Lecture Demonstration-Saraswathi and Narada Gana Sabha-26.12.11

Venue - Narada Gana Sabha Mini Hall
Time - 8.30 a.m

Topic - "The place of Varnam in Carnatic Music"


















A beautiful and vast topic.

Will try and capture the essence of 1.5 hours of the Lec-Dem in a few lines :-)

After talking briefly about the etymology and history of Varnam, I talked about how the Varnam stands apart as a musical form that is ideal for "abhyAsam".

As a tool for abhyAsa gAnam, the varnam helps the music student in learning the nuances of a rAga. It helps in voice culture. These were illustrated with various examples.

I then spoke about the differences between pada varnams and tAna varnams.

















Varnam helps us in understanding the various facets of "manOdharma sangItam", like in singing the rAga AlApana, niraval,kalpanaswaras.These were again illustrated with examples.

tAna varnams give ample scope for singing the varnam in various speeds. Also, the art of tAnam singing can be developed from varnams. These were again explained with examples.

I then took up daru varnams, rAgamalika varnams and varnams with swarAkshara prayOgams.

In all, it was a truly enjoyable session for me and there was a very enthusiastic audience.

Incidentally, I happened to meet Mr.V.Subramanian after the Lec-Dem, who had beautifully drawn a sketch of the artistes on stage. Here it is:

Music Academy - 23.12.11

23rd December, 7 p.m:






Accompanists:

V.Sanjeev - Violin
Bangalore Sri.Rajakesari - Mridangam
Bangalore Sri.Chandramouli - Kanjira






Song List:(R-Raga Alapana,N-Neraval,S-Kalpanaswaram,T-Tani Avarthanam)

1. Virutham followed by Keesu Keesendru - Tiruppavai - Bhairavi - Misra Chapu
2. Makelara - Ravichandrika - Adi - Tyagaraja (S)
3. Sri Vishwanatham - Chaturdasa Ragamalika - Adi - Muttuswami Dikshitar
4. Charanam Vijayasaraswathi - Vijayasaraswathi - Adi - Muthiah Bhagavatar (R)
5. Kamakshi Gowri - Saveri - Adi - Papanasam Sivan (R,N,S,T)
6. Chalamelara - Margahindolam - Adi - Tyagaraja
7. RTP- Kalyani - Adi Talam(Kantamukhi)
"Sangeetha Laya Gnanamu Sakala Sowbhagyamu"
8. Virutham followed by Chinnanjiru Kiliye - Ragamalika - Mahakavi Subramanya Bharatiyar
9. Eppadi Padinaro - Bhimplas - Adi
10.Tillana - Kamas - Adi - Lalgudi Jayaraman
11.Tiruppugazh - Chandrakouns
12.Mangalam

Meenakshi Sundararajan Trust - 21.12.11

Venue - Meenakshi College, Kodambakkam






Accompanists:

Usha Rajagopal - Violin
B.Ganapathiraman - Mridangam
Sreesundarkumar - Kanjira





Song List:(R-Raga Alapana,N-Neraval,S-Kalpanaswaram,T-Tani Avarthanam)

1. Varnam - Begada - Adi- Veena Kuppier (S)
2. Deva Deva - Mayamalavagowla - Rupakam - Maharaja Swati Tirunal
3. Maayanai - Sree - Adi - Tiruppavai
4. Ninnu Nera - Pantuvarali - Rupakam - Tyagaraja (R,N,S)
5. Sakala Loka - Arabhi - Adi - Uthukadu Venkatasubbier (Kamakshi Navavarana Kriti)
6. Nambikettavar - Hindolam - Adi - Papanasam Sivan
7. Akshayalinga vibho - Shankarabharanam - Misra Chapu - Muttuswami Dikshitar (R,N,S,T)
8. Tum Bina - Misra Hindolam - Adi - Meera Bhajan
9. Virutham, Koovi Azhaithal - Valaji - Adi
10. Kalyanagopalam - Sindhubhairavi - Kantachapu - Narayanatheerthar
11. Tillana - Kamas - Adi - Lalgudi Jayaraman
12. Mangalam

Valayapatti Nadhalaya Trust- 20.12.11

Venue was Anantapadmanabhaswamy Temple, Adyar.







Accompanists:

Balu Raghuram - Violin
B.Sivaraman - Mridangam
Venkatasubramaniam - Kanjira




Song List:(R-Raga Alapana,N-Neraval,S-Kalpanaswaram,T-Tani Avarthanam)

1. Kanchadalaayathaakshi - Kamalamanohari - Adi - Muttuswami Dikshitar (S)
2. Virutham, Aazhi Mazhai Kanna - Varali - Adi - Tiruppavai
3. Mahavishnu Sodari - Anandabhairavi - Rupakam - Muthiah Bhagavatar (R)
4. Maravairi Ramani - Nasikabhushani - Rupakam (R,S)
5. Ranganayakam - Nayaki - Adi - Muttuswami Dikshitar
6. Sarasa Samadana - Kapinarayani - Adi - Tyagaraja
7. Sukhi Evaro- Kaanada - Adi - Tyagaraja (R,N,S,T)
8. Irakkam Varamal - Behag - Rupakam - Gopalakrishna Bharati
9. Pravisha Radhe - Misra Sivaranjani - Kanta Chapu - Jayadevar
10. Tillana - Hamsanandi - Adi - Muthiah Bhagavatar

Mudhra - 16.12.2011

Sang an RTP in Gamanashrama yesterday.
"chidambara gamanashramaapaharaNam Ananda natESam Sivam bhajEham"















The Pallavi was set to Misra Jati Jhampa Talam (Chatusra Nadai). During the kalpana swaras, I switched over to Chatusra Jati Matya Talam (Chatusra Nadai) and to Adi Tala (Kanta Nadai) for the Ragamalika Swaras.







Accompanists:

Mysore Srikanth - Violin
J.Vaidyanathan - Mridangam
Alathur Rajaganesh - Kanjira




Song List:(R-Raga Alapana,N-Neraval,S-Kalpanaswaram,T-Tani Avarthanam)

1. Dinamani Vamsa - Harikambhoji - Adi - Tyagaraja
2. Virutham followed by Balakrishnan - Dhanyasi- Rupakam - Papanasam Sivan
3. Janani Ninnuvina - Reethigowla - Misra Chapu - Subbaraya Sastri (R,S)
4. Srikantha - Bhavapriya - Adi - Tyagaraja (S)
5. Balagopala - Bhairavi - Adi - Muttuswami Dikshitar (R,N,S,T)
6. Telisi rama - Purnachandrika - Adi - Tyagaraja
7. RTP - Gamanashrama - Misra Jathi Jhampai
8. Gopi Gopala - Gamanshrama - Adi(Kanta Nadai) - Surdas
9. Innudaya Baradhe - Kalyanavasantham - Kanta Chapu - Purandaradasa
10.Tillana - Madhuvanti - Adi - Lalgudi Jayaraman
11.Mangalam

Karthik Fine Arts - 15.12.2011

Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Mylapore has always been one of my favourite concert venues. Excellent acoustics. This was where I gave my first concert in the Music Season way back in 1991, which makes this auditorium very special :-)






Accompanists:

Mysore Srikanth - Violin
Poongulam Subramanian - Mridangam
Anirudh Athreya - Kanjira





Song List:(R-Raga Alapana,N-Neraval,S-Kalpanaswaram,T-Tani Avarthanam)

1. Varnam - Pantuvarali - Adi (S)
2. Vallabha Nayakasya - Begada - Rupakam - Muttuswami Dikshitar
3. Ganamurthe - Ganamurthi - Adi - Tyagaraja (R,S)
4. Virutham, Mannu pugazh - Azhwar pasuram - Neelambari - Kanta Chapu
5. Sri Subramanyaya - Kambhoji - Rupakam - Muttuswami Dikshitar (R,N,S,T)
6. Theeradha Vilayaatu- Ragamalika- Adi(Kanta Nadai) - Subramanya Bharatiyar
7. Slokam followed by Base Mere - Ragavardhini - Adi - Bhajan

Nungambakkam Cultural Academy - 13.12.2011

In almost every concert, I try to include either a rare song, or a song in a rare Ragam. In this particular concert, I chose the Kriti "Niramaye Niranjane", a composition of Harikesanallur Muthiah Bhagavathar. This Kriti belongs to the group of 108 Chamundi Ashttothara Kritis.







Accompanists:
Ganeshprasad - Violin
Manoj Siva - Mridangam








Song List: (R-Raga Alapana,N-Neraval,S-Kalpanaswaram,T-Tani Avarthanam)

1. Varnam - Shudhadhanyasi - Adi - Harikesanallur Muthiah Bhagavathar
2. Brochevaarevare - Sriranjani (S)
3. Virutham (Azhwar pasuram) followed by Seshachala Nayakam - Varali - Rupakam - MD
4. Chitham Irangaadenaya - Sahana - misra Chapu - Papanasam Sivan (R,S)
5. Niramaye Niranjane - Kunthalavarali - Tisra Adi - Harikesanallur Muthiah Bhagavathar
6. Kaligiyunte - Keeravani - Adi- Tyagaraja (R,N,S,T)
7. Varuvai Varuvai - Darbari Kaanada - Adi - Subramanya Bharatiyar
8. Jagajjanani- Ratipatipriya - Adi
9. Virutham (verses from Tirunaavukkarasar's Tiruthaandagam) followed by
Adiya Paadhathai - Surutti - Adi - Gopalakrishna Bharathi
10.Mangalam

Maragatham Sankaranarayanan Trust- 2.12.2011

The Maragatham Sankaranarayanan trust has been holding concerts on the 2nd of December every year,as part of the Remembrance Day of the composer Kallidaikurichi Dr.E.S.Sankaranarayana Iyer.

The venue for this year's concert was Sivakami Petachi Auditorium.

The concert was exclusively of Dr.ESS's compositions.




Accompanists were

M.A.Krishnaswamy - Violin
Manoj Siva - Mridangam
Anirudh Athreya - Kanjira





Looking at the compositions of Dr.ESS, it is very interesting to note that he has composed numerous kritis in Ghana ragas, Rakthi ragas and several rare ragas like Somatarangini, Sudhdhasyamala, Bhanuchandrika, Natanasrimati, Naadamurthi, Dwaithanandi and so on.

He has also composed a beautiful set of Kritis on Lord Shiva, called the Ekaadasa Rudra Kritis, Navagraha Kritis and a few Tamizh padams too.

That day I took up 2 rare ragas, Vivardhini and Sudhdhasyamala. Vivardhini is a Janya of Sankarabharanam and Sudhdhasyamala is a Janya of Chakravaham.

Song List: (R-Raga Alapana,N-Neraval,S-Kalpanaswaram,T-Tani Avarthanam)

1. Gajavadanam Bhaja - Natai - Adi(S)
2. Neeraja Nayane - Lalitha - Rupakam (R,S)
3. Mahadeva manohari - Devamanohari- Adi (R,S)
4. Bhakthileni - Vivardhini - Adi (S)
5. Bhagavantam Shukram - Varali - Adi (R)(Navagraha Kriti)
6. Paramukha - Sudhdhasyamala - Adi (R,S)
7. Bhavothbhavam - Kambhoji - Adi (R,N,S,T) (Ekaadasa Rudra Kriti)
8. Eppodhum Ennudan - Punnagavarali - Misra Chapu (Tamizh padam)
9. Manaththinil Kavalai - Virutham in Surutti followed by
Marakatha Maninibha - Surutti (Mangalam)

It was a great experience learning and presenting all the above mentioned Kritis.