Dhananjayans’ lec-dem
The Dhananjayans were featured at the 3rd lec-dem
hosted by Brahadhvani’s. The theme - Rhythm.
Dhananjayan started with a note on his Kalakshetra
days as a student. Karaikudi Subrahmaniam , the founder
of Brahadhvani and Dhananjayan were classmates at
Kalakshetra.
This was the anecdote -
“Karaikudi Subrahmaniam’s grand father Karaikudi
Sambasiva Iyer was a teacher of vocal music and he used to
make his student (Rajeswari Padmabnabhan) get up by 4
a.m. and make her practice ‘Saralivarisai to Alankaram’
without break till 6 a.m.. He used to put ‘thalam’ on his
‘vethalai petti’ in white metal.
Dhananjayan said that only classical dance forms had
‘Geetham, Vadhyam and Nruthyam. All performers, the
artiste, the accompaniments and the nattuvanar should be
alert while presenting the show.
He said he was disheartened to note that Carnatic
musicians did not attend Bharathanatyam recitals and
appreciate the art.
He also recalled how Balamurali’s Kunthalavarali
Thillana was not taken up by any Bharathanatyam guru
for the fear of any controversy as it differed from
traditional Thillanas.
He wanted to be creative and took up the same, with
so many intricacies built in it . . when it was presented
in front of Balamurali, he was very happy and said it
was as though he had composed the thillana for their
sake. This thillana later became a very big hit and a
celebrated one too.
The demonstrations by the students were very good.
- V. Vasantha.
Vyjayanthimala’s
wonderful show
Vyjayanthimala’s dance on the theme “Sita Vislesha
Thrayam” (Sita’s Three
Separations from Rama) culled from Valmiki Ramayana
was presented at the Narada Gana Sabha on Thursday and
the dancer’s recital underscored what Shakespeare said—
”Age cannot wither her, nor custom stale Her Infinite
Variety”!
This is true of Vyjayanthimala.
Even for young dancers, ‘Eka Paathra Abhinaya’ is a tall
order but Vyjayanthimala played Rama, Sita, Lakshmana,
Ravana, Jatayu . . .
The audience was spell-bound for two hours!
Wonderful Vyjayanthimala.
Please Note - Bali repeats this recital on Jan.8, 2011
at 10 a.m. at The Music Academy
- Rajeswari Srinivasan
Rasikas deserve
better audio
I have been a regular at Sri
Parthasarathi Swamy Sabha’s fest year
after year and often we have to make do
with a poor audio system.
During the 2009 season almost all the
artistes faced this problem and we expected
an improvement in the service this year.
But this year too the same problem
continues.
Sudha Raghunathan made her own
arrangement for the audio.
Many rasikas made public their
annoyance during the performance of
Ms. Ranjani & Ms. Gayathri and also
during the performance of the Priya Sisters
but nothing has been done.
Surely, rasikas deserve better.
- Sankaran C. S.
Bhojana Brahmam
Ardent rasikas spend a lot of time in the
sabhas, away from home and hence, the
canteens are also important to them.
Thiruvalluvar rightly said,”When there is
no ‘food’ for the ear, we have to fill up the
belly too!
As I have been confined to Narada Gana
Sabha every season for over two decades,
this report concerns Gnanambika Canteen
at this campus.
The ambience here is good and every
‘server’ greets you with a smile.
So you find rasikas who attend concerts
at other sabhas dining here. Families of the
neighbourhood also dine here.
I was told that a move was on to give the
title of ‘Bhojana Brahmam” to the promoter
of this business.
Good idea!
- Rajeswari Srinivasan
Changing kutcheri pattern
It was Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar who evolved a pattern for
kutcheri singing, This pattern continued to be followed ever since.
A performer starts with a varnam, proceeds with invocatory items,
kritis with kalpanaswarams, the main compositions with raga alapana
exploring the raga in depth, including ragam thanam and pallavi, shor
kritis, thukkadas and thillana.
This method also prepared the performer to slowly and steadily
exhibit his talent.
Of late, performers have deviated from this. While some skip
varnams, a few others do away with invocatory items. Some pay
obeisance to Lord Muruga straightaway relegating his elder brother.
The latest trend is to sing a RTP - ragam thanam pallavi after the main
raga and have the thani avarthanam, This method results in a dull
concert
Can our musicologists comment on this trend?
Should we follow the set pattern or are the recent changes proper?
- Reported by A. Ramanathan.
Stories on the Big Temple
Dr. Padma Subramanian’s Lec-dem on Influence of Tanjore Big
Temple on Dance at The Music Academy was on Dec. 21 During the talk,
Padma wondered what would have happenend to workmen when they
tried to remove several feet of solidified bat excreta (vavvaal puzukkai)
which had accumulated between the walls under the vimana of the Big
Temple over a period of many hundred years?
Some of them fainted. Some of them even vomited blood. But their
hard work paid dividends. After the cleaning, the beautiful sculptures of
dancing Siva were found on the walls. Padma shared her personal
experiences at the temple over the past many years.
She said that a passage was accidentally discovered by one
Balakrishnan, an employee of Archeological Survey of India (ASI) while
removing weeds in the vimana of the temple in 1956.
This led to the discovery of 81 dance sculptures. The then ASI Joint
Director-General T.N. Ramachandran, identified the sculptures as 81 of
the 101 karanas portrayed in the Natya Sastra.
- Reported by Sundararaman
Mother-daughter combos
The Sangeetha Sandippu organised by Carnatica at
Sangeetha restaurant every evening fatured unique
combos on Monday.
We had an opportunity to listen to Gayathri Girish
and her daughter and Vasundra Rajagopal and her
daughter.
It was a lively interaction among all the four - of two
generations.
We also had an opportunity to meet their parents.
These meets are very interesting and we miss them after
concerts.
The duo also sang a bit for the rasikas present.
Thanks Carnatica.
- Bhanumathi S.
Whats in a name?
In the music world, names can sometimes confuse
new rasikas.
Recently a rasika landed at a concert said to be of
Shankar Mahadevan.
Now, this rasika thought it would be the playback
singer who was here to present a kutcheri. But he was
very disappointed!
There are two singers who go by the same name.
On Wednesday eve, while Sanjay Subramaniam was
singing for NGS, another vocalist who goes by the same
name was performing for Hamsadhwani, at about the
same time! But he has a Dr. prefixed to his name.
Thankfully, Kunnakkudy M.Balamuralikrishna has
set himself apart from the more illustrious maestro !
- Rajeswari Srinivasan
IFAS managers, please note
I happened to attend the music concert of M.S.Sheela
for IFAS at the Greman Hall, T. Nagar.
The door to the auditorium was kept open throughout
the programme and many volunteers and staff were
having a loud chat that made it difficult for us to listen to
the music concert for which we had come a long way and
paid the fees.
Despite my complaint, the disruption continued.
I was totally disappointed. I hope IFAS managers take
note of this issue and give rasikas value for money.
- C. S. Subramanian
Vijay Siva's lec-dem
This report is based on the Lec -Dem by Vijay Siva on Dec.18 on 'Devakriya, Devamrtavarshini, Manjari & Karaharapriya - A study.
Saint Thyagaraja has written only one kriti each in the first three ragas and 12 in the fourth, Karaharapriya.
I have not on the technical aspect of the lecture.
Vijay Siva played one audio of the song 'Evarani' in raga Devamrtavarshini sung by S. G. Kittappa. He said that this must have been sung in the1920s.
He said Kittappa sang the same on stage for a theatre show. A point to be observed was the accompaniment was a harmonium and not a violin. Vijay attributed this to the fact that the high pitch which Kittappa was singing in could not be matched by a violin.
Siva said that Muthiah Bhagavathar was to have produced a record of the same song but he dropped the idea as the song had already been popularised by Kittappa.
During the discussion session, V. Sriram clarified that on stage in the old days artistes moved here and there while singing for a theatre show. The violinist cannot follow them always whereas the harmonium could be carried around and played alongside the singer. The harmonium can also reach a huge crowd, Sriram added.
- Reported by V. Vasantha
Carnatica Brothers' gesture
Carnatica Brothers sang for The Mylapore Fine Arts Club
on Saturday morning (Dec.18}. K S Venkataraman the Club's secretary had passed away a few days ago. So Sasikiran recalled the request by Venkataraman at last year's performance to sing Kalyana Vasantham.
The Brothers composed a pallavi "Venkataramane Unnai
Poll Kalaa Poshakan Undoe" specially for this programme in this raga and rendered it to the delight of the audience who appreciated this gesture.
- Reported by A. Ramanathan.
Shyama Sastri special
Incessant rains did not deter the rasikas of Abishek Raguram from attending his Shyama Sastri special concert at Tattvaloka on Eldams Road on Dec.5 organised by Surabhi.
The concert started in time. Except for the inaugural "Ninnukkori" varnam in Mohanam, all the other compositions of the day were that of Shyama Sastri including his favorite Anandha Bhairavi (Mari Ve).
Abishek's rendition included "Tharunam Idhe", (Gowli Bandhu), one of the few Tamil compositions of Shyama Sastri.
I felt the organizers could have made a brief mention about the legend.
It was interesting to note that all the artistes including the Thambura player were provided with two mikes. Was the arrangement a backup or a special privilege?
- Reported by Sundararaman
Bombay Jayashri on ‘harmony’
VI was at the Anita Ratnam-Bombay Jayashri 'interaction' at UOS event at Pethachi Auditorium yesterday. After Jayashri's lec-dem on "Melody", Anita set the
ball rolling - her first question was, "How would Jayashri, make a 3 year old understand 'Melody' ?".
Pat came Jayashri's reply - "Why 3 years, when my son was 3 months old, I used to convey, 'Melody' by singing the Tamil lullaby, "Kanne Kanurangai.." and he used to sleep deeply, engrossed in the melody!"
One rasika asked her - "Is it a good practice that should be followed by all musicians - to announce the raga before singing the 'kriti' ?"
Jayashri said that on most occasions she forgot to announce the raga as she was deeply involved in the music and in the singing.
This reminded me of what singer Nithyasri said after her concert about an organiser insisting on her singing Kambodhi as he liked the raga very much.
She did but the man did not realize it till she told him so after the concert!
- By Rajeswari Srinivasan
TNK's anecdotes
Vidwan P. S. Narayanaswamy was at the concert of vidwan T.N. Krishnan at the event organised by Govt, of Kerala at The Music Academy.
He recalled his association with Krishnan which began in their childhood.
Krishnan shared a few anecdotes
He said he called PSN 'Pichchai', his nickname at home rather than PSN.
He also said he used to visit PSN's home at Kumbakonam from the age of 10. His grandfather took interest in TNK and introduced him to music circles.
Krishnan said PSN's grandfather was very keen about the Guindy Horse Races. He used to stay at Modern Cafe in Madras during the racing season. On a few occasions, the senior man took Krishnan along and they had a good time.
Krishnan always has stories to tell at his concerts - both, music and stories are good.
Reported by V. Vasantha
About December Season
Rasika