ÃƒÆ’Ã‚Â¢ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚Â¬Ãƒâ€¦Ã¢â‚¬Å“MADRAS STRING QUARTET ÃƒÆ’Ã‚Â¢ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚Â¬Ãƒâ€¦Ã¢â‚¬Å“programme at Music Acade

S.NAGESWARAN · Post by **S.NAGESWARAN** » 25 Aug 2009, 00:13

Sri V.S.NARASIMHAN, VIOLINIST IS GIVING "MADRAS STRING QUARTET "programme at Music Academy Mini Hall on 1st September 2009 at 7.00 PM.

The programme details and a note on "Ragas In A Chamber"

coolkarni · Post by **coolkarni** » 25 Aug 2009, 07:02

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 25 Aug 2009, 07:51

Sounds like an intresting program. Are the three other members of the quartet playing too?

coolkarni · Post by **coolkarni** » 25 Aug 2009, 09:17

bilahari · Post by **bilahari** » 25 Aug 2009, 10:14

I urge rasikas in Chennai to attend this concert. ÃƒÆ’Ã‚Â

rajesh_rs · Post by **rajesh_rs** » 25 Aug 2009, 14:45

I second Bilahari. That Mokshamu Galada. Brilliant work by the violinists and special regards to Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan's son who's on the Viola.

This string quartet is a superb idea.

S.NAGESWARAN · Post by **S.NAGESWARAN** » 25 Aug 2009, 18:07

Dear sri rajesh_rs,

Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan's son Sri Sekar plays Cello[long violin kept upside down on the ground and the Cello player pluks the strings by fingers to produce rythm strokes in Mandra stayi or bows the violin in short pieces at specific moments.
Viola is bigger in size like violin and produces lower sruthi notes[say one octave less than that of the main violin].

This programme must be listened to by all Rasikas to appreciate western / carnatic music produced by harmonic and pleasing music from the all string instruments.

S.NAGESWARAN.

rajesh_rs · Post by **rajesh_rs** » 25 Aug 2009, 19:12

S.NAGESWARAN wrote:Dear sri rajesh_rs,

Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan's son Sri Sekar plays Cello[long violin kept upside down on the ground and the Cello player pluks the strings by fingers to produce rythm strokes in Mandra stayi or bows the violin in short pieces at specific moments.
Viola is bigger in size like violin and produces lower sruthi notes[say one octave less than that of the main violin].

This programme must be listened to by all Rasikas to appreciate western / carnatic music produced by harmonic and pleasing music from the all string instruments.

S.NAGESWARAN.

Thanks for correcting me! Indeed, it is Sekar's cello I refer to. Splendid work on the cello.

cameo · Post by **cameo** » 01 Sep 2009, 22:08

for a quick ref,
experts ,pl come up with reviews.

srinivasrgvn · Post by **srinivasrgvn** » 01 Sep 2009, 22:12

Why is the lighting so dim in the above photo? I have never seen such a setting in MA mini hall!

cameo · Post by **cameo** » 01 Sep 2009, 22:16

No No sir, It was well lit.
I just tried some settings in mobile cam, and it ended up like that.
Thought, just post it her for a quick ref. probably some proffesional snaps will turn up.

rshankar · Post by **rshankar** » 02 Sep 2009, 01:32

Makes the pic look like a 'vintage' one! I like it!

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 02 Sep 2009, 02:05

Despite strong recommendations from NAGESWARAN and others here, I did not make it. My wife has been unwell this week, and we have had painters swarming around the house.

I have never been fond of Western-classical music of this sort... but it would have been interesting to see if I still feel that way.

Next time...

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 02 Sep 2009, 02:22

Cameo,
A very good picture in my view.

laks1972 · Post by **laks1972** » 02 Sep 2009, 09:56

It was a very good programme, the hall was 75 % full.

In the first row were MSG, Mrs MSG and Narmadha.

It was a mikeless chamber concert.

It was a well composed , well co-ordinated concert. Sri Narasimhan's playing of carnatic kritis inspite holding the violin in western style (which limits gamaka movement) was commendable.

Crisp desh alapana by Sekar in Cello was really touching and haunting.

Sri MSG was seen nodding in appreciation through out the programme. Considering that this an unique programme, I expected an overflowing hall, but was disappointed to see 25% vacant seats. Music taste of Chennai rasikas is going south.

srikant1987 · Post by **srikant1987** » 02 Sep 2009, 10:23

Music taste of Chennai rasikas is going south.

Thank you very much.

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 02 Sep 2009, 14:55

Whilst members like Nageswaran have a very great and broad interest in music, members like Nick-H may be a little narrow-minded, but that doesn't mean our taste is "going south"!

Whether I would have enjoyed the concert or not, I'm glad it was relatively well attended. 75% is not a bad result, far better than many concerts

srinivasrgvn · Post by **srinivasrgvn** » 02 Sep 2009, 17:17

kaapi · Post by **kaapi** » 05 Sep 2009, 10:55

srinivasrgvn wrote: Strange person I am! =)

Not Really !!!

S.NAGESWARAN · Post by **S.NAGESWARAN** » 05 Sep 2009, 23:03

Dear Rasikas,

All the Rasikas of the forum can view the photos of the String Quartet concert held on 01.09.2009.

The download link is given below.

http://picasaweb.google.com/sundhar.orf ... ngQuartet#

S.NAGESWARAN.

thenpaanan · Post by **thenpaanan** » 07 Sep 2009, 01:07

laks1972 wrote: Sri Narasimhan's playing of carnatic kritis inspite holding the violin in western style (which limits gamaka movement) was commendable.

I have heard someone else say this as well and wondered about it. Why or how does the Western style of violin-holding limit or inhibit gamaka playing? The difference, it seems to me, is in where the weight of violin (a few ounces) is held: in Carnatic style the violin rests on the foot whereas in the Western style the weight is borne between the cheek and shoulder. It does not seem to affect the fingering (nominally, left) hand. Unless the angle of holding or something else matters as well. Please elaborate.

--Then Paanan

srkris · Post by **srkris** » 07 Sep 2009, 01:45

Then Paanan,

The western violinist has to prop his/her violin with a hand (while fingering the strings with the same hand), so that it does not fall.

The carnatic violinist does not need to prop the violin with his/her hand since both its ends are firmly positioned between the shoulder and the foot, which leaves both hands free for playing.

gn.sn42 · Post by **gn.sn42** » 07 Sep 2009, 06:31

thenpaanan wrote:in the Western style the weight is borne between the cheek and shoulder.

srkris wrote: The western violinist has to prop his/her violin with a hand (while fingering the strings with the same hand), so that it does not fall.

I think the left hand is not used for support, at least not generally. For example, see this instructional video on Youtube or this one.

thenpaanan · Post by **thenpaanan** » 09 Sep 2009, 19:45

gn.sn42 wrote:
thenpaanan wrote:in the Western style the weight is borne between the cheek and shoulder.

srkris wrote: The western violinist has to prop his/her violin with a hand (while fingering the strings with the same hand), so that it does not fall.
I think the left hand is not used for support, at least not generally. For example, see this instructional video on Youtube or this one.

Besides, not to put too fine a point on it but bearing the weight of the violin with the left hand and also using it for fingerwork would hinder all playing not just gamaka playing. Indeed, I believe that the Indian style of violin playing was chosen simply to suit the sitting style of Indian concerts, that's all. I don't think that the Indian style grants the violin player any intrinsic benefit. But I would be quite glad to be corrected by practitioners.

Some aspects are not clear (to me). For example, consider that a Western player has to tilt his/her head to the left to hold the violin in place. How does that compare to Indian violinists hunched over their violins? How does that affect the position of the bow and the resultant sound from the violin? How does the position of the violin affect the freedom of movement of the bow arm? What difference would it make if a violinist sat Indian-style but held the violin Western-style a la Yehudi Menuhin and on occasion, L. Subramaniam/L. Shankar? I am sure there are folks out there who are trained in both styles of violin playing.

-Then Paanan

rshankar · Post by **rshankar** » 09 Sep 2009, 20:43

thenpaanan wrote: I am sure there are folks out there who are trained in both styles of violin playing.-Then Paanan

I would think that Aishu (rasikas member, Kum Aishwarya Venkataraman) should be an excellent source - she plays both CM and jazz on the violin, IIRC...

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 09 Sep 2009, 21:29

I know that Western violinists have posture-caused problems. Most musicians seem to suffer for their art; I've often wondered about mridangists and repetetive strain injury. They don't seem to complain of it.

I have heard that, as the music moves from classical to folk, the body of the violin moves from neck to elbow.

Whilst the relationship of CM violin to Western violin is usually spoken of as two classical instruments, I'm told that that is not the case: the violin that was seen and adopted in Southern India was, apparently, the fiddle that the Irish soldiers played their folk music on. It seems the word was adopted too. My mridangam teacher thought it was a Tamil word, and was quite surprised to hear me use it.

gn.sn42 · Post by **gn.sn42** » 09 Sep 2009, 22:21

nick H wrote:Whilst the relationship of CM violin to Western violin is usually spoken of as two classical instruments, I'm told that that is not the case: the violin that was seen and adopted in Southern India was, apparently, the fiddle that the Irish soldiers played their folk music on.

This is my understanding as well, and the Irish soldiers in question may have been part of military bands. Here's an article on the subject.

(By the way, the idea of a "classical" music was invented in the nineteeth century to elevate Bach/Mozart/Beethoven to sainthood; and the introduction of the violin to CM was before that time.)