GAYATHRI GIRISH-TAMIZH SAARAL- R.R.SABHA- 13 MARCH 2020

[CRama]

Accompanists
Vishruti Girish- Vocal support
Karaikal Venkatasubramaniam- Violin
Vijay Natesan- Mridangam

List of songs.
• Anname-Varnam- Arabhi- Tiger Varadachariar
• Muruganai Tirumaal maruganai tudithaal Maru piravi edu maname- Nalinakanthi-
Kolkatta Krishnamurthy- (R,S)
• Siva naamame saranaagati Siva paadame jeevanmukthi- Charukesi
Guru Surajananda- (R)
• Saarasadala nayanane Murugaa Guhaa Dayaakarane Shanmugane- Thodi- Swarajati
Mayuram Viswanatha Sastry (R,S)
• Vadivel Murugesane Valleesane-Rasavinodini (S)-
Mayuram Viswanatha Sastry
• Poonkuyil koovum- Kapi- Kalki Krishanmurthy
• Kattrinile varum geetham- Kalki Krishnamurthy
• Ivan yaaro- Kambodi- Kavikunjara bharathy (R,S)
• Tani avartanam
• Kandanin azhagil bhakthar mayakkam
Anda bhaktharin bhakthiyil Kandan adakkam- Sindubhairavi
Guru Surajananda
• Mangalam ser solai maamalai- Kummikanni- Kavikunjara bharathy

This is the third year that R R Sabha is conducting exclusive Tamil Isai festival titled TAMIL SAARAL. Being off season, the festival is eliciting very good response from the music lovers as could be seen from the very good crowd. Gayathri Girish, presented a concert featuring the compositions of select tamil composers namely Tiger Varadachariar, Kolkata Krishnamurthy, Guru Surajananda, Kalki Krishnamurthy, Kavi Kunjara Bharathy and Mayuram Viswanatha Sastry. Gayathri Girish has proved her mettle on many earlier occasions while presenting thematic concerts on varied topics. Given any topic, she puts her heart and soul into it to scout for the rarest of the compositions and get the authentic versions, internalise the songs and present them with indulgence, dedication and sincerity. She is one artiste who grabs all such opportunities that comes in her way to multiply her repertoire with her profound hard work and involvement.

At the start of the programme, Shri. Kotilingam, Tamil scholar introduced the artistes. Shri Tiruppur Krishnan, Tamil writer was also present. Gayathri Girish presented a brief profile of all the composers as we don’t have much information about these composers even though we have heard one or two compositions of these composers. She is one person who is at ease with technology and can handle laptop, lecture and music simultaneously. There are very few musicians who fall into such a league. Today also, there was a PP presentation in which slides containing the lyrics of the songs were shown along with the photo of the composer and images of the deity on whom the song is composed. The songs are totally new to the audience and hence the slides became handy to follow the lyrics.

Some important information about the composers
• Mysore Maharaja Krishnaraja Wodeyar gave the tile TIGER to Varadachariar after hearing his RTP in the ragam Poornachandrika.
• Tiger has composed many varnams and Keertanams. Other varnams are in Sreeranjani, Vachaspati etc.
• Kolkata Krishnamurthy has learnt with many eminent Gurus like Tiger Varadachariar, Sabesa Iyer, Tiruppambaram Swaminatha Pillai etc.
• He has also composed many Varnams and keerthanams.
• He was honoured with Sangeeta Kala Acharya by the Madras Music Academy.
• Gayathri Girish had the opportunity to learn some songs directly from Kolkata Krishnamurthy.
• She participated in a special programme on Bharatiar songs tuned by Kolkata Krishnamurthy as such witnessed the tuning process of Krishnamurthy.
• Besides himself a Vaggeyakara, Kolkata Krishnamurthy has tuned many compositions of other composers.
• The poorvashrama name of Guru Surajananda was Sunderrajan.
• He has authored many books on philosophy
• He has made many compositions and his compositions have been set to music by legends like TMT, DKJ, Tanjavur Kalyanaraman, T.K.Govinda Rao, Kolkata Krishnamurthy etc.
• The song in Charukesi sung by Gayathri was tuned by Kolkata Krishnamurthy.
• The Charukesi song was rich in Dwitiyakshara prasam, Anthyaprasam etc.
• Mayuram Viswanatha Saastry was a disciple of Namakkal Narasimha Iyengar.
• He was a great devotee of Muruga and composed most of his kritis on Muruga.
• His patriotic compositions like Jayati jayati Bharata Mata, Samarasabhavana, Saantha Ahimsa Murthey etc are very popular.
• The Thodi Swarajati is his monumental composition and is rich with many swaraksharams.
• He has invented a few new ragams. One ragam is Rasavinodini, which is a janya of Ramapriya.
• Kalki Krishnamurthy is very famous as a writer, poet, music critic, freedom fighter etc. Many of his songs have been popularised by singers such as M.S Subbalakshmi, D.K.Pattammal etc.
• Kavi Kunjarabharathy has composed many keerthanams, padams, prabandhams etc.
• His grand son is Koteeswara Iyer
• The padam Ivan yaro in Kambodi has been popularised by Maestro TNS.
• The song Kandanin Azhagil Bhakthar mayakkam in Sindubhairavi is tuned by Tanjavur S.Kalyanaraman. The concept of grahabhedam has been very skilfully introduced in the song - showing Tilang by way of grahabhedam in the Anupallavi and Behag in the charanam. I have never heard any song where grahabhedam has been incorporated in the sahithyam. A fine example for the musicianship of Tanjavur S.Kalyanaraman.

Gayathri Girish did full justice to the songs chosen. Her alapanas of ragams Nalinakanthi, Charukesi, Thodi and Kambodi were full of imagination and raga bhavam. The kalpana swarams for the kriti in Rasavinodini was very interesting with the vakra sancharams. Gayathri has done her home work diligently to master the rare compositions and present them with finesse and aesthetic perfection. The song Poonkuyil koovum was popularised by D.K.Pattammal. Gayathri Girish further embellished the song with by her own sangatis. Ivan Yaro- TNS used to sing this as a stand alone padam in the post tani session. Gayathri gave the status of the main song with her elaborate alapana and kalpana swarams and the following Tani avartanam. The grahabhedams in the Sindubhairavi song came out with clarity in the voice of Gayathri Girish. The folk song in the end was a fitting finale to the concert.

Vishruti Girish provided competent vocal accompaniment. It is gratifying to note that she also shares the same interest to internalise rare compositions along with her illustrious mother. IN fact, the Arabhi varnam was rendered exclusively by her that won very good appreciation from the listeners.

Karaikal Venkatasubramaniam on the violin provided the right embellishment on the violin. His raga essays were crisp and swara returns imaginative. Vijay Natesan heightened the listening pleasure with his deft strokes that had clarity and variety and his following was unobtrusive. Gayathri mentioned that both the accompanists took the recordings from her well in advance and equipped themselves well for the programme.

An excellent programme for two and half hours.

[kvchellappa]

A wonderful review with interesting info.

[Sivaramakrishnan]

I could not attend the program but CRama's detailed review has helped to form a fair idea of the unique concert. Thanks to him.

In a lecdem on Mayuram Viswanatha Saastry's compositions at Music academy (during the annual conference in 2018 if I remember correct) mention was made of the Thodi Swarajati as well as Tirukkural verses tuned by the great composer. Good that the Swarajathi has been given a place of prominence in the concert by Gayathri Girish. Thanks to her for popularising rare compositions.