It is not often that one gets to hear a nadaswaram concert on this side of the Atlantic. Kasim and Babu have been touring the US. Here is a report on one of the concerts held in New Rochelle, NY, just outside New York City.
Nadaswaram Concert under Bhairavi Fine Arts, Inc.
June 10, 2006. New Rochelle, NY
SubhanKasim and Subhan Babu (Nadaswaram)
S. Senthil Kumar (Thavil)
1. Gauri Sukumari â€" Vasantha â€" Adi. M C H Krishnamachari [R, S]
2. Pavanamura â€" Manirangu â€" Adi. Meesu Krishna Iyer
3. Bhuvaneswariya â€" Mohanakalyani â€" Adi. Muthiah Bhagavatar [R]
4. Sri Raghukula Nidhim â€" Huseni â€" Adi. Poochi Srinivasa Iyengar [R]
5. Ongi Ulagalanda â€" Arabhi â€" Adi. Andal [A]
6. Raghuvamsha Sudhambudhi â€" Kadanakutuhala â€" Adi. Patnam Subramania Iyer
7. Sri Kanthimathim â€" Hemavathi â€" Adi. Muthuswami Dishitar [R, S]
8. Thani
9. Nagumomu Ganaleni â€" Abheri â€" Adi. Thyagaraja
10. Parulenna Mata â€" Kapi â€" Rupaka. Dharmapuri Subbaraya Iyer
11. A short piece in Sindhubhairavi (by Babu) a la Bismillah Khan
12. Thiradha Vilaiyatu Pillai â€" Ragamalika â€" Eka.Subramania Bharathi
13. A Kavadi Chindhu
14. Alai Payude â€" Kanada â€" Adi. UttukaduVenkatasubbier
15. Thillana (Tham, Tham, Tham) â€" Khamas â€" Adi. Patnam Subramania Iyer
16. A Magudi
17. English note â€" Muthiah Bhagavatar
18. Mangalam (Sri Ramachandranukku â€" Suruti)
There is beauty everywhere if we only care to look. Divine moments pass us by unless we open our minds in anticipation. On June 10, a beautiful late spring evening witnessed the making of a great musical moment. A public library in New Rochelle was the venue for a music lover’s dream â€" a thrilling nadaswaram performance by Kasim and Babu, assisted by Senthil Kumar on the Thavil. The brothers are repository of a rich legacy handed down by their legendary grandfather Sheik Chinna Moulana Sahib.
The small, but beautiful auditorium resounded to the sounds of this complex instrument. As Prof. William Skelton of Colgate University pointed out (he learnt to play this instrument as part of his professional pursuits and was there to receive an award from the Sheik Chinna Moulana Sahib Foundation), the music from this instrument is what we offer the gods. In the short duration of about two and a half hours, the brothers, not only sampled the vast repertoire of Carnatic music, but brought out their great skills in hadling this instrument to produce what can only termed music fit for the gods.
Their gayaki style of playing shifting from almost voice like singing to a lute and a shenai, resulted in melody that touched the heart. The bhava filled playing was touching and filled the heart and mind. The concert started with an invocation to Ganesha through a rare heard composition in Vasantha. Following a brisk rendition of a Meesu Krishna Iyer kriti in Manirangu and the delightful Mohanakalyani piece of Muthiah Bhagavatar (Bhuvaneswariy), they settled to an elaboration of the beautiful, but slippery Huseni raga. It was music at its best to listen to the raga alapana.
The kriti that followed was the rare kriti Poochi Srinivasa Iyengar’s opus “Sri Raghukula Nidhimâ€ÂÂÂ
Nadaswaram Concert by Kasim and Babu - June 10, 2006
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inconsequential
- Posts: 124
- Joined: 22 Mar 2005, 00:10
thanks for the review srI rAmaprasAd.
i haven't heard much of live nAdaswaram. but this reminds me of a fine evening of - sheikh chinna moulAnA sAhib's recital for a SPICMACAY convention. he was supported by kAsim and bAbu. like most spicmacay events, this was a short concert (maybe 1 - 1.5 hrs) but it was simply special. the melody and bhAvam as you have mentioned, was simply superb. to my mind, it seems sheikhsAhib was the DKP/DKJ of nAdaswaram - immaculate renditions of compositions.
regards
i haven't heard much of live nAdaswaram. but this reminds me of a fine evening of - sheikh chinna moulAnA sAhib's recital for a SPICMACAY convention. he was supported by kAsim and bAbu. like most spicmacay events, this was a short concert (maybe 1 - 1.5 hrs) but it was simply special. the melody and bhAvam as you have mentioned, was simply superb. to my mind, it seems sheikhsAhib was the DKP/DKJ of nAdaswaram - immaculate renditions of compositions.
regards
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Vocalist
- Posts: 1030
- Joined: 19 Feb 2006, 18:53
The first half of the concert seems dominated by less heard items with the exception of the mOhanakalyAni piece. Everything that follows seems very well known with the exception of the sindubhairavi piece. Assuming (as always) that the rendering of everything was really good, this songlist would definitely please audiences.