Ranjani & Gayathri at Fort High School Grounds, B’lore, 22 A

[SabashBale]

Ranjani & Gayathri at Fort High School Grounds, B’lore, 22 Apr. ‘12
Violin: B U Ganeshprasad
Mrudangam: H S Sudheendra
Ghatam: Sukanya Ramgopal

1. Swami daya chooda, Kedaragowla varnam
2. Anupama, Atana (S)
3. Odi barayya
4. Enna ganu Rama bhajana, Pantuvarali (A, N, S)
5. Sharada veena vade, Devagandhari
6. Bhajare re manasa, Abheri (A, S, T)
7. Maravairi ramani, Nasikabhooshani
8. RTP – Kambodhi in Tisra jati roopaka talam, Pallavi “Sri Raghuvara Ramachandra, Aprameya …” Ragamalika swarams in ?, Ritigowla, ?, Jog
….

When I reached the venue, the outside looked like that of a B-city movie theater with people queuing up for tickets! And the chits started pouring in even before the concert began! It does take many to fill up the huge ground, and it did get almost full!

The Atana was a good piece. Pop quiz (not open for those who attended the concert, or those who asked those who attended the concert or those who asked those who asked those who …): What raga was Odi barayya in? (Hint: Not Bhairavi) Well sung!

Ranjani’s Pantuvarali alapana was simply brilliant!!! Their unmistakable style of neraval was very enjoyable! The Devagandhari piece was not familiar to me and it was difficult to believe it was a Papanasam Shivan composition!

The Abheri alapana by Gayathri was superb! Great modulation of voice in the alapana! Amazing indeed! There was no neraval (to make time for the RTP), but the swaras were wonderful! The kuraippu ended in the notes Ni–Sa–Ma corresponding to Bha-ja-re and it was very interesting and un-kuraippu-like. And this was the best of the thanis I heard in the three concerts I attended this week – short and crisp. The nadam of both the instruments was perfect!

Maravairi must have been requested because of the Jaya TV program, but the people who asked for it might have been disappointed because they didn’t sing swaras (which were simply superb in the Jaya TV program). For the RTP, Ranjani started the Kambodhi alapana. Gayatri continued and proceeded to the tanam. I couldn’t identify the ragams Ranjani sang in the ragamalika section but the third ragam of the ragamalika sung by Ranjani was fantastic. Gayatri’s Jog was out of the world!

I left at the end of this since I am not an abhang fan. An excellent concert, but I felt their magic of a few years earlier just a wee-bit missing :{

[squims]

I just loved the concert. Absolutely loved it. You've mentioned all the points I like it for. Especially the kuraippus in Abheri and the tani after that. I can't remember the last time I felt like the tani really was a part of the song itself and not a separate entity. Great playing by both percussionists.
The RTP was really well sung. Loved the aalaapanai. As far as I could tell, the Ragamalika swarams were in Mayamalavagowla, Ritigowla, Chandrakauns and Jog.

And personally, I felt that their magic was as pronounced as it has ever been!

[gardabha_gana]

Looks like a nice concert - Amongst the "popular" musicians, they really make a effort to deliver a balanced concert, despite chits raining on them.

[charuraghavan]

It was another outstanding concert from the sisters!! Agree with all the positives mentioned, and not to forget the beautiful Graha-bheda sung during the Abheri Alapane.
I also felt Gayatri's magical spell was not upto its mark (her health could have been the reason), she hardly smiled through out the concert

For the sake of completeness, the RTP was followed by a Devaranama and then the Abhang "Dhanya Dhanya te shareera"
In all, I was speeeechless and spell-bound after yesterday's concert!

Awesome!!

P.S: Item 5 is Sharade Veena Vaadana Visharade (A Papanasam Shivan Kriti) and the Pallavi was set to Mishra Nade, Tishra Roopaka Taalam.

[shreedarshan]

Odi Baarayya was sung in Mohana.. instead of Bhairavi

[mahanara]

It was another outstanding concert from the sisters!! Agree with all the positives mentioned, and not to forget the beautiful Graha-bheda sung during the Abheri Alapane.

Can someone explain the Graha-bheda?

[charuraghavan]

The Graha bheda was done like this:
The "ga" of Abheri was made the adhaara shadja "sa" and the resulting Raaga was Mohana-Kalyani.
This was taken from the Taara Sthaayi adding to the beauty of Mohana-Kalyani in its descending notes.. (avarohana)
The Organisers also spoke about a second Graha Bheda done from "ma" of Abheri, which I failed to fathom.
Would be glad if somebody who was present could enlighten.

[mahanara]

Thanks for the explanation, in the concert i did not get which swara they did the bedha on. I could also identify only the mohana-kalyani grahabheda and not the 'MA' that they mentioned.

[squims]

There was a graha bhedham on ma? OK, I had no idea!

[Sundara Rajan]

Sounds like a good program. I look forward to the sisters' concert here in Tampa, FL on May 5,2012 and hope it will be as good as the one reviwed here.

[arunk]

if grahabedham on ma is done from abheri - it would result in srmpns|sndpmgrs based structure in harikambhoji janya - perhaps kedaragowla?

Arun