Dr.Ganesh at KGS on 20th September 2007

mridhangam · Post by **mridhangam** » 25 Sep 2007, 11:54

Dr.Ganesh - Vocal
Nagai Sriram - Violin
Mannarkoil J Balaji - Mridangam

Members

The Maharajapuram school is known for its adept handling of the pulse of the rasikas of which Viswanatha Iyer and Santanam were doyens, who swayed the audience for the most part of 20th Century.

Dr.Ganesh an illustrious disciple of Maharajapuram Santanam (and later under Shri.O.S.Thiagarajan) knew very well the pulse of the audience by now and also having sung with his Guru (Maharajapuram Santanam) on many occasions on stage, he holds a rich experience of the stage craft.

The list of songs :

1) Neranammithi - Kaanada Varnam-Ata
2) Sri Mahaganapathe - Abhogi - K Chaapu
3) Prasanna Venkateswaram Bhajare - Vasantha Bhairavi - Tisra Triputa
4) Dorakuna Ituvanti - Bilahari - Adi
5) Ninne Nammiti Nayya - Simhendramadyamam - M Chaapu
6) Kanakasabhapathikku - Ataana - Rupakam
7) Emi Neramu - Shankarabharanam- Adi
8) Thillana-Chaarukesi-Adi
9) Others

There was a blend of beautiful ragas and also variety of talas, which give the accompanists to explore the different shades of laya. He sang very beautiful swara passages for Sri Maha Ganapathe in abhogi .. in khanda chaapu with a nice korvai in the end. Very rarely do we get to hear raga alapanas in Vasanta Bhairavi. Earlier this year in January Shri.OST sir sang a 20 Min Vasanta Bhairavi at Hyderabad followed it up with Nee Daya Rada. Dr.Ganesh follwed the alapana with Prasanna Venkateswaram Bhajare in Tisra Triputa Taala. Dorakuna in Bilahari followed with just rendition. Simhendramadyamam was taken up as a sub main with elaborate raga and swara passages. Shankarabharanam was taken up as the main item and Dr.Ganesh sang with purity and dignity.
He has a very co-operative voice that is aligned perfectly to sruti and also can effortlessly traverse between the notes. His shankarabharanam spoke high about his tradition and also his hard work.

Nagai Sriram was as sweet as ever. Amazing feature of his accompaniment is that he is able to reproduce and even improvise on the swara patterns and korvais that were sung by Dr.Ganesh.

I played Tani for Emi Neramu.

The concert had very nice tail pieces for the lay rasikas and also featured a Sai Bhajan.

The acoustics at KGS was simply very good. Recently they have bought a monitor for the artistes at a very high cost, but i think it needs to be adjusted properly to improve the comfort levels. May be still at the setting up and experimenting stage. Should be alright before the ensuing music season.

Mannarkoil J Balaji

rajaglan · Post by **rajaglan** » 25 Sep 2007, 14:11

Balaji,

This is a good trend that one of the artist in the dias writes about the concert. This way no concerts will be missed out.
Definitely vasantha bairavi raga alapana must be good. I have an album of Unnikrishnan , a singapore concert where he has done this. But as you said these ragas are rarely taken. Vasantha bairavi, simmedra madhimum and sankarabaranam - a great combination. Thanks for the details.

Hope we will see you in Bangalore sabhas.
Just for information, who is your guru?

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 25 Sep 2007, 18:17

Balaji,
Good to see one of your reviews again--the ring side ones, as Ravi says.

Is Dr. Ganesh a doctor in music, medicine or some other branch of learning?

Jayashri · Post by **Jayashri** » 25 Sep 2007, 19:14

I believe his is a doctor of veterinary medicine.

Jayashri · Post by **Jayashri** » 25 Sep 2007, 19:14

*he (sorry for the typo)

rajeshnat · Post by **rajeshnat** » 25 Sep 2007, 19:38

Some more info about Dr Ganesh
http://www.indiansarts.com/RGaneshpage.htm

I wish I was there to hear 108 rAgas of Om namashivAya as mentioned in the above url. Does any one know if om namashiAya rendition is available as a commercial release, if yes please give details.

mridhangam · Post by **mridhangam** » 25 Sep 2007, 20:04

Hi Rajeshnat

The 108 Raga rendition of Om Namashivaya was set in Tisra Nadai at the scenic setting of Chennai Marina Beach. Myself alongwith Mridangist Babu Rajasekar (disciple of Vellore Ramabadran and now accompanying Udayalur Kalyanaraman) were fortunate enough to take part in that programme. It was a fantastic array of ragas and the whole atmosphere was filled with bhakthi and bhava. Madurai Balasubramaniam (disciple Sangita Kalanidhi M Chandrasekaran) accompanied on violin. One of the memorable concerts. I dont know whether the rendition was released on a commercial basis.

Mannarkoil J Balaji

mridhangam · Post by **mridhangam** » 25 Sep 2007, 20:06

Member rajaglan

Thank you for your kind words. I have been writing for quite sometime now .. since the 2006 December Music Season. Initially i learnt under Tanjore Ramadoss and later i learnt under Ramanathapuram M N Kandaswamy till 1995 for about 11 years before he died in a Fatal accident.

Mannarkoil J Balaji