajavadana pAhi satatam, in Adi tAla.

[kmrasika]

Sowmya,

Thanks for that nice review.

12 mA kulamunaku iha - one of the loveliest mangaLam's IMO - from prahlAda caritam.

This is a wonderful mangaLam(actually from the nauka caritram, but a nice depart from pavamAna as well! ) Please post a clip if you have it.

[rshankar]

kmrasika - nauka caritam - my mistake! In Sri. T. V. Ramachandran and Smt. Charumati Ramachandran's CD on nauka caritam, they move directly from gandhamu poyyaruga to this mangaLam - and the effect is very nice!