Chitraveena N Ravikiran-Musiri Chamber concert 18 Feb

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Sivaramakrishnan
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Joined: 02 Jan 2010, 08:29

Chitraveena N Ravikiran-Musiri Chamber concert 18 Feb

Post by Sivaramakrishnan »

Musiri House, Alwarpet, Chennai
18.02.2018 (Sunday)
10.01 a.m.to 12.30 noon

N Ravikiran-Chitraveena
Akkarai Subbulakshmi-Violin
B Sivaraman- Mridangam
N Guruprasad-Ghatam

Anahita Ravindran-Tambura (& vocal support)

Pitch 5.5 kattai (G*)

Kritis
1 Suddhaseemanthini- Janakiramana- Tyagaraja
2 Desakshi- Santatam aham sevey- Oothukadu Venkatakavi (Kamakshi navavaranam)
3 Mukhari-Endraikku Sivakripai-Neelakantasivan
4 Maalavi-Nenarunchinanu-Tyagaraja
5 Chintamani-Devi Brova samayamithe-Syama sastri ('Main' - followed by Tani)
6 Bilahari-Paripovalara-(Javali)
7 Saveri - Telisenura- (Padam)
8 Neelambari-Dandapaanimaasraye-Ravikiran
9 Sindhubhairavi-Tillana - Ravikiran
10 Yadukulakambodhi-Tirupugazh
Mangalam

Chamber music concerts are marked by intended listening by a dedicated audience. Events at Musiri chamber are specially noted for the right ambiance and a 'cream audience'. Naturally Sangita Kalanidhi Ravikiran drew an august gathering consisting of luminaries like Violin maestro V S Narasimhan, danseuse Leela Samson, Sitarist Janardan Mitta etc. Most students of Ravikiran also seemed to be in attendance. The 'house' was literally 'full' and the Concert was highly satisfying.

* Janakiramana gave the right start with a few avartas of Swraras @ Anupallavi sahitya Gaanalola ghana tamaala neela
* A precise alapana of Desaakshi preceded the very rare Kamakshi navavarana kriti of Oothukadu. Ravikiran remarked that the raga which roughly resembles Bilahari needs a delicate handling to retain the kaisiki nishadha in avarohana , at the same time avoid shades of Kambodhi. Tightrope walking indeed. And Ravikiran made it a splendid experience.

*Perhaps many in the audience expected Enthanine varnichunu sabari bhagya for Mukhari but Sivakripai came in with a beautiful alapana. The Naada of the traditional instrument was just divine.

*Nenarunchinanu (Maalavi) was marked by that celebrated Chittaswara and for the racy kaalapramaanam adopted by Ravikiran, the rendering could be hailed as fantastic.

* That was a rare concert where Chintamani (Devi brova samayamithe) was the main piece. The aalapanana and the sahitya laden kriti rendering was wholesome. Swaraprastara was entertaining yet scholarly with enjoyable phrases. Tani followed.

* The post main uruppadis were marked by originality and contrast . While the Javali and padam fulfilled the customary items, a couple of compositions (in Neelambari and Sindhubhairavi) were 'own compositions' of Ravikiran. The tillana was in praise of Nanganallur Anjaneya as announced by him. If I remember correct, Sri Chitraveena Narasimhan, Ravikiran's father&Guru had received an award and title from the Temple trust many years ago at a grand function in the temple premises.

The accompanists played with involvement yet with restraint adding to the overall impact of the concert. Subbulakshmi offered the right proportion and balance in her violin returns - so experienced is she in following Ravikiran! The percussionists Sivaraman and Guruprasad maintained a perfect decibel discipline and the Tani was good.

Anahita Ravindran - apart from strumming the Tambura - vocally rendered select portions of kritis to convey intricate sahitya whenever asked to do so by her Guru. A worthy disciple indeed.

Thanks to the Thyagarajans for hosting yet another excellent chamber music concert. The Musiri house - as the venue is referred to - is a notable landmark for carnatic music in Chennai, also reminding us of the great Musiri Subramania Iyer.
Last edited by Sivaramakrishnan on 19 Feb 2018, 13:07, edited 1 time in total.

rshankar
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Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 22:26

Re: Chitraveena N Ravikiran-Musiri Chamber concert 18 Feb

Post by rshankar »

Isn’t the violinist Subhalskshmi?

Sivaramakrishnan
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Joined: 02 Jan 2010, 08:29

Re: Chitraveena N Ravikiran-Musiri Chamber concert 18 Feb

Post by Sivaramakrishnan »

rshankar wrote: 18 Feb 2018, 23:29 Isn’t the violinist Subhalskshmi?
To most rasikas, if the prefix is 'Akkarai', the name Subbulalkshmi or Subhalakshmi doesn't matter!!

Sachi_R
Posts: 2174
Joined: 31 Jan 2017, 20:20

Re: Chitraveena N Ravikiran-Musiri Chamber concert 18 Feb

Post by Sachi_R »

Just look at the names. I am in the mood for Samskrita interpretations:

Ravi Kirana - The sun rays bring the touch of God
to
Chitra Veena - to the Beautiful Veena,
which ushers in
Shubha Lakshmi - The goddess of auspiciousness, Lakshmi Devi
through music that appeals to both
Shiva and Rama
by Guru Prasada or Guru's grace
which ultimately takes us to
Anahita = The Unstruck Sound, ie Om.

Sivaramakrishnan
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Joined: 02 Jan 2010, 08:29

Re: Chitraveena N Ravikiran-Musiri Chamber concert 18 Feb

Post by Sivaramakrishnan »

Sahrdayo Satchidaananda:

thanjavooran
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Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 04:44

Re: Chitraveena N Ravikiran-Musiri Chamber concert 18 Feb

Post by thanjavooran »

Sivaramakrishnan,
As usual excellent review. Chintanamani I recollect rendering this kriti by KVN
With wishes,
Thanjavooran
19 02 2018

Sachi_R
Posts: 2174
Joined: 31 Jan 2017, 20:20

Re: Chitraveena N Ravikiran-Musiri Chamber concert 18 Feb

Post by Sachi_R »

SRK 🙏🏻
The word अनाहित is different from the word अनाहत which is used to represent the unstruck sound. But we shall take it here as another interpretation.
Thank you for a fine report, sir.

arasi
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Joined: 22 Jun 2006, 09:30

Re: Chitraveena N Ravikiran-Musiri Chamber concert 18 Feb

Post by arasi »

I wish the very talented younger Akkarai spells her name as Swarna rather than Sorna.
Akkarai--the other side of the river--is that the name of their Ur (Uru?). Of course, the father has nurtured their music with great akkarai (care)...

Sivaramakrishnan
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Joined: 02 Jan 2010, 08:29

Re: Chitraveena N Ravikiran-Musiri Chamber concert 18 Feb

Post by Sivaramakrishnan »

arasi wrote: 19 Feb 2018, 10:39
Akkarai--the other side of the river--is that the name of their Ur (Uru?). Of course, the father has nurtured their music with great akkarai (care)...
Superb interpretation!



sankark
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Re: Chitraveena N Ravikiran-Musiri Chamber concert 18 Feb

Post by sankark »

That chintAmani: Wow!

sureshvv
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Re: Chitraveena N Ravikiran-Musiri Chamber concert 18 Feb

Post by sureshvv »

arasi wrote: 19 Feb 2018, 10:39 I wish the very talented younger Akkarai spells her name as Swarna rather than Sorna.
Why? That would make her like every other Swarna! Now she stands out like Sorna :)

arasi
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Joined: 22 Jun 2006, 09:30

Re: Chitraveena N Ravikiran-Musiri Chamber concert 18 Feb

Post by arasi »

:) Gracefully phrased, Sureshvv!

Listening to the master now. Have heard jAnaki ramaNa many times and I like it a lot. But this! It's a crystal clear brook flowing faultlessly. Yet, as if it has been ever so meticulously chiseled to perfection by the artiste, it has that stillness!

bilahari
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Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 09:02

Re: Chitraveena N Ravikiran-Musiri Chamber concert 18 Feb

Post by bilahari »

Thoroughly serene concert. I especially enjoyed the jAnaki ramaNa, the dEsAkSi, and the truly exquisite dEvi brOva, which was reminiscent in its grace of Ravikiran's spellbinding mAyamma several years ago at the Academy. His sheer insight into music, and the concision with which he plays never fail to awe.

Sundara Rajan
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Re: Chitraveena N Ravikiran-Musiri Chamber concert 18 Feb

Post by Sundara Rajan »

I was told by then very young Subbalakshmi in 2003, when she accompanied Hyderabad sisters here in a house concert in Orlando, that Akkarai was a small suburb near Madras (now Chennai). Chennai rasikas should be familiar with the place.

MaheshS
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Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 22:36

Re: Chitraveena N Ravikiran-Musiri Chamber concert 18 Feb

Post by MaheshS »

Sundara Rajan wrote: 20 Feb 2018, 20:43 I was told by then very young Subbalakshmi in 2003, when she accompanied Hyderabad sisters here in a house concert in Orlando, that Akkarai was a small suburb near Madras (now Chennai). Chennai rasikas should be familiar with the place.
Yes, Google Maps link.

uday_shankar
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Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 08:37

Re: Chitraveena N Ravikiran-Musiri Chamber concert 18 Feb

Post by uday_shankar »

Sundara Rajan wrote: 20 Feb 2018, 20:43 I was told by then very young Subbalakshmi in 2003, when she accompanied Hyderabad sisters here in a house concert in Orlando, that Akkarai was a small suburb near Madras (now Chennai). Chennai rasikas should be familiar with the place.
Interesting. Yes there is a well known Akkarai on ECR, but I know for a fact that this family is from the area named Suchindram Akkarai near Suchindram in Kanyakumari district. Just posting this so that wrong information isn't spread, however innocuous or inconsequential. In fact I believe the sisters were born in nearby Nagarkoil.

(I may add that the information is also "consequential" to me in some sense, in that it deals one more well-deserved blow to the notion that great Carnatic musicians must have a hereditary connection to Kaveri waters. In my reckoning, the Tamiraibharani is far more musical).

uday_shankar
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Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 08:37

Re: Chitraveena N Ravikiran-Musiri Chamber concert 18 Feb

Post by uday_shankar »

Not meaning to belabor this anymore, but I thought this link to the biography of Suchindram Shri S P Sivasubramaniam, paternal grandfather of the Akkarai sisters, may be useful in establishing the origin of the "Akkarai" family name. The last paragraph speaks about that.
http://akkarai.in/family/SPS.html

Sivaramakrishnan
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Joined: 02 Jan 2010, 08:29

Re: Chitraveena N Ravikiran-Musiri Chamber concert 18 Feb

Post by Sivaramakrishnan »

That's some valuable information, uday!

Sachi_R
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Joined: 31 Jan 2017, 20:20

Re: Chitraveena N Ravikiran-Musiri Chamber concert 18 Feb

Post by Sachi_R »

Uday,
Thank you. I had read about the geographic connect of "Akkarai" and her grandfather before.

This is a fine write-up.

The little girl on the stage in the last photo would have to be Subhalakshmi, right?

sureshvv
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Joined: 05 Jul 2007, 18:17

Re: Chitraveena N Ravikiran-Musiri Chamber concert 18 Feb

Post by sureshvv »

Thank you Uday. Wonderful background music at the site! Wonder who the percussion team is.

sreebeecane
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Joined: 03 Nov 2011, 22:10

Re: Chitraveena N Ravikiran-Musiri Chamber concert 18 Feb

Post by sreebeecane »

What a concert! Words fail to describe the beauty.

MaheshS
Posts: 1186
Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 22:36

Re: Chitraveena N Ravikiran-Musiri Chamber concert 18 Feb

Post by MaheshS »

uday_shankar wrote: 21 Feb 2018, 01:09 In my reckoning, the Tamiraibharani is far more musical).
Time to get some popcorn and sit back :lol: :lol: :lol:

prasadvrg
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Joined: 11 Jul 2005, 12:22

Re: Chitraveena N Ravikiran-Musiri Chamber concert 18 Feb

Post by prasadvrg »

Namaste,
Is anyone familiar with Sri Chitra Vina Ravikirans Tillana in Vijayavanti ragam?
This has been rendered by Anahita and Apoorva in Narada gana sabha minin hall on 20th Dec 2019.
talam and the notation will be helpful,
Thanks, Prasad

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