Dr. N. Ramani @ MA 30.12.2011

[semmu86]

N. Ramani
R. Tyagarajan
T. Atul kumar - Flute trio
S.D.Sridhar - Violin
Ramesh - Mrudangam
A.S.Shankar - Ghatam

Approx song list :- Sorry i Entered MA late, around 9.50 only, courtesy "thAnE"....

1. sEshAchala nAyakam - varALi - rUpakam - R, N@ aravinda pathra nayanam, S
2. dEvasri - madhyamAvathi - misra chApu - R,S,T
3. RTP nATTaikurinji - khanDa jAthi aTa thALam - 2 kaLai- chatusra gathi
4. jagadhOdhAraNA - kApi - Adhi (There was one more before this, i forgot).
5. bhAgyadhA lakSmi bhAramA

This was a concert, with patches of brilliance from Ramani sir, patches of kaNakkus not coming to eDam, patches of apaswarams from S.D.Sridhar. Though Ramani mama's playing sounded a bit rusty at times, There were wonderful raga alapanas on varALi, madhyamAvathi and nATTaikurinji.. However, S.D.Sridhar's violin shruthi was fluctuating here and there too frquently for comfort, resulting in uncomfortableness. When the main artiste is slightly rusty, the duty of the violinist increases two-fold and i thought SDS should have done a better job.

The madhyamAvathi krithi, i think is one of the lalgudi pancharatnams IIRC. There were quite a few kaNakku patterns in all the swaras, but unfortunately, they came, compromising for melody. The effect was totally different when sarvalaghu patterns were played. Unfortunately, the right balance between kaNakkus and sarvalaghu patterns just didnt happen.

The Pallavi was another gem, in the series of lovely pallavis sung/ played this year @ MA. Goes something like this
"Shanmuga guhanE bAlanE thirukumaA anudinamum aruL purivAy
vEl muruganendru mAl maruganendru marai pOTrum".

Eduppu is at little finger.

Sollu equivalent:-

tha.ka.tham.
tha.ka.tham.
th.ka.
tham...

tha ka dhin na tham.
tha ka dhin na tham.
tha ka dhin na tham...

tha dhi. ki na thom tha..
tha dhi. ki na thom tha..
tha dhi. ki na thom/ tha

Corresponding Pallavi sAhityam:-

shan.mu.ga.
gu.ha.nE.
bA.la.
nE...

thi ru ku ma ra.
a nu di na mum.
a ruL pu ri vAy...

vEl..mu ru ga nendru
mAl..ma ru ga nendru
ma rai. pO.Trum / Shan

The part "vEl muruganendru mAl maruganendru marai pOTrum" was in thisram. so the total of 24 aksharas is covered in a span of 8 beats (8*3=24, hence thisram). I have tried my best in explaining the pallavi structure

[srikant1987]

Thank you, Semmu. Looks like Bilahari and I got an even better concert at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan.

When the main artiste is slightly rusty, the duty of the violinist increases two-fold and i thought SDS should have done a better job.

Surely the duty of the "supports" increases too? I mean, of Sri R. Tyagarajan and Sri T. Atul kumar, in this context.

[rajeshnat]

Flute with three players is definitely difficult to synchronize , being such delicate , it is easy for rasikas to catch apaswarams too!!

[bilahari]

Thanks for the review, Arvind. Yes, looks like his solo worked out much better although it was shorter in duration.

How much say did his flute accompanists have in the concert?

I have heard Sri S.D. Sridhar once and I will absolutely not attend a concert featuring him again.

[semmu86]

Tyagarajan and Atul Kumar infact did quite a neat job. Atul kumar sang and executed the pallavi, doing trikAlam and such exercises perfectly. But however, lack of proper violin co-ordination, proved jarring....

[viswanathmysore]

I have heard Sri S.D. Sridhar once and I will absolutely not attend a concert featuring him again.

if you want to be taken seriously , please avoid such silly statements .
Violin does not begin and end with TNK in this part of the world . Much as good vocal music does not begin and end with Vedavalli .
SDS belongs to a silent breed of accompanists who support the concert system for the other months of the year when all the big names migrate , looking for dollars .
A fine violinist , with a bad day perhaps .