Top 10 chittaswarams

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

Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by sureshvv »

Here is an idea prompted in part by rajeshnat's observation about them in another post.

We may need RSachi's polling expertise for this exercise and I am hoping he is willing to go along.

So we start with some nominations and then come up with the poll to see what people think.

My nominations:

1. Sobhillu saptaswara
2. Bhogeendra sayinam
3. Thaaye tripura sundari

Any additional info about the composer of the chittaswaram (when different from the composer of the song itself) will be appreciated.

Not sure if we have discussed this matter in detail in the past but I am sure we can do it again now :-)

Rsachi
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Joined: 31 Aug 2009, 13:54

Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by Rsachi »

Suresh, great topic.

Image
there are so many gems...
Janani ninuvina...
Broche varuevarura...

I feel sometimes that instrumentalists render chitteswaras better than vocalists. I have also heard that most chitteswaras were added later to the actual composition. I feel pancharatna kritis shine because of the way swaras and words are sung in Charanas.

I would suggest you start posting links to music clips featuring your favourites. Polling is less important than enjoying the music!

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

Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by sureshvv »

Thank you Sachi.

I don't think we should include Pancharatna keerthanas or Swarajathis. In fact I think we should not even include those kritis of Shyama Sastry/Subbaraya Sastry which have a swara passage followed up with the sahityam (like Janani Ninivina), since they
are integral to the kriti.

harimau
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Joined: 06 Feb 2007, 21:43

Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by harimau »

All time great: Gaja Vadana in Todi by Kumara Ettendra.

Aditto
Posts: 323
Joined: 20 May 2008, 20:31

Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by Aditto »

Entani Vinnavinturaa
Vararaaga Layagnulu
Vaanchatonunna
Nenarunchinaanu
Koniyaadina Napai

bala94ms
Posts: 55
Joined: 16 Oct 2010, 08:16

Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by bala94ms »

A very interesting topic !!

My Pick:
1. Gajavadana Sammodita Veera - Todi (A composition of Maharaja Kumara Ettendral, the Chittaiswaram for which is believed to have been composed by Baluswamy Dikshitar. The Different shades of Gamakas of Todi Gandharam is best heard/learnt from this chittaiswaram. Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer renders the krithi in his inimitable style. One of the gems from Smt. T Brinda's repository.
One can hear to Smt Radha Vishwanathan singing the krithi here : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QrswfcaCI5U. Dont forget to read Cienu Sir's description.
2. Paripalinchu - Suddha Saveri - Thiruvisainallur Venkatarama Iyer
3. Amba Paradevate - Rudrapriya - Krishnaswamy Ayya
4. Nenarunchinanu - Malavi - Thyagarajar (Don't know about the composer of the Chittaiswaram)
5. Sri Mahaganapathi Avathu Mam - Gowla. Though, to the best of my knowledge it was not composed by Dikshitar, it adds beauty to the brisk gait in which it is rendered. Hope some of our forumites can throw light in the original composer of the Chittaiswarams

bala94ms
Posts: 55
Joined: 16 Oct 2010, 08:16

Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by bala94ms »

Suresh Sir,
I haven't heard Chittaiswaram rendered for Bhogeendra Sayinam. Any Audio links ?

shripathi_g
Posts: 356
Joined: 30 Mar 2005, 08:25

Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by shripathi_g »

My favorites

1. Koniyadina
2. Janani Ninnuvina
3. Vanajasana
4. Niravathi

cienu
Posts: 2387
Joined: 04 Feb 2010, 11:40

Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by cienu »

There is no doubt that the Chittaswarams in Gajavadana Sammodita is one of the best ever.

A few more here with links which rasikas may like. Will post a few more later.

Sobillu (Chittaswarams by Karaikudi Sambasiva Iyer)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FoF7YgpclPg

Sada Saranga Nayane (Chittaswarams by Kadayanallur Venkataraman)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_NQI7qzERY

Kova Raako (Chittaswarams by Kadayanallur Venkataraman)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLFlPM680Do

Seethamma Mayamma (Chittaswarams by Karaikudi Sambasiva Iyer)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFdMk2SoYm8

Raghuvamsha
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjoDUGXpATc

Narayanathe Namo Namo (Ghanaragamalika Chittaswarams by Kadayanallur Venkataraman)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMK8ETPG0kM

Janani Ninuvina
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGNXGOYk_MM

Nenarunchinanu (The speed of rendering is breath taking)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtElqTEGscA

SrinathK
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Joined: 13 Jan 2013, 16:10

Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by SrinathK »

How about the chittaswarams for Pranathaartihara prabho Purare - the 72 melakartha ragamalika?

varsha
Posts: 1978
Joined: 24 Aug 2011, 15:06

Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by varsha »

http://www.mediafire.com/download/oc4ud ... y_Ayya.mp3
Appearing as a flash of lightening. Some nitrogen-fixing in my brain :)

ramamatya
Posts: 150
Joined: 16 Dec 2015, 11:04

Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by ramamatya »

1. Yochana - Darbar - Chittaswaram by GNB
2. Raga ratna malikache - ritigowla - Chittaswaram by Veena Kalahasti
3. Bhavayami - ragamalika - chittaswaram by Semmangudi

SrinathK
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Joined: 13 Jan 2013, 16:10

Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by SrinathK »

The chittaswarams for Kova Rago in Valaji is also awesome.

Vande vasudevam in shree raga also has a great chittaswaram.

Kamalambike of subburaya shastri

The chittaswarams in Emanine - Mukhari

The chittaswarams in Naa Jeevadhara - Bilahari

The ones of Sri Vishwanatham Bhajeham - Dikshitar

But IMHO , the chittaswarams for the Pancharatnas are simply in another league altogether.

Rsachi
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Joined: 31 Aug 2009, 13:54

Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by Rsachi »

Cienu, Bless You.

Rsachi
Posts: 5039
Joined: 31 Aug 2009, 13:54

Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by Rsachi »

Varsha,
As usual,a brilliant choice. Is it NS Srinivasan? I had met him a couple of times at AIR, Hyderabad. He was a jolly chatty person, parked in the coffee shop with a smoking butt always! And the violinist Sriram, Sriram Parasuram, or son of TNK? US West coast?

varsha
Posts: 1978
Joined: 24 Aug 2011, 15:06

Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by varsha »

Glad you liked it
T Viswa - Sriram Parasuram

Nice to know you met NSS . His lecture on Sound is such a class act.
West Coast , right

munirao2001
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Joined: 28 Feb 2009, 11:35

Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by munirao2001 »

Vallabha Nayakasya-Begada-Mudduswamy Dikshita- Semmengudi Mama (I do not know, whether he popularized it or he set them, excuse me for my ignorance and not checking, but posting. Varsha and others giving access to the resources, a highly commendable actions.

munirao2001

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

Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by sureshvv »

bala94ms wrote:Suresh Sir,
I haven't heard Chittaiswaram rendered for Bhogeendra Sayinam. Any Audio links ?
Bala.. I am afraid I might have misremembered the charanam as Chittaswaram :oops:

rajeshnat
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Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 08:04

Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by rajeshnat »

sureshvv wrote:
bala94ms wrote:Suresh Sir,
I haven't heard Chittaiswaram rendered for Bhogeendra Sayinam. Any Audio links ?
Bala.. I am afraid I might have misremembered the charanam as Chittaswaram :oops:
Sureshvv
When all future musicians sing this krithi after hearing semmangudi tape recordings repeatedly as a base, then kalpanaswaras also become cittaswaras. :) .

varsha
Posts: 1978
Joined: 24 Aug 2011, 15:06

Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by varsha »

https://ramsabode.wordpress.com/2007/04/
Though he did not use much kaNakku usually in his concerts, he made full use of calculations while composing ciTTaswarams for many songs. MDR had a passion for composing ciTTaswarams and he did this not only in his compositions but also for songs of other great composers like Sri Muthuswami Dikshitar. Prof Ramakrishnan sang ciTTaswarams composed by MDR for the three kritis “hariharaputram” (vasantA), “chandram bhaja mAnasa” (AsAvEri) and “divAkaratanujam” (yadukulakAmbOji) and also for MDR’s own composition “thyAgarAja gurum AshrayE“.
https://www.mediafire.com/#kl946lxeby3pk

Not recommended with head phones . Lifts you to heights very close to Heaven :)

Aditto
Posts: 323
Joined: 20 May 2008, 20:31

Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by Aditto »

varsha wrote:https://ramsabode.wordpress.com/2007/04/
Though he did not use much kaNakku usually in his concerts, he made full use of calculations while composing ciTTaswarams for many songs. MDR had a passion for composing ciTTaswarams and he did this not only in his compositions but also for songs of other great composers like Sri Muthuswami Dikshitar. Prof Ramakrishnan sang ciTTaswarams composed by MDR for the three kritis “hariharaputram” (vasantA), “chandram bhaja mAnasa” (AsAvEri) and “divAkaratanujam” (yadukulakAmbOji) and also for MDR’s own composition “thyAgarAja gurum AshrayE“.
https://www.mediafire.com/#kl946lxeby3pk

Not recommended with head phones . Lifts you to heights very close to Heaven :)
The link is prompting for a login.


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

Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by ram1999 »

Nagaswaravali - Sri Sankara guruvaram composed by Maha Vaidyanatha Iyer

A spectacular rendition by Sri Voleti Venkateswarulu

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqLzvEoKG6k

mohan
Posts: 2806
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 16:52

Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by mohan »

Have to agree with many others. Some of my favourite citta svara-s are:

gajavadana - todi
sobhilu - jaganmohini
janani - rithigowla
e vasudha - sahana
palinchu kamakshi - madhyamavati
Vaanchatonunna - karnaranjani
brochevarevarura - khamas
nipadame gati - nalinakanti

narayan
Posts: 383
Joined: 05 Oct 2008, 07:43

Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by narayan »

Related matter:

Poornachandrika has at least three:

Telisi rama
Palukavemina
Sri ranganatham (an otherwise undistinguished song?) - as sung by DKJ/DKP

Begada has at least three, that I have heard

Manasunanera
Sankari nee (my favourite, I guess)
Anudinamunu

and Vallabhanayaka, which I have not heard.

So the winner is Begada. Any ragas with more? There must be, I'm sure.

prashant
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Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 09:01

Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by prashant »

nA morAlakinCi - dhanyAsi [vINA kuppayyar] has an explosively beautiful CiTTaswara which astutely exploits the symmetries available even in a rakti raga like dhanyAsi. Sadly this song is more or less absent from the concert stages today.

Several Dikshitar songs have beautiful ones - The CiTTaswara of saraswati chAyAtarangiNi is happy and bubbly; that of nIrajAkshi serious and grand, with several of the MND jumps that characterise the Dikshitar interpretation of this raga. I also enjoy the one appended to guruguhAdanyam in balahamsa. The palindromic CiTTaswara of kamalAmbAm bhajarE is a treat.

The Cittaswara of Annasvami Sastri's shri kAmAkshi in sArangA is another classic. It drips with the essence of sAranga without showing the shuddha madhyama even once. Pure genius.
Last edited by prashant on 18 Dec 2015, 22:57, edited 1 time in total.

prashant
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Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 09:01

Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by prashant »

@narayan - Many more for bEgaDA; a very CiTTaswara friendly raga!

The sparkling little CiTTaswara for kuppayyar's inta parAkEla [rupaka]

,,grgm,pdm,g | rs - grgm,pdpSn[2] || RS - GRGM,GRS - n[2], | dp - grgm,pdm,g || mr - [inta parAkEla]

SSP has one for shri mAtAh which has the delectable PNDM prayoga, and one for tyAgarAjAya as well which ends with a majestic flourish: pdpSpR - tyAgarAjAya.

prashant
Posts: 1658
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 09:01

Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by prashant »

prashant wrote:@narayan - Many more for bEgaDA; a very CiTTaswara friendly raga!

The sparkling little CiTTaswara for kuppayyar's inta parAkEla [rupaka]

,,grgm,pdm,g | rs - grgm,pdpSn[2] || RS - GRGM,GRS - n[2], | dp - grgm,pdm,g || mr - [inta parAkEla]

SSP has one for shri mAtAh which has the delectable PNDM prayoga, and one for tyAgarAjAya as well which ends with a majestic flourish: pdpSpR - tyAgarAjAya.
pUrNaCandrika has one more nice one - for GNB's varada nipuNa.

jodha
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Joined: 07 Aug 2009, 12:32

Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by jodha »

Dr.BMK - Arabhi- mahadevasutham maham.Some of HMB compositions like vanchathonu,himagirithanaye,sudhamayee had good chittasvaarms.Also I vote for the chittaswaram in veenaabheri and pahimam srirajaarjeswari (janaranjani).brochevaravarura in khamas another great.

sureshvv
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Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by sureshvv »

I would think that the most significant aspect of a chittaswaram is its tala. Can chittaswaras be transplanted to a different raga? Has this been attempted?

varsha
Posts: 1978
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Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by varsha »

tmt - karunanidhi illalo - todi

harimau
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Joined: 06 Feb 2007, 21:43

Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by harimau »

Sri Jalandharam - Gambhira Nattai - Sri Jayachamaraja Wodeyar

SrinathK
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Joined: 13 Jan 2013, 16:10

Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by SrinathK »

Sri Jalandharam Ashrayamyaham's Chittaswaram is the "moto perpetuo" of the lot.

TheListener
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Joined: 03 Feb 2012, 04:52

Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by TheListener »

Semmangudi mentions in the 1987 Academy concert that the chittaswaram for Nenarunchinanu was composed by Thirukkodaikaval Krishna Iyer.

But I also 'very vaguely' remember reading somewhere a while ago that GNB also had composed chittaswaram for that krithi. Not sure, if that was a different chittaswaram or my memory is wrong. If someone has more info on this to refute or confirm, that will be great.

shankarank
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Joined: 15 Jun 2009, 07:16

Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by shankarank »

HMB's caraNam Vijayasaraswathi in Vijayasaraswathi rendered by TNS has a good one.

narayan
Posts: 383
Joined: 05 Oct 2008, 07:43

Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by narayan »

Since the question was about a top ten list, I vote for the raka sasivadana (takka) cittaswaram sung by S. Sowmya, presumably composed by S. Ramanathan.

Rsachi
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Joined: 31 Aug 2009, 13:54

Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by Rsachi »

Sringaralahari! Nilambari at its best, with taut rhythm.
Many versions on gaana.com

Sivaramakrishnan
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Joined: 02 Jan 2010, 08:29

Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by Sivaramakrishnan »

sureshvv wrote:
bala94ms wrote:Suresh Sir,
I haven't heard Chittaiswaram rendered for Bhogeendra Sayinam. Any Audio links ?
Bala.. I am afraid I might have misremembered the charanam as Chittaswaram :oops:

Thanks sureshvv for raising the query!

ganeshkarthik
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Joined: 06 Mar 2015, 21:53

Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by ganeshkarthik »

saravanabhava- pasupathipriya. Muthiah bhagavathar

SrinathK
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Joined: 13 Jan 2013, 16:10

Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by SrinathK »

Also the chittaswarams for GNB's composition in Kuntalavarali - Ninnu Pogada tharama.

And speaking of GNB composed chittaswarams, just 3 words -- Vara Raaga Laya. I need not say any more. 8-)

harimau
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Joined: 06 Feb 2007, 21:43

Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by harimau »

There is a Sankarabharanam krithi by Mysore Sadasiva Rao.

It contains two chittaswarams, one for the anupallavi and one for the charanam.

One of them is ornamented with gamakas and is in Carnatic style.

The other one is sung with plain notes and resembles a Western tune.

For the life of me, I can't recall the name of the krithi.

Lakshman
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Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by Lakshman »

Is it shrI SaNmukha janaka?

keerthi
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Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by keerthi »

There is a Sankarabharanam krithi by Mysore Sadasiva Rao.

It contains two chittaswarams, one for the anupallavi and one for the charanam.

One of them is ornamented with gamakas and is in Carnatic style.
It is nannu brocuTakevarunnAru by Mysore Vasudevacarya.

Speaking of two ciTTasvara-s, srI mInAkSI gauri in the rAga gauri, by muttusvAmi dIkSitar, has two ciTTasvara-s - one each after the pallavi and anupallavi [the so called samaSThi caraNa]. Both are ornamented with gamakas, and are in Carnatic style.

anandmurty
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Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 00:03

Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by anandmurty »

Absolutely love the chittaswara in guruguhAya in sAma. Hadn't heard this in renditions by Vijay Siva and others but came across it in a lecdem by Vid. T.S. Sathyavathi on Dikshitar.

https://youtu.be/gyME2kMJM2o?t=2453

Both the chittaswara and her explanation are sparkling and a total treat.

HarishankarK
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Joined: 27 Oct 2007, 11:55

Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by HarishankarK »

I vote for Amba Paradevate and
Nannu Brochutaku (the western based cittaswaras are amazing and one of a kind). Sowmya sings this composition very well combining the carnatic kriti and western swaras very ably.

kartik
Posts: 226
Joined: 06 Feb 2010, 06:25

Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by kartik »

Palaya Maam Siddhi Vinayaka by Sadasiva Rao in SuddhaDhanyasi (great lyrics too),has chittaswarams in 3 charanams.

kartik
Posts: 226
Joined: 06 Feb 2010, 06:25

Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by kartik »

Among ragas that are attempted lesser, Koteeswara Iyers "Va velava"in Tanaroopi has delighful chittaswaram.

varsha
Posts: 1978
Joined: 24 Aug 2011, 15:06

Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by varsha »

http://www.mediafire.com/listen/ucdd5aa ... ni-PRR.mp3
I cant get past a cittaswara without pausing to think of this thread :shock:
Puducode Kr

Purist
Posts: 430
Joined: 13 May 2008, 16:55

Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by Purist »

#48 Varsha, That was vintage stuff Varsha. Quality recording too. Do you have the link for the whole concert?, would
be thankful .

varsha
Posts: 1978
Joined: 24 Aug 2011, 15:06

Re: Top 10 chittaswarams

Post by varsha »

PART OF 4- SONG EXTRACT OF AIR CONCERT
LGJPRaghu-Calicut-AIR-1983
WILL POST OTHER THREE

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