The young did come!

We have been regularly attending music concerts at two city sabhas where we observed that the audience which comprised mostly people in the 50-plus age group.

So it came as a pleasant surprise to see a mixed crowd including teenagers and children enjoying the concert of the vocalist T.M. Kishna at the Parthasarathy Swami Sabha on Christmas Day.

Having been in the U.S.A. for a long time, you bring Chennai’s music and dance events to our doors. Thank you immensely.
Your report on ‘Tired NRI Fest’ is thought provoking. Being an artist, your blanket statement about artistes living abroad has not done justice to them.
It is not easy for artistes from here to get into the main sabhas easily without making a mark by performing in Chennai.The late R. Ramachandran of Hamsadhwani opened the doors for these artistes who paid a life-time membership.
There are artists from U.S.A. who have made a mark in Chennai and internationally. One person that comes to mind is dancer Mythili Prakash whose dancing is not only superb but electrifying, Another is Puneet Panda, one of the foremost students of the Dhananjayans of Bharatakalanjali.

My wife and I recently settled down in Chennai after being abroad for three decades and have been enjoying the music season. We would like to share our first hand experiences.
The service being rendered by Fortune Refined oils for the rasikas by providing free transport to local sabha needs to be appreciated.
We have been attending concerts at Mylapore Fine Arts, at Vani Mahal and Sri Parthasarathy Sabha.
Kadri Gopinath and party performed on Dec.18 at MFAC: The artistes spent more time in praising each other on the stage and half of what Kadri said in Tamil could not be understood.
The Hyderabad Brothers (Dec. 21) did not render a single Tamil krithi. It is time they include a few Tamil songs in their concerts
The Parthasarathy Sabha must have a place of its own. The performances of Sanjay, T. M. Krishna and Aruna Sairam were excellent.
The washrooms are really bad here.
Also sabhas must also pay heed to management of free and paid concerts (the system of admittance and allocation of seats is bad)

A Day in the life of a rasika

Dedication to dance and music is often recognised only in the performers.
There are many diehard rasikas too who live and breathe music and dance, quietly enjoying the events on the stage. One such rasika we met this past week is Kanchana Ganapathy, aged 59 years.
She has an energy and spirit that would put the youngsters to shame.
Brought up in Shengalipuram in Tanjore district, marriage took her and her family to different parts. She says her passion for music got nurtured over the past 15 years when she started coming to Chennai for the December season.
After she settled two of her children and her husband passed away (four years ago), her first major decision was to shift to Chennai.
Her second decision was to choose a flat very close to Sri Krishna Gana Sabha which she regularly patronises.

During the ‘season’, her day starts at 5 am, earlier by one and a half hours than usual. “Can’t compromise on household chores either,” she says and finishes her cooking and pooja, switches on the washing machine and is all set at 7 am to attend the morning programme at SKGS.

She then attends the Natya Kala Conference which she highly appreciates for showcasing various classical dance styles. To understand the English lectures, she took to reading ‘The Hindu’ to better her language skills.

After the first speaker finishes the presentation at the conference she hurriedly hops across to the backstage to congratulate the artiste and comes rushing back for the second session.

Immediately after the conference, she goes back home to choose the concerts of the day and plan for lunch. She is on the road again.

Her important possession is what she jokingly calls her music kit. It contains two boxes like the film roll ones, one full of betel nuts which she chews after her coffee and snack at a sabha canteen in between the early and late evening programme. The other, the peppermint box, is to keep her breath fresh throughout the day.
Back home after nine, she thoroughly washes her house if it is a Friday the next day and goes on with her chores till about 11.30 pm.

She winds up her day reading the reviews of music concerts in the newspapers and planning for the next day.
A true rasika.

Check audio systems!

In one of the concerts by a sub-senior artiste at Sri Parthasarathy Swami Sabha at Vidya Bharathi, Mylapore audio system needed attention but none was available immediately. When the vocalist touched the top octave metallic sound emanated and the violin was not audible for some time at the start. The blend was not there. They were rectified soon.

I wish to recall an anectode. Whenever Maharajapuram Sri Santhanam came to mofussil sabhas, he would insist on the man in charge of audio system to be present a couple of hours earlier to the start. Sri Santhanam would visit the auditorium/hall with him, check the system and seating arrangements for rasikas.

He always wished rasikas to be seated as close to the dais as possible which provided interaction with him. This came to my memorary in the instant case. In most of the free concerts the first four or five rows of saets either remained vacant or occupied sparsely. This depressed the artistes.

An 'evesdrop' on 'backdrops'

How to draw the picture of a musical insrument like Veena or Mridanga on a canvas? If you go by aesthetics, it should be 'as viewed from the artist's side'. The stage-craftsmen invariably 'visualise' them 'as seen by the audience'.

The backdrops on the stages at a few venues lack imagination and even contain faulty drawings.

Thus we see the picture of a mridanga with the 'toppi' on the right side. Likewise at one Sabha backdrop, the resonant piece of Tabla is placed on the left side. If you argue that it would go well with left handers, there's danger lurking in representing stringed instruments as there is no question of left hand playing of any stringed vaadyam!

In a still different perspective, the picture of a tambura in a leading sabha, on closer examination, startles the rasika as it is almost 'toppling down'! Reason- the 'bulge of the Kudam' is depicted wrongly.

The western notations (Do Re Me?) are not correctly represented but 'casually drawn' at another venue!

Few realise that graphics have a deep impact on the onlooker. Mind you, music lovers keep gazing at the stage backdrops even as they enjoy concerts. It's sort of education to the young among the audience.

For a superb idea to convey a noble message with near perfection, go to 'The Big Brother' .The celebrated backdrop at the music academy showing the words 'The Music Academy' with each letter represented through picture of a music instrument is a fine example.

'Bhairavi' flood!

On Dec.22, coincidentally all the artistes of the concerts of 2pm, 4.30pm and 7.30, chose Bharavi as their main raga in Narada Gana Sabha!

In 2 pm slot, Raji Gopalakrishnan after a detailed delineation, sang , 'Yaro Ivar Yaro'.
Nithyasri in the 4.30 pm slot sang in detail Syama sastri's Swara Jathi 'Amba Kamakshi, Anudinamum Maravakane' , of course very well!

And last but not the least, OST in the 7.30 pm slot chose to sing in the same Bhairavi 'Padmavathi Ramanam'!!
So Music Academy has a point in requesting the artistes to give the list of the songs to be sung and distribute it!

Sowmya - too classy!

On Sowmya's Concert at the Narada Gana Sabha Dec. 17, there were two diametrically opposite views of the Rasikas!

One Section - the 'too Classy' felt elated that she sang Kritis rarely heard!
The other section felt she should have pleased the 'normal rasika' more as she does ofen!
Beginning with the Patnam Subramaniya Iyer's 'Todi' Varnam 'Era naapai' she moved on to Dikshitar's 'Parvathi Pathim' in Hamsadwani.

After Tyagaraja's Saveri 'Parasakthimanu' , she kept the 'normal rasika' wondering what she was singing next! But the 'classy' said it was a a Swarajathi of Syama Sastri in Kedaragowlai and admiring!

The 'trend' continued in the next song, which fortunately she announced was a Kriti in 'Bhavani', a Bhavapriya raga Janyam and a homage to her Guru Dr. S.Ramanathan. Then she sang the song, 'Bhavapriye Bhavani..' popularised by Dr. Ramanathan.
Then came the Tyagaraja song 'Vara Sikhivahana' , the only Kriti composed by the saint on 'Lord Subramanya' which naturally pleased immensely the 'classy', as it is very rarely sung!

An elaborate RTP in Karaharapriya followed next! By the by, in the NGS concerts 'Karaharapriya' seems to be 'the raaga of this season' as every one sang the Raaga! Jayadeva's Ashtapathi 'Pasyathi..' was the next, with the concert ending with the Bharathiyar song 'Villinyotha Puruvam Valaithanai Velava'.

Our German Friend who has been regularly coming every season to NGS for nearly a decade, commented, "I enjoyed the Concert very much!!"

Importance to Sruthi

Gayathri Venkataraghavan gave importance to sruthi always and maintained tonal quality throughout. In her concert for Margazhi Maha Utsavam on Dec. 15 at Kumararaja Muthiah Hall, she treated listeners with a variety of songs.

Discarding the current day fashion of electronic sruti, she went for traditional thambura - two of them producing sruti in unison. Her songs were in Nattai (Sarasiruga), Kalyani (Birana), Abohi (Sabapathikku), chandrajyothi (Sasivadana), Akilandeswari (Dwajavanthi), Madyamavathi (Saravana Bhava Guhane) and a ragamalika comprising Amithavarshini, Hamsanandi, Saramathi, Anandhabhairavi, Bhairavi, Kalyani, Todi and Vasantha.

Kalyani and Madyamavathi ragas were elaborated by Gayathri Venkataraghavan the former with full of brigas even at high octaves, with neravals and swara - prasthas for both. The ragamalika piece "Arulmazhai Pozhivai Amrithavarshini" was composed by Paramakudi Ravindran. Samaanamakuma in "Sabapathikku" (Abohi) is one word but many tend to break it into two as Samanama Kuma. Gayathri was no exception. Similarly proyogam 'Sh' prevailed for Siva, Charana Kamalam, Saravana bhava. Sa, Cha, Sh have to be pronounced differently.

Charumathi Raghuram on the violin aligned with vocalist in full measure and her Kalyani and Dwajavanthi stood apart. Nagaraj on mridangam and Prasanna on the Ghatam provided percussion support. Their short thani was executed in perfection.

Prize declared even before the event??!!

The exclusive Tani Avartanam concert of Palght T. R. Rajamani on the Mridanga supported by Bangalore Amrit on the Kanjira on 15th evening under the auspices of Srutilaya Kendra promoted by Guru Karaikkudi Mani has already been judged by rasikas as one among the great events of the 'season' - even before the carnival is over!!

The brief introduction by Karaikkudi Mani acknowledging the singular role of the legendary Palghat Mani Iyer in earning a supreme status for the Mridanga in the music world, provided the right ambience. When everyone in the audience was awaiting at least a brief reply from Rajamani - the worthy scion just said - "I shall play Aadi Taalam oru kalai"- and let the Mridangam speak!!

Believe me or not, it could be perhaps after several years that the discerning rasikas were treated to a supreme layavinyasam. The 'gene' of Palghat Mani Iyer was 'audible' in every stroke of Rajamani! With the spontaneous 'Sabhash' and 'bale-besh' exclamations pouring in from the audience which included stalwarts like Kamalakar Rao, the 45 minutes witnessed all the permissible gaits in Aadi Taala. The 'entry' into the various 'nadais' was scholarly as well as 'safe & secure' in the hands of Rajamani.

For the young Amrit, it was a milestone event and it appeared he could be a worthy successor to the throne of Kanjira Mahaamedhai Harishankar.

Rajamani's Khanda passages in particular, kuraippu patterns and the culminating 'korvai finale' were just superb.

The Mani Iyer legacy continues.

Kunnakkudy Zindabad!

The inaugural programme in the Sri Parthasarathy Swamy Sabha by Kunnakudy Vaidhyanathan and party was simply captivating. Kept the audience spellbound.

It was short and sweat.

Thavil thaniavardhanam was of very high quality traditional rendering applauded by all.

Kunnakudy’s Ragasudharasa was enjoyed by the rasikas very joyfully.

His accomplishing artists has really brought about a visibly miraculous effect with the houseful of rasikas.It was soothing to senses and was proving in an age of technology miracle, Thavil, a gist of ancient tail heritage instrument can hold the audience in a fantastic ecstasy. It conquered the outer surface of mine and has propelled every listener to discover themselves.

Violin and the Thavil judiciously blended gracefully presented added authenticity to the antique heritage.

The programme reminded me a timeless maxim "The end of all good music is to enlighten the soul".

As a common man I had a sumptuous treat with great delight indeed.

Music runs in his gene!

A jampacked hall with rasikas spilling on to the stage listened to the vocal concert of Sikkil Gurucharan on Dec. 12 for Brahma Gana Sabha, at Smt. Sivagami Pethachi Auditorium, Mylapore. (4.15 p.m to 6.15 p.m)

Starting with a Begada varnam, Gurucharan sang 'Inthaparakka' in Mayamalavagowla. He elaborated Manirangu with 'Mamavapattabhi Rama' bringing out all its nuances. This song was once very popular and rasikas enjoyed its revival. 'Arthanareeswaram' in Kumudakriya was lively.
'Chalamelara' in Margahindolam followed in a brisk pace.
Even as he was delienating Sankarabaranam in a leisurely way he surprised everyone by following it up with Todi Kalyani and Darbar - all with elaborate ragam rendering and sumptuous neravals - to make a ragam tanam pallavi with 'Sankarabarananai AzhaithThodi vadi Kalyani Darbarukku'.
The pallavi rendering was executed so neatly that listeners went into esctasy. 'Gopala Ratnam' in Kapi was the penulatimate song. He concluded by paying obeisance to Kanchi Mahaperiyava with a song in Hamsanandi. Gurucharan has gained adequate confidence over the years through sustained practice.

That music runs in his gene is beyond doubt.

Mysore Srikanth on violin followed the vocalist in toto and his Manirangu, Kumudakriya and the four ragas for RTP were good. Tiruvananthapuram Vaidynathan and Murali on Mridamgam and Ghatam respectively gave good support.

Different reasons to be at a concert!

After the inaugural function of a reputed sabha, it was time for the next programme which happened to be a nadaswaram concert. As usual, all the rasikas left and the hall was almost empty except for one person who was glued to the seat in the first row.

As I was about to leave, out of curiosity, I asked him, “Do you love hearing nadaswaram so much?” He replied, “It is 6.30pm now. I would rather sit and relax in the hall for sometime than drive back home in the hectic traffic!”