Best concerts I viewed/attended in 2020 Margazhi season

Review the latest concerts you have listened to.
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Sachi_R
Posts: 2174
Joined: 31 Jan 2017, 20:20

Best concerts I viewed/attended in 2020 Margazhi season

Post by Sachi_R »

I am not a big time concert goer but I wanted to start this thread so we can all list what we enjoyed the most:
1. Aishwarya Vidya Raghunath MA
2 Shruthi Sagar MA
3. Sriranjani MA (parts)
4. Vishnudev (forget which one)
5. Beethoven-Dikshitar Fest Shaale - Ravikiran with string Quartet
6. Amrutha Venkatesh IMPL Carnatica - Vasudevacharya Kritis
7. Amritha Murali
8. Sumitra Vasudev

Please tell us about what you listened to and viewed....
PS: there is a 2018 or so duo Abhishek KBMK reposted by Carnatica. starts well. There is some audio distortion.

Thank you

hnbhagavan
Posts: 1655
Joined: 21 Jun 2008, 22:06

Re: Best concerts I viewed/attended in 2020 Margazhi season

Post by hnbhagavan »

!. Lalgudi siblings on New year day
2.Vidya Kalyana raman Nadainbam
3.Palghat R Rama Prasad
4. Ramakrishnan Murthy Kalakendra
5. sandeep Narayan Kalakendra
6. Vishnudev Namboodri

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

Re: Best concerts I viewed/attended in 2020 Margazhi season

Post by Sachi_R »

Thanks HNB, yes I intend to listen to Ramprasad....

HarishankarK
Posts: 2216
Joined: 27 Oct 2007, 11:55

Re: Best concerts I viewed/attended in 2020 Margazhi season

Post by HarishankarK »

Amrutha Venkatesh - did she sing in academy this year? Why not?

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

Re: Best concerts I viewed/attended in 2020 Margazhi season

Post by Sachi_R »

I also loved
1. The KBMK - Akkarai² Threesome singing Thiruppavais with great viruttam preludes. I wrote this as a comment on YT: Congrats to this awesome threesome. Particularly KBMK who is so much at home between these two sweet voices and violins. He modulates his voice and lays it thick and strong when needed. This is the new 3 star constellation in CM 👋👋👋

2. I loved the Begada sung by Kruthi Bhat in the Rise of Margazhi - tribute to her guru.

adityak
Posts: 12
Joined: 23 Mar 2020, 04:50

Re: Best concerts I viewed/attended in 2020 Margazhi season

Post by adityak »

Mine would be (not in any particular order)
1. Sudha Ragunathan (MMA concert)
2. Vittal Ramamurthy - VVS Murari violin-viola duet from Mudhra
3. K Gayathri from Charsur Arts Foundation
4. Ramakrishnan Murthy from MadRasana
5. Abhishek Raghuram from MadRasana
6. JA Jayanth from Charsur Arts Foundation
7. Sunil Gargyan from Charsur Arts Foundation

Many others I thoroughly enjoyed listening to but these were the first couple I thought of

sureshvv
Posts: 5523
Joined: 05 Jul 2007, 18:17

Re: Best concerts I viewed/attended in 2020 Margazhi season

Post by sureshvv »

Vivek Sadashivam at the Academy was top class!

gajaa
Posts: 123
Joined: 30 Jan 2012, 13:07

Re: Best concerts I viewed/attended in 2020 Margazhi season

Post by gajaa »

My favorites from this season below. I had purchased tickets at MA (selected concerts) & Madrasana, so my list reflects that.

1. Sowmya at Music Academy - beautiful Takka and an exotic Karakarapriya alapana followed by Janaki Pate
2. Ramakrishna Murthy at Madrasana - Mukhari & Kalavati RTP stood out + Varugalamo as a bonus
3. Vidya Kalyanaraman Naada Inbam - Sahana alapana & the rare thyagarajar kriti that followed was top class
4. K. Gayathri Naada Inbam - Bilahari and Karakarapriya reigned supreme
5. Bharath Sundar at Music Academy - Mesmerizing Harikamboji was the highlight
6. Ranjani Gayathri at Music Academy - Loved the manirangu purandara dasar kriti and the main Kamboji
7. Sudha Ragunathan at Music Academy & Madrasana - Devakriya at MA and Kalyani alapana at Madrasana were the highlights for me
8. Bharath Sundar at Naada inbam - Lathangi, Huseni and Mohanam treat

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

Re: Best concerts I viewed/attended in 2020 Margazhi season

Post by Sachi_R »

I would like to access Madrasana. Is it still available for purchase?

tmmurali
Posts: 35
Joined: 16 Sep 2018, 23:01

Re: Best concerts I viewed/attended in 2020 Margazhi season

Post by tmmurali »

Sachi_R wrote: 06 Jan 2021, 10:15 I would like to access Madrasana. Is it still available for purchase?
Yes, the audio recordings are available for purchase at https://www.tikkl.com/madrasana/

The quality is excellent.

CRama
Posts: 2939
Joined: 18 Nov 2009, 16:58

Re: Best concerts I viewed/attended in 2020 Margazhi season

Post by CRama »

Vignesh Easwar in Academy- Highlight Neelayadakshi- Paras, Narasimha agacha- Mohanam
Other reviews I have posted.

gajaa
Posts: 123
Joined: 30 Jan 2012, 13:07

Re: Best concerts I viewed/attended in 2020 Margazhi season

Post by gajaa »

CRama wrote: 06 Jan 2021, 21:53 Vignesh Easwar in Academy- Highlight Neelayadakshi- Paras, Narasimha agacha- Mohanam
Other reviews I have posted.
I agree - I listened to this concert yesterday. Was quite brilliant I felt. Esplly the Mohanam, the way he managed time effectively for the manodharmam section, smartly moving from 1st kalam to 2nd kalam swaras at the end - really needs to be commended. The sheer power of his voice always stands out - in a positive way because he balances throw with azhuttham very well, I feel. Again in Narasimha agacha, I was very impressed also with the clearn enunication of the lyrics in the samashti charanam which are quite challenging to master when singing at that pace.
The panduranga-based ugaboga in Maand also gave a rousing finish to the concert with all the intricate sangatis and brigas falling perfectly in place. Such a pliant voice that he must have worked really hard on for years!

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

Re: Best concerts I viewed/attended in 2020 Margazhi season

Post by Sachi_R »

Good to hear... will have a listen

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

Re: Best concerts I viewed/attended in 2020 Margazhi season

Post by Sachi_R »

https://www.facebook.com/10729426430386 ... 451883340/

R. Suryaprakash - L Ramakrishnan - Patri Satish Kumar - Chandrashekhar Sharma


I was lucky to hear this concert. It is extremely well recorded in video and audio.

Suryaprakash is quite different from most male vocalists of his generation. His voice timbre and range allows him to be mellow at will. He enunciates words very clearly. He gives surprises in the choice of songs. He creates a lot of connect with accompanists and audiences by his manodharma improvisations which are short and sweet phrases.

In this concert I found him to reach a new high in Hamsanadam niraval. The expert accompanists were playing catch-up! The Saranga- Brindavana Saranga combo Pallavi sounds like a no-brainer until you try to multiplex the ragas. He did it adroitly. His own composition in Gopriya was haunting. Like a dream sequence in a Thalaivar movie! And by the way I like his new look. A moustache is much easier to manage than a ragged beard for sure!
Best wishes to a top notch team!

hnbhagavan
Posts: 1655
Joined: 21 Jun 2008, 22:06

Re: Best concerts I viewed/attended in 2020 Margazhi season

Post by hnbhagavan »

Dear Sachi Sir,
I was extremely lucky to listen to this great concert of Sri R Surya Praksh.He is now a very accomplished carnatic musician and springs pleasant surprises.Excellent and very melodious Brindavana Saranga .
Like you said very nice composition in the raga you mentioned ( I did not get it!) was the highlight of the concert.
The Niraval exchanges between Surya Prakash and Ramakrishnan was very enchanting.
Hope we get to hear Surya Prakash in Bangalore when live concerts resume.

rajeshnat
Posts: 9906
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 08:04

Re: Best concerts I viewed/attended in 2020 Margazhi season

Post by rajeshnat »

hnbhagavan wrote: 10 Jan 2021, 18:44 Like you said very nice composition in the raga you mentioned ( I did not get it!) was the highlight of the concert.
The composition is gaanam isaipadhu -Gopriya - Suryaprakash
The ragam gopriyA is a fullnote scale where even doing grahabedham gives the same ragam, They call it as dream scale in western.

I had written a post about Suryaprakash as a vaggeyakkara , check this aggregated info.Check this particular post...
www.rasikas.org/forums/viewtopic.php?p=359999#p359999

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

Re: Best concerts I viewed/attended in 2020 Margazhi season

Post by Sachi_R »

Image

I purchased the Madrasana audio albums from this series. Just started listening to Abhishek.

It is an out-of-body experience as I am walking on my terrace in the cool clime of Bengaluru this evening, hearing the concert on my Sony bluetooth headphones.

.. How Madrasana pulled it off is said here:

https://www.facebook.com/47286124956983 ... 272701454/

Each song I heard so far is a gem.

Tamadama in Todi by Spencer Venugopal.

Omkara... Shanmukhapriya vadana by Sri. M. Balamurali Krishna.

Then the Nilambari Ennaga Manasuku Rani..

Abhishek sings a delectable Todi within a few minutes and the song I heard for the first time renews my belief that Sri. Spencer Venugopal is an extraordinary composer (Vaa Muruga - Begada. Wow)

Abhishek opens Omkara in an amazing manner. He actually transports us to the ethereal world of Omkara. And MBMK describes how Omkara came from Brahma, born in the lotus from the navel of Vishnu, first appearing in the ocean after pralaya as a little kid sucking his toe on a peepal leaf.... What a composition. And Abhishek prepares us and launches us into that space to enjoy the music.

Ennaga: I could feel Saint Thyagaraja singing to Rama. I started dancing to the song.

Abhishek is well supported by Ganesh Prasad and Patri.

A most inadequate "Thank you" to Ishwara (my favourite word for God. From Bhagavadgita).
1. what artistes.
2. what tradition.
3. what music.
4. what technology.
5. what imagination.
6. what setting.
7. what production and distribution.
8. what accessibility.
9. what experience.
10. what joy.

Thank you, Ishwara!

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

Re: Best concerts I viewed/attended in 2020 Margazhi season

Post by Sachi_R »

Madrasana Sandeep Narayan Vishnupriya RTP.

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

Re: Best concerts I viewed/attended in 2020 Margazhi season

Post by Sachi_R »

Ramakrishnan Murthy - Madrasana - Nadopasana. I am glad that at least some brave singers present Begada - my favourite.

L Ramkrishnan and N C Bharadwaj and Atreya provide excellent accompaniment. The Madrasana audio file in Wav format sounds sooooooo good.

CRama
Posts: 2939
Joined: 18 Nov 2009, 16:58

Re: Best concerts I viewed/attended in 2020 Margazhi season

Post by CRama »

A very good concert by Palghat Dr. Ramprasad accompanied by L.Ramakrishan and N.C.Bharadwaj. Concert for Balachandar Memorial Trust.

Starts with Brochevarevare, continues with Ninnu nera (Panthuvarali) and Kali theera in Thodi of Koteeswara Iyer. This song was popularised by Ariyakudi. Not heard after that. Exhaustive alapanas, neravals and swarams in both these songs. Good support from the young artistes. Pl listen in the fol;lowing link.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWa5eGyAP5M&t=3751s

thanjavooran
Posts: 2972
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 04:44

Re: Best concerts I viewed/attended in 2020 Margazhi season

Post by thanjavooran »

CRama
Thanx for the review and link.
Thanjavooran
20 01 2021

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

Re: Best concerts I viewed/attended in 2020 Margazhi season

Post by Sachi_R »

CRama, I really liked his Pantuvarali alapana. This raga has great emotive appeal and he was able to convey a lot in his alapana.

I am surprised you mention Ninnu Nera as the song. It is Ennaganu Rama Bhajana.

I find L Ramakrishnan has become the Bumrah of Carnatic violin. He plays in all formats like a true hero. an asset to every musician he has accompanied in this season. Must have been the busier violinist in Chennai in the past 3 months. Deserves all the success he is getting.

CRama
Posts: 2939
Joined: 18 Nov 2009, 16:58

Re: Best concerts I viewed/attended in 2020 Margazhi season

Post by CRama »

Yesterday night I heard this concert. Hence the goof up of the kriti. Any how both have the same tune.
In this season, among violinists L.Ramakrishnan and B.Ananthakrishnan rocked in most of the concerts.

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

Re: Best concerts I viewed/attended in 2020 Margazhi season

Post by Sachi_R »

Sure, CRama

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

Re: Best concerts I viewed/attended in 2020 Margazhi season

Post by Sachi_R »

I am listening to this ABBAS concert video of Abhishek:

https://youtu.be/YQn7jnyHmXk


The video starts off with a repulsive lot of medical ads. It does squeeze in a good concert with some good camera work. I heard the concert on VLC Player with equaliser controls on my phone.

Abhishek sings a very fine Shahana after an energetic Vatapi. Then a Saveri (Muruga Muruga) to take home.

Accompaniment By... L Ramakrishnan (who else😊) and Vijay Natesan very good. Also Guruprasad ghatam. I like Vijay Natesan as he stands out from the current crop of AK47 mridangists. :D

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

Re: Best concerts I viewed/attended in 2020 Margazhi season

Post by Sachi_R »

Then a Kalyani pada varna by Tanjore Quartet https://karnatik.com/c30514.shtml

Abhishek touched top octave top Sa in Saveri and bottom octave bottom Sa in Kalyani..

Very creative interpretations.

shankarank
Posts: 4043
Joined: 15 Jun 2009, 07:16

Re: Best concerts I viewed/attended in 2020 Margazhi season

Post by shankarank »

The 20 minute daily upanyasam on thiruppavai by Sri Kalayanapuram Aravamudachariar streamed by kala kendra is a major hit in my house hold. They want such 20 minute expositions by him on various other topics.

shankarank
Posts: 4043
Joined: 15 Jun 2009, 07:16

Re: Best concerts I viewed/attended in 2020 Margazhi season

Post by shankarank »

Vignesh Easwar @ naada inbam SVK festival https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAH5j1N4KiI was a good concert, with nAgalingam, paripURNa kAma, and a rare ennaDo rakshincitE of SrI tyAgarAjar in SaurashTram. Listening to it second time as I and remembered few things about it. Will write a post.

Pre-season : Sriranjani Santhanagoplan had a good one @ Madhuradvani with Arun Prakash drawing out more out of our mellow/meLLA mridangist, cakkani rAjA. Will write something on her karaharapriya.

And K Gayathri @ naada Inbam, naTaci naTaci. Archana Aarati sisters are pending posts.

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