R.Suryaprakash, May 18th 2014, Shiva Vishnu Temple,Miami,FL

[maduraimini]

Sunday, May 18,2014
Venue: Shiva Vishnu Temple in Miami

R.Suryaprakash - Vocal
H.N.Bhaskar - Violin
Vijay Ganesh - Mridangam

This concert was supposed to start at 4p.m. The artists were all in their places. Due to some Sound effect problems, it started ½ hour later.

Here is the list of songs:

1. A glimpse of Hamsadhwani with 2 lines of the Vinayaka slokam ‘Vakra Tunda Maha Kavya’ followed by Papanasam Sivan’s ‘ Karunai Seivai Gaja Raja Mukha’ in Adi talam. at the end, he had a few swarams.

2. I pariya sobagAva dEvaroLu, a Purandara Dasa kriti in Saranga, Hindolam and Hamsanadam(?) set to Adi talam. I am sorry I didn’t catch the last raga and asked him at the end. It sounded like Hamsanadam- I may be wrong.

3. Abhogi alapana. The alapana was elaborate and he touched on all the swaras. His voice is so beautiful and well molded, he can do the Sanchara anywhere. He gets lost in the world of Music and takes the audience with him. Wonderful Abhogi alapana- nothing left to prolong. After we were all drenched in his Abhogi, he sang GKB’s ‘Sabapathikku veru deivam’.

What a rendition it was! He brought out all the nuances of the Raga, all the nelivu, chulivu
of the RAGA. Then came Niraval, Swaram. He was like the proverbial elephant in the karumbu Thottam ( sugarcane Plantation)! He reminded me of MMI who loved to sing swarams. SP (Suryaprakash) was lost in his swarams. The song was very good.

4. BrindavanSaranga ‘Soundararajam Ashraye’ followed. He started in the low octave and went up. Dikshitar has composed many songs (not all) to be sung slow. He did a wonderful Brindavana Saranga kriti.
Every Sanskrit word was clear and spashtam. This is a favorite Raga of mine and I like many of Dikshitar’s kritis. He did complete justice to this song. Sometimes I hear artists singing Dikshitar kritis in jet speed (apt for this age). I was happy to see him take the time and sing it well. The melody of the Raga with the beautiful words made this song an A Plus.

5. MMI’s favorite Sarasa Sama Dana in KapiNarayani followed. I noticed something different now. Usually in most concerts, after the varnam or Vinayaka Geetham, artists burst into a Thyagaraja kriti. After a few of his kritis, they sing a Tamil, Dasar kriti or Dikshitar. Here it was the opposite. Sri Thyagaraja made a late appearance. I have heard MMI sing this song and SP sang this with the same Tempo and Gusto! Swarams flowed like lava. Like tennis volley, they kept coming. It was as if he learned from him direct!

6. Next was our own Arasi’s composition in Suddha Danyasi. He announced the composer and mentioned how she comes from a Musical family. The song ‘ vandE thuNai thandE enaik kAkkum kandanE!’ was very good. Arasi's song sung by him brought out the depth in it.

7. A brisk ‘Ramabhi Rama’ in Durbar was next. This Thyagaraja song is a good filler and he sang this very well. He sang a few swarams, but no Niraval.

8. A vistara Kalyani Alapana. This great Raga was explored in many ways by the artist. He went up, down and then up again. His voice is so good and pliable. Brigas just keep coming. The audience were drowned in the Kalyani Rasa! I thought he was going to sing ‘Nidhi chala sukhama’ or Dasar’s ‘ Nambi kettevarilavo’. But he sang Thyagaraja’s ‘ Ethavuna Ra’. Niraval swarams at ‘Sri Karudaku Thyagaraja’. It was a Kalyani mazshai (rain). HNB did a fine solo and Vijay Ganesh did a crisp Tani. It was not too long and boring, but kept the people ensnared. I should mention here that both HBN and Vijay Ganesh followed the artist like a shadow. Tailed him but did not overpower him. They both did a wonderful job. I hope I get to hear more of them. I thought this was the Main of the concert . But there was more in store.

9. A melodious Revathi raga alapana made people sit up. I love the raga Revathi. A short Tanam followed. Brief but inspiring. The Pallavi was: ‘Mamava Sada Janani, Manini Sri Mathangi’. It was in Adi Talam (Please don’t blame me if it is wrong). The swaras followed in Revathi, Ganamoorthy, Nattakurinji, Behag and Bavapriya(the artist gave out the name of this raga).

10. A short alapana in Kamas with the song “Modi jese vela Ra’- Pattaabhi Ramayya’s Javali. Fast and lilting.

11. Hamsanandi Thiruppugazh ‘Tullu mada” was fast.

12. Mangalam. Pavamaana and Tamil Vazhthu ‘ Vazhiya chentamizh’

I was not sure if I’d be able to go to this concert, as we live 150 miles North and my friends who usually drive me there could not make it. I didn’t give up and went to another friend’s house 50 miles away and went with her. I am still very tired, but I am glad I went to this concert. All the physical discomfort and the long travel was worth this concert.

[HarishankarK]

Vakra tunda Mahaa Kaaya

[rajeshnat]

9. A melodious Revathi raga alapana made people sit up. I love the raga Revathi. A short Tanam followed. Brief but inspiring. The Pallavi was: ‘Mamava Sada Janani, Manini Sri Mathangi’. It was in Adi Talam (Please don’t blame me if it is wrong). The swaras followed in Revathi, Gana Roopi ( This may be wrong and someone can ask the artist for the ragas) ,Kanada, Behag and BalaPriya (the artist gave out the name of this raga).

MaduraiMini
HOw long was the concert ?

In 2007, Vishnuramprasad , a knowledgable rasika wrote about this pallavi ,i am just taking that relevant snippet from that 2007 review of suryaprakash

Vishnu wrote in 2007 :
----------------
Starting from Aadhara Shadjam to Upper Shadjam keeping each swara as the base swara, the vidwan explored one raga, each in one avarthana. Starting with Revathi for Shadjam, Shri (rishabham), Behag (gandharam), Hindolam (madhyamam), Mohanam (panchamam), Vachaspathi (dhaivatham) (though theviolinist rather opted to play it as Hemavathi), Shanmukhapriya (nishaadham).


This is a lovely swarakshara pallavi , it looks he has taken a different set of ragamaliga swaras in miami . I would love to know more about this pallavi in miami - there is no raga like balapriya and ganaroopi. This pallavi of 2007 is one of its kind - Carnatica has released a CD as he sang that in Sangeet utsav-2007- collectors item

[maduraimini]

Rajesh,

About the RTP:

I believe this is how it went. Suryaprakash sang Revathi (with SRMPNS as svaras), following it with a ragamalika starting with each one of the svaras in ascending order, employing ragas which possess that swara in their arohana/avarohana.
1. R Suddha rishabham Ganamurthy
2. M Suddha madhyamam Nataikurinji
3. P Behag
4. N kaisiki nishadam Bhavapriya
5. S (back to) Revathi

[arasi]

Rajesh,
This is an other interesting pattern Suryaprakash had taken up at Miami for his pallavi singing! Anyway, the report was that the audience appreciated it a lot. As they say, paNDitharum pAmararum (and in-between-s like me) thought that it was a lovely concert...

The venue was Siva Vishnu temple, and Vishnuprasad's name came up. Wonder how he is (a discerning rasikA).