GAYATHRI GIRISH-ARASI’S CD RELEASE CONCERT

[CRama]

The fifth CD of our Arasi Madam’s composItions sung by Gayathri Girish was released in the Ragasudha Hall on 8/1/15. Shri Cleveland Sundaram released the CD and the first copy was handed over to Smt Jayalakshmi Santhanam famous carnatic vocalist. Prayer song was rendered by Vishruthi Girish (daughter of Gayathri Girish). The song was Aadi Parasakthi aNaiyum maNi magavE Aadaritharulum aanai mukha deivame-Nattai.

In her welcome address, Arasi remarked that VVS is the individual who has taken lot of efforts to spread CM in US. He has taken it as a mission to bring the younger generation of US get exposed to the great cultural heritage of India more specifically its music and dance. Today if many youngsters from that part of globe have taken music and dance as a career, the credit goes to people like Cleveland VVSundaram. VVS remarked about another such person Rajagopalan who was sitting in the last row. He said Rajagopalan never likes to sit the front, but he has done yeomen service in spreading CM in US. Jayalakshmi Mami was Arasi’s Chithi and she became very emotional during the function. When she said enakku pesa varathu, pada than theriyum, every body shouted padungo. Then she along with her niece and Arasi madam sang one composition of Arasi in the ragam Charukesi. Even at this ripe age, JS is capable of singing well. This incident also revealed another facet of Arasi - the musician. No wonder, she belongs to a great musical family. Some points from Cleveland VVS’s address.

• Amazed at the imagination power of Arasi- she has composed about 1000 songs in various genres, ragas and talas.
• Simple language, but powerful lyrics.
• Fully complying with the grammer of the language.
• She has set the tune also for her songs- sign of a uthama vaggeyakara. She has used heavy ragas like Kambodi, Todi, Saveri as well lighter ones like Bagesree.
• Bharathiar told- sundara telunginil paattisaippom. Had he heard Arasi’s songs,he would have sung sundara thamizhinil paattisaippom.
• He introduced the high attributes of JS to the audience who are not much familiar with this great musician. VVS and Arasi madam said that JS did not receive the recognition that she deserved considering her high quality music, patanthara sudham. etc
• Arasi said that in Feb, their family is celebrating the centenary of Prof VVSadagopan in Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan and at that time, JS will be giving a concert. WE will get an opportunity to hear her chaste music at that time.

This was followed by the concert of Gayathri Girish accompanied by Raghavender Rao on the violin, B.Sivaraman on the Mridangam and Trichy Murali on the Ghatam. Gayathri Girish told that herself and Arasi madam spent considerable time and energy and thought in choosing the songs for the CD- everything through mail. GG complimented Arasi for her patience and dedication. The songs in this CD titled PAATTU DEEPAMAY OLIRUDE (released on that day) are on the various Gods. GG also told that she could see the influence of Ambujam Krishna, Papanasam Sivan etc in the compositions of Arasi. GG rendered some of the songs included in the CD.

The list of songs
Aanaimukha deivame enai aandarulum gnana vadive Vinayakane-Bilahari (S)

Anumane maru than magane unai vanangi varupavarkku arul tharul- Hindolam (R)

Guruve saranam -Dhanyasi preceded by slokam Mouna vaakhya which is the Dhyana Shloka of the Dakshinamurthy Stotra of Adi Shankara. This Dhyana Shloka is found in the work "mAnasOllAsa" by Sureshwaracharya.

Kallamillaathunnai panivorkkarulum vellai malar amar Vaaniye kalaimaniye- Saraswathi (R)

Kandaa vel Murugaa Pazhanimalaiurai –Saveri (R,S)

Thani

Vandupogum inda ulagile Nondaalum Aanandam kondaalum- Sumanesaranjini

Thirumangai azhvar pasuram- Shanmugapriya,Sahana, Valaji

Amarndavanai Ninaindal aruge ninriduvaan

Paattu deepamay olirude-Patdeep

The song Guruve Saranam is on Dakshinamurthy - As per special request made by GG
Vandupogum inda ulagile is a philosophical song as requested by GG
Kanda vel Muruga- Influence of Papanasam Sivan’s Kaa Vaa Vaa can be seen in the lyrics –Pazhani malai urayum
Amarndavanai Ninaindal - This is on the amarnda thirukkolam, ninra thirukkolam, etc of Perumal as seen in some of the 108 Divya desams. The Thirumangai azhvar pasuram was also on the same theme.
Paattu deepamay- most aply tuned in patdeep.

As in all her thematic concerts, GG put her heart and soul in rendering the songs- highly accomplished in portraying the bhavam of the composer. Eventhough the raga outline has been given by Arasi it was much polished with appropriate sangathis by GG and she has done a commendable job. Elaborate swaras were rendered for Bilahari and Saveri. Raga Saraswathi was rendered elaborately- the raga swaroopam unfolded in the first phrase itself- without any ambiguity. This ragam is very rarely heard in the concerts and happy that GG chose this ragam. I was particularly happy in hearing this Saveri because although it has reported in the forum about the excess portrayal of Saveri in this season, I did not hear an elaborate Saveri in any of the 55 concerts attended by me. The elaborate alapana of Saveri and the cascade of swaras added weight to the whole concert. GG presented the Thirumangai azhvar pasuram in Shanmugapriya, Sahana and Valaji- in the reverse order of the song that followed.

I do hope GG will render these songs in her concerts so that the songs get the popularity they deserve.The melodious rendering of the new song by Vishruthi shows that she follows her illustrious mother and Guru in learning new songs. Keep it up Vishruthi.

The same accompanists had played in the CD. They highly embellished the concert.

[rshankar]

Thank you for the review! Kudos to Smt. Gayathri, and congratulations to Arasi again.
Hopefully, you'll now be able to relax and take things a bit more slowly.

[Nick H]

Thank you, CRama, for the comprehensive review, and the content translation which is so valuable to those of us who are, err, linguistically challenged.

[arasi]

CRama,
Thank you for writing such a detailed review on the second event as well. I appreciate your being there on both occasions. Was happy to see your equal partner on the 8th! You and Rajesh, though they were working days, made it to Ragasudha on both days!

Rajesh was there for the release of my very first CD. Wrote a surprisingly long review for an unknown composer. Sri and Srimathi V Kokilam, VKV, Coolji (and others?) too came. Rajesh could not come for other releases because he was abroad on those days. Anyhow, his detailed review on the CD on an unknown composer was so unexpected!

GAYATHRI GIRISH gave a lovely concert, her care from day one of our deciding on this project reflected in her singing and a season and travel weary throat did not deter her. Her care and empathy with the composer showed in every song. We were short of time. Otherwise, she would have sung one of both our favorites at the end--maRagatha siRagsaindE varum mayilE in bhAgESri...

After hearing and reading about the songs, here are some facts as I know them: No, I only have about five hundred or more songs to date.

The artistes sing them faithfully, in the way the songs came to me. Slight variations occur because of my lack of knowledge in tALA, and in a few instances, a sangathi or two is born out of the artistes' mood. Veteran vidushi Neela Ramgopal herself barely altered the musical structure of the songs. They felt that the musical expression of feeling in the songs had to be kept intact. I thank Sumitra Nitin, Neela Ramgopal, Gayathri Girish and Suryaprakash for their caring...

[cienu]

Thank you C Rama for such a detailed report and review.
And congratulations to Arasi on the successful release of both her albums in 2015.

[arasi]

ABOUT THE EVENT:

Mahavishnu's parents made me so happy by being there till the end.

Nick and Srimathi did not have that customary repast with us, but we did meet quite a bit at concerts and after them--also on that remarkably precipitatious day of the GBL concerts. Sure enough,Nick was there for Gayathri Girish's concert. Sorry, I spoke in tamizh this time, and Rama's translation helped him.

Was so good to have forumite Meenaakshi and mate there.

Sri.V.V.Sundaram has always been gracious to me. I'm thankful that a busy person like him has found time to release four of my CDs! Hope that I deserve some of his compliments, at least in theoming years

About Vidushi Jayalakshmi Santhanam:

Though she hasn't been keeping good health the past year or so, she made the evening a precious one by being there. She loved the sAvEri and kAmbOdhi kriti a lot, she said, then got emotional, and when she was about to sing mayilERi oylAy varuvAi in ChArukESi, she had 'a senior moment', forgot the rAgA and started in another rAgA which confused both me and Padma Srinivasan who tried to figure out JS's drift and I had to intrude, singing it in chArukESi!

The family will make sure that she treats us with her masterly singing during the centenary celebrations!

[rajeshnat]

Arasi CD release-Gayathri Girish@ragasudha on Jan 08th,2015
-----------------------------------------------
Vocal : Gayathri Girish
Violin : B Raghavendra Rao
Mrudangam : B Sivaraman
Ghatam : Trichy Murali

Concert Type : Nirvana - No concert to follow
Day/Duration : Thursday/ 1 hour and 45 minutes concert
Concert Type/Crowd : Free concert - ~100 peak
Occassion : Arasi CD release of PAttu deepamai olirudhe
Hall : Ragasudha Hall

1A. Opening Speech By GG
1b. Anai Mukha DeivamE(RS S)-bilahari
3 minutes of swaras

2. anumanE(R)-hindOlam
2 minute of alapana and violin return

3A. dhyanaslokham-dakshinamoorthyslokham
3B.guruvE sharanam(N S)-dhanyasi
neraval in mOdha nilai thanilum??? ennai kAthidhum for 2 mins
swaras for 3 mins

04.kallam illAthu Unnai(R)-saraswati
05A. Kandan velan (R S T)-saveri
4 mins alapana and 3 mins violin return
3 mins swaras
05B. tani for 6 mins

06. vandu pOgum indha ulagilE(R)-sumanesaranjani

07A.viruththam And
07B. amarNdhavanai ninaiNdAn- ragamaliga - valaci , sahana and shanmughapriya

08.pAttu deepamai OlirudhE-patdeep

GG released her CD and I only attended her concert .As I walked in the concert was about to start . GG indeed has a very presentable communication . She gives the essence and does not meander with words . She thanked Arasi , Cleveland VVS ,Jaya of ragasudha and spoke about arasi- her humility and how she as an artist was feeling special just like suryaprakash who was in the audience to sing compositions on Arasi . Incidentallly apart from Suryaprakash , I saw mannargudi easwaran and apart from those two performing musicians arasi chitti , the biggest chear leader without a cd release was there -Vidushi jayalakshmi santhanam.

GG started with a vinayaka krithi in bilahari , the krithi was quite good but as she wrapped with swaras , i was feeling there are indeed many compositions of vinayaka in the past and I was not sure if this particular arasi composition on anai mukha deivamE will stand . Out popped a lovely hindOlam, krithi was really good with the lord being anumane, GG settled better with HIndolam and the emote with lines matched , hindOlam is such a beauty there.

GG gave a small introduction about Guru , i was not sure which Guru it was, was that Guru as a tutor , teacher or was that a navagraha guru. The answer came up post dhyana slokham of dakshinamoothy which GG rendered well , the krithi was say a general guru vandanam . Dhanyasi krithi of Arasi had more points only from anupallavi onwards , not much there at all in pallavi . GG neraval in dhanyasi was not that great as her voice did not open that well.

Saraswati krithi with an alapana was concise and the krithi was sung well , nice words on Goddess saraswati and it was certainly a nice prathi drop. In saveri GG explained quite a bit about the song , she told the composition on Lord muruga has a certain structure like kA vA vA of papanasam sivan with a bit of swaraksharam . I felt the delivery of GG did not come out that well in saveri , the rhythmn turns of GG did not match with the krithi demand and I felt the main was indeed not sung that well by GG.

The first tukkada post main was sumanesa ranjani , with her alapana for few minutes the emote was stirred well , arasi composition was in philosophy and not on bhakthi for emotive sumanesa ranjani. GG may have had in her mind when she did this song mapped with a popular soul stirring composition of Bharathiyar in sumanesa ranjani - Unnai arindavar mAyai sung by sunOdha vinodhan superstar Tanjore s kalyanaraman . Just like how we have a papansam sivan carbon copying few T krithis , I felt arasi composition of sumanesaranjani was lovely- the slopes of the krithi vandu pOgum indha ulagilE had very much aesthetics of SKR unmai arindavar mAyyai. For me the pick was hindolam and sumanesa ranjani

The ragamaliga amarNdhavanai ninaiNdAn in valaci ,sahana and shanmughapriya with the preceding viruththam in reverse order of ragas was built up quite well, felt bit more power in shanmughapriya and bit more emote in sahana would have been better . She ended with patdeep - her CD Pattu deepamai had the raga patdeep in it- the krithi was a very good finish.

THe accompanist played well and had a limited role , the pick was trichy murali. B sivaraman could have shown more rhythmmic strokes especially for saveri krithi . Raghavendra Rao played well . The tani was just a customary drop - had to do with the occassion and they kept it that way.

GG could have bit more voice power, at quite a few places there is not enough thrust because her throw was not that adequate. Bit more internalization especially in saveri main would have been better.In the cd there are other compositions apart from thamizh may be one of that would have been a good drop.

Great show Arasi - i hope your two cds is well received , when I have time i will hear those.

Overall a good to very good concert for 1 hour and 45 minutes.

[arasi]

Rajesh,
Thank you for being there and for reviewing. I missed not seeing you when the concert ended

As I keep thinking and saying, new songs are difficult to sing, initially. That is understandable. pudup pADalum nAppazhakkam (new songs need practice).

No wonder, musicians mostly choose well known songs to sing, opting for established composers.
Gayathri Girish is among the rare ones who break this rule and take up new compositions and rAgAs boldly.

As for JS, she has sung them all, the classical ones, and as you suggest, how I wish our family chooses some gems from her concerts and produces CDs of them!

Forum fellows: Who were all there, I wonder. I might have missed seeing one or two.

Thanks to MAE for being there. I missed seeing him, though his wife was very sweet and introduced herself. It didn't strike me that MAE was there too (since he sat in back row).

[arasi]

Oh, the young man's face looked very familiar--of the one who asked for sumanesaranjani's ArOha avarOha. I do forget names and even faces very easily nowadays

[arasi]

Ravi,
Yes, rest and recuperation time now!
In all the hurried, harried state, I missed doing, saying a few things. I was going to ask Gayathri to speak before we got off stage. She is such a lucid speaker! Other misses too

[mahavishnu]

Arasi: My parents were delighted to be at the event! Thank you so much for your warmth and hospitality.
I look forward to listening to the album.

[kamalamba]

Congratulations Arasi madam; I would love to listen to the compositions if CDs are available.
Would have been really nice to attend this concert by GG.

[arasi]

Cienu,
I missed you. You had taken enough days away from work during the season, and Aishwarya's concerts meant you had to be in Chennai. I very much wanted to be at the Aishwarya& Aishu concert but couldn't make it. I did hear her sing at Partha and though it was the end of the season, she proved herself to be a pro. Anuthama's violin accompaniment was very good too. Sivaraman's mridangam as well.

In Aishwarya's case, she has sung several times a brand new song of mine, the one about your grandmother. She surprised me by singing gAnak kuyil that day. the woman who sat next to me was moved by it and asked me: whose song is it? I said, en pATTuththAn, and you came just then to say hello! It's the subject of the song who is the inspiration.

Mahavishnu,
It was good to have your parents that evening with us after spending time together at CBL's all day concerts.

Mohan,
Gayathri's involvement in giving voice to the lyrics was commendable. I am an admirer of her intelligence in general, and in particular, her approach and expression in music. Above all, I have to mention her endearing personality

Swathi Soft Solutions has released the CDs. I don't know when you can see them on their website.

[vasanthakokilam]

Congratulations Arasi. Very glad that everything went well. Thanks CRama and Rajesh for the reports.

She(Aishwarya) surprised me by singing gAnak kuyil that day. the woman who sat next to me was moved by it and asked me: whose song is it? I said, en pATTuththAn

Ah. Nice. Such heartfelt appreciation is the best recognition one can get for one's work.

[arasi]

How true!
When Gayathri Girish sang 'oru nALEnum un iDadu padam nilam UnRi ninRAl enna?' last season (from Neela Ramgopal's CD), it was the same. A few in the audience came up to me and said how much they liked it.

Sumitra Nitin included 'indap piLLai enna seyyum, idaRkenna theriyum enbAL' from her CD this year in her NGS concert.That was appreciated by a few.Yes, coming fro strangers, the compliments mean more

[arasi]

Meenaakshi,
It was good to see you and your partner in the audience. Thought you would add your thoughts. Since you came without your camera, we miss the candid shots...

[maduraimini]

First, I want to congrtulate Arasi on her CD releases. Her songs are simple and easy to listen to., which touches the ordinary person- the common man (woman). When sung by stalwarts like Gayathri Girish and Suryaprakash it must really touch the listener's heart. . Thanks to CRama and Rajesh, I could visualize the concerts in my mind.. The reviews gave the list of the songs and how it was sung. It was nice our aunt Jayalakshmi Santhanam was there to recieve the CD. There can be no better person than Sri V.V.Sundaram to release the CDs. He is the one who planted the Carnatic Music seed here in the U.S. which has grown to be a big tree and growing every year. Congratulations to Arasi and the artists. Waiting for the CD release.

[arasi]

M&M!
I missed you both evenings Will think of you more at our uncle Prof VVSadagopan's Centenary celebrations in February...

[Sivaramakrishnan]

Thanks CRama for the detailed report.

arasi amma!
As I keep shuttlling between Tanjore (place of work) and Chennai(family) I miss many programmes at Chennai. Note to listen to the CD shortly. Best wishes.

[arasi]

Thanks, Sivaramakrishnan! Will try and put up a few songs soon from the concerts. Wish you were there...

'Madam' makes me feel uncomfortable. Just Arasi is fine.
Amma? In Thanjavur that may be fine, but in Chennai, oh no, there is only one Amma, and she is everywhere--that is, portrayed in every poster which is not for gleaming jewelry or fancy sarees and attire

[vasanthakokilam]

As requested by Arasi

Here is a song from the CD
https://soundcloud.com/arasi-cd/maragat ... tri-girish

[priyaram78]

Enjoyed the song immensely. Is it raakeshri raagam ? Thanks for sharing.

[arasi]

Priya,
Yes, Gayathri sings it so feelingly. It's in bhAgEsri.
Hope you get to listen to her other songs too.This song, Gayathri did not sing in the concert.

[priyaram78]

Thanks. Yes am going to buy a copy when i am come to chennai. Cant wait to listen to other songs of yours.

[arasi]

Priya,
Thanks to Swathi (Kalakendra) for allowing me to post a song each from the CDs in Rasikas.org. You will find one in Suryaprakash's in his concert thread, and Sumitra Nitin's in the Album Reviews thread. Will post a couple of songs each from their concerts soon!

[arasi]

sivaramakrishnan,
By not being in Mylai that working day, you missed Gayathri Girish's concert.

The one posted kindly by VK here is from the CD, a mayil song Hope you will listen to it...