YOU TUBE UPLOADS - LINKS AND REVIEWS

Review the latest concerts you have listened to.
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CRama
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YOU TUBE UPLOADS - LINKS AND REVIEWS

Post by CRama »

We will share you tube links and write reviews of full length concerts uploaded in you tube. Now we are forced to stay indoors. Let us utilise the time to listen to full length you tube concerts and share our experiences.

Following is the link to Mamavathu Sree Saraswathy in Hindolam by M.S.Subblakshmi.
I am bringing it here because M.S Amma has very rarely done alapana of Hindolam in her concerts. Manasoloni, Deva devam bhaje etc songs can be heard in many concerts. But it is in this radio concert of exclusive Mysore Vasudevacharya kritis that she has presented a wholesome alapana of Hindolam and also kalpana swarams for the song. Pl enjoy.

https://youtu.be/btjPwqfL0yw

rshankar
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Re: YOU TUBE UPLOADS - LINKS AND REVIEWS

Post by rshankar »

CRama wrote: 20 Mar 2020, 15:26We will share you tube links and write reviews of full length concerts uploaded in you tube. Now we are forced to stay indoors. Let us utilise the time to listen to full length you tube concerts and share our experiences.
Great idea! Thank you.

hnbhagavan
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Re: YOU TUBE UPLOADS - LINKS AND REVIEWS

Post by hnbhagavan »

21 Concerts of lalgudi G Jayaraman has been uploaded.These concerts are of 1960-80 period - some with Lalgudi Srimathi and some with GJR Krishnan.
Very rarely Instrumental concerts are reviewed.
Example:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HqD3Uun5M-M&t=2979

CRama
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Re: YOU TUBE UPLOADS - LINKS AND REVIEWS

Post by CRama »

TRIBUTE TO THYAGARAJA BY VARIOUS COMPOSERS

The following is the link to a concert by Suguna Varadachari supported by her disciples Aiswarya Sankar and Brinda Manickavasagam. This concert was held on 21st Dec 2013 @ 6.30pm under the auspices of Madhuradhwani in Arkay Convention Centre. Thanks to Ramakrishnan Sir for uploading this valuable concert. All rare compositions on Thyagaraja made by other composers.
Accompanists.
Dr. Hemalatha- Violin
H.S.Sudheendra- Mridangam
Udupi Balakrishnan- Ghatam.
List of songs.
• Thyagaraja swami padambujam- Athana- Ambujam Krishna
• Samikki sari- Devagandhari- Manambuchavadi Venkatasubbaiyer (R,N,S)
• Sree Mathadi Thyagaraja gurum -Kalyani- Mysore Vasudevachariar (R,N,S)
• Sadgurusamiki- Ritigowla- Poochi Srinivasa Iyengar- (R)
• Tani avartanam
• Manavakulabhooshana Sri Thyagaraja- Hindolam - GNB
• RTP on Thyagaraja- Kharaharapriya- Tisra Triputa- Mishra nadai
Pallavi- Thyagarajare umakku inai evare Lokame ennalume paadume un keerthaname
• A slokam on Thyagarajar composed by Sengalipuram Anantharama Dikshitar
• Guruvaru mahimaya- Anandabhairavi- Walajapet Venkataramana Bhagavatar
• Thyagaraja Mangalam

Pranamas to the great Guru for unearthing such rare gems and singing them effortlessly without no loss of manodharmam, aesthetics, and making the concert very relishing without any dull moment.
Compliments to the disciples for excellent support and accompanists too in embellishing the concert to a great extent.

https://youtu.be/_IlNLRmgi_Y

HarishankarK
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Re: YOU TUBE UPLOADS - LINKS AND REVIEWS

Post by HarishankarK »

O S Arun
Carnatic concert not bhajans / Abhangs
Kutcheri below link
https://youtu.be/MuwdU1ORoiw

Very nice one - well sung full of bhavam
Ullam Irangi - Hamsadhwani
Tyagaraja Palayashumaam - Gowlai
Karpaga Manohara - Malayamarutham
Sringara Kumara - Varunapriya

So far very nice krithis - with proper lyrics stressing

HarishankarK
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Re: YOU TUBE UPLOADS - LINKS AND REVIEWS

Post by HarishankarK »

Is Varunapriya same as Miyaan ki malhaar?
He is singing swaras like that?

HarishankarK
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Joined: 27 Oct 2007, 11:55

Re: YOU TUBE UPLOADS - LINKS AND REVIEWS

Post by HarishankarK »

Superb Chede Budhdhi Maanuraa - with sparkling swaras in Athaana

kvchellappa
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Joined: 04 Aug 2011, 13:54

Re: YOU TUBE UPLOADS - LINKS AND REVIEWS

Post by kvchellappa »

Posts 5-7;
A refreshing comment from another musician
"neyveli santhanagopalan
5 days ago
Enjoyable music every moment...feast to ears🕉🍬🌷🌹🎼🙏🙂"

Sachi_R
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Re: YOU TUBE UPLOADS - LINKS AND REVIEWS

Post by Sachi_R »

Concert Review
Parivadini LIVE-Palghat Ramprasad @ Parampara
3,179 views•Streamed live on Dec 5, 2019


I am trying my hand at writing a “review” in the new thread created by CRama on archived concerts.

I chose a Parivadini concert - Parampara concert held on 5 Dec. 2019 of Vid. Palghat Ramprasad, with Vid. H N Bhaskar and Vid Vijay Natesan. The link is here:
https://youtu.be/JGTTpXA5TP8

The concert duration is 01:40:35

Image

The two ladies on tambura seem to be vocalists I have seen before.

A vocal concert with good accompaniment is irresistible for me. That too a Dec. season concert, and streamed by Parivadini. I was lucky to hit upon this very enjoyable concert.

I knew Palghat Ramprasad to be the grandson of the one and only Mahavidwan Palghat Mani Iyer. These two names were in the news recently for all the wrong reasons thanks to TMK and his Cow vs. Brahmin book. An extremely knowledgeable friend had recommended Vid. Ramprasad to me years ago. But for me, the right time has to come for everything! And it was today.

This is what I found on the Net (https://dhvaniohio.org/event/concert-by ... amaprasad/):
Palghat Ramaprasad
Placed amongst the 50 most influential soft powers in India by the Open Magazine, Palghat Ramprasad is one of the most sought after South Indian Carnatic music vocalist both in India and abroad.
Grandson of the legendary mridangist Palghat Mani Iyer, Ramprasad started learning music from a very young age from his father Sri T.R.Rajaram. Ramprasad’s entry into the concert platform was in the year 1988 in the Youth Association for Classical Musical popularly known as YACM in Chennai, when he was less than 8 years old; where he was awarded the title, ‘the best artist’ of the series. From then on, he has been regularly performing concerts in and out of India for the past three decades.
Hailed as a child prodigy by many, even as a teenager, Ramprasad was accompanied on stage by legendary artists such as “Sangeetha Kalanidhi’s” Sri T.K.Murthy, Late Sri Palghat Raghu, Sri T.V.Gopalkrishnan, Sri Umayalpuram Sivaraman, Late Sri Ramabadhran, Sri Trichy Sankaran, Sri M.S.Anantharaman, and Sri Sikkil Bhaskaran, to name a few.
Ramprasad aims at adhering to the traditional classical style with particular emphasis on “Neraval” singing, which according to his Grandfather is the test of a “true vocalist”. In this regard, Ramprasad has had the rarest of blessings to get first-hand information through his father and his uncle T.R.Rajamani about Sri Mani Iyer’s view on how to handle impromptu improvisations on-stage for songs in different tempos and ragas, and more generally about his ideas on what constitutes a successful performance that is sustainable in the long run.Ramprasad has a fan-following for being a stickler to the rigorous traditional ‘Ramanuja Iyengar – K V Narayanaswamy’ genre of singing that entails arduous training and sustained practice compared to other styles.
Coming to this concert, here is a song list:
1. Maayuranatham Anisham Bhajami-Dhanyasi- Misra Chapu- Muthuswami Dikshitar (00:00:00)
2. Deavakikanda Mukunda -Hamsanadam- Khanda Chapu-Purandaradasa (00:12:45)
3. Isane Inda Ezaikkiranga - Chakravakam - Rupakam -Papanasam Sivan (00:36:25)
4. Tani (01:15:05)
5. Saramaina Matalentho - Behag- Swathi Thirunal (01:27:35)
6. Kanakasabhai thirunatanam - Surutti- Gopalakrishna Bharathi (01:34:10)
7. Nee namarupamunaku - Saurashtra - Thyagaraja (01:38:40)

Don't expect me to go into details, musical intricacies, and tagging with RNST etc. I am no good at these things. I am a quarantined rasika with a good internet connection and good headphones etc. I enjoy Carnatic music like crazy. My googling skills haven’t left me yet. That’s it.

The stream starts off with Ramprasad ending his Dhanyasi alapana to applause. I think the camera guy came a few moments late. Bhaskar takes over with gusto. Quick observations: Ramprasad is a live-wire on stage. He has a great presence. Not for nothing do we talk of Parampara!

The Dhanyasi song by Dikshitar extols Shiva worshipped as Mayuranatha. Naturally (!) I have been ignorant of this song. The song itself is very much a standard Dikshitar kriti, with allusions and alliterations. But the second line ( in italics below) flummoxed me -
māyūra nātham aniśaṃ bhajāmi
māyā-maya dharaṇīśaṃ tyajāmi

A direct meaning would be “I reject Vishnu, lord of Bhudevi, with his Vishnumaya”! Well. What was the need for Dikshitar to say this? But Sri. Govindan in his blogspot translates it as, “I forever renounce the patronage of the delusion-filled lords of the earth”! Well, OK, then!

Ramprasad has a nasal voice. He does not modulate it. He sings with an effervescent and highly knowledgeable kind of style, and it seems he knows the lyrics and their meanings well. Being a highly educated man, and one groomed in the Mani Iyer school which emphasises meaningful music shorn of gimmicks, he stands tall. His choice of songs here shows great musical sense too. in Dhanyasi, he gives a very measured rendition, showing every respect to Dikshitar. The second song in Hamsanadam showcases his panache for playing with notes, creating swara patterns, and a high bias for laya-oriented music. I didn’t know this song either 😀
The only word in Kannada in the entire song is Rangayya. And the way Ramprasad sang it, it seems to have been tuned by himself! I would rate this song very high for concert appeal.

Bhaskar seems to enjoy his role very much in these concerts. I had known him as a faithful and good accompanist to leading ladies of CM. But having heard him with Abhishek, Ramakrishnan Murthy, even T.M. Krishna, and now Ramprasad, I think he seems these days to enjoy accompanying full-blooded male vocalists who give all that they have. He has a softish tonality, sometimes too strong and screechy a bow, and quick repartees. He played many MSG-isque phrases, and gave it as well as he got here. Hamsanadam is a very very nice Carnatic raga. It suits instrumentalists very well, but here Ramprasad also had a ball with it. I like it a lot more than ragas like Varamu and Karnaranjani 😀

The next piece was the main. Chakravakam. A kind of a king of ragas, and what a song! My ignorance of song and now also language saved me from thinking through meanings. Papanasam Sivan is a master composer. I find he packs each song with so much bhava, rasa, song architecture and swaraksharas. His songs invariably yield rich opportunities for the vocalist to do niraval, and build a huge bhava-laden impact in a concert. No wonder a cerebral musician like Ramprasad chose this song as the main.

Something common Ramprasad has with a couple of other top younger male vocalists of today is his penchant for laya, for fast brigas, for complex phrases, short bursts of exuberant improvisations, and giving it thick and strong in each song. Of course this is not KVN/ARI style at all. But nobody should try and be another.

He surely leaves the listener satiated. No room for quiet and contemplative songs. His nasal voice is not too pleasing for me, but he sticks to the sruti better than most Carnatic musicians.

Vijay Natesan is one of my favourites. His nadam is good. His style is versatile. He locks in like a GPS tracker to the vocalist, encourages the singer all the time, anticipates well, embellishes aptly, and adds a lot of value to the overall experience. This concert is a great example. He gives a scintillating tani. I prefer a good solo mridangam tani, as it has a beautiful structure and nadam to boot.

The final two songs before Mangalam were sung well. The only two songs I knew before listening to this concert were Saramaina and Pavamana 😀 😀 😀

I wish Vid. Palghat Ramprasad a great career in CM as well econometrics. One gives Rasa, the other Artha.
Last edited by Sachi_R on 21 Mar 2020, 22:01, edited 1 time in total.

Sachi_R
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Re: YOU TUBE UPLOADS - LINKS AND REVIEWS

Post by Sachi_R »

CRama,
Regarding the concert of kritis on Saint Thyagaraja, an interesting bit:
Mysore Vasudevacharya composed this song on the spot during a Thyagaraja Aradhana Day in Mysore, a tradition started by Muthiah Bhagavatar.
The lyrics (copied from another thread in Rasikas) :
SrImadAdi tyAgarAja. rAgA: kalyANi. rUpaka tALA.

SrImadAdi tyAgarAja guruvaram namAmyaham ||P||
bhUmijA ramaNa caraNa kamala bhajana dhurandharam ||AP||
sakala lOka samsEvita sangIta sAhitya sAra bharita sulalitapada sammELana samSObhita
(madhyamakAla)
sankIrtana suracana samupArjita satkIrtim sura munivara kAruNya samjAta sujnAnam
sAmagAna lOla vAsudEva hrdaya susthitam sujana hRdaya jaladhi candram amalavamSa samjAtam
The audience heard this song rendered by the doyen himself(he sang in the end as he was the senior most musician there). Till his mudrike came, people were wondering who had composed this wonderful song. After the applause died down, Sri Bhagavatar got up and told the audience that this song was composed on the spot by Vasudevacharya and showcased his great command over Samskrita and his composership. The entire charana, woven with apt allusions and prasa, is one single long Samskrita sentence.

I found this nugget in the book by Sri. S. Krishnamurthy.

kvchellappa
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Re: YOU TUBE UPLOADS - LINKS AND REVIEWS

Post by kvchellappa »

Sri RSachi. Glad you fulfilled your word. Tomorrow might have been late - Janta curfew!
Rajesh must be happy that the forum has been enlivened after his anglaayppu.
An advaitin, MD, cannot be averse to any deity. He has composed so many songs on Vishnu, stellar ones.
Rangaramanuja Iyengar translates it as 'mayakkatthil Azhntha narapathikalai nAden - I will not seek the kings steeped in infatuation.'
Hoping for more at your convenience.
I was listening to another concert of his https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emmRK3YUslc as I turned to your post.

Sachi_R
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Re: YOU TUBE UPLOADS - LINKS AND REVIEWS

Post by Sachi_R »

👍

rshankar
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Re: YOU TUBE UPLOADS - LINKS AND REVIEWS

Post by rshankar »

HarishankarK wrote: 21 Mar 2020, 16:15with proper lyrics stressing
What does that mean?

HarishankarK
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Re: YOU TUBE UPLOADS - LINKS AND REVIEWS

Post by HarishankarK »

pronouncing/voice modulating during singing in such a way that particular lines in krithis stand out

shankarank
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Re: YOU TUBE UPLOADS - LINKS AND REVIEWS

Post by shankarank »

Vid. Smt. Vedavalli's sweet nanupAlimpa in progress - live stream of old concert from 2012 : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRwgEBhggME preceded by an equally sweet reply of Dr Hemalatha for Mohana rAgam. Entered into stream then!

NanupAlimpa sung in old dEShAdi tALam! Kallidaikuricci Sivakumar's kappi Mridangam at it's best nAdam that day! 2012

kvchellappa
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Re: YOU TUBE UPLOADS - LINKS AND REVIEWS

Post by kvchellappa »

shankarank wrote: 22 Mar 2020, 11:48 Vid. Smt. Vedavalli's sweet nanupAlimpa in progress - live stream of old concert from 2012 :
As a connoisseur, pl post a full-fledged review which will be welcome unlike your other erudite and complicated posts which go over the heads of simpletons like me.

CRama
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Re: YOU TUBE UPLOADS - LINKS AND REVIEWS

Post by CRama »

RSachi, Thanks for your erudite review of Palghat Ramprasad. I have herd many of his concerts. Heard this concert partially. Yet to finish it. Good concert.
Sivaramakrishnan has written a review of his concert in the Sruti magazine March issue.

CRama
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Joined: 18 Nov 2009, 16:58

Re: YOU TUBE UPLOADS - LINKS AND REVIEWS

Post by CRama »

R Sachi, many manythanks for the anecdote about Mysore Vasudevachariar composing the song on Thyagaraja. I had never heard this story earlier. When we discuss about music, such things will emerge. WE should continue our discussions.

SrinathK
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Joined: 13 Jan 2013, 16:10

Re: YOU TUBE UPLOADS - LINKS AND REVIEWS

Post by SrinathK »

Request moderators to make the YT and Livestream concert thread sticky.

ram1999
Posts: 534
Joined: 26 Nov 2015, 17:20

Re: YOU TUBE UPLOADS - LINKS AND REVIEWS

Post by ram1999 »

Sachi_R wrote: 21 Mar 2020, 20:27 CRama,
Regarding the concert of kritis on Saint Thyagaraja, an interesting bit:
Mysore Vasudevacharya composed this song on the spot during a Thyagaraja Aradhana Day in Mysore, a tradition started by Muthiah Bhagavatar.
The lyrics (copied from another thread in Rasikas) :
SrImadAdi tyAgarAja. rAgA: kalyANi. rUpaka tALA.

SrImadAdi tyAgarAja guruvaram namAmyaham ||P||
bhUmijA ramaNa caraNa kamala bhajana dhurandharam ||AP||
sakala lOka samsEvita sangIta sAhitya sAra bharita sulalitapada sammELana samSObhita
(madhyamakAla)
sankIrtana suracana samupArjita satkIrtim sura munivara kAruNya samjAta sujnAnam
sAmagAna lOla vAsudEva hrdaya susthitam sujana hRdaya jaladhi candram amalavamSa samjAtam
The audience heard this song rendered by the doyen himself(he sang in the end as he was the senior most musician there). Till his mudrike came, people were wondering who had composed this wonderful song. After the applause died down, Sri Bhagavatar got up and told the audience that this song was composed on the spot by Vasudevacharya and showcased his great command over Samskrita and his composership. The entire charana, woven with apt allusions and prasa, is one single long Samskrita sentence.

I found this nugget in the book by Sri. S. Krishnamurthy.
One of the many beautiful kritis composed by Mysore Vasudevachar. There is beautiful rendition of this kriti in Kalyani by Srirangangam Gopalaratnam, a live concert recording. She starts the concert with a soulful alapana in Kalyani followed by this kriti.

CRama
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Re: YOU TUBE UPLOADS - LINKS AND REVIEWS

Post by CRama »

Any link available for rendition of Sreerangam Gopalarathnam

ram1999
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Re: YOU TUBE UPLOADS - LINKS AND REVIEWS

Post by ram1999 »

CRama wrote: 23 Mar 2020, 15:54 Any link available for rendition of Sreerangam Gopalarathnam
Uploaded for you.

http://www.mediafire.com/file/hsbajjis4 ... 2.mp3/file


CRama
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Re: YOU TUBE UPLOADS - LINKS AND REVIEWS

Post by CRama »

Thanks ram1999 and Pb sir

CRama
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Re: YOU TUBE UPLOADS - LINKS AND REVIEWS

Post by CRama »

hnbhagavan wrote: 20 Mar 2020, 21:43 21 Concerts of lalgudi G Jayaraman has been uploaded.These concerts are of 1960-80 period - some with Lalgudi Srimathi and some with GJR Krishnan.
Very rarely Instrumental concerts are reviewed.
Example:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HqD3Uun5M-M&t=2979
Thanks for the link to Lalgudi concerts. I heard the concert of lalgudi Jayaraman with Srimathi , UKS and THV. Spell binding concert. That Kanada is a different level. His imagination, artistry, the admirable bowing that produced the excellent raga swaroopam, the kalpana swaras by both of them are all superb. The RTP in Mohanam and Ranjani is also very skilfully presented. The raga alapanas, the easy glide between the ragams, swarams are all much relishing. The Mridangam of UKS also matches with the brilliance of Lalgudi. There are many concerts of Lalgudi in yt. Should hear more.
I myself have got many concerts of lalgudi. Many I have not yet heard.

rshankar
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Re: YOU TUBE UPLOADS - LINKS AND REVIEWS

Post by rshankar »

HarishankarK wrote: 22 Mar 2020, 02:48pronouncing/voice modulating during singing in such a way that particular lines in krithis stand out
He's certainly not an example of that in my book, but then 'different strokes for .....'. :)

kvchellappa
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Re: YOU TUBE UPLOADS - LINKS AND REVIEWS

Post by kvchellappa »

This concert kept me locked down:
Sriranjani Santhanagopalan l Carnatic Concert l Sri Parthasarathy Swami Sabha l 2019
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Piun2LFmtbA

Has any review appeared? If not, hope someone would write.

kvchellappa
Posts: 3598
Joined: 04 Aug 2011, 13:54

Re: YOU TUBE UPLOADS - LINKS AND REVIEWS

Post by kvchellappa »

This concert kept me locked down:
Sriranjani Santhanagopalan l Carnatic Concert l Sri Parthasarathy Swami Sabha l 2019
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Piun2LFmtbA

Has any review appeared? If not, hope someone would write.

kvchellappa
Posts: 3598
Joined: 04 Aug 2011, 13:54

Re: YOU TUBE UPLOADS - LINKS AND REVIEWS

Post by kvchellappa »

This concert kept me locked down:
Sriranjani Santhanagopalan l Carnatic Concert l Sri Parthasarathy Swami Sabha l 2019
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Piun2LFmtbA

Has any review appeared? If not, hope someone would write.

Sivaramakrishnan
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Joined: 02 Jan 2010, 08:29

Re: YOU TUBE UPLOADS - LINKS AND REVIEWS

Post by Sivaramakrishnan »

CRama wrote: 22 Mar 2020, 17:34 RSachi, Thanks for your erudite review of Palghat Ramprasad. I have herd many of his concerts. Heard this concert partially. Yet to finish it. Good concert.
Sivaramakrishnan has written a review of his concert in the Sruti magazine March issue.
Thanks CRama for referring my review of Ramprasad's concert in Sruti. It was a fine one.

Well, he has a sonorous, bass voice that shows him distinct from his peers. However he could attempt to bring in more element of vilambakaala in his rendering that would auger well with his style.

Sachi_R
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Re: YOU TUBE UPLOADS - LINKS AND REVIEWS

Post by Sachi_R »

Sri. @kvchellappa,
You know that I also like Sriranjani Santhanagopalan’s music very much. In fact I gave her a title too 😀
Gaana Mohini.
This is one of her season’s concerts. She has her usual accompanists. Ananthakrishnan is a very likeable accompanist. Delhi Sairam has an emphatic playing style. KV Gopalakrishnan is a popular ghatam exponent. Her tambura man is also a constant. Her peacock tambura is missing in this concert, and as KVG prompted, the treble is set to an unpleasant tinny high.

The concert moves from a well-delivered Darbar varna with a solid top speed in the first part that wakes up the accompanists. It reminds me of how MSG used to play in top speed.

She moves on to the Papanasam Sivan composition Venkataramana in Lathangi. In fact I would say Lathangi and Sriranjani S are made for each other. Flavoursome and piquant yet sweet like an exotic Vietnamese chilli sauce.

The next piece Ahiri - Mayamma is on the other hand most unsuitable for Sriranjani’s “dipped in honey” style of singing and voice. I missed the deep Karuna rasa of, “Mother, why aren’t you speaking to me...is it fair? Who else but you can save me?!” sentiment. No fault of Sriranjani S, but a mismatch between presentation style and song sentiment. Technically I am sure people would say it is top-class.

The next piece PeravA varA - Thiruppugazh sung in a ragamalika style brings me to Sriranjani S’s “zone”. The ragas are
Hindola
Kuntalavarali
Begada
Vasanta
Kadanakutuhalam
Bageshri
Athana
Suruti

She is extremely ambitious here. She wants to give us the rainbow of ragas in swaras in short bursts, changing colours incessantly in the way some instrumentalists do. She has a go a few times at the finish but every time it seems to miss the right ending...she finally asks the accompaniments to stop and sings by herself, finds the troublesome spot, and rectifies it and gets it right. We have seen how Raja Ravi Varma has left behind several versions of his Damayanti or Saraswati paintings, perhaps many attempts until he got the best result and took it to the Oleograph Press in Lonavla.

We have to appreciate her effort here, given that she must have been having back-to-back concerts in the season and yet tried something challenging.

The next one is Paridanamicchite- I am sure a staple of hers for the ease of delivery.

Reetigaula. Suits her voice, her mood, and the audience laps it up. It develops fabulously. Overflowing Reetigaula and technical aspects. The song is also very beautiful.
After the swaras, there is tani. Sairam sounds very good as he releases a fusillade of strokes very much in keeping with Sriranjani’s style. KVG matches him stroke for stroke.

Viruttam- Kannada raga, Hamsanandi, Kedaragaula, Behag takes us to Adu Chidambaramo.
I think the recording ends abruptly.

So here you have it - my comments on another very interesting concert. Please excuse any errors 🙏

Sivaramakrishnan
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Re: YOU TUBE UPLOADS - LINKS AND REVIEWS

Post by Sivaramakrishnan »

CRama wrote: 22 Mar 2020, 17:34 RSachi, Thanks for your erudite review of Palghat Ramprasad. I have herd many of his concerts. Heard this concert partially. Yet to finish it. Good concert.
Sivaramakrishnan has written a review of his concert in the Sruti magazine March issue.
Thanks CRama for suggesting the idea of 'YouTube reviews' and the excellent notes on Ramprasad's concert by Sachi.

Thanks also for referring my review of his concert in Sruti magazine.

Well, he has a sonorous, bass voice that shows him distinct from his peers. However he could attempt to bring in more element of vilambakaala in his rendering that would auger well with his style.

kvchellappa
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Re: YOU TUBE UPLOADS - LINKS AND REVIEWS

Post by kvchellappa »

Sri RSachi,
It is long time I learnt from you. It is so much in one go atoning for the gap.
I will listen to it again with your tutorial.
I like the neraval for Lathanagi very much.
I think she makes slips often and smiles endearingly after each slip. I remember how I would feel when my granddaughter does it. I love it.
Thanks. Pl write more. This forum will be grateful.

CRama
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Re: YOU TUBE UPLOADS - LINKS AND REVIEWS

Post by CRama »

kvchellappa wrote: 24 Mar 2020, 20:51 This concert kept me locked down:
Sriranjani Santhanagopalan l Carnatic Concert l Sri Parthasarathy Swami Sabha l 2019
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Piun2LFmtbA

Has any review appeared? If not, hope someone would write.
Heard the concert of Sreeranjani Santhanagopalan.
Very good.
Durbar varnam, Venkataramana in Lathangi in her usual energetic and flamboyant style with manodharmam riding high.

Alapana of Ahiri was superb. Very rarely you can hear such an alapana. I longed for Sree Kamalamba jayathi. But it was Mayamma. Her rendering of the kriti was okay for me.

That Tirupugazh in ragamalika. It is tuned by Mahavidwan TNS. Fully agree with RSachi’s observations. Moreover, while summing up, she missed certain ragams or the order was not the same. The same ragamalika she sang in a special concert in Arkay a couple of weeks ago. There also, these misses were there. Okay. It is a good attempt. Work in progress.

On a lighter vein, in the Arkay concert, after the song, she wanted to tell the ragams. She fumbled many times. Could not tell the ragams in that order.

HarishankarK
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Re: YOU TUBE UPLOADS - LINKS AND REVIEWS

Post by HarishankarK »

the other Tiruppugazh from TNS school which they sing elaborately is 'Paravaikk eththannai' in Poornachandrika - which is I think in some chchandha tala and also appended with neraval and swaras I think

CRama
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Re: YOU TUBE UPLOADS - LINKS AND REVIEWS

Post by CRama »

Yesterday the streaming of this concert of R.K.Srikantan was done by Arkay Ramakrishnan Sir- a concert held during the MMI Centeneray in 2011. Concert which conformed to his usual standard of excellence. He gave a short speech on MMI. Hamsadhwani alapana for Sreeraghukula and the kambodi alapana for Majanaki- a most appropriate tribute to MMI was presented with exhuberance and imagination. Please listen to the concert. Link is given below. Other songs were Saranga varnam, Vallabha nayagasaya, Parampurusha in Vasantha, Janani ninu vina etc.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60RbFLH5bvI&t=1234s

Vocal support by Ramakanth Sir, Violin by M.A.Krishnaswamy, Mridangam by J. Vaidyanathan and Ganjira by Anirudh Athreya added to the listening leasure.

arasi
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Post by arasi »

Thanks, CRama for beloved RKS's concert which I am listening to now.
The violinist is MA Sundaresan.

RasikasModerator2
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Re: YOU TUBE UPLOADS - LINKS AND REVIEWS

Post by RasikasModerator2 »

We tried making this thread sticky, but we find that it's actually more visible as it is.

And while we are at it - we request you all to use the lockdowns in India and the rest of the world well to enjoy all that music you wanted to listen to but didn't get the time for and don't complain. Everyone stay safe, avoid crowds, especially avoid airports, wear those masks, wash those hands, eat well, sleep well, exercise, do yoga, anything to keep your immune system healthy and safe from the Coronavirus. ;)

kvchellappa
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Re: YOU TUBE UPLOADS - LINKS AND REVIEWS

Post by kvchellappa »

Sri Vasanthakokilam, We would like more of your reviews if you can spare time.

CRama
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Re: YOU TUBE UPLOADS - LINKS AND REVIEWS

Post by CRama »

The concert of Thrissur Brothers which was held as a tribute to Thanjavur Upendran in 2016 was webcast by Arkay Ramakrishnan on 2 April 2020. It was a high class concert with the natural flamboyance of the brothers supplemented with their manodharmam, voice felicity and sruti sudham. The concert started with Kanada varnam followed by Ekadantham bhajeham, Kanchadalayadakshi leading to Padavini Sadbhakthi in Salagabhairavi. That was my pick of the day as I had been longing to hear an alapana of the ragam. This was a favourite of Semmangudi who used this as a fast filler song. The brothers presented a very imaginative alapana and laced with sufficient bouts of swaras. The main song was Ninne Nammitinayya in Simhendramadhyamam. This also received an elaborate treatment in raga alapana, kriti rendition and sumptuous swaras. The accompanying vidwans embellished the concert well. The link is given below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=weJGCQ-2vlk

CRama
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Post by CRama »

In the daily webcast by Arkay, the concert of Suguna Purushothaman that came on 4 April was a class in itself. It was recorded in 2010- on the 70th birthday of the singer. It was a thematic concert of Ragamalikas. So except one Thyagaraja kriti- Ragarathna, all others were ragamalikas. Mami explained that since Thyagaraja says Satha raga rathna, she included that song.

That apart, there many heavy weight ragamalikas- not the ones that come at the post thani segment. I will list out some of them from my memory. Not a complete list.

Navaragamalika varnam
Melaragamalika- first chakra- A very relaxed rendition.
Amba Ninnu nera nammiti- Composition of Chinni Krishna dasa. This was very popular in Kerala some fifty years back. But then gone into oblivion.
Chaturdasa Ragamalika of Deekshitar. Musiri school musicians don’t sing the swarams in this magnum opus of Deekhitar. Hence varies from MLV version.
Panchabhoothasthala Ragamalika- Mami’s own composition.
A Ragamalika of Manoharis- Mami’s own composition.
Solla vallayo of Bharatiar. This was in different ragams from what is tuned by Se,mmangudi. Hence I could not relish it.

VVS Murari and Kallidakurichi Sivakumar provided commendable support.

Thanks infinite for Arkay Ramakrishnan Sir for dishing out such exquisite concerts from his kitty. The link to the concert is given below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDbjKxtEN88

CRama
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Post by CRama »

Yesterday, 9 April, there was the webcast of Pantula Rama concert by Arkay. This was a concert held in Dec 2015. The concert started with Budham Asrayami and continued with Chede Budhi manura. Then there was a solemn alapana of raga Lalitha and was followed by the Tyagaraja kriti Etla dorigithivo. A rarely heard composition- but sung by Alathur Brothers and a few others in ragam Vasantha. Madurai Sivaganesh sang this as main kriti in the last year Mudhra festival. First time hearing this song in Lalitha. I remember once hearing Seethamma Mayamma in Lalitha from Vedavalli Mami. Nannu brovu Lalitha is sung n Vasantha by Balamuralikrishna. So, this Lalitha and Vasantha have been interchanged by many singers.

I request knowledgeable rasikas to dwell upon the sanctity of singing Etla dorigihivo in Lalitha.

Mamava karunaya in Shanmugapriya was the main song presented by Pantula Rama. Elaborate raga alapana, neraval and swaras were much relishing. She concluded with Mavalla gathamma and the thillana in Chenjuruti. Violin by M.S.N.Murthy, Mridangam by Neyveli Skandasubramaniam and Ghatam by Adambakkam Sankar embellished the concert. The following is the link to the concert.

https://youtu.be/giqd8ZK2FlA

Sivaramakrishnan
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Post by Sivaramakrishnan »

CRama wrote: 10 Apr 2020, 12:11
I request knowledgeable rasikas to dwell upon the sanctity of singing Etla dorigihivo in Lalitha.

The singer too did not comment anything on the deviation.....

arasi
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Post by arasi »

PB,
What a treat! There was one Srirangam Gopalaratnam, and there was only one like her. Wish she had lived a much longer life. That kalyANi rAgA sounds as if a cuckoo is singing its heart out. It's serene as the surface of a river and yet, how it flows!

ram1999
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Post by ram1999 »

arasi wrote: 16 Apr 2020, 08:59 PB,
What a treat! There was one Srirangam Gopalaratnam, and there was only one like her. Wish she had lived a much longer life. That kalyANi rAgA sounds as if a cuckoo is singing its heart out. It's serene as the surface of a river and yet, how it flows!
This concert starts with Kalyani and a detailed alapana. No warming up, no sruti lapses, no problems whatsoever. now imagine how much training would have gone into this, the voice culture exercises etc... She was one of a kind artist !!

pattamaa
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Post by pattamaa »

There are couple of Smt Neela Ramgopal available recently, both thematic, on dikshitar and tamil compositions

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=P ... STBlpX3y-4

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=P ... ADMixDGsJZ

Happy listening...

CRama
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Post by CRama »

Breath taking Behag alapana by Abhishek Raghuram.

I happened to hear this alapana of Behag rendered in a live concert by the one and only Abhishek Raghuram. This is uploaded by Abhishek in his own you tube channel.

Oh what an alapana. No words to explain that. Very few would have sung alapana of Behag for twenty minutes. The astounding manodharmam revealed by his voice felicity, dazzling brighas, long akara phrases with its swirls, glides and punches in abundant measure. Only raga alapana is there. Link is given below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRBGrG6nPjk

kunthalavarali
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Re: YOU TUBE UPLOADS - LINKS AND REVIEWS

Post by kunthalavarali »

I have not heard live concert of Abhishek Raghuram. Have read rave reviews about his concerts.
About this behAg. It was dazzling no doubt but bhrighas from start to finish at the same speed. I did not get the swaroopa of the raga.

nadhasudha
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Post by nadhasudha »

kunthalavarali wrote: 22 Apr 2020, 16:50 I have not heard live concert of Abhishek Raghuram. Have read rave reviews about his concerts.
About this behAg. It was dazzling no doubt but bhrighas from start to finish at the same speed. I did not get the swaroopa of the raga.
Initially I was also very impressed with Abhishek's technical brilliance and briga laden renditions. However it has started to tire me out to the point where I cannot sit through his concerts. In regards to brigas I recollect reading one of the Sangeetha Kalanidhi's comment earlier. Brigas should be used like how pannir is sprinkled. Nobody gets drenched in pannir like a shower. Just a sprinkling here and there.

I just wish Abhishek tones down his brigas and delivers music that he is very much capable of.

rajeshnat
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Post by rajeshnat »

Behag is usually not an elaborated raga . Usually small fillers are sung here and there sometimes as one of the swara ragamaliga in RTP. I personally heard last year behag as RTP with Nageswaran Hosting a violin concert of R Satish KUmar. I am assuming he did take up that raga as his GUru MSG has played behag RTP . Vocalists like Raga sisters and sanjay have sung in Behag . But to get this level of alapana ideas for behag , perhaps only Abhishek has done it for the first time ,Behag has been given a shanmughapriya status.

There are many raga alapanas where Abhishek has done excessive brigha aches but with this behag he was right there for me. Abhishek ideas were just awesome atleast in this behag ..Well done Abhishek , he is indeed superstar in singing alapana .

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