Memorable Vocal+Veena concert: Sumitra & Ashwin @SRLKM July 17, 2016

[Rsachi]

A memorable concert was presented by Sri Rama Lalitha Kala Mandira in Bangalore today, featuring

Vid Sumitra Vasudev -vocal
Vid. Ashwin Anand- Veena
Vid. K. Arun Prakash - Mridangam

Despite several other concerts taking place all over the city, and the intransigence of the local paper DH (in carrying Carnatic concert announcements in general) , a goodish crowd sat through a 3 hour concert of pure vintage classic Carnatic music.
Song List:
1. Sriraga Varnam
2. Sri Shankaraguruvaram - Nagaswarali- Mahavaidyanatha Sivan
3. Ninuvina Marigalada - Abheri - Shyama Shastri
4. Seetapathe- Khamach-Thyagaraja
5. Sri Rajagopala- Saveri-M Dikshitar
6. Tani
7. Sri Kalahastisha- Huseni- M Dikshitar
8. Kalyani RTP (Tanam raga changes Sama, Shanmukhapriya, Athana) in Mishra Triputa
Pallavi words: Rama Sri Rama Lokabhirama Pahi Sita-
9. Shloka (Sivananda Lahari) in ragas Kambhoji, Keeravani, Sama, Kapi, Hamsanandi
10. Nadapriya Shiva- Vachana by Basaveshvara tuned by Dr Vedavalli in Hamsanandi
11. Mangalam

The songs in Abheri and Huseni were stand-out experiences, delivered with wonderful raga bhava, clear sahitya, and a majestic laya. The two songs were enough to carry the stamp of the Vedavalli school in terms of classicism and manodharma. The Abheri used by Shyama Shastri in this song is the old school (lower Dha) unlike the modern Abheri with its higher Dha. I had never heard the Dikshitar song Sri Kalahastisha before.

Arun Prakash has been winning over artistes and audiences with his accompaniment, which can be described as "mridu-anga". He embellishes the music in his unique, unobtrusive, and elegant way. Today was no exception.

In the Khamach and Kalyani raga alapanas, one could clearly see the synergy between the voice and veena. It helped that both musicians are students of Dr. Vedavalli, and could collaborate in manodharma well. Ashwin's veena had a beautiful, sweet, sound and complemented the soft vocal delivery of Sumitra. In Kalyani, she left it to Ashwin to explore the higher octave and move into Tanam. Sumitra's Kalyani and Khamach raga explorations were highly emotive and drew much applause.

The tanam with raga changes gave a colourful experience to the audience and showed how the tana raga malika has now become de rigueur.

The pallavi was set out in a very good tempo and Sumitra did anuloma, pratiloma and stressed the words and raga bhava very competently throughout. The team got a well-deserved applause.

The shloka of Adi Shankara and the Basaveshwara vachana were rendered again with very good sahitya enunciation. Obviously,

Sumitra is a highly competent artiste with a good mastery over the pure classical idiom and her delivery is totally free from the melodrama we have come to associate with Carnatic music these days.

Rasikas.org had a very impactful presence ( please excuse any omissions here): Nageswaran, Nick, Suresh from Chennai! and KV Chellappa, HN Bhagavan, Gardabhagana and self from Bangalore.

I was glad to hear that Sumitra, Ashwin and Arun Prakash are performing together again in Chennai in the near future. My best wishes to this team!

[kvchellappa]

Excellent review Sri RSachi. Nice to meet Mr. Nick and Mr. VV Suresh for the first time.

[hnbhagavan]

Nice to have met Rsachi,KV Chellappa,Nick and Suresh.What a great divine experience?Sumitra Vasudev's renditions were a treat.She encouraged Ashwini Anand on Veena who also put up a great show.A music concert without any gimmicks.Excellent rendering in Saveri and outstanding RTP in Kalyani.Nicely presented by Sri RSachi.
It was not a run of the mill concert.
Arun Prakash provided excellent support.

[kvchellappa]

Parama sowkhyamAna rendition, paramananda sravana bhagyam. Was a supreme example of how a concert (I still prefer a concert and she provided one, the varnam set the right tempo and a curtain raiser of what was to come) can be engaging without a herculean effort to do something heroic (hope there is no gender difference in this usage). I understand why Nick and Suresh travelled all the way.

[sreebeecane]

Has this concert been recorded?

[Rsachi]

Shivanandalahari:
अशनं गरलं फणी कलापो वसनं चर्म च वाहनं महोक्ष: । मम दास्यसि किं किमस्ति शंभो तव पादांबुज-भक्तिमेव देहि ॥ ८७ ॥


Oh Sambhu, your food is poison; ornament is snake; dress is hides and vehicle is big bull. Which of my requirements among them are you going to give me? What do you have? Please grant me Bhakti to your lotus feet.
Link:
http://www.advaita-vedanta.org/archives ... 23636.html

[rajeshnat]

Nick and SureshVV used to travel to kalpakkam , now all the way to bengaluru for the sake of CM . Wow

[CRama]

RSachi, Thanks for your devout review in your inimitable style. It reflects how much you enjoyed the music. You gave the good news that the same team will be performing in Chennai soon. Waiting for the D day.

[rrnagar_assoc]

A lovely chamber concert-like feel.
Enjoyed every minute of the concert which was pure melody, music in its purest form i felt.
God bless all the artists.

- murari

[hnbhagavan]

It was a one off concert at the highest level.Sumitra Vasudev is a steady performer not among the glamorous type,but it would be difficult to attend the next immediate concert.
July was a very satisfying month with three lovely concerts-
GJR Krishnan/LV on Jul 2
Ramakrishnan Murthy on Jul 17
Sumitra Vasudev on Jul 18

[Nick H]

ha ha, yes, we did go to Kalapakkam for Sumithra's concert a while back!

I can see Sumithra sing in Chennai; I can hear Ashwin play in Chennai. Neither will happen as often as I would like them to, but they will happen. This combination of the two Vedavalli disciples, though, is a unique event (so far ).

Sumithra-&-Ashwin's concert had been scheduled to happen in November 2015, actually quite close to my house (and closer to Suresh's), but the weather had other ideas. The organiser had told me that he would schedule it for April of this year, but it did not come about. So... I had been waiting for eight months for this concert, and that is why we went so far. I asked Suresh if he would come and co-drive, and Nageswaran hosted us in their Bangalore home.

I just happen to come to know, a couple of days previously, that the team would be performing in Chennai in just 4 weeks at Ragasudah Hall. Well, we had decided we wanted the drive, the journey, the concert, so we did not cancel.

It was a beautiful concert. As I said to Sumithra, it was worth every km! She sang beautifully; Ashwin played beautifully, and together, the presented a consistent and coherent whole.

It was a great pleasure to be there and to meet the Bangalore members present. I am really sorry that we did not have time for a real conversation.



NB: Sumithra, Ashwin and Arunprakash: Ragasudha Hall, Chennai, 15 Aug 2016

[arasi]

Nick,
And you finally went to Bengaluru when I wasn't there. Hope Sumitra Vasudev sings in Bengaluru again early next year, so that I can hear her AND see you there

[rshankar]

Nick - this takes parampara stalking to new heights!
Suresh - you too!
RSachi - thank you!
I'm very jealous!

[Rsachi]

Ravi,
It is all about seizing the moment, as always!

[Nick H]

Nick - this takes parampara stalking to new heights!

True!

But I could take an evening off today. Sumithra couldn't as having come back by the train overnight, she had another concert here today. I didn't have the energy to make it.

[hnbhagavan]

You could have driven to the concert venue!

[Sivaramakrishnan]

Both are great artists; no wonder the music was delightful. Looking forward to chennai event.

By the way, what was the Sruti (pitch) for the concert?

[MV]

Thanks for the review RSachi. I hope there is a concert of this duo in Dec! Not only do I enjoy Sumatra's music but a vocal-vena would be a pleasure to hear. Sruti I suspect may have been 5.5 and I admire Ashwin's effort even more. Yes, it would be good to know the sruti they performed at.

[Rsachi]

I think it was 5 kattai or G.