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Sunday, October 31, 2010

TM Krishna at Gayan Samaj (31st Oct 2010)

While I sit to write this, the smell of TM Krishna’s mellifluous voice is still unsullied. Look at this, my senses seem to be lulled – I smell voice:). Well, just back from Vid. TMK’s concert at Gayan Samaj, what more do you expect from me! This isn’t intended to be a concert review, but is a sincere exposition of what I, as an audience experienced there.

Everyone knows TMK as a man of surprises. One just cannot go and sit in his concert and exclaim, “I guessed TMK would sing this”. The concert opener was one such. “Devadeva kalayami” in mayamalavagowla, the raga often suggested for beginners was handled with “old hands”. What grandeur in rendition! The first brisk krithi in place of the accustomed varnam with a detailed neraval at “Jaatharupa nibhachela” followed by swarakalpana set the concert stage to degree of effervescence. TMK did announce that the concert was dedicated to his Guru Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer, so “Deva deva” should have ideally not surprised the audience. The second piece was an atypical composition by Sri Thyagaraja, “Sanaathana paramapaavana ghanaaghana varna kaamadahana” in raga phalamanjari; quite a redolent raga – guess its kharaharapriya’s janyam. Thanks to TMK for introducing such exceptional compositions; every concert becomes a room of learning for upcoming musicians and music students.

A detailed alaapana in Natai trailed. “Jagadaanandakaaraka”  - Thyagaraja’s pancharatna krithi needs no prologue. This was rendered with majesty. Marvelous involvement and an outstanding clarity of diction were exhibited. Surprise element did creep in here too – neraval at “Omkara panjara-kira purahara saroja bhava keshava”.( A sparkling kamach in TMK's style, or SSI’s Kshinamai(mukhari) or Sriranjini(marubalka) was probably what the musical audience looked for.)

Music has come a long way from our learned ancestors. We see a strapping change.  The young artistes have lineage-d the knowledge and skill from our early masters and are seen deploying them with style yet traditionally. If we see the 3 compositions spoken of till now, we will notice that one composition embraced swarakalpana, another - a simple krithi rendition, yet another - alapana and neraval . The various departments of Carnatic system are exhibited with grace and with a difference, each in a separate raga.  

Dikshitar’s “Narasimha aagachcha” in mohanam followed. Crisp clean diction reflected textual understanding, vowel pronunciation, and tonal color. The raga of veera rasa, mohanam was levered with vigor. No show, an undemanding krithi rendition in all its simplicity wedged the audience to their seats.

The main piece began half-way through the concert - an elaborate Natakuranji. After a pancharatna kriti, I was tempted to try a “pattern-find” for the main composition and expected the Navgraha kriti, Budhamaashrayami to commence. Shyamashastry’s “Mayamma nannu brovavamma” was a surprise, extremely pleasant. Natakuranji is a raga which probably goes incomplete if mandara sthayi(lower octave) prayogas are missed out. Krishna demonstrated this aesthetically by reaching down to taggusthayi (taggu = madara = lower octave) nishada and even shadja. What a voice texture!  His voice just listens to his finger movements; as he takes his fingers/hands down, his voice follows like a slave to his command. Can’t imagine the mid-night oil (or should I say early-morning oil :) ) he would have burnt and the energy he would have scalded over the years to master this. The audience were reminded of the masters of the by-gone era for the patient rendition of the vilamba krithi Mayamma. I am tempted to talk about the patterns played-around-with in the kalpanaswara section - the time tested “g3-m1-p-g3-r2-s”, salient use of “m1-g3-r2-s”, natakranji stamp “m1-g3-s-n2-d2-n2-s” or the clever “s-n2-d2-n2-p-d2-n2-s”; sorry (to the non-musical readers) about my indulgence into the technical details, I shall leave it here. But before moving on, the piece was a clear message for the music students on the handling of kampita swaras, exploit of the voice range, and vilamba kriti rendition. 

An impeccable tani by Vid. Shrimushnam Raja Rao and Vid. Ramanujam set in. Sri Raja Rao’s illustrious musical background, his musical voyage speaks for his onstage presence. His scintillating strokes kept the audience seated (there were a few walk-outs during tani, negligible though). His soft and deft strokes were cajoling against the very nature of the instrument. Having performed all over India and the world with leading musicians, he continues to foster his rich heritage and shyli through his numerous students. Vid. G S Ramanujam on ghatam was entertaining and showed his zest and merit while remaining an upa-pakkavadya through the rest of the concert. The masterly duo visually presented the intricacies of laya to the audience consisting of both knowledgeable group and laymen.
 
No filler after this main piece and before the colossal RTP. Expected a thodi, but Shubhapantuvarali was quite welcoming. An intricate aalapana contouring Tarastayi Nishada, shadja with even traces of rishabha(athi-tarastayi) and atimandara stayi sancharams was the pick of the concert. We often get to hear – “it’s the limitation of voice and its range; that’s where an instrument surpasses the vocal instrument.”. Krishna proved this wrong. His sancharams in various octaves looked so much free-of-strain, am still bamboozled.( Should take it up with him sometime over mail if he obliges. )The violin Vid. Sri H.K.Venkatram modestly proclaimed that he needed a 7 or 8 stringed violin to match Krishna’s range. A crisp tanam followed. Pallavi was  a clever-make. It looked custom made for the Bangalore audience “Neere nee kare tare mara sundarana” in chatusra jampa talam(2 aksharam(in 2nd kala) edupu). His unsophisticated expressions had universality, captured audience of all age groups. The ragamalika section of pallavi revealed an artiste at work, proved that carnatic music is a form that gets structured, chiseled by the musician on stage, a transparent edifice. We heard begada, sri and nalinakanthi in the neraval segment (interesting was the steering-back-to-shubhapanthuvarali part) and a host of different ragams – Kaanada, Hamirkalyani and kapi for swaraprastara. Kapi was outstanding. He exploited the 2 gandharams, 2 daivathas and 2 nishadas of kapi with grace. (Thani thaniya poova thodukaramadri paadi kaamichar). It was precisely a tour de force.

The thukuda section( I understand thukuda is a wrong term, none of our artistes take any composition so light that we can call it a thukuda. anyway….) set in with a beautiful sloka “mounam ganga shasahankam karacharanatale” – a dedication to TMK’s guru SSI. This was set to ragas Aanandabhairavi, sahana , dhanyasi and sindhubhairavi followed by SwathiTirunal Maharaja’s well celebrated Vishvishwar darshan. TMK’s taala jnana is so amazing, he s never seen to tap his lap to keep the calculations unlike some concerts where we see the musician in the center stage vigorously tapping to exhibit the talam (Am not condemnatory, saying TMK is right and the rest are wrong or otherwise; this is just an observation from the concert)

Ka va vaa kanda va vaa in varali was the pre-mangala rendition. It was past 3 hours since Krishna started the concert and the stage looked as if the kutcheri had just begun, there was so much freshness and life in his voice. 

Vid H K Venkatram was never too judgmental or nosey. His rich experience with the instrument never showed up in his attitude but did beautifully screen-up in his playing. His rendition of shubhapanthuvarali was soulful.      

Thanks to Vid. TM Krishna for the brilliant concert.

Concert picks: TMK’s range, his ease of handling daatus(daatu swaras), lucid voice, humorous interludes setting in a homely atmosphere on stage, his warm and witty personality, Sri RajaRao’s speaking mridangam( language is indeed a barrier – I wish to say, avaroda mridhangam pesardhu).


Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Sanjay Subramaniam at Gayan Samaj (26th oct 2010)

Heaven isn’t different :) I am sure people who attended Vid. Sanjay Subramaniam's concert yesterday at Gayan Samaj would agree with me.

If there is anything called "bliss", "blissful harmony", then it is this!

Do I talk about the soulful madhyamavathi or Sanjay's ever mukhari or the elaborate simhendramadhyamam? Do I talk about his spontaneity in swara prasthara or his creativity in the ragaalapana? His varieties in thanam or the sahitya handling in neraval? Each time I come out of Sanjay's concert, I exclaim that that’s the best ever and so did I yesterday too.

Each piece was unique. Every piece was a master piece.

The concert took off with atta tala varnam, guess that was in kedaragowla. Can’t understand where does he dig deep to get such rare collections. The second piece surprised the crowd. A crisp varali in place of usual natai or hamsadwani, "eti janmamidi". It was crisp and deft yet deep. Varali was followed by a slightly elaborate Marga hindolam."Chalamelara saketharama" – a definite brand for this raga was executed with a detailed alapana and swara kalpana margining the nuances of the raga skillfully. I could hear the crowd murmuring "saramathi" during the alapana of marga hindolam; I would definitely say it was more because of non-expectation of marga hindolam at this juncture, and in this elaborate fashion that even the learned folks were little off-key. Sanjay convoluted on a raga which people don’t even use as a concert filler these days. Kudos Sanjay!

“Bagu meera” in shankarabharanam was lucid and evocative. Shankarabharanam -the old-world charm was handled in its entirety. Mukhari succeeded this. “Shivakama sundari” – I have always associated Mukhari with Sanjay, even after hearing mukhari from several other veterans. No elaborations, no extravaganza, simple krithi rendition; it was out of the world, Sublime!

A detailed madhyamavathi followed this. “Palinchu kamakshi” - What an expansive alapana, a majestic neraval at “kanthamagu peru pondhithivi karunyamoorthivai jagamu kapadina talli” and a vibrant swara prasthara. Madyamavathi was aesthetically rendered, no modern day gimmicks, the traditional raga was given its best due.

Swathi Tirunal’s celebrated krithi in kuntalavarali “Bhogindra shayinam” came next. The Devanagari piece had the needed sahitya shuddhathe(clean pronunciation and rendition).

Next came the main section - RTP in Simhendramadyama . He handled a detailed alaapana, not leaving any bit unturned; Simhendramadhyama raga on its own is quite captivating; Sanjay added to the aesthetics of it giving it his stamp, unexpected brugas, with his head nodding swiftly to match up the pace of his singing. It was a sight to capture, a musical feast to hold on to! Thanam was masterly, reflecting the conventional tanam varieties; Shankha thanam needs a special mention here; Words fall short to explain. By the time he started with Pallavi, in misra chapu the auditorium was completely energized. There was a smell and spell of simhendramadhyama in the ether all around. There was a skillful portrayal of khanda nadai . His manodharma saw no bounds; it seemed as if the notes were dancing to his command. The Pallavi was set to ragamalika. Sahana, mohanam and anandabhairavi were handled briefly; natakuranji, hindolam, kedara, kapi , behag and suruti though gave a swift peek, left an aesthetic presence.
There were few walk-outs during the tani-avarthanam phase, but this no little diluted the pace and the vibrance of tani. Vid Neyveli Venkatesh and Vid Guruprasanna complimented each other gracefully throughout the tani and displayed their mastery over their instruments; Through the reminder of the concert, the layam blended seamlessly with the compositions. There were a plenty of offerings by the violinist Vid Varadarajan in addition to an attentive support to the main artiste. His swara kalpana in madhyamavathi stood apart; manodharma and krithi handling were commendable.

Dasara nindisabeda in Desh and Vishweswar darshankar in sindhubhairavi pleasantly decorated the thukudas section.

Its 15-16 hrs past the concert now and I am still in a state of trance. Sanjay took us through a musical dimension. The audience sat dumbfounded for whole 3 hrs or more.The concert showed remarkable maturity and poise. There was speed when needed, but nothing was compromised for it.
A genuine sensation, a power packed performance , total mastery, a rage of finesse..... Yesterday was a witness to all these!

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Experiencing the Navagraha krithis

Cannot thank enough for the wonderful Navagraha krithis’ get-together yesterday at Guru’s place. What a commemoration to the closure of Navaratri! He always has a special and musical way of celebrating occasions.

Thanks to the Musical Guru Dikshitar for making Navagraha homa possible and easy for everyone who is committed to the divine art - MUSIC. It is said that reciting Dikshitar’s 9 compositions on the 9 planets yields the palan(result) of a detailed Navagraha pooja. If I say we experienced, for an hour and half, the direct effect of vibrational energy while singing the navagraha krithis yesterday, it wouldn’t be an overstatement. People who doubt the vibrational medicine should be part of such gatherings to comprehend the experience.

Let me utilize this blog post to heave in details on Navagraha krithis from my other blog (is now obsolete).

Dikshitar was a musical genius. His compositions encompassed every realm of learning - Mythology, Devotion, Divinity, Vedanta, Astrology. In every composition, the lyrics are seen to subtly weave with the talam employed, making it a majestic temple complex. Navagraha krithis are Dikshitar's compositions on 9 planets (grahas). It is believed that "Brihaspathe" in raga "atana" was first of the 9 krithis to be composed. The story(a version known to me, pardon me if there are better and more genuine versions of this narration) behind this great proceed goes like this:

A villager, Thambiappan once suffered from stomach ailment and no Doctor or medicine could come to his help. He approached Sri Mutthuswami Dikshitar, learned man in the neighborhood. On knowing Thambiappan’s ailment, Dikshitar jotted the birth chart of Thambiappan-His horoscope. From the chart, he inferred that Brihaspathi-Jupiter was not in a position much favored and that his ailment could see cure only if the Grahadhipathi of Jupitor, Brihaspathi was pleased. He proposed few rituals to appease Brihaspathi, but a commoner like him would find such rituals difficult to understand and hence to perform.
This enthused Dikshitar to wrap these compound rituals in a package accessible to all. He then composed “Brihaspate” in Atana ragam to propiate the planet Jupiter and prescribed this divine medicine to Thambiappan. As ordained, his ailment was cured in a week. After this incident, Dikshitar composed krithis on all the nine planets.

Salient traits to be observed here are the choice of raga and tala for each krithi. Talas, out of suladhi sapta thalas are carefully chosen to match each planet’s rotary motion. Tala, like the planetary movements, is a measure of time. The astrological periods of time are mapped with the musical intervals - talas.

Sampoorna-bhashanga ragas are chosen for these exceptional krithis. “Sampoorna” ragas musically indicate the complete mastery(independence) of each Grahadhyaksha/Grahadhipathi on that particular planet. The free unfettered movement of the grahas is mirrored by bhashanga ragas which do not get disturbed by shackles of janaka ragas, but freely imbibe anya swaras.
1. Suryamurthe Namosthuthe -Saurashtra Raga, Chaturasra Druva Tala
2. Chandram Bhaja Manasa -Asaveri Raga, Chaturasra Matya Tala
3. Angarakam Ashrayamyaham - Surati Raga, Rupaka Tala
4. Budham Ashrayami - Nattakurunji Raga, Misra Jhampa Tala
5. Brihaspathe Tarapathe -Atana Raga, Tisra Triputa Tala
6. Sri Sukhra Bhagavantham -Paraj Raga, Khanda Atta Tala
7. Divakaratanujam Shanaishcharam -Yadukulakamboji Raga, Chaturasra Eka Tala
8. Smaramyaham Sadarahum -Ramapriya Raga, Rupaka Tala
9. Mahasuram Ketumaham -Shanmukhapriya Raga, Rupaka Tala

Navagraha krithis are known for their musical and lyrical brilliance. (Singing) These compositions shield us with divine power; leave us with an out of world experience. It feels as if everything is still, yet active; asleep yet awake; These masterpieces take us to a trance.

Carnatic maestro Vid. Madurai Mani Iyer yet again proved the gratified essence of these compositions by being an example himself. (http://maduraimani.tripod.com/id11.html)
Our musical ancestors knew and showed that music heals, ages back, and we are still contemplating!

Ref:journal of guruguha gana vidyalaya - Dr.Gauri Kuppuswamy and Dr.M.Hariharan
Wikipage for Navagraha krithis