abishek raguram at music academy on 21.12.2008

chalanata · Post by **chalanata** » 21 Dec 2008, 20:29

life;love; passion;dynamism; sublime; aggressive; landscape; water falls; greenery; plenty; philosophy; solace; joy; melancholy;sustenance; freaking out; compassion;smooth; scintillating; soul searching; crisp; elaborate;thirst; quench; desert;alone; party mode; life after life; life within life;philosophical; matter of fact; down to earth; dreamy.
I am not able to explain the concert beyond this. the boy is a deva with a music harp in his throat and has descended on the earth to convert mundane lives to immortals.
the following is the song list:
1.palugaveni poornachandrika
2. mariverekkathievaru lathangi
3. madhava mamava neelambari
4. kapaali mohanam
5. enthayaum virutham kaapi followed by sodhanai sumakku
6. alaiyum virutham sindhu baharavi followed by kudhambai chithar pattu
he was facilitated by charumathi raghuram on the violin and anand on the mrithangam.
one obsession he has however. breaking lines to bring about the complicated sangathis. this blowing a little out of proportion will go in course of time.
all the 33 crore devas were present to listen to his mohana raga alaapana.
we do not have to worry about cm. it is in safe hands.

vv ramesh · Post by **vv ramesh** » 22 Dec 2008, 09:13

Hi all,
I am new to this forum.
First of all, kudos to the wonder boy Abhishek raghuram and thanks millions and trillions to him for the amazing concert he gave us @ The Music Academy on 21st Dec. I was on cloud 9 when kritis in ragams Lathangi, Nilambari and Mohanam were rendered. The swarams in Lathangi were out of the world. Even seniors should listen to this boy for his forte in Layam and overall aesthetics. He is growing day by day and I say that he is a real PRODIGY.

I witnessed his another gem of a concert in Bharathiya vidya bhavan on 15th Dec with Kum Akkarai Subalakshmi and Vidwan Trichy Sankaran. One cannot forget the Thodi alapanai he attempted to on that day. The audience wanted the concert to go on and on. I also witnessed many young musicians enjoying the concert and praising his performance.

Looking forward to todays programme in Velachery by Master Abhishek accompanied by Smt Usha Rajagopal on the Violin and Vidwan Sangitha Kalanidhi Dr.T.K.Murthy on the Mridangam.

Mr. Chalanata, thanks for the wonderful and right review you have given about this genius' Academy concert. I have the same passion for this young boy.

sadasiva iyer · Post by **sadasiva iyer** » 22 Dec 2008, 10:32

A very creative artist who brings out the most rare Sangathis of most common Ragas.

Only a countable number of legends are born in a century. This century has witnessed many legends like GNB, Palghat Mani Iyer, Flute Mali in the field of Carnatic classical music. The present day is proud to include the name of the young Master Abhishek Raghuram in this list of greats. Abhishek is years ahead in the Carnatic Music arena when compared to his peers. He is gifted with amazing control over Layam, tempo and creativity. He has a wonderful knowledge of elaborating difficult Ragams. It is rare to find a musician with the right blend of all the qualities required for a great artist. This young lad is just "Perfect". Be it the Pitching, Voice, Tempo, Bhava, Layam and Manodharmam. He ranks among the greats in Classical music. It is quite a challenge for Violinists and Mridangists to accompany this wonder kid. I have seen him grow through the years. And all I can say is he is a natural and a Prodigy

Its tough to say which aspect of his music is best, because all of them are equally exceptional. But personally I feel that his Raga exposition is just out of the world and he renders krithi with amazing improvisation.

There is a famous saying - "leaders are born not made". I would say that Most contemporary musicians are made and not born musicians. Abhishek is an exception to this. He is a born singer.

sadasiva iyer · Post by **sadasiva iyer** » 22 Dec 2008, 10:42

http://specials.rediff.com/news/2008/de ... stival.htm

vasanthakokilam · Post by **vasanthakokilam** » 22 Dec 2008, 12:23

Good to hear that it was a great concert.

So many superlatives to describe a concert!! Hope Abhishek's fans and admirers give him some breathing room and do not put too much pressure on him.
I wonder what he has to do for an encore!

venkatakrishnan · Post by **venkatakrishnan** » 22 Dec 2008, 20:53

it was indeed one of its kind concert. great precision in all depts.abhishek seems to have a penchant for raga singing.and he is brilliant at that.one kind request to abhishek would be to face the mike properly and sing. the subtle brigas sometimes go unheard . hoping to see a pallavi soon from him. remind me too much of gnb(though there are differences).

Jigyaasa · Post by **Jigyaasa** » 22 Dec 2008, 23:25

vasanthakokilam wrote:Hope Abhishek's fans and admirers

The posts border on sycophancy.. fans is too light a word for the kind of florid descriptions above...

bilahari · Post by **bilahari** » 22 Dec 2008, 23:34

Hehe, Jigyaasa, you said what I was thinking

vasanthakokilam · Post by **vasanthakokilam** » 22 Dec 2008, 23:50

I hope that chalanata, a long time member here, would come and defend himself

chalanata's writing stye a while back used to be a bit on the sarcastic side so it took me a few seconds to realize that he was actually serious.

vsarmaiitm · Post by **vsarmaiitm** » 23 Dec 2008, 09:17

Corrections on the lyrics :

1 palukavEmi nA daivama
2 marivere dikkevvaru rAmayya

Sarma

Jigyaasa · Post by **Jigyaasa** » 23 Dec 2008, 09:32

I've been going over the "word list" again and again n jus cudn't get enuf of some of them

chalanata wrote:aggressive; freaking out; desert;alone; party mode; life within life;

The last one especially... Hilarious

... Life within life... What might that be?! :rolleyes:

harimau · Post by **harimau** » 23 Dec 2008, 09:35

Jigyaasa wrote:
The last one especially... Hilarious ... Life within life... What might that be?! :rolleyes:

"Naa Jeevadhara!"

Check with the poster who calls himself Bilahari!

chalanata · Post by **chalanata** » 23 Dec 2008, 10:36

VK,
give me some time. i am watching the proceedings in the other thread too. i observe several under currents and it requires a lot of analysis. i will post a comprehensive message.
this 'sarcasm' business; you mean really? some revelation of my 'Joharry's window' a little late in life!

vasanthakokilam · Post by **vasanthakokilam** » 23 Dec 2008, 13:26

chalanata, take your time. I probably got mixed up and mis-attributed the sarcastic streak to you..

latha.musiclover · Post by **latha.musiclover** » 24 Dec 2008, 21:04

I heard Abishek's kucheri at Bharat Kalachar early this december...His Reethi Gowlai was very good...though his phrases...few brigas were too repetitive...He then rendered Sri rama Jaya rama in Yadulkulakambodi...which was very pleasing to the ears....
He began his "So called" Kalyani alapanai....which ran upto 25 mins...with a gr8 difficulty i had to convince myself that it was Kalyani and not "Yemen Kalyani"...I could hardly hear phrases that clearly portray Kalyani....It was so damn northish and he sounded typically like a Hindustani Singer....I admire his ability to bring out amazing Brigas....but a Raga filled JUST with BRIGAS lack lustre...

chalanata · Post by **chalanata** » 25 Dec 2008, 20:58

VK, I assured you of a comprehensive message. Here is the same:

1. What Vainika has pointed out as aberrations in Nilambari and Mohanam in the other thread is correct. I too found shades of other ragas in aalaapana.
2. This has happened earlier too and as pointed out by some fellow rasikas he has the habit of doing it again and again. Some times he makes it very difficult for rasikas to place him.
3. I fully agree with the views of conformists that innovations are ok; but should not be extended to the extent of collapsing the intent of the original composer and song.

BUT"¦"¦.

The following questions come to my mind:

1. Does Abishek do this because of lack of knowledge or because of the dynamism of his mind which in a rapid exploration of the raga touches unrelated swaras unwittingly? He may be a maverick musician who is unable to bank the flood of his imagination and will not trying to inculcate too much ritualistic discipline jeopardize his exceptional talent?
2. Were there not musicians like abishek in the history of CM? I have found such kinds of aberrations or eccentricities in MaliÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢s flute. MSG in the beginning was thought to be corrupting cm with hm. Acceptability did not come to him immediately.
3. The boy is very young and needs time to settle down. He will in the natural process and some criticism here and there is ok.
4. One gentleman who has been in the field for the last 35 years at least and who gets an award every year is not able to conform to the basic discipline of sruthi even today. Are we not putting up with this because in comparison to his imagination we consider it a trivial matter?
5. The boy has to be corrected no doubt; but the wording in our messages should not go to the extent of crucifying his talent.
6. vainika, your observation was correct but the words in my opinion were strong. This may be because you are a performing artist and you become emotionally surcharged when you find mistakes. The point is because of the intensity of the comments the intent of your criticism has triggered a reaction opposite to what you desired. This happens for disciplinarians.
7. the managers of the forum in my opinion could have merged both the threads of the comments to facilitate rasikas a total view of the performance.
8. VK, you asked a pertinent question in the other thread whether the boy could unfold the ragas quickly and easily. He did not unfold it quickly and easily. But in an introspection now I feel the heights which he touched were so high to the extent of making his mistakes trivial.
Finally"¦..
I STAND BY WHAT I SAID. THE BOY SINGS LIKE A DREAM. MY REACTION TO HIS MUSIC WAS A HANGOVER OF THE TRANCE OF HIS MUSIC. I SEE A GREAT FUTURE FOR HIM.
PS; jigyaasa and bilahari ; I liked your satire; thanks.

bilahari · Post by **bilahari** » 25 Dec 2008, 22:09

No offense, chalanata! Your list of adjectives was as dramatic as vainika's post and both were interesting to read.

vasanthakokilam · Post by **vasanthakokilam** » 25 Dec 2008, 22:58

chalanata, that is a good summary, providing a 'non-defensive' response and at the same time standing by your views. It is hard to think and write with such clarity, when there are multiple opinions floating around. It sounds like I have to listen to abishek before he gets tamed by the environment and decide for myself if his musical outpourings are my cup of tea.

Bilahari: Amen to your observation. And chalanata's adjectives are worth a read for its life affirming take on things, even outside the context of this review!!

vainika · Post by **vainika** » 26 Dec 2008, 22:03

Chalanata, I'm 'nIlAm'burying the other thread and responding here to thank you for the balanced summary.

While I continue to stand by my views, I do concede that my words were harsh and potentially dispiriting. I do hope that Abhishek - if he reads this forum - takes all the critiques he has received in the right spirit, and strives to offer up music that is both brilliantly innovative and technically beyond reproach.

I look forward eagerly to his concerts, and to reviews like those of chalanata, in the years to come.

basukrish · Post by **basukrish** » 27 Dec 2008, 23:24

latha.musiclover wrote:He began his "So called" Kalyani alapanai....which ran upto 25 mins...with a gr8 difficulty i had to convince myself that it was Kalyani and not "Yemen Kalyani"...I could hardly hear phrases that clearly portray Kalyani....It was so damn northish and he sounded typically like a Hindustani Singer....I admire his ability to bring out amazing Brigas....but a Raga filled JUST with BRIGAS lack lustre...

Hello latha.musiclover.... Music has always been dynamic... There are various evidences in every raga that we see today... So let music find its own way... We are nobody to define it...

harimau · Post by **harimau** » 28 Dec 2008, 06:14

basukrish wrote:
Hello latha.musiclover.... Music has always been dynamic... There are various evidences in every raga that we see today... So let music find its own way... We are nobody to define it...

This is how exactly we have ended up with corrupted versions of Khamas, Kapi, Kanada, etc., which are the only versions heard today.

You guys need to attend some of the lec-dems at the Academy and other sabhas.

People with nothing to do take a Sriranjani, add one swara to it and come up with a ragam called Sridhari or something like that. No matter how much you try to differentiate it from Sriranjani, it is pretty nigh impossible to do and the raga (and the kriti) has met its timely death.

Various reference books on music written centuries ago do list the names and scales of hundreds of ragas like this. There are no takers for them and so they just remain historical curiosities.

The sages were right: There is nothing new under the sun.

P. T. Barnum was also right: There is a sucker born every minute.

falafel · Post by **falafel** » 28 Dec 2008, 11:58

rules are meant to be broken and bent, harimau. this is art, not law. even the greats have sung khamas without sticking to the scalar properties of the raga. the aesthetic value of a raga and its scale are very different.
going to lec-dems and gaining knowledge is good. ultimately, there is a different set of variables which is manipulated on stage, performing for an audience. there are many appropriately named sangita acharyas and music sages, however, their realm of play is not the stage.

iamkirinlemon · Post by **iamkirinlemon** » 28 Dec 2008, 12:28

In full agreement w/ falafel. I want CM to evolve. I don't want the new artists to sing like the old ones or like the acharyas tell them to. Let the artists do their thing. I will be listening and if it sounds good, I'll want to hear more. If we are too stodgy as listeners then we are potentially denying ourselves tangibly good music for a very abstract reason.

vasanthakokilam · Post by **vasanthakokilam** » 28 Dec 2008, 12:44

I liked latha.musiclover's rather irreverant characterization 'It was so damn northish '. I did not take it as a put down of HM style but rather a frank assessment that it was too much brigha in the CM context. If he always sings kalyani alapana that way, I do not know if we can chalk it up as 'innovation'/'evolution'. Kalyani has many facets. For example, the kalyani krithi 'kanthimathi' sounds refreshingly different to me. If someone incorporates those aspects of kalyani in an alapana, I would consider that as adding an extra dimension to a CM kalyani alapana.

basukrish · Post by **basukrish** » 28 Dec 2008, 13:25

harimau wrote:
basukrish wrote:
Hello latha.musiclover.... Music has always been dynamic... There are various evidences in every raga that we see today... So let music find its own way... We are nobody to define it...
This is how exactly we have ended up with corrupted versions of Khamas, Kapi, Kanada, etc., which are the only versions heard today.

You guys need to attend some of the lec-dems at the Academy and other sabhas.

People with nothing to do take a Sriranjani, add one swara to it and come up with a ragam called Sridhari or something like that. No matter how much you try to differentiate it from Sriranjani, it is pretty nigh impossible to do and the raga (and the kriti) has met its timely death.

Various reference books on music written centuries ago do list the names and scales of hundreds of ragas like this. There are no takers for them and so they just remain historical curiosities.

The sages were right: There is nothing new under the sun.

P. T. Barnum was also right: There is a sucker born every minute.

dear Harimau.. Im not talking about the scale of any raga.. And im not that nutty too.... What if ppl had sung Thodi plainly? was sindubairavi the one we are singing now? no one knows... So just chuck it.. Abishek is a highly imaginative musician.... Might its his perspective of MOhanam is that... If muthaiah bagavathar had not deviced mohanakalyani we might not have this discussion

.... And there is no MAJORITY WINS regarding music... its subjective... may be some wudnt enjoy.. but no one can define.. this is right and that is nt...

Svaapana · Post by **Svaapana** » 29 Dec 2008, 17:27

I heard this "wonder boy" at Sri Parthasarathy Gana Sabha. Undortunately I was there only for the Kalyani RTP that was rushed through for want of time. Abishek reminded me of the great Manakkal Rangarajan in the sixties. Abishek also seems to overdo the brigas. I hope he will mellow down with age.

latha.musiclover · Post by **latha.musiclover** » 29 Dec 2008, 23:02

Let artistes make innovations but why imbibe the Northern style into a raga like "Kalyani" ? Would any Hindustani singer sing a raga... the way a carnatic classical musician sings it ?? Then one can make a "Kalyani" sound very pleasant just as the way it sounds in few filmy numbers !! Thats also a "Kalyani". If such things keep going on....Carnatic Classical Music would never exist then !!

basukrish · Post by **basukrish** » 29 Dec 2008, 23:13

Is this BIAS towards carnatic music... Let music be ONE.... The are only different forms that too made by HUmans..

vasanthakokilam · Post by **vasanthakokilam** » 29 Dec 2008, 23:22

basukrish, I can see you are speaking from an idealistic point of view but even then what is the point of making all music ONE. We will lose all the wonderful variety we have. basukrish is different from me and what is the point of fuzzyfying the unique identity that you are. Not that we can not borrow from each other great ideas and incorporate that into our own identity and that happens a lot. But it will be considered a psychological anamoly if someone loses their identity and become someone else. Cultural and artistic identity also work the same way.

iamkirinlemon · Post by **iamkirinlemon** » 29 Dec 2008, 23:34

latha.musiclover wrote:Let artistes make innovations but why imbibe the Northern style into a raga like "Kalyani" ? Would any Hindustani singer sing a raga... the way a carnatic classical musician sings it ?? Then one can make a "Kalyani" sound very pleasant just as the way it sounds in few filmy numbers !! Thats also a "Kalyani". If such things keep going on....Carnatic Classical Music would never exist then !!

I suppose you object to all the Hindustani ragas that have been absorbed into CM as well? How are those valid CM? If you accept that you must accept that some Hindustani phrasing is "allowable" in the heavyweight CM ragas also.

PUNARVASU · Post by **PUNARVASU** » 30 Dec 2008, 07:10

iamkirinlemon wrote:
latha.musiclover wrote:Let artistes make innovations but why imbibe the Northern style into a raga like "Kalyani" ? Would any Hindustani singer sing a raga... the way a carnatic classical musician sings it ?? Then one can make a "Kalyani" sound very pleasant just as the way it sounds in few filmy numbers !! Thats also a "Kalyani". If such things keep going on....Carnatic Classical Music would never exist then !!
I suppose you object to all the Hindustani ragas that have been absorbed into CM as well? How are those valid CM? If you accept that you must accept that some Hindustani phrasing is "allowable" in the heavyweight CM ragas also.

I feel one is 'adopting' and another is 'adapting'; you adopt a hindustani raga and sing it as it is;
But to borrow HM prayogas or 'pakads' and introduce them in CM ragas like
kalyani is like using garam masala in 'vattha kuzhambu'. It does not do justice either to the vattha kuzhambu or to the garam masala.

We have discussed this elsewhere

sureshvv · Post by **sureshvv** » 30 Dec 2008, 09:17

harimau wrote:
Various reference books on music written centuries ago do list the names and scales of hundreds of ragas like this. There are no takers for them and so they just remain historical curiosities.

Thats only one side of the story. Many ragas have found acceptance and popularity after remaining almost invisible for long periods - owing to extraordinary diligence and interpretation by creative risk taking artistes (who may get roundly criticized by the standard bearers of their time).

vasanthakokilam · Post by **vasanthakokilam** » 30 Dec 2008, 09:23

Punarvasu, good points. Even if someone likes garam masala in 'vattha kuzhambu' for a change, most people will long for authentic vattha kuzhambu. Infrequently, and rightfully so, a combination is hit upon on which the adapting process happens, as you wrote.

sureshvv · Post by **sureshvv** » 30 Dec 2008, 09:29

latha.musiclover wrote:It was so damn northish...

Oh... Didn't you know? We love northish. Check out the Tamil movie heroines.

iamkirinlemon · Post by **iamkirinlemon** » 30 Dec 2008, 11:03

Punarvasu wrote:I feel one is 'adopting' and another is 'adapting'; you adopt a hindustani raga and sing it as it is;
But to borrow HM prayogas or 'pakads' and introduce them in CM ragas like
kalyani is like using garam masala in 'vattha kuzhambu'. It does not do justice either to the vattha kuzhambu or to the garam masala.
We have discussed this elsewhere

Is putting an HM raga into CM anything like teaching a South Indian to make a North Indian dish perfectly? I know a few South Indians who can cook excellent North Indian. I know of not a single CM musician who presents HM ragas in full HM style during a CM concert. In the adoption process, the raga retains some of its HM roots, but is infused with a lot of CM ornamentation. The result is a mix.

Thus every HM raga in CM is already a vettakozhambu with garam masala (or perhaps a sarson ka saag with sambar podi). Your analogy is colorful but doesn't really hit the mark.

If someone always wants sada dosa Kalyani, then they know which artists are going to give it to them. I guess they should stick to listening to those artists.

vasanthakokilam · Post by **vasanthakokilam** » 30 Dec 2008, 14:08

Now you have gone too far.. messing with kalyani is one thing but messing with sada dosa.... big no..no

( j/k ) . As long as no one serves me french crepes and call it dosa, I am OK. Not that there is anything wrong with french crepes. This thread is making me hungry...