Viruttams

cmlover · Post by **cmlover** » 01 Jul 2005, 00:48

Dear incon:

I have to hand it to you for catching the subtle point. Azhvaar as a poet is expressing a wonder (adbhutaM) that his whole heart was stolen by the blue-jewelled body (with the aforementioned attributes). On the other hand DKP modified it and is beseeching the lord (dainya bhaavaM) directly saying "O Lord! you fully occupied my heart". She has most appropriately chosen Dhanyasi raga for the expression. It is a superb choice and a superb soul-filling viruttam. Note the m m p p m p n with the characteristic gamakam on the nishaadam.

Thanks to coolkarni for the u/l and to you varadarajan for getting the reference and drawing our attention to the fine point.

This is the sort of Rasika RasanaanubhavaM that I am looking for in these discussions.

inconsequential · Post by **inconsequential** » 01 Jul 2005, 02:26

cmlsir,
thankyou very much for the explanation. it cleared up the confusion. yes, 'soul-filling' describes it best.

sometime back in sangeetham, there was this discussion - when does a rasika move from casual listening to other stages (words, meanings, raga-sahitya bhavam, strength of rendition and all) - at that time i remember mentioning that different ppl have different triggers.

for me, the trigger got pulled when i was listening to this rendition. the first time i heard it (in the car ofcourse), those 6-7 mins added another dimension to my CM appreciation - and it was the kind of magic which i couldn't put a finger on - was it Azhwar's words (infact, i didnt even know they were tiruppANAzhwar's pasurams), the Bhakti in them, smt DKP's vidvath, bhAvam, Lord RanganAtha, choice of rAgams or any no: of reasons. eventually, i decided it was simply better to savour the overall experience than trying to find out the reason. ever since, i've grown more conscious of what is sung (the words) and the rAga - sAhitya compatibility (?? am not getting the right word)) - than how it is sung alone

the concert of which this viruttam forms a part is itself supreme. DKP/DKJ - TSV - KRM.

I should thank sri kulkarni for uploading this viruttam and giving me a chance to share this with other rasikas on board.

regards

rshankar · Post by **rshankar** » 01 Jul 2005, 05:40

Here is another DKP/DKJ viruththam:
http://rapidshare.de/files/2715080/12_v ... a.mp3.html

I am not sure if this is a viruththam or not: it was sung by V. Ramachandran in a concert in Maryland - an entire concert dedicated to GNB - he sang pieces composed by, or made popular by, or favorites of GNB, and this was one.
http://rapidshare.de/files/2715212/18_v ... i.mp3.html

meena · Post by **meena** » 01 Jul 2005, 07:00

text for smt dkp virutham:

rAgAmalikA:
ramah lakshmanh purvajam raghuvaram sitapathim sundaram
kakuthsyam karunavaram gunaneedhm vipryapriyam dharmikam
rajendram sathya sandham dasharththanym shyamalm shanthamurthym
vande lokaabhiramam raghukulathilakm raghavm ravaniriam

divakar · Post by **divakar** » 01 Jul 2005, 08:19

dkp viruttam is from the rAmaraksha stOtraM

raamaM lakshmaNa puurvajaM raghuvaraM siitaapatiM su.ndaram.h |
kaakut{}sthaM karuNaarNavaM guNanidhiM viprapriyaM dhaarmikam.h |
raaje.ndraM satyasa.ndhaM dasharathatanayaM shyaamalaM shaa.ntamuurtim.h |
va.nde lokaabhiraamaM raghukulatilakaM raaghavaM raavaNaarim.h ||
link for full stOtraM
http://livermoretemple.org/hints/conten ... yName=Rama

dhavaLa roopa sarasvathi indhirai
rathipu lOmasai kriththigai rambaiyar
samuga sEvitha dhurggai bayankari buvanEsai

sakala kaaraNi saththi parambari
imaya paarvathi rudhri niranjani
samaya naayaki nishkaLi kuNdali emadhaayi

sivaima nOmaNi siRsuka sundhari
gavuri vEdhavi dhakshaNi ambigai
thripurai yaamaLai aRpodu thandharuL murugOnE

sikara gOpura chiththira maNdapa
makara thOraNa rathna alangritha
thirisi raamalai appar vaNangiya perumaaLE.

link for second one
http://www.geocities.com/balu.iyer/thir ... 0.html#144

rshankar · Post by **rshankar** » 01 Jul 2005, 09:24

Here is another viruththam/shlOkam from the incomparable MSS: when I listen to this I get goosebumps. She becomes the 'ichvAku varam' (bride of the rAmA) when she describes how she reveres rAmA! Valmiki has listed all the other immortal couples (thrilOkya gruha dhampathIs) in this shlOkam.
http://rapidshare.de/files/2718376/06_d ... I.m4a.html
Ravi

Meena and Chithra, you have unleashed a monster! I will try not to be so trigger happy!

inconsequential · Post by **inconsequential** » 01 Jul 2005, 23:48

rshankar, thanks for the link
meena, divakar, thanks for the text

thanks to srI rAju (GNB slokam) and srI srInivAsan of rasikapriya (voleti slokam), am u/ling the following renditions by the great vidvans sri GNB and sri VVW - of the slokam 'sAyamkAlE'

http://rapidshare.de/files/2730274/GNB- ... E.mp3.html
http://rapidshare.de/files/2730283/vole ... E.MP3.html
(voleti clip starts with sujanajIvana, the slokam begins at around 5mins into the clip - forewarning, concluding part is lost)

it is failry well known that there were a lot of similarities in the musical ideals of these vidvans. to name a few,

a) both were fine exponents of rAga sangeetham -
b) both were adventurous in their own ways - in musical expression
c) both are acknowledged 'parama-bhaktas' of the 2 stalwarts sri ariyakudi rAmAnuja iyengAr and ustAd baDe ghulAm ali khAn
d) and both possessed great 'sArIram'

while in one version, one can hear a young, vibrant sri GNB racing through 4 rAgams (kEdAra gauLai, kAnadA, Ananda bhairavi, kAmbhoji), with all gamakams intact - in the other, one hears a seasoned, serene voletigAru weaving phrase after phrase of sheer bliss (rAgams - shaNmukhapriyA, mOhanam, hindoLam, suratTi) - the common link being both of them are essentially rAgam elaborations, with the substrate being the sloka 'sAyamkAlE'.

with the common musical ideals, the 2 vidvAns produced such drastically different music. it seems, to me (other than the musical ideas themselves), the gamakams they chose to embellsih their music with, were also drastically different.

we had briefly touched upon this in the early days of this forum (thread - gamakas then and now). like the classification of the 'dasavidha' gamakams - in terms of the nature of the oscillations and swara combinations. am wondering if there are classifications, based on the 'places of articulation' - like we have for the syllables in samskrtam (akuha visarjanIyAm kanTHaha types)

while GNB's respect for BGAK was evident in his 'prostrating' before him (BGAK),sri voleti's regard for him is evident from this line.

"....I have heard Voleti, a person of genuine humility, say: "The rest of us but picked up the fruits that Bade Ghulam tasted and threw away." ....."

Source: http://www.sruti.com/oct01/octbob1.html

regards

meena · Post by **meena** » 02 Jul 2005, 00:01

text:

sAyamkAlE vanAntE kusumita samayE
saikatE candrikAyAm
trailOkya AkarShaNAngam
sura nara gaNikA mOhana apAnga mUrtE
sEvyam SRngAra bhAvaih navarasabharitaih
gOpakanyA sahasraih
vandEham rAsakELIratam atisubhagam.
vaSya gOpAlakRShNam

rshankar · Post by **rshankar** » 02 Jul 2005, 00:03

Here is a viruththam/shlOkam sung by Vyjayanthimala, before she sings the famous Swathi Thirunal's DHanasri thillAnA: short and sweet!
http://rapidshare.de/files/2732942/07_shlOkam-.m4a.html
Ravi

meena · Post by **meena** » 02 Jul 2005, 00:06

shankarji

is this smt. vyjayanthimala bali- the dancer? i did not know she sang too!

divakar · Post by **divakar** » 02 Jul 2005, 00:10

thanks varadarajan for both SlOkam clips
never heard this young GNB, probably one of earlier u/l of sri raju..

rshankar · Post by **rshankar** » 02 Jul 2005, 00:11

Yes! Mrs. Bali sings and has even performed at the Thyagaraja aradhana several years ago.
Although not stictly a viruththam (because it has percussive interludes - just to illustrate bAjE mridhang), I posted it because it is a rare one in Hindi, and the 'wow' factor of Vyjayanthimala's singing!
Ravi

rshankar · Post by **rshankar** » 02 Jul 2005, 00:40

Here is a clip from kambar's rAmAyaNam sung as a viruththam in rAgamAlikA (the novelty factor here is that T.M Krishna and his wife Sangeetha sing alternately):
http://rapidshare.de/files/2733466/07_v ... A.m4a.html

If I understand correctly, the lines 'indhiranukku indhiran, ezhudhal AgalA sundharan' refer to rAmA's incomparable/undescribable beauty. Many composers adopt this approach when they describe rAmA or sIthA: e.g.: Tulsidas' 'raGuvar CHabi kE samAn, raGuvar CHabi baniyA!' or Arunachala Kavi's 'avaniyil undO Idu, avaLukku avaLE jOdu' when he describes sIthA's beauty.
Another thing I have noticed is that while most versions of rAmAyaN have references to rAmA's physical appearance right from the start (from kaschaika priyadhrashanah), sIthA is described best, not in bAlakAndam as she stands before the 'kanni mAdam' in Mythila, but in the araNyakAndam, through the lascivious eyes of rAvaNa. Even in the rAmanAtakam, Arunachala Kavi just refers to sIthA as 'kaththi pidi idayAL' and 'ponnin oLiyum, pU maNamum kondu' during the swayamvaram, but describes her in detail only much later. Please correct me if I am wrong!
Ravi

meena · Post by **meena** » 02 Jul 2005, 00:50

shankarji

U can u/l TMK or younger generation artist clips unless u got his/their permission.

PLEASE delete the link if its copyrighted one. thanku

rshankar · Post by **rshankar** » 02 Jul 2005, 00:53

Thanks MEENA. I did not realize that.

cmlover · Post by **cmlover** » 02 Jul 2005, 01:07

incon
In my opinion it cannot be GNB. His voice never sounded like that unless it is distorted. Also it is more the SSI (younger days) bhaNi than GNB. Could you kindly give the reference to raju's u/l for me to check the whole concert. Thanks

Just curiosity

meena · Post by **meena** » 02 Jul 2005, 01:28

incon
cml is correct this time i think

sounds like sree somu to me!

inconsequential · Post by **inconsequential** » 02 Jul 2005, 01:31

cmlsir,
other-than the high pitch, i didnt quite suspect the bhANi. somehow, the flow of the gamakams/brigas convinced me it was GNB. all the same, i can't rule out the distortion-induced errors in identifying. and given that sri SSI's style changed in a big way over the decades, iam unable to guess how he would have sounded when he was young. i could be wrong.it wasn't a part of a concert. in the very early days of uploads, sri rAju uploaded old singles/78 rpms. this was among them.

pls do let me know if you find out something. i'll also try

regards

meena · Post by **meena** » 02 Jul 2005, 01:34

oh it is sree GNB- 78rmp u/l of rajuji cml

inconsequential · Post by **inconsequential** » 02 Jul 2005, 01:38

sorry meena, didnt se your post - was composing mine when you posted. ya, it is possible iam mistaken here. heard very very few of the young-day-recordings of stalwarts.

particularly in this case, since cmlsir has heard all of them live, there's a good chance iam wrong

regards

inconsequential · Post by **inconsequential** » 02 Jul 2005, 01:53

hehehehe.. and you posted one more

regards

inconsequential · Post by **inconsequential** » 02 Jul 2005, 02:12

cmlsir, the earliest recording of sri SSi that i've heard is 'navasiddhi petrAlum' - am trying to listen to that and this 'sAyamkAlE' back-to-back and i do find a difference between the two styles/voices.

regards

cmlover · Post by **cmlover** » 02 Jul 2005, 02:59

incon

I am confused too. But the slurring of sahityam is totally atypical of GNB but characteristic of SSI. SSI had a high pitched voice in those days. There are other GNB 78rpm in that collection which are quite different. His typical voice is in the Himagiri Thanaye. The distortion in the recording is just too much. But raju is not wrong usually (unless he got this from somebody else). I am totally intrigued!

Nava siddhi is perhaps too early. SSI's slurring is evident there. If you listen to GNB in Shakuntalai you will get his typical voice pattern. I certainly would like a second opinion, pardon me incon for persisting

inconsequential · Post by **inconsequential** » 02 Jul 2005, 04:59

>> I certainly would like a second opinion, pardon me incon for persisting <<

absolutely cmlsir. i'd also like to know. i should say, the pronunciation and the accent (of the words) caused a great deal of confusion for me also. eventually i fell for the gamakas & brighas that i felt were his own.

also, is it true that when he (gnb) was really young, he used to sing ultra-fast?

regards

cmlover · Post by **cmlover** » 02 Jul 2005, 05:21

Oh yes!
Not just him. Every body sang fast and high. No body could match the speed of SSI swaraprasthaafam in his younger days. I miss it very much

divakar · Post by **divakar** » 02 Jul 2005, 05:51

seeing this discussion i was forced to get confused and listened to it several times. so close to the SSI kharaharapriya (nava siddhi) but, at abt 5:25 in the clip what he does is typical of GNB. well, i dont know the technical term for that bit.
there was an audio double cassette of SSI, which says (nava siddhi) and (EtAvunarA-kalyANi) were from 1932.

i wonder why they all sang jet speed in those days ? high pitch is understandable due to the lack of mikes, but why pace..
no one can get to what was being sung (kriti) except the rAgam and ones own characteristic style of singing.

inconsequential · Post by **inconsequential** » 02 Jul 2005, 07:46

cmlsir - ya, i've heard they sang high and quick. but i remember reading sri gnb's was particularly fast - when he was young. so much so, people failed to catch his gamakas and mistook them for brighas. also that his father was worried and consulted sri ARI - who simply said with time, he will slow down and the voice with settle down. a lot of the rAga AlApanA phrases also were in the uttarAnga or tArasthAyi.

divakar - just as there is a magical effect to chowka kAla renditions, it seems (to me) brisk singing also has a telling effect. sruti-laya in combination with a good kAlapramANam does have its own magic. also, singing high and slow very difficult - takes a heavy toll on the singer

i couldnt help this diversion. my apologies.

regards

cmlover · Post by **cmlover** » 02 Jul 2005, 10:03

Dear rshankar
The clip of TMK and Sangita that you uploaded is from a commercial recording. Kindly delete it using the delete link so that we are clean and above board.

Others too!
Please in your enthusiasm desist fromuploading from commercial recordings. You may provide a reference to the recording and its availability.

Let us keep this forum clean PLEASE

inconsequential · Post by **inconsequential** » 02 Jul 2005, 19:06

dear sri kulkarni
i might be wrong, but i thought i'll just point this out. i dont understand the laws govering sharing (parts of) commercial recordings very much. still, just as piece of info - the DKP viruttam (AlamAmarttin ilaimEl) is from a concert which i think is available. maybe not any more. iam not sure. i'd bought the tape in bombay 7-8yrs back.

if you were already aware of this and considered it, before uploading, pls disregard this message.

regards

coolkarni · Post by **coolkarni** » 02 Jul 2005, 22:43

thanks for pointing it out.i have deleted the links.
(i cant help the irony of the timing of your feedback.was at music world today evening.people queing up to buy an album called "explosion ".looking at way nityasree mauls the kriti "giriraja sutha" (she was not alone in this crime, gayatri girish, os arun and unnikrishnan are the other offenders) to the beat of some very vulgar pop music... it was a very very sad day for me.

inconsequential · Post by **inconsequential** » 03 Jul 2005, 02:50

kulkarni sir,

looking at way nityasree mauls the kriti "giriraja sutha" (she was not alone in this crime, gayatri girish, os arun and unnikrishnan are the other offenders) to the beat of some very vulgar pop music... it was a very very sad day for me.

that sounds 'brutal'. am unable to quite understand this 'ability'(?) to assume seemingly incompatible roles - maybe we have to simply believe (?) they are 'multi-faceted' personalities. sad indeed.

i apologise for not pointing out the existence of the commercial recording earlier - i was under the impression 'partial-sharing' for discussion/demonstration purposes was ok. but, after the TMK upload and cmlsir's reminder, i thought it best to bring it to your notice.

regards

poongavur · Post by **poongavur** » 03 Jul 2005, 03:57

incon:

... am unable to quite understand this 'ability'(?) to assume seemingly incompatible roles - maybe we have to simply believe (?) they are 'multi-faceted' personalities. sad indeed. ...

Although it is sad that someone like Nithyasree (with an enviable lineage) is reducing the work of T and equating it to pop(ular) music, I can understand the motivation. The masses want it and they are giving it to them. I am reminded of a comment made at the felicitation function for MDR's Padmashri award. I am not sure, but I think it was made by PMI. He said something to the effect that it goes to show the character of MDR that he is attracting rasika's not by lowering his standards but by sticking to them. Unfortunately, the fact is MDR did not attract much crowd (not a good measure I agree) when he was alive. I have been to his concerts and so I know. I think it was 1999-2000 Season at MA (I may be wrong about the date), and KVN was singing. There were barely 50 people in the audience. Nithyasree was sold out. Go figure.

Am I sad, you bet. More than that I am mad. But I also think it is a self-inflicted wound.

What I am going to say below may not be liked by some but that is my opinion. As eveyone has been hinting, this is a forum to discuss. So, here I go.

This trend is not new, I believe. You may recall, some of us saw this person (I forget her name) murdering CM at the Kennedy Center -- there was some discussion/outrage in sangeetham.com.

In my opinion, one reason for CMs apparent inability to attract the masses is the language barrier. Just yesterday in this forum there were some comments about GNBs early days and how speed was a factor and in the process words got slurred and one is unable to follow the sahityam.

I think the masses (in TN) cannot understand anything that is not in Tamil, no matter at what speed the kriti is rendered. If one is not able to understand one cannot enjoy it at a higher level. Then all one hears is a melody.

Singing of more kritis that people can understand seems to me to be the only way to slow down the erosion.

inconsequential · Post by **inconsequential** » 03 Jul 2005, 05:30

poongavur, thanks for the post. i understand what you are saying. it was too heavy to keep in my heart. and came out in a moment of weakness. i have to admit i have no idea of how it is to be in her/his (artist's) spot and look at things.

let me apologise for the diversion and - and request the rasikas to kindly disregard my post so that it doesn't dampen the otherwise entertaining and enlightening discussions we've been having in this forum.

regards

poongavur · Post by **poongavur** » 03 Jul 2005, 05:52

incon: Sorry if I offended you. It was not my intent -- you are always kind and gentle. I was just venting my frustration with what is happening to CM because I love it and want it to flourish. :cheesy:

inconsequential · Post by **inconsequential** » 03 Jul 2005, 06:32

no no no. nothing like that poongavur. no offence taken.

we've been through such discussions quite a bit in the past - and i just realised that my post was another potential starting point for one such discussion - which will be a sure diversion and i didnt want to steer away from the common goal of 'understanding, appreciating and enriching our CM listening experience' here in this forum.

hope is a wonderful thing and iam willing to remain hopeful

regards

coolkarni · Post by **coolkarni** » 03 Jul 2005, 09:18

poongavur.inconsequential
sorry for distracting you both.

getting on with the listening /sharing experience, just uploaded to x drive a 25 minute viruttam by tns.
actullay two viruttams if one takes into account the way tnk has accompanied.
in his 120 second spell of suruti, i felt he had encapsulated all of the elaborate geetharthamu i have heard him play elsewhere.pure magic.
todi-suruti-sindhubhairavi--and many more- i never fail to get hypnotised by tnks renderings
tns..what can one say !!!!
cant thank cml and others enough for my new found ability to pause at these viruttams and FEEL them

inconsequential · Post by **inconsequential** » 03 Jul 2005, 18:22

kulkarni sir,

thankyou very much for the upload. these days, everytime i hear tnk or msg, i can only recall your father's remark - abt them storing their bows in honey

so true. sweeto sweet.

regards

chithra · Post by **chithra** » 05 Jul 2005, 03:39

Been away for the last few days. Saw the post by Incon re: jazzed up CM. Read about Susheela Raman as well. Recently heard the sound track of Morning Raga, where CM is made into pop-music by the current stars in CM. The list goes on...

Many musicians are releasing such albums these days: a Thillana Cd by GJR and Viji, which has a heavy orchestral prelude to each Thillana, Sowmya's Carnatic Pep Album........ In the early 80s and 90s one saw a lot of Slokas being sung to orchestral preludes; then such things crept into CM krithis as well, but still stayed as preludes. Now, the lyrics have become mere back ground for the heavy instrumentals, it seems. It is sad and very upsetting, but inevitable.

The Trinity and others did not copy-right their works, or specify that they have to be rendered in the classical style. Just as musicians may take an ordinary poem (paamara kavidai) and render it in a classical style, the reverse may occur with equal felicity. I wonder if CM lovers predicted the demise of CM when talkies came along, and movie songs were not quite classical enough, though people like Papanasam Sivan were film MDs. (Would someone comment on this, please?)

But, CM has endured and has continued to flourish. Thus, my belief and hope is that despite the recent advent of rhythm oriented pop music into Indian culture, classical music will survive, just as it has in the west. Change is inevitable, but classical things have a way of enduring - they are timeless simply because there are always enough people who realise the intrinsic value of such cultured music, and strive to preserve its form for the present and for posterity. The gimmicks of Nithyasree, BJ, Unnikrishnan notwithstanding, but the majesty of classically rendered compositions will endure for a much longer period.

meena · Post by **meena** » 13 Jul 2005, 03:44

I have uploaded a viruttam for kulkarniji.

Vikrethukama in ragamilika rendered by sree MDR

coolkarni · Post by **coolkarni** » 13 Jul 2005, 09:03

HERE ARE TWO ARIAKUDI VIRUTTAMS

http://rapidshare.de/files/3013076/Ariakudi-1.mp3.html
http://rapidshare.de/files/3013693/Ariakudi-2.mp3.html

coolkarni · Post by **coolkarni** » 18 Jul 2005, 05:09

cml and others
i have not received my due share of the explanatory notes on ariakudis viruttams.
will entice you with these two by TNS
http://rapidshare.de/files/3124727/tns- ... a.mp3.html

http://rapidshare.de/files/3125212/tns- ... i.mp3.html

cmlover · Post by **cmlover** » 18 Jul 2005, 06:24

coolkarni:
if tns thinks that the shortest root from shaNmukhapriya to bagesri is through hamiirkalyaani and suruTTi in a convoluted way, I am totally getting lost in finding my way with him from chaarukesi(?) to hamsaanandi through partly aahiri touching baagesri with apologies to thOndaradi podi azhvaar and possibly Tulsidas. Oh come on! My mind is in a whirl! Somebody help me

kannan · Post by **kannan** » 18 Jul 2005, 07:03

Sri coolkarni: Is the violinist Sri Delhi Sundarrajan? I am still listening to it.

CML-ji : he seems to have mixed a Periyaazhwaar paasuram and tonDaraDippoDi aazhwaar paasuram (from tirumAlai) in the first file.

coolkarni · Post by **coolkarni** » 18 Jul 2005, 07:43

the one ending with bagesri bhajan is lalgudi.
the other one , your guess is good as mine.i dont have the details

kannan · Post by **kannan** » 18 Jul 2005, 08:35

Thanks Kulkarniji. TNS seems to be in top form in both of these. When he is mostly on shruti (as is the case here) there are few that can match his brilliance in raga renditions. I also like the way he has rendered the viruttam in terms of the spacing he chooses for the lyrics.

I find that unlike this beautiful rendition, some sing viruttams in a more shloka like fashion. Can't express the difference clearly (mostly because I don't understand it well myself), but clearly viruttam is not the same as a rAga rendition with concrete words instead of the usual meaningless syllables. As with neravals, there is an art and internal logic to viruttams that Sri TNS captures very well. I am sure others have more insightful things to say :cheesy: It would also be nice if you could say what aspects you felt were important. You are clearly more knowledgeable than many of us here .

coolkarni · Post by **coolkarni** » 18 Jul 2005, 10:10

My interest in Viruttams stems from the fact that i have a very poor knowledge of Good tamil -what little i know , i picked it up to hold my ground with workmen(with menacing looks) on the workshopfloor-
However the ride over this particular thread has been a wonderful one.
I keep picking up virutams from concerts purely when they are good enough to listen (like the sruti stuff you mentioned about tns) and ((dont laugh )) when the starting lyrics are not similar.
That should give you a good idea of my knowledge on these matters.
For 25 years , Viruutams used to be a place in a concert where I would take a short breather..never bothered to dig deeper.
cant thank evryone around here for making it different.
Singing like slokas..Yes you are right.I am right now grappling with some 25 odd viruttams of MDR .I will put up the best towards the end of my contributions here.Partly because there is too much of a MDR flavour currently and partly because I feel that is THE CLIMAX so far as i am concerned.Jumbo sized viruttams -ranging from the sizzling to the most hypnotic..

But right now i am not yet done with TNS

kannan · Post by **kannan** » 18 Jul 2005, 11:14

Kulkarniji , I completely agree with you in the assessment that jumbo-viruttams are the climax to a kutcheri. I remember an excellent one by Sri GNB in the famous Nattaikurinji RTP cutcheri. MSG has also provided brilliant accompaniment there. There is an incredible sense of peace and fulfillment I get when I hear these after the (relatively speaking) unrest of the preceding main piece or RTP.

I do wish that people sang it in a way that makes the meanings of the lyrics clear. I cannot find an example in my limited collection. I have found this okind of viruttam only in the singing of some bhaktas in bhajanas.

When you hear them, Iit seems like you can all of a sudden understand Tamil and Sanskrit just by the way they split the words and repeat them. All the Carnatic viruttams I have heard are linear i.e they progress as the lyrics of the shloka progress. Given that exegencies of meter no longer dictate the viruttam , the bhaktas that I had heard used to meander all over the shloka joining words in prose order, making the meaning clear. Wish Carnatic musicians did that too. I am looking forward to your uploads of Sri MDR's viruttams

poongavur · Post by **poongavur** » 19 Jul 2005, 02:41

... i have a very poor knowledge of Good tamil ...

they are good enough to listen ... and ... when the starting lyrics are not similar.

For 25 years , Viruutams used to be a place in a concert where I would take a short breather..never bothered to dig deeper.

coolkarni: Welcome to the club. Although I am from TNadu and learned and spoke Tamil till I came over to the USA, I still can't figure out much of what they sing because, IMO, most of the time they break the words inappropriately to suit the "musical need" (if I can call it that). Sort of what they do also to T's songs although in that case it is perhaps due to a lack of understanding. Of course there are/were a few exceptions. Anyway, I never cared much of viruttams.

Like you say, this thread is opening my eyes (should I say ears and mind) too.

coolkarni · Post by **coolkarni** » 19 Jul 2005, 11:24

here are two viruttams

One by Dr s ramnathan-llg
Download-Link: http://rapidshare.de/files/3168338/Viru ... R.mp3.html
The second a HUGE one by MDR.
Somehow whenever I listen to viruttams in Kedaragowla raga,i somehow feel that this raga was made just for such renderings.
Very often the Oduvar singing at kapaleewswar temple (here in chennai)at 7.30pm picks up this raga and I cannot just help freezing in my steps, as soon as it appears.Nothing else seems to be important when this raga is being sung or played.
In MDR's hands, it takes on a different hue altogether..
Download-Link: http://rapidshare.de/files/3170388/MDR- ... a.mp3.html

rshankar · Post by **rshankar** » 21 Jul 2005, 03:21

This whole thread on viruththams has been very enlightening. As a long time fan of SSI and MSS, I always thought that viruththams were used instead of a short 'rAg AlAp', and sung as a prelude to a krithi that would invariably mimic the 'BAva' expounded in the viruththam. However, I now realize that viruththams can be sung in rAgamAlikA, and can be 'stand-alone' pieces in a concert.
WOW!
Thanks to everyone for such wonderful service: 'dhorakunA ituvanti sEvA?'
Ravi