kalyANavasantam

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SrinathK
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kalyANavasantam

Post by SrinathK »

A dark, deep, tragic, nostalgic and absorbing raga that makes the heart weep with melancholy -- those are the words that would be thrown about to describe the kalyANavasantam as it is popular today, with the efforts of Lalgudi Jayaraman in researching into it and settling it into this form :- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CyMBrcJm9cQ

However, the story of this raga and it's identity reveals that it had quite a few split personalities, including one where a chatushruti dhaivatam (D2) had crept into it.

One version of kalyANa vasantam used to go like S G2 R2 G2 M1 D1 N3 S - S N3 D1 P M1 G2 R2 S and even combinations like RSNDPM - PMGRSN were possible (and still used sometimes by musicians outside the Lalgudi bani even in the current popular version of Lalgudi). This aro-avarohanam for one is a very Keeravani-esque version of it.

As far as I know, this raga has at least 6 (yes, SIX!) different variations. I don't have a recording of the one that had the D2 in it, but for the others listen to the following. This offers some light into all the forms this raga has taken on record.

1) nAdalOluDai and kanulu tAkaNi by Lalgudi (the melanchony one we all know very well) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFHRHEDm6Uo -- this is very distinct with little keeravANi in it. It even has a GMDM phrase in it.

2) The same thing by Vedavalli mAmi (recording http://gaana.com/song/nadaloludai-kalya ... -vedavalli) - while the aro avaro is the same, the handling of the swaras is much closer to Keeravani. Not only that, it even has phrases that goes P P P D , M (hari harAmta) and D P, M - R G, GR RMGR SN (brahmanandam andavE)

3) kanulu tAkaNi by GNB and MLV (the aro-avaro mentioned above) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwpOX5ugBAo

4) innu dayAbAradE by MLV (similar to the LGJ one, but has a distinct S N D M - P, M G, in the opening) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZoYwKsxIty4

5) nAdalOluDai by U Shrinivas (The only difference between that and the LGJ one is the use of a sangati containing RSNDPM - PMGRSN, plus it's more Keeravani-ish)

These are all signs of a raga that had at least two forms before one got discarded and the other transformed into what it is today (it is said that the discovery of some old manuscripts and an investigation into how D2 crept into this raga by Lalgudi and other musicians (I can't recall who) was how this raga acquired it's present shape).

EDIT : Update - The sixth variation with the D2 has been found

6) nAdaloluDai by Tadepally Lokanatha Sharma - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PWLvho6BC8
Not only does this have both S R2 G2 M1 and S G2 M1 in it, it even has a RGM-RGS (on manasA) that has husEni written all over it!
Last edited by SrinathK on 26 Sep 2017, 12:28, edited 1 time in total.

rajeshnat
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Re: kalyANavasantam

Post by rajeshnat »

srinathk
There is possibly a sixth version of Tadepally Lokanadha sharma singing nadaloludai - kalyanavasantham , may be it is a chitoor school version . Check this review.
http://www.rasikas.org/forums/viewtopic ... lit=sharma .

SrinathK
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Re: kalyANavasantam

Post by SrinathK »

Yes, I found it. Thanks for the heads up. You can hear this here :- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PWLvho6BC8 -- So that's variation # 6.

Not only does this have both S R2 G2 M1 and S G2 M1 in it, it even has a RGM-RGS (on manasA) that has husEni written all over it!
Last edited by SrinathK on 26 Sep 2017, 12:28, edited 1 time in total.

rajeshnat
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Re: kalyANavasantam

Post by rajeshnat »

SrinathK wrote: 26 Sep 2017, 10:18 Yes, I found it. Thanks for the heads up. You can hear this here :- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PWLvho6BC8 -- So that's variation # 6.

Not only that this have both S R2 G2 M1 and S G2 M1 in it, it even has a RGM-RGS (on manasA) that has husEni written all over it!
Srinathk
You still have a window to edit you can put 6 in the first post and edit with the key remarks . Thanks
By the way I am assuming maharajapuram santhanam and lalgudi jayaraman nadaloludai is just the same in both lakshyam and lakshanam.

SrinathK
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Re: kalyANavasantam

Post by SrinathK »

rajeshnat wrote: 26 Sep 2017, 10:24
SrinathK wrote: 26 Sep 2017, 10:18 Yes, I found it. Thanks for the heads up. You can hear this here :- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PWLvho6BC8 -- So that's variation # 6.

Not only that this have both S R2 G2 M1 and S G2 M1 in it, it even has a RGM-RGS (on manasA) that has husEni written all over it!
Srinathk
You still have a window to edit you can put 6 in the first post and edit with the key remarks . Thanks
By the way I am assuming maharajapuram santhanam and lalgudi jayaraman nadaloludai is just the same in both lakshyam and lakshanam.
I added it up there. And yes, Maharajapuram Santhanam's was the same.

varsha
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Re: kalyANavasantam

Post by varsha »


bala747
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Re: kalyANavasantam

Post by bala747 »

"One version of kalyANa vasantam used to go like S G2 R2 G2 M1 D1 N3 S - S N3 D1 P M1 G2 R2 S and even combinations like RSNDPM - PMGRSN"

It seems there were two versions of this raga, and thankfully the one that survived was the right one, suited for the deeply philosophical piece that is Nadaloludai. I don't consider it to be that melancholic or tragic (dear lord!)

I would consider Lalgudi's (and Maharajapuram's) version canon. Most others are utter garbage, with needless inclusion of keeravani, especially the S Ramanathan school who have butchered this krithi (another one who should have stuck to talking about music).

My mother's version also was quite tainted with keeravani so she never sang it, and she did tell me that because it had very heavy usage of GRG and her own teacher wasn't too pleased with the version.

My own view can be seen as a system modified from our Islamic brethren regarding acceptability of a practice (hukm):

There are five levels:
Mandatory (farz), Recommended (mandub), Neutral (mubaah) Discouraged (makrooh), Forbidden (haraam). First two are quite self explanatory.

So while prayogas can be neutral or even discouraged based on the raga structure, they become recommended in the right context, and by the right musician. Santhanam's use of a huseini-like phrase in Madhyamavathi (Evvarichirira) is a example, or Musiri's use of the suddha dhaivata in the charanam of Nagumomu. Anyone else trying it would likely sound awful.

But some prayogas are discouraged for a reason, being it deviates from the bhava of the raga, like putting DNR in purvikalyani (ARI and TNK are the worst offenders here). MDR could get away with it because of the control he had over bhava. But anyone else? I would consider it reprehensible but not forbidden, but what do I know?

So, should RSNDPM PMGRSN belong in Kalyanavasantham? I would say it's a neutral prayoga, but in the hands of a U Srinivas or TK Govinda Rao, sounds brilliant.

I can understand why instrumentalists would prefer it because it does sound beautiful, especially if the second panchama is just touched upon from the Ma.

Being manodharma-based, our music system requires musicians to test the limits of a raga, which means oftentimes certain foreign prayogas, after repeated and attested usage become canon. Asaveri being a good example. The catusruthi ri gives the raga a new dimension that blends in with the essential mood. So-called "purists" who lack any creativity and imagination, bellyache about such "additions" being forbidden, but then again that's because they make their living talking about music.

Singing SRM in mohanam is forbidden, but other than extreme examples like that, it's all contextual.

bhakthim dehi
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Re: kalyANavasantam

Post by bhakthim dehi »

The catusruthi ri gives the raga a new dimension that blends in with the essential mood. So-called "purists" who lack any creativity and imagination, bellyache about such "additions" being forbidden, but then again that's because they make their living talking about music.
Then,there is no need for grammar.

Creativity, imagination, aesthetics et al are all subjective. What is appealing to you might not and need not mean the same to me.
Improvisations are to be developed considering the grammar and ONLY within the realms of the grammar.
A musician is considered to be efficient (irrespective of being a purist or modernist), only if he adheres to the grammar and at the same able to bring the bhavam or beauty; not by changing the swaram or swarasthanam.
Last edited by bhakthim dehi on 12 Dec 2017, 18:47, edited 1 time in total.

bhakthim dehi
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Re: kalyANavasantam

Post by bhakthim dehi »

Kalyanavasantham was considered as a janya of melam 23 (version of Sri Tadepalli Lokanatha Sharma is close to this).

harimau
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Re: kalyANavasantam

Post by harimau »


shreyas
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Re: kalyANavasantam

Post by shreyas »

You should watch Sanjay Subrahmanyan's RTP in this raga.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTw_mKq_sAo&t=1971s

harimau
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Re: kalyANavasantam

Post by harimau »

shreyas wrote: 09 Apr 2018, 21:29 You should watch Sanjay Subrahmanyan's RTP in this raga.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTw_mKq_sAo&t=1971s
Why? :roll:

I prefer a RTP in Kalyani by SSI.

PS. Oh, you said watch, not listen. So I suppose I mute the volume and watch the video. Did he finally succeed in his attempts at levitation?

shreyas
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Re: kalyANavasantam

Post by shreyas »

:D
Well, it was average. I found his swaras in Durga somewhere around the 34 minute mark quite amusing though...It's almost as if he's dancing on stage.

SrinathK
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Re: kalyANavasantam

Post by SrinathK »

shreyas wrote: 09 May 2018, 18:57 :D
Well, it was average. I found his swaras in Durga somewhere around the 34 minute mark quite amusing though...It's almost as if he's dancing on stage.
You should know the tiger's food preferences. While it has unique class and has done a lot for the jungle, It has some nasty food allergies. :mrgreen: :lol:

There are also some self declared porcines here. However they are worse, they are allergic to almost everything (including fresh air) and only come here to sneeze, not even carrying tissues. :lol:

SrinathK
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Re: kalyANavasantam

Post by SrinathK »

The subject of this raga began IIRC with this post : viewtopic.php?f=2&t=22254&hilit=Kalyana ... 25#p251074

At the top post up there I have written about six versions of kalyANAvasantam. Well I wanted to save the best point for last, but I am not sure how many of you will read all the way down to the end, so I am spoiling it for you. We have found the seventh version of kalyANavasantam, from the Walajapettai manuscripts. And it is quite a surprise unlike anything any of us or you will have in mind. Read on..

The most popular version itself today, is the Lalgudi version, that goes as

Aro : S G2 M1 D1 N3 S
Ava : S N3 D1 P M1 G2 R2 S

Here's the maestro himself playing kanulu tAkani : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFHRHEDm6Uo

Now LGJ was not the first to render a version of kalyANAvasantam with D1. As far as I could trace it, the first recording of the D1 version of KV was actually by GNB (kannulu takkani) :

https://youtu.be/JZj45lLZaR8?t=2895 (recording starts at the song) - this is a recording from 1963, not the oldest of it.

My friend and rasika Vishnu Vijayaraghavan (his family and GNB's have been very close for nearly a century now) has told me that GNB was actually the first to start singing nAdalOluDai in the beginning, after which he also sang kanulu tAkani, but it has escaped records (like much of his vast repertoire).

His version was more of a vakra keeravANi type as I mentioned earlier that went :
Aro : S G2 R2 G2 M1 D1 N3 S
Avaro : S N3 D1 P M1 G2 R2 S

Now the Lalgudi version of kalyANavasantam caught on after this point so much so that even Thanjavur Kalyanaraman sang it that way only : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlvDn-a5zyQ - he brings his vast imaginative prowess to work in this one.

Eventually I now see that the tunes of songs like innu daya bAradE have slightly changed to fit into the lakshana of LGJ version of the raga.

There is an interesting story behind how it came about (no this will not be one of my comedic scripts, this is a true story. I am now going to simply write it straight from "An Incurable Romantic". One day, Lalgudi Jayaraman asked his wife, Smt. Rajam to sing nAdaloluDai...

"...Her nevousness got compounded when she saw the quizzical look on her husband's face. Only when she finished did she realize, to her relief, that his expression was not a reflection of her singing, but on the pATantharam, the musical organization of the composition.

How on earth had chautshruti dhaivatam crept into this raga? Lalgudi was a little upset.

He pored over texts on ragas and their grammar. Sure enough, kalyANavasantam was described as a janya (a derivative) of the raga keeravANi that used the shuddha dhaivata or small dha as the note is referred to in common parlance. Lalgudi decided to retune this composition as per the grammatical rules of kalyANavasantam. The process of retuning or editing the musical setting of a composition was described by him as "settling".

Musicologist B M Sundaram adds this snippet to the prologue of the kalyANavasantam story. He was in possession of an ancient notated manuscript of this song, procured from an old lady in Andhra Pradesh. That version too used the shuddha dhaivata. One day, relaxing with Lalgudi and Salem Desikan on the banks of the river Kaveri at Thiruvaiyyaru, Sundaram had hummed this song, while Salem Desikan wrote the notation for it and handed over the rough draft to Lalgudi.

Irrespective of the triggering factor, nAdalOluDai attained a new sheen in the late 1950s. Lalgudi crafted sangati after sangati for his version of the song. A recording of this revamped version released in the year 1962 instantly appealed to rasikas..."


At this point in time, GNB's version of KV was still around. In fact the recording up there is slightly later (1963) than LGJ's 1962 release. But then it faded away within a generation.

Well, recently Dr. Aravindhan unearthed the Walajapettai manuscript notated version of nAdalOluDai and kanulu tAkani (yesterday). This threw up a complete surprise that has turned my understanding of these kritis upside down.

He had discussed this with me way back in December, but now we finally have a recording.

The raga is indicated as kalyANavasantam (Dr.A has put a ?? there), but a janya of mEla 23, not 21, which means it uses chatushruti dhaivatam (D2). And it is unlike any other raga out there (not at all like the Tadepally Lokanatha Sharma's version). Given the age of this notation, it is chronologically the oldest by a country mile (WVB made many notations when Thyagaraja was still alive, let's not forget). And it's one beautiful rAgA. :mrgreen:

First let's listen to the Walajapettai notated version of nAdalOluDai :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lw0bOgLwPZE -- Oh yes, that's for real. You are not hearing things. :lol:

The arohaNam-avarOhaNam of this 7th version (actually the 1st) version of kalyANavasantam is :

Aro : S G2 M1 P D2 N3 S
Avaro : S D2 P M1 G2 R2 S

No SNS, that I verified. The raga has a uniquely romantic favour when rendered with plain G2 (or just a mild slide from M1) and hovering on the D2 (or a mild slide from S to D2). That is one element that even the modern KV still has - simpler is better. Some discontinuous phrases (where you abruptly jump across the scale) add some extra character to this raga, which are seen in the last line of the anupallavi and charanam.

SDPMG,-(S)GRS - the janTa as an upward jharu from S on the second G. It can even start from the lower D2.
SDPMG,-SRS,S, - on nichaya sahita. The R is just touched lightly along the way, I haven't seen a very explicit SRS, with a long held R, so this may be taken as a flavour enhancing phrase.
SDPMG,-DRS,S, - thyAgarAju teliyaka. Again used at the right place, with a brief glimpse of R2, it enhances the flavour of the raga.

This raga has now been ringing in my years ever since - the modern KV did that to me so often, but now this too. It has all the romantic charm of the current kalyAnavasantam, but a delightful old school taste with the unique way the D2 has come in, something that no other D2 version of KV can boast of. It also has great elaboration potential.

I hope musicians won't in the future straight away try to start making that D2 and G2 do dances, drills and gymnastics - the uniqueness of ragas are not just their notes, but also how they handle them. That can change the introspective character of this raga (assuming of course musicians will even pay attention...I digress)

Because there is no SNS or SND or DND possibility here, the only way to come down from S is to come to the D2. So phrases like DNS-DNS are featured. The S-DNS can be slurred very elegantly, in (what would you know), a typical LGJ violin slur like manner.

Now yesterday, kannulu tAkani was released by Dr Aravindhan on The Lost Melodies :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEGMJ3jyFv0

This version has some beautiful old school veena prayogas (Veena Dhanammal used to play phrases like this, as little sprinkled brighas). So here Thyagaraja has revealed a different possibility of interpretation (a feature of his multiple kritis in ragas). The phrases ending on R2 and then the R2-D2 transition on the next line is also a beautiful touch.

The raga lakshanas in both kritis are thoroughly consistent with each other.

I do not know what was the tune that Rajam mami sang to LGJ, but I have a hunch she was indeed right! :o

Interestingly, there is one raga that is closest to this version of kalyANavasantam, guess which?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEGMJ3jyFv0 - Yes, paTdeep. Seriously, KV is closer to paTdeep than any other raga.

Aro-Avaro of Patdeep FYI :

Aro : S G2 M1 P N3 S
Avaro ; S N3 D2 P M1 G2 (R2) S - it can skip the R2 entirely which it does often (the discontinuous phrases in KV mimic paTdeep) - But GRS is definitely there and used in other renditions. Also paTDeep sometimes skips the N in vakra phrases on the descent, or hides the N3 inside S so much so that it appears that phrases like NNS-DPG, are being used in it (actually most of them is NNS,(N)-DP(M)G,) - that kind of non-linearity is typical of HM ragas.

Phrases like SGMP are common to both. SGNS is possible only in paTDeep because of the restriction of the scale. But PNS is the main differentiating phrase between Patdeep and kalyANavasantam (in fact had it been PDNS, we might have just called it as paTdeep's south Indian cousin) :lol: . CM paTdeep is also known to use phrases like PN(D)N, and occasionally a slurred DNS for effect (the standard phrase is actually NDS as in NND,SSSG,NS,DN PD,MPG, and some of these vakra phrases could also come in this version of kalyANavasantam.

However, Thyagaraja stuck to linear phrasing and the scale. Dr. A and I had quite a debate on whether Thyagaraja could have been inspired by paTdeep at any time. But in the end, we stopped making the comparison.

Speaking of paTdeep, here is Lalgudi Jayaraman ( :lol: what a twist huh? ) playing a meera bhajan in it. https://youtu.be/Q7n9iAyIoMY - notice that some of his prayogams are very well shared with the Walajapettai kalyANavasantam.

So back to kalyANavasantam. With 7 known versions now, it would have held the record for most number of forms of a raga, had ghaNTA not come in just ahead and stolen its thunder (and ghaNTA will be overtaken by the kApi family soon). :ugeek:

What does that make of the D1 version of kalyANavasantam. Well, actually there's a reason why Dr. A put a ?? after the rAgA name in both the videos. Thyagaraja did not name most of his ragas. Some he might have these may have been known to his disciples. But for others, the names were fixed up much later. This version of kalyANAvasantam is one of Thyagaraja's apoorva creations. Should we call it as such? Well, I'd say, since it is mentioned in the Walajapettai notations, we should, but take care to mention that it is different from D1 kalyANavasantam

The D1 kalyANAvasantam has its validity. There is proof that a D1 version of KV has indeed existed as per texts and manuscripts - at least 2 versions of it are known and on record. We do not know which was older - it is likely that the D1 kalyANAvasantam was indeed the original kalyANAvasantam. The original D2 version was clearly a raga created by Thyagaraja himself. We don't know whether Svamigal intended to name his raga as kalyANAvasantam at all, but if he didn't this name might have been fixed on to his raga by his disciples. The fact that the same name stuck on to two ragas from two different mElas could explain why the confusion had occurred over the tunes of nAdalOluDai and kanulu tAkani. The confusion occurs between the tune of Thyagaraja's kritis vs the description of kalyANAvasantam in texts as a janya of mEla 21.

Probably not suspecting that there were indeed two KVs all along, the D2 version of the song was retuned, IMHO not just once, but multiple times over the past, to the current D1 version where it stands now in the quest to match up these tunes with the lakshanas of an existing raga. nAdalOluDai is not a kriti that has been through just one retuning, that is for sure.

So to conclude, I'd say, Lalgudi mama is indeed the proverbial incurable romantic amongst Carnatic Musicians - a genius, his kalyANavasantam is unique and isn't going anywhere. GNB was an intellectual creative titan, the prodigal virtuoso. But Thyagaraja has once again shown us that he too was a true romantic and a genius of another kind. What he did with this raga named kalyANAvasantam was something unique, a masterstroke. This one raga would be enough to tell me what kind of a genius he was to come up with these possibilities. He was a composer who dug directly into the ocean of musical phrases to unearth unique melodies and new ragas.

You will see this again for yourself when I discuss nidhi chAla sukhama in kalyANi. Others have followed his footsteps as far as they could, but the bard of Thiruvaiyyaru, here and elsewhere has proven yet again as to just why he is spoken with such reverence - his unique musical ideas and vision were indeed in a class of their own. On these occasions he has proved he is indeed like Hanuman in the assembly of Naradas and Tumburus. :ugeek:

MadhavRayaprolu
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Re: kalyANavasantam

Post by MadhavRayaprolu »

Great posts from @SrinathK on the KV variations. A few observations:

- The panchamam is not given prominence and no nyasa on it. Phrases like D-PM- or DPPMMGG- quickly take the focus away from P.

- Kalyanaraman’s, Ramakrishna Murthy’s Kanulu Takani goes as: MDPG-RS. Not my favorite but perhaps it counts as a variation. Lalgudi does: MND DPPMG- sounds so much more beautiful.

- I dont find U Srinivas’ RSNDPM PMGRSN problematic with the aro/avro even though MP are adjacent. These are separate brisk phrases. Plus the P is sung with a pull from G.

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