Three good lec dems which i attended (again i will provide the details later)
Shri.Vijay Siva on ragas Manjari, Devamruthavarshini, Devakriya
Missed the first 5 min- Vijay siva spoke very well on the evolution of these ragas and played the eka kritis that were composed in this raga. Post his presentation the discussion veered into the concept of tradition versus changes/modernization of these ragas/compositions which evoked a discussion around what is creativity and what is tradition which ended for want of time (and also the fact that it by itself is a separate topic)
I only felt while answering to some of the clarifications/questions that 1-2 senior artistes raised the response from Shri.Vijay Siva maight certainly not be called respectful. This may be unintentional but the manner in which he responded sounded so.
Smt R.S Jeyalakshmi on Begada
A very interesting and informative lec dem where Smt.Jeyalaksmi went into the history of Begada that had three possibly distinct swaroopams in arohanam(SGMPNNS, SGMPNDNS, SGRGMPDPS). She further demonstarted this with Geethams from SSP and other literature and dikshithar krithis. Her playing of begada, though in small measure, was a treat to the ear.
Again the end of this lec dem started off with a suggestion on considering Begada as the janya of of harikambhoji rather than sankarabharanam (by Shri Ravikiran) as he felt as an instrumentalist the Ni is kaisiki and not the unique Begada Ni and Ma not the "begada Ma", as being claimed. TM Krishna brought in a valid point stating that it would be good to consider a separate classification process for rakthi ragas like Sahana, Begada where many of the swaras exist with multiple gamakas and anuswaras and not in their exact form. The debate had to be stalled againg for want of time (and it was going no where :-)); however the good point taht came about is that the convenor Shri.Pappu Venugopal suggested that they could have a separate forum for discussion on this topic with the august scholars and musicians to arrive at an amicable decision
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
December season 2010
This is the summary of the concerts i attended and i would like to discuss some of them in detail later
TNS-1
I started the december season listening to an excellent concert from the great T N Seshagopalan. This was the vaikunta ekadesi conecrt in Mudhra assisted by Shri.M.Chandrashekaran and Trichur Narendran.
An excellent Pantuvarali with the kamba ramayana song "Kai vannam angu kanden" and the great nayaki kriti "Ranganayakam" set the tone for the concert. TNS sang a great nayaki-the best part being the non-repetitiveness of the sangatis and his exploration of the phrases around dha-ni. Ofcourse he sang one of his best renditions of brindavan saranga for an RTP.
Malladi
I attended a live concert of Malladi Brothers in Music Academy prior to TNS's concert. I started listening with the karaharapiya main piece "Satatham Thavaka". The karaharapriya ragam sung that day was exemplary and encompassed all the known phrases and some innovative phrases.
Saveri was good but for a RTP it was quite less possibly due to lack of time
TNS at Music Academy
This concert started off with a low key with him warming his voice-a vachaspathi with some great phrases flowed with the kriti "ennadi nee" (of patnam subramania iyer); the best was though reserved for the Bhairavi raga anad the kriti "Upacharamu".
Somehow always i had a feeling though TNS sings some great ragams and compositions in Music academy, the overall mood there does not shine like in MFA or Mudhra or the like (even though the MA auditorium is much better acoustically and the overall ambience)
Bharat Sundar at MA
An good musician to watch out for- he sang a vibrant "amba paradevathe (rudrapriya)" with swarams and an excellent Varali for seshachala nayakam.
Prasanna Venkatraman at MA
Quite a good concert content wise-a very good kambodhi ragam-however prasanna needs to focus on how he uses his voice - it produces a lot of unmusical sounds that rob the musicality of the ragam he sings (this i have observed from his previous concerts also)
Abhishek Raghuram at NGS
An Excellent Lathangi from Abhishek with sme unique panchama varja prayogams and a beautifully rendered Kriti.
TNS-U Srinivas-Zakir and Guruvayur Dorai
A much anticipated concept - more or less satisfied the listeners expectation. Ofcourse TNS's voice had problems initially-however with the onset of kalyani ragam you could hear him at his best (though again his voice became sore post this piece). His prayogams focussing on pa-dha-ni and the nagaswaram pidis were amazing.
Vijay Siva's lec dem and Dr R S Jeyalakshmi's Lec dem - to follow
TNS-1
I started the december season listening to an excellent concert from the great T N Seshagopalan. This was the vaikunta ekadesi conecrt in Mudhra assisted by Shri.M.Chandrashekaran and Trichur Narendran.
An excellent Pantuvarali with the kamba ramayana song "Kai vannam angu kanden" and the great nayaki kriti "Ranganayakam" set the tone for the concert. TNS sang a great nayaki-the best part being the non-repetitiveness of the sangatis and his exploration of the phrases around dha-ni. Ofcourse he sang one of his best renditions of brindavan saranga for an RTP.
Malladi
I attended a live concert of Malladi Brothers in Music Academy prior to TNS's concert. I started listening with the karaharapiya main piece "Satatham Thavaka". The karaharapriya ragam sung that day was exemplary and encompassed all the known phrases and some innovative phrases.
Saveri was good but for a RTP it was quite less possibly due to lack of time
TNS at Music Academy
This concert started off with a low key with him warming his voice-a vachaspathi with some great phrases flowed with the kriti "ennadi nee" (of patnam subramania iyer); the best was though reserved for the Bhairavi raga anad the kriti "Upacharamu".
Somehow always i had a feeling though TNS sings some great ragams and compositions in Music academy, the overall mood there does not shine like in MFA or Mudhra or the like (even though the MA auditorium is much better acoustically and the overall ambience)
Bharat Sundar at MA
An good musician to watch out for- he sang a vibrant "amba paradevathe (rudrapriya)" with swarams and an excellent Varali for seshachala nayakam.
Prasanna Venkatraman at MA
Quite a good concert content wise-a very good kambodhi ragam-however prasanna needs to focus on how he uses his voice - it produces a lot of unmusical sounds that rob the musicality of the ragam he sings (this i have observed from his previous concerts also)
Abhishek Raghuram at NGS
An Excellent Lathangi from Abhishek with sme unique panchama varja prayogams and a beautifully rendered Kriti.
TNS-U Srinivas-Zakir and Guruvayur Dorai
A much anticipated concept - more or less satisfied the listeners expectation. Ofcourse TNS's voice had problems initially-however with the onset of kalyani ragam you could hear him at his best (though again his voice became sore post this piece). His prayogams focussing on pa-dha-ni and the nagaswaram pidis were amazing.
Vijay Siva's lec dem and Dr R S Jeyalakshmi's Lec dem - to follow
Saturday, July 21, 2007
Mungaru maleye
Just random notes!!!!!!
Again not just about the movie but the southwest monsoon that rafts through Bangalore and creates that pleasant chill and romantic feeling (if you are not in one of the places that gets flooded, not in traffic jam and dripping wet, waiting for an auto to stop).
I had gone to Jayanagar and was starting back after my purchase of CD's and DVD's (hehehe-what else will i buy), when the first drops of rain hit my windshield. The rain drops glittered and rode through the green leaves (i had incidentally parked my car under a tree) on to the windshield, first drop by drop. By the time i started the downpour strengthened, clearing the road and the traffic.
I switched on the tape recorder without realising what cassette was in - and lo-it was mungaru maleye by sonu nigam. The music wafted through the car and the rain, outside. I couldnt but appreciate the way the song has been crafted and composed-somehow most of the songs of this movie have that ethereal feeling-whenever i hear the title song, anisuthide and the sad versions of these , i feel similar. I cannot comment on the movie but the songs are something out of the world.
The music does not override the lyrics and aids the songs-it just enables the songs unlike many new ones which just submerge the voice. The lyrics i hear are composed by a famous poet (pls correct if iam wrong).
Back at home - from the 12th floor i could see the wizzing rain pouring from the sky-it is so dense that i cannot see the distant hills which i can normally can. I switch on the CD's of Mungru malaye and there iam enjoying it literally and figuratively !!!!!!
Got the meaning of Anisuthide from internet-sound very nice-ofcourse may sound too mushy for some :-)
Anisuthide yaako indu
Neeneyne nannavalindu
Maayadaa lokadinda
Nanagaage bandavalindu
Aahaa yentha madhura yaathane
[ Don’t know why I feel this way today,
That you are the one for me,
From a magical world,
You have come for me today,
Oh what a sweet pain is this……]
Kollu hudugi omme nanna, haage summane (these 2 words are equivalent of ‘bas yun hi’ in hindi…literally it translates to just simply)
[ Kill me once oh girl, just like that…..]
Suriyuva soneyu sooside ninnade parimala
Innyara kanasulu neenu hodare talamala
Poorna chandira rajaa haakida
Ninnaya mogavanu kanda kshanaa…
Naa khaidi neeney seremane
Tabbi nanna appiko omme…. haage summane
[ The raging rain has brought your sweet smell,
If you step into anyone else’s dream, I feel so restless,
The full moon ceased to exist, from the moment he saw your face.
I’m a prisoner and you are the prison….
Please hold and hug me tight, just like that….]
Anisuthide yaako indu…
Tutigala hoovali aadada maathina sihiyide
Manasina putadali kevala ninnade sahiyide
Haneyali bareyada ninna hesara
Hrudayadi naane korediruve
Ninagunte idara kalpane
Nanna hesara kooge omme… haage summane
[ The petals of your lips have the sweetness, of the words you haven’t spoken,
The pages of my heart have only your signatures,
Your name which fate hasn’t written on my forehead,
I have engraved them on my heart,
Do you have any idea about this?
Call my name just once, just like that…..]
Anisuthide yaako indu….
Neeneyney nannavalindu….
Maayadaa lokadinda
Nanagaagi bandavalindu
Aahaa yentha madhura yaathaney
Kollu hudugi omme nanna, haage summane…
Again not just about the movie but the southwest monsoon that rafts through Bangalore and creates that pleasant chill and romantic feeling (if you are not in one of the places that gets flooded, not in traffic jam and dripping wet, waiting for an auto to stop).
I had gone to Jayanagar and was starting back after my purchase of CD's and DVD's (hehehe-what else will i buy), when the first drops of rain hit my windshield. The rain drops glittered and rode through the green leaves (i had incidentally parked my car under a tree) on to the windshield, first drop by drop. By the time i started the downpour strengthened, clearing the road and the traffic.
I switched on the tape recorder without realising what cassette was in - and lo-it was mungaru maleye by sonu nigam. The music wafted through the car and the rain, outside. I couldnt but appreciate the way the song has been crafted and composed-somehow most of the songs of this movie have that ethereal feeling-whenever i hear the title song, anisuthide and the sad versions of these , i feel similar. I cannot comment on the movie but the songs are something out of the world.
The music does not override the lyrics and aids the songs-it just enables the songs unlike many new ones which just submerge the voice. The lyrics i hear are composed by a famous poet (pls correct if iam wrong).
Back at home - from the 12th floor i could see the wizzing rain pouring from the sky-it is so dense that i cannot see the distant hills which i can normally can. I switch on the CD's of Mungru malaye and there iam enjoying it literally and figuratively !!!!!!
Got the meaning of Anisuthide from internet-sound very nice-ofcourse may sound too mushy for some :-)
Anisuthide yaako indu
Neeneyne nannavalindu
Maayadaa lokadinda
Nanagaage bandavalindu
Aahaa yentha madhura yaathane
[ Don’t know why I feel this way today,
That you are the one for me,
From a magical world,
You have come for me today,
Oh what a sweet pain is this……]
Kollu hudugi omme nanna, haage summane (these 2 words are equivalent of ‘bas yun hi’ in hindi…literally it translates to just simply)
[ Kill me once oh girl, just like that…..]
Suriyuva soneyu sooside ninnade parimala
Innyara kanasulu neenu hodare talamala
Poorna chandira rajaa haakida
Ninnaya mogavanu kanda kshanaa…
Naa khaidi neeney seremane
Tabbi nanna appiko omme…. haage summane
[ The raging rain has brought your sweet smell,
If you step into anyone else’s dream, I feel so restless,
The full moon ceased to exist, from the moment he saw your face.
I’m a prisoner and you are the prison….
Please hold and hug me tight, just like that….]
Anisuthide yaako indu…
Tutigala hoovali aadada maathina sihiyide
Manasina putadali kevala ninnade sahiyide
Haneyali bareyada ninna hesara
Hrudayadi naane korediruve
Ninagunte idara kalpane
Nanna hesara kooge omme… haage summane
[ The petals of your lips have the sweetness, of the words you haven’t spoken,
The pages of my heart have only your signatures,
Your name which fate hasn’t written on my forehead,
I have engraved them on my heart,
Do you have any idea about this?
Call my name just once, just like that…..]
Anisuthide yaako indu….
Neeneyney nannavalindu….
Maayadaa lokadinda
Nanagaagi bandavalindu
Aahaa yentha madhura yaathaney
Kollu hudugi omme nanna, haage summane…
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Brindavanamum Nandakumaranum
Yeah a beautiful song of yesteryears with a cute savithri and gemini (tamizh) and nageswara rao (in telugu). But this is not about the song - it is abt the hotel brindavan on MG Street and the umpteen Nandakumars who have been indulging themselves here and become Gundukumars :-). Brindavan is one of those hotels with still that old world charm - Stone table, white dressed waiters, multi color wash room tiles-food that smells of home and tastes delicious-one should not particularly miss the sambar and rasam which taste yummy. one interesting item is vengaya rasam-the other one is the delicious buttermilk-last but not the least is the tasty home made appalam.
There are a lot of regulars who have grown (literally) with the hotel for the last 10-15 years. May be a little dash of ghee and home made sweet would enliven the proceedings which start and complete within 15-30 minutes (on an average).
The entire proceedings start with placing a nice banana leaf in front of you with a tumbler of water. The southies who are familiar with this step, splatter a small amount on the leaf, clean and wait. Others after a few moment of blank and puzzled stare follow the leaders. First the waiters dressed in white with the chaturbhujam (the four mouthed vessels), start serving the side dishes which consist of yummy things like kizhangu/beetroot/potato..etc kaai, pulikuzhambu, korma, kootu and so on. Then comes the oil less white rotis.
After a few hundred roti’s have embarked on the journey from the mouth to the stomach, it is the time of the mallippoo rice. The rice is normally served in small mounds/mole hills – some people make “mountain out of these mole hills” too.
Sambar is poured on this – u first enjoy the aroma – slowly mix it – and take it down with the vegetables and appalam. (Mind it you have to be careful when the sambar is served as the ladles are quite big and if you don’t warn the waiters on the quantity of sambar served, you may land up trying to do modeling around “sambar flow” and optimizing so that it does not flow on to your pants).
Then comes rasam which is one of the best preparations here- the taste is superb and with rice it just goes into you. The above warning applies here also.
For those mouths and stomachs, where something chill has to go inside during a meal there are some interesting things like cocuum, lemon ginger juices and rose milk, badam milk etc.
Once a conglomeration of things has happened in the stomach, the need for a calming factor creeps in. That is when the ginger/coriander flavored butter milk provides the required effect. It starts with that tinge in the mouth and quickly flows into food pipe on to the stomach, moisturizing and cooling it.
You realize the line of contentment has reached- take a few deep breaths and get out of your chair slowly trudging towards the wash basin with the air of nonchalance of a Buddhist monk.
There are a lot of regulars who have grown (literally) with the hotel for the last 10-15 years. May be a little dash of ghee and home made sweet would enliven the proceedings which start and complete within 15-30 minutes (on an average).
The entire proceedings start with placing a nice banana leaf in front of you with a tumbler of water. The southies who are familiar with this step, splatter a small amount on the leaf, clean and wait. Others after a few moment of blank and puzzled stare follow the leaders. First the waiters dressed in white with the chaturbhujam (the four mouthed vessels), start serving the side dishes which consist of yummy things like kizhangu/beetroot/potato..etc kaai, pulikuzhambu, korma, kootu and so on. Then comes the oil less white rotis.
After a few hundred roti’s have embarked on the journey from the mouth to the stomach, it is the time of the mallippoo rice. The rice is normally served in small mounds/mole hills – some people make “mountain out of these mole hills” too.
Sambar is poured on this – u first enjoy the aroma – slowly mix it – and take it down with the vegetables and appalam. (Mind it you have to be careful when the sambar is served as the ladles are quite big and if you don’t warn the waiters on the quantity of sambar served, you may land up trying to do modeling around “sambar flow” and optimizing so that it does not flow on to your pants).
Then comes rasam which is one of the best preparations here- the taste is superb and with rice it just goes into you. The above warning applies here also.
For those mouths and stomachs, where something chill has to go inside during a meal there are some interesting things like cocuum, lemon ginger juices and rose milk, badam milk etc.
Once a conglomeration of things has happened in the stomach, the need for a calming factor creeps in. That is when the ginger/coriander flavored butter milk provides the required effect. It starts with that tinge in the mouth and quickly flows into food pipe on to the stomach, moisturizing and cooling it.
You realize the line of contentment has reached- take a few deep breaths and get out of your chair slowly trudging towards the wash basin with the air of nonchalance of a Buddhist monk.
Sunday, May 13, 2007
Start - Ready Set Go
Raghu kalam has passed; Yama gandam is yet to come - let me start !!!!! just kidding-thought why i should not start a blog and pour my thoughts and feelings in a more streamlined and organized way (!!!!!!!!!) so that my friends (& others) can understand (I presume that the intellectual level of those reading this blog is at sane levels :-) ).
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