S. Aishwarya - 6th December 2014

[pattamaa]

S Aishwarya - Vocal
Anuthama Murali - VIolin
B. Sivaraman - Mridangam
Anirudh Athreya - Kanjira

1. On nama pravarthaya - slokam in yaman
2. vasantha varnam (swaram @ charanam line)
3. vachama gocharame - kaikavasi - thyagaraja
4. ananda natamaduvar - purvikalyani - neelakanta sivan(alapana, swaram @ ananda natam)
5. saranam saranam endru - sowrashtram - arunachala kavi
6. karthikeya gangeya - todi - papanasam sivan (alapana, neraval and swaram in maal maruga shanmuga guhaa)
7. ninnane paduve - ugabogha, and naneke badavanu - behag - purandaradasa
8. tazh sadaiyum - simhendramadhyamam - virutham and entra matramuna - brindavani and mayamalava gowlai - annamacharya
9. kurai ondrum illai - ragamalika - rajaji
10. maithrim bhajatha - H.H.Chandrasekhara saraswathi swamiji
11. pavanama - sowrashtram - mangalam

vasantha varnam was sung unhurriedly in 2 kalai (no 2nd kalam), and decorated with swaras, again no 2nd kalam to match with what she rendered. manodharma portions were done quite well, and the korvai she sang for ananda natamaduvar was grand. Todi alapana - i was happy to hear perfect brigas and full throated akarams. Patantaram was perfect, same as MS amma rendered. Young soundarya joined her sister for enta matramua and kurai ondrum illai... The concert attendance was rather poor to my surprise.

Those who missed, please catch up parivadini recording at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3oEVCd5NjU

Earlier, T.K.Murthy mama, Vinayakaram mama, Cleveland Sundaram and HMV Raghu spoke to felicitate Smt Radha on her 80th birthday. Thanks to Cienu sir for organizing the event to celebrate the birthday of his celebrity mom !!

[cacm]

CONGRAGULATIONS TO AISHWARYA WHO IS BLOSSOMING ON HER OWN WHILE UPHOLDING THE LOFTY TRADITION OF THE ONE& ONLY M.S& RADHA. In honouring them we are proudly acknowledging THE BEST in our culture,music & tradition......VKV

[cienu]

Thank you Pattamma for your report and to Sri VKV for the kind sentiments expressed
It was indeed a very wonderful program and Amma enjoyed every moment of it.
The speakers spoke of their close interactions with Smt Radha Viswanathan over the last several decades.
Murthy Mama: Spoke of Amma's great feel for laya and how well she used to complement her mother during RTP. He said that as a vocal accompanist Radha knew when she had to provide full support and when she had to provide subdued support. He did turn a bit emotional during his speech.
Vikku Mama : Mentioned how deeply indebted to my mother he was as it was she who christened him with the moniker "Vikku" before the 1966 UN trip and how the name proved to be so lucky for him.
HMV Raghu : Said that Smt Radha Viswanathan had a fantastic sense of Sruti and could catch even the smallest variations. How she was an integral part of the MS recordings at HMV and the important role she played in assimilating from Semmangudi, his huge repertoire and transferring to MS especially when the latter could not always learn directly from Semmangudi Mama (he used the example of a pen drive transfer)
Cleveland Sundaram - Said that like most others he started as a rasika of MS & Radha's music, but ended up being a devotee. He particularly mentioned that Smt Radha could have well been one of the top dancers, but how she had chosen to happily be the life long accompanist for MS, saying that there could be no greater joy than in supporting her mother.
Aishwarya's concert started later than planned. Wonderful accompaniment from Anuthama (disciple of Vidushi Kanyakumari). One could see the delight on the faces of B Sivaraman and Anirudh Athreya as they performed in front of their Guru Dr T K Murthy seated opposite them in the front row We were happy to have friends and well wishers like Pattamma, C Rama, Lavanya Murali (who came from Bangalore), Dr Narmadha,Sri KNV, Sikkil Gurcharan who came from his concert at Karthik Fine Arts and also Gopal Gandhi amongst others.
Please find attached a picture of the concert

[arasi]

Wish my season had started earlier

Late though I am for the season is this year, I'm hoping to catch Aishwarya's concert somewhere soon. Apart from the personal interest I have in the youngsters (good to hear that Saundarya joined her sister towards the end of the concert!), it's gratifying to see how every time I come to India, I see them getting better and better in their music--not just vocal, but also in playing the instruments. Coming from a musical family, I only know too well that without focus, discipline and dedication on part of the younger generation and the dedication and efforts of the family, this simply is not possible.

We speak of heritage in hushed tones, but how much of dedication goes into our keeping it going! 'nalladOr vINai seidE adai' nalamuDan pENudal vENDum!' After crafting a beautiful vINA, we have to cherish it with care....

Kudos to the youngsters who do that

[cienu]

3. vachama gocharame - kaikavasi
4. ananda natamaduvar - purvikalyani - thyagaraja (alapana, swaram @ ananda natam)

Pattamaa
I am sure the error was inadvertent
Request you to kindly change the name of the composer to Neelakanta Sivan for item 4
You probably meant "Thyagaraja" for item 3.

[rajeshnat]

5. saranam saranam endru - sowrashtram - arunachala kavi

While other numbers are certainly well known MS Numbers, I have personally not heard this number from MS amma. Possibly this was left out in the casette of ms amma that I must have bought- this number is not as popular as yAro EndranAmAlE or En palli kondeerayyA.Good to hear soundarya also joining her sister Aishwarya. At leisure i will hear the link atleast for sure the sowrashtram and the last few when soundarya joins. Best wishes

[CRama]

The air was charged with ecstasy. On the dias, legends were seated – Smt Radha Viswanathan, the living legend whose 80th birthday was being celeberated, Dr.T.K.Murthy, T.H.Vinayakram, HMV Raghu and Cleveland Sundaram, and an audience passionate with the music of the legendary MS and Radha savouring each and every anecdote the luminaries chose to share regarding their loooong association with the legendary MS and Radha Viswanathan during the innumerable concert tours they had with them in India and abroad. Dr.T.K.Murthy praised the immense laya expertise of RV and mentioned about the pratilomam in RTPs which was normally done by RV exclusively in the MS concerts- which not many female vidushees ventured those days. He further added that RV should regain her normal health and ascend the stage to perform and he should provide accompaniment to her. Cleveland Sundaram remembered about the long dance programmes done by Radha and Anandi in their teens for which Padams and Javalis were sung by MS. All the speakers were unanimous in their acknowledgement of the magnanimity and warmth extended by MS household which was solid base for the recognition they got worldwide.

Reg Aiswarya’s concert, others have made my job easier. I am hearing her after 2-3 years. I could see appreciable growth in her music delivery, enunciation and confidence level. That too, a concert in the presence of doyens of music and in front an audience who are die hard loyals of the great MS. Her alapanas of Poorvikalyani and Thodi were very elaborate, with flashy sangathis and abundant sancharas around key swaras. The swaras had lot of laya play in them which again shows her hard work and imagination. The Kriti Karthikeya Gangeya was sung exactly in the patantharam of MS which was highly enjoyable. In the song Naneke badavanu, she presented some fast akara prayogas (like what Ranjani Gayathri used to do), which came off very well. Best Wishes for Aiswarya.

[cienu]

While other numbers are certainly well known MS Numbers, I have personally not heard this num-ber "saranam saranam endru - sowrashtram" from MS amma.

Sharanam Sharanam was quite a popular song sung by MS Amma and a few concert recordings are available. I'm not sure if they are commercially released.The charanam
"SankarA abhayam enRAnE MaarkaNtan avan Pongiya Kalanai venRane" with MS Amma singing in the lower octave and my mother singing in the higher octave was immensly pleasing and a pleasure to hear.

[rshankar]

Pattamma thank you for the review...
Glad to know that the concert went of very well.
Cienu - another 'mEni sillurkkudaDi' moment for you and your wife!
Rajesh - I have heard that AK number from Smt. MSS a few times (by the way, I never cease to be amazed at the incredible repertoire that Smts. MSS and Radha have amassed - Aishwarya is surely blessed to belong to that 'school')...

[arasi]

Rajesh,
SaraNam SaraNam enRAnE, I first heard Ari singing it, but the memory of the neraval SankarA abhayam enRAnE clearly is in the voice of the gAnak kuyil for me...

[CRama]

Saranam saranam - In many Tamil Isai sangham concerts MS has sung this song. Some of them have been released commercially too.

[CRama]

I again thank Aiswarya for choosing Karthikeya Gangeya. My favourite Tamil song to be taken as a Main song and the gold standard is only MS. Aiswarya rendered exactly the same sangathis and this brought to me the memories of MS rendering the same. There is one radio concert which is very special to me for this song.

[arvenky]

Lovely set of krithis and ragas. Way to go Aishwarya !!

[Lavanya Murali]

We were privileged to attend this function on 6th December and take the blessings of Radha Mami. Firstly the backdrop was striking with pictures depicting the life journey of the celebrity. On the stage were stalwarts who spoke from their heart. When Sri T K Murthy talked about the humility & simplicity of MS his voice was choked with intense feelings. Sri Vikku presented a shawl to Radha Mami which was given to him by MahaPeriyaval. Sri Sundaram complimented Smt Radha for having trained Aishwarya and passed on the baton of her precious legacy.
The concert by Aishwarya was top drawer with perfect Sruthi Alignment. Purvi Kalyani Ragam was replete with a range of brigas. Anuthama Murali was confidence personified in her reply. Ananda Natamaduvar was a surprise package. The sollukattu was rendered in Chatushram and Tisram with the latter being sung in 2 speeds. Swarams were taken at Ananda and Natamaduvar alternatively. They were also sung in Khandam and the finale was thrilling with complex swara combinations combined with excellent support from B Sivaraman and Anirudh Athreya.
Karthikeya Gangeya which was rendered majestically in quintessential MS style was the high spot of the concert. However Aishwarya’s manodharma is unique. It does not necessarily follow the MSS patterns in Neraval and Swara interpretations.

Sri HMV Raghu who stayed for the full concert congratulated Aishwarya on stage and said that she had revived old memories of her illustrious musical inheritance.

Sharing some pictures taken by me.
Sri Cienu welcoming the audience. The signature “Radha” is an autograph which Radha Mami had signed in her left hand after she could no more write with her right hand. Sri Cienu mentioned this to signify the extraordinary will power of his mother.

Sri Chandrasekhar elder son of Radha Mami presenting a memento to Sri T K Murthy.

Saundarya joined her sister for the last 2 songs.

[CRama]

Lavanyamurali. Thanks for your review and lovely photos. You have mentioned many points which I forgot to mention.

[raghavt]

I listened to the concert till the thani.

- Vasantha Varnam rendered with utmost precision
- Kandam in Roopakam demonstrates Aishwarya's grip on the laya. B Sivaram's support has pepped up this effort
- Thodi has been presented in the chaste MS Style

B Sivaraman needs a special mention here. His accompaniment was 'no-nonsensical' which is rare these days (at least from the past 5 years). His palms and fingers spoke while his face was calm. No unwanted expressions, excitement.

Thanks