Thana Varna Mala -CD of varnams by Smt. Kalpakam Swaminathan

[rbharath]

Thana Varna Mala

Thana Varna Mala, a CD containing 12 rare tana varnams presented by Smt. Kalpakam Swaminathan will be released on the 29th May 2010 at 6:00 pm at Srinivasa Sastri Hall, Luz Church Road, Mylapore.

Sri Pappu Venugopala Rao will release the CD.
Sri P S Narayanswamy will receive the first copy.
Sri S R Janakiraman will speak on the importance of varnams.

It will be followed by a concert by Smt. Kalpakam Swaminathan.

All are invited.

[thanjavooran]

The function started by 18 25 hrs since VIPs arrived late though Pappu Rao and KS were present in time. PSN arrived by 18 05 and Prof SRJ by 18 20 hrs. Ms Subashri ? welcomed the gathering. Invocation song by K R Shrievats. Varasiddhi vinayaka sumuka by HMB in Kanada. Gomathi Shankar and Srivatsava honored the guests with Golden shawls. Pappu Rao released the CD and the first copy was accepted by PSN.

PSN

1 He felt happy in receiving the 1st copy of the CD 'Thana varna mala' by Kalpakam Swaminathan.
2 Prof was a student of KS in kalakeshtra. Besides Prof all musicians are also her students only.
3 KS knows more than 100 varnams and it will be difficult to release all these varnams in the form of CD
4 She plays vina perfectly without any flaw and can also sing.
5 Such CDs will be useful for all students to know and learn apoorva varnams.
6. She knows lot of Vivadhi raga kritis to her credit.
7 She handles kritis in her own pani/ style


Prof SRJ

8 He feels little odd to speak before such learned gathering especially his Guru
9 His Guru's talents can not be explained. She has such a good padantharam
10 Her exceptional intellectual ability cannot be detailed even keeping earth as a big paper and ocean as ink with all trees as pen
11 Initially sishya should have deep
admiration towards his Guru and vidwat will come automatically.
12 In kalakrshetra when he was a student his ancillary was vina and he was not good playing vina.
13. In his 3rd year KS joined as professor and gave him extensive training and made him to come out successful in Sangita Siromani.
14 Gowlam, Navroj, Amruthavarshini and other few ragas were taught by her only.
15 MD composed kritinas only for KS to play in Vina
16 Amongst 12 Varnams released now he does not know 4 or 5 pieces
17. All Vidwans will find it little difficult to render varnams
18. One should be taught for 4 to 5 yrs for getting perfection in rendering Varnam
19 In 1939 he learnt Kiravani for the first time.
20 His father used to tell all Gurus should teach all varnams known to them
21 He feels happy to say that he is the sishaya of KS

Pappu Venugopal Rao

22. I obediently stand before the stalwarts and has no qualification to sit equally with these learned personalities and great humanitarians
23 He is blessed as he is born in a country in which MD , T and SS were there.
24 KS joined kalakshetra in 1947 where as he was born in 1948 and he has no capacity to talk about KS
25 Prf SRJ is a walking encyclopedia
26 It is a pity that all the rasikas assembled here are above 50 and youngsters should come in large numbers for such functions.
27 Though he has poor eye sight and used to read with magnifying glass he has every minute details of shastras in his finger tips.
28 KS 's hands will tremble while holding a cup of water to drink but not while playing vina
29. Because of her vidwat today the hall is full.

KS

30 Started learning music since her 8th year
31 She has more subjects to teach younger generation
32 Presently she is not physically ok to take up teaching.
33 Present day students at a later time should impart the same way as she does now
34 Thanjavur Subramaniam the mirudangam artiste was honored with a golden shawl

Immediately after this function KS along with her students Gomathi shankaran and shrievats played the Varnams accompanied by Thanjavur subramaniam on mirudhangam The whole functions was nicely organised but for the poor sound arrangements. . The hall is fit only for chamber music. As usual only senior citizens outnumbered youngsters and this was indicated by Pappu Rao also.in his speech. The only VIP that I could notice was TKG

Thanjavooran 31 05 10

[ragam-talam]

Thanks for the nice report.
How can one obtain a copy of this CD?

[keerthi]

Please list the list of varNam-s in the CD. it would also be nice to have other details - who has brought out the CD etc.

[semmu86]

How i wish, some people would have curtailed their speeches and prolonged the concert. Is that becoming a forlorn hope? Though that CD is a result of some fascinating work, there should have been a separate occasion for the launch, or if they felt that wouldnt have attracted more crowds (Of course we dont see much crowds in Chennai for chaste CM) , they should have started the launch function a bit earlier and prolonged the concert. Arriving late and keeping on talking was not good at all.

[yogambala]

Thanks for the Excellent update.

[keerthi]

A review -

http://www.hindu.com/fr/2010/06/04/stor ... 230200.htm