Ruminations of a Rasika

Reference to Vid. K.V. Narayanaswamy, 1978 Ramanavami

R.Sachi: Transcriptions of conversations with Sri K. Srikantiah

K. Srikantiah - Moments of Inspiration

" I wish to share my unbounded joy after listening again to the 1978 Ramanavami concert recording of Vid K. V. Narayanaswamy that we have just posted.

To preface my specific comments, let me share how I have been blessed by Lord Rama to enjoy the greatest of Carnatic music from 1940s in the best of places including the holy setting of Thiruvaiyyaru, as well as all the leading sabhas such as the Madras Music Academy. I have had a close acquaintance with all the stalwarts including Mysore Vasudevacharya, Chowdiah, Ariyakudi, Chembai, GNB, Mani Iyer, Semmangudi, and almost all others of that generation. Lord Rama granted me the opportunity to arrange many of their concerts at home, and our tradition of Ramanavami music festival continued for many decades with five generations of male and female artistes.

To make good concert recordings for posterity was not an easy task. As the tapes were scarce, I had to get them from America. The old faithful Philips reel-to-reel recorder has been serving the cause of Rama all these years.

I say all this as a prelude to expressing my feelings about the latest posting of the KVN 1978 concert.

I am simply overwhelmed by its impact.

I just heard it again after the posting. It gives a feeling like being flanked on one side by the might Himalayas and on the other side by the endless ocean. KVN has risen to Himalayan heights in his raga alapana of Kharaharapriya. The way he has rendered the song, with the neraval on the line "manasuna talachi mai marachi" gave me goose bumps.

His swaras took me to a different world. And Raghu - with his deep strokes like the roar of the ocean, throughout the concert! Particularly in the Kharaharapriya krithi, at the start of the anupallavi, and during neraval and swaras, his strokes are simply masterful.

This is such a wonderful concert that I have to express my feelings of endless gratitude to Lord Rama. One should be really fortunate to enjoy this level of music. I wish more and more Rasikas partake of this feast. "

Thyagaraja’s Ecstasy of Devotion

Vid. K.V. Narayanaswamy, 1978 Ramanavami

An appreciation from R. Sachi

During this Ramanavami season, it is our great pleasure to share with rasikas a fine concert by the Sangita Kalanidhi Palghat K.V. Narayanaswamy. KVN, as he is affectionately called, is an eternal favourite of Carnatic music lovers around the world. As the most famous Shishya of the most famous legend in CM, Sangitakala Shikhamani Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar, KVN is the torchbearer of a truly classical tradition that gives deeply enriching, aesthetic and devotional, experience to every listener. KVN had perfected his art to maximise the lasting beauty of classicism, eschewing all dramatics and frills. He came across in person as someone who lived this spirit 24/7 as they say these days.

This concert also features the famous combination of KVN and Raghu. This combo is as proverbial as the famous Ariyakudi-Palghat Mani combo. Other examples are MSS-TK Murthy and Ravi Shankar-Alla Rakha. Indian classical music places great emphasis on rhythm or tala (Srutirmaata layah pitaa). So when such a great combination of a lead performer and percussionist clicks, we get decades of great musical excellence, based on a musical rapport at the gut level. This is a bonus in this concert too.

KVN and Raghu collaborated and taught together at a US university during the ‘60s. Here is the disc cover of their famous LP, brought out with an introduction to South Indian music:

Coming to this concert, it is full of rich melody and song repertoire. Spanning major ragas eg. Shankarabharana, Kharaharapriya, Mohana, and Todi (a rare Tillana), KVN delivers his trademark raga alapanas, neraval and swaras in a succinct manner. The shlokas and the Kannada padas are suffused with devotional fervour. Talking of which, the famous krithi Nanu Palimpa, expressing Thyagaraja’s ecstasy of devotion, is rendered with a lot of verve. This krithi is reported to have been composed by the saint on beholding a beautiful painting of Sri Rama, painted by one of the Walajapet disciples Pallavi Ellayyar and carried on foot over a long distance to be presented to the saint. The meaning of this song as given in The Spiritual Heritage of Thyagaraja is reproduced below:

"NANU PAALIMPA" (Mohana)

Oh Lord of my Life! Have you come walking all the way to bless me,knowing fully the unexpressed secret longing of my heart, that to have a vision of your lotus-eyed face is the sole purpose of my life! You have been gracious enough to appear before me with a body resplendently blue colored, adorned in the chest with strings of pearls, with shining bow, and arrows in hand and accompanied by Sita.

We therefore feel blessed to be able to share this concert with Rasikas.

Concert Details:

K.V.Narayanaswamy ------- vocal
T.S. Veeraraghavan ------- Violin
Palghat Raghu ----- Mridangam
K.S.Manjunath ---- Ghatam
on 24 -4-1978 during Ramanavami Festival at "Parvathi", Mysore.

Song List

01 Bhaktibhiksha-Shankarabharana- Thyagaraja *** 02 Kharaharapriya Raga *** 03 Pakkala nilabadi-Kharaharapriya – Thyagaraja *** 04 Rangapuravihara- Brindavana saranga- Muthuswami Dikshitar *** 05 Nanu Palimpa-Mohana- Thyagaraja *** 06 Shlokas – Khamach, Mayamalavagowla, Behag, Sindhubhairavi *** 07 Harihara ninnanu- Sindhubhairavi – Purandaradasa *** 08 Kandu dhanyanade- Behag- Kamalesha Dasa *** 09 Tillana –Todi –Poochi Srinivasa Iyengar *** 10 Mangalam***

Ingredients of delicate artistry in Carnatic music

Vid. S. Sowmya – Ramanavami 1995

An appreciation from R. Sachi

We are pleased to share with rasikas a fine vocal concert from the 1995 series, by Vidushi S. Sowmya.

S. Sowmya is a Carnatic music vocalist as well as a vainika. She learnt music initially from her father Dr. Srinivasan, and later from Dr. S. Ramanathan and Smt.T. Muktha. In 1998, Sowmya co-founded Carnatica - an institution dedicated to classical music and dance instruction, archival, talent search and other related activities. She co-authored the first comprehensive reference CD-ROM on Carnatic music, Nadanubhava. She is also a visiting professor at the Advanced School of Carnatic Music of the Music Academy Madras.

S. Sowmya is a distinguished alumnus of IIT Madras with postgraduate qualifications in chemistry. She has been awarded a PhD for her research into the technical aspects of mridangam design and construction. We learn also that she is on her way to acquiring a PhD in Sanskrit from Madras University.

While listening to this present concert, we are to be forgiven for forgetting all these academic accomplishments of this distinguished vidushi. What shines forth is a high order of delicate artistry honed under great teachers including two legendary maestros. We feel her music is suffused with a rare quality in Carnatic music called “saumya” guna or delicate artistry.

The word “saumya” in Sanskrit signifies the epitome of aesthetic evolution. The dictionary defines it as resembling the moon, placid, gentle, mild, auspicious, happy, pleasant, cheerful and even “cool”- the buzzword these days. In the Bhagavadgita, after beholding the Vishwaroopa, Arjuna is so badly stirred and shaken that Krishna decides to cool him down with his “saumya” appearance – bhUtvA punaH saumyavapuH mahAtmA (BG 11.50). Even in the lalithAsahasranAma, Devi is described as sAmagAnapriyA saumyA (v.168).

In this concert, a young and extremely melodious Sowmya sings so many beautiful ragas – Saveri, Athana, Begada, Vasantha, Pantuvarali, Anandabhairavi, Shankarabharana, Bageshri, Nadanamakriya…each song is presented with a delicate voice modulation which has the stamp of scholarship as well as artistic sensibilities of the highest order. The Begada krithi is a rare Kannada one, and the alapana (seldom attempted by women vocalists!) is like a beautifully painted landscape. The swaras in Pantuvarali and Shankarabharana show her solid vidwat. The Anandabhairavi song is her gentle tribute to the vainika-gayaka Muthuswami Dikshitar.

The accompaniments of Vid. Narayan, Vid. Sharma and Vid. Srinath add further charm to this concert.

So, let’s enjoy the wonderful music of Vid. Sowmya!

Concert Details

S.Sowmya ----- Vocal
S.V.Narayan ---- Violin
Ananthakrishna Sharma ---- Mridangam
Srinath ------ Ghatam
on 9-4-95 during Ramanavami at Parvathi, Mysore

Song List

01 Sarasuda-Saveri Varna - Kotthavaasal Venkatrama Iyer *** 02 Anupama gunambudhi -Athana- Thyagaraja *** 03 Nimma bhagya- Begada -Purandara Dasa *** 04 Rama Rama -Vasantha- Purandara Dasa *** 05 Shiva Shiva- Pantuvarali -Thyagaraja *** 06 Manasa Guruguha- Ananda bhairavi – Muthuswami Dikshitar *** 07 Swararagasudharasa- Shankarabharana –Thyagaraja *** 08 Shloka & Rogaharane –Bageshri – Jagannatha Dasa *** 09 Karunajaladhe –Nadanamakriya- Thyagaraja *** 10 Mangalam

In Memorium: Shri B.M.N. Murthy

The Hindu: The man who knows everything
[ http://www.hindu.com/lf/2004/03/15/stories/2004031508690200.htm ]

We live in a world today where it is not uncommon for a person in the media to likely interrogate you (when you discuss someone not given to essential mainstream) in a capsuled fashion such as “Can you describe this person in two sentences or less?”

In remembering Shi B.M. Narayana Murthy we would say “Yes” with an aplomb, though rather with a certain sadness today. He passed away last week.

“Yes, we can and we are honored that we knew him. He was a man who lived his whole life in dignity and treated all those whom he came across with that same said dignity”.

He was of course many, many things more, as we have leaned on him a few times ourselves in this blog to borrow some of his articles from that vast fund of his resourcefulness.

He had retired professionally as Chief Engineer, Life Insurance Corporation of India. But after his retirement he dedicated his entire time to guiding and informing "the younger generation" in India of the spiritual wisdom of their country, reminding them to know something of the great traditional lineage to which they belonged. Many of them did listen to their "Nani Uncle" and endeared themselves to him.

BMN Murthy - Chennai Industrialist A.N. Srinivasa Rao

He was a voracious collector from his youngest days of books and periodicals and a very well read person on “any subject under the sun” which could project a value. He applied himself by sharing his fund of knowledge in penning beautiful articles in not only jogging our memories but in introducing us to names and events about which we may have hardly known anything.

His house was a veritable library and we came to know of his prodigious writing when we realized that by July 2013, he had completed the penning of a staggering 700 weekly articles spread over a period of twelve and half years.

No subject would escape his serene mind . On music you could find him waxing on the mastery of a Veena Seshanna or a Madurai Mani Iyer; on religion it could be the exemplary teachings of a Chandrasekhar Bharathi or the MahaPeriyava of Kanchi; in poetry he would be at home equally to a Kalidasa or a Keats; or in a cheerful bid towards inculcating positive thoughts he would bring to our attention that "Poverty and Humble Beginnings Are No Impediments to a Success in Life". He would bring any number of examples to bear testimony to that in a Rt. Hon. V. S. Srinivasa Sastri, a Michael Faraday, a Charlie Chaplin or a Justice Kapadia.

We close with our prayers to the essential memory of a very decent and good man.

Rama - The Abiding Subject of Carnatic Krithis

Vid. K.S. Gopalakrishnan – Flute 1977

A Contribution from R. Sachi

1977: Vidwan K.S. Gopalkrishnan in “Parvathi”

We are pleased to share with rasikas a wonderful flute recital held in the Ramanavami festival in 1977 at Parvathi, Mysore. Vid. KS Gopalakrishnan has been rather elusive and inaccessible to most Carnatic rasikas all these decades, although he is readily hailed by the cognoscenti as a great flute maestro. In this concert, like the one we shared before with rasikas from 1976, he indelibly stamps the music with his melodious manodharma and virtuosity.

The concert begins with the enchanting phrases of Ravichandrika. The raga name evokes images of the sun as well as the moon! The raga itself is a favourite of Saint Thyagaraja, with well-known krithis. The song Nirvadhi Sukhada is a special one. It is very popular with instrumentalists who render it at breathless speed. But here, Vid. Gopalakrishnan has created a wonderfully evocative mood and for the first time we feel like contemplating the meanings of the lyric. And the line śaṅkarādi gīyamāna sādhu mānasa susadana captures the Saint Composer’s sentiment about Rama. According to him, Rama is worthy of worship and therefore is the subject of his own songs: Rama is unparalleled in grandeur, grace and capacity to instil devotion. Lord Shiva himself sings Rama’s glories. And Rama dwells in the hearts of his devotees. No wonder that in the Ramanavami festivals at Parvathi, we have had a continual flow of wonderful music full of songs dedicated to Rama by so many stalwart musicians.

Pallavi

niravadhi sukhada nirmala rūpa
nirjita muni śāpa
Anupallavi
śaradhi bandhana nata saṅkrandana
śaṅkarādi gīyamāna sādhu mānasa susadana
Charanam
māmava marakata maṇi nibha dēha
śrī maṇi2 lōla śrita jana pāla
bhīma parākrama bhīma karārcita3
tāmasa rājasa mānava dūra
tyāgarāja vinuta caraṇa

Meaning:

O Lord who confers unceasing comfort!
O Lord of blemish less form!
O Lord who removed the sage's curse (on Ahalya)!
O builder of the causeway on the Ocean!
O Lord saluted by Indra!
One sung about by Siva and others, abiding in the hearts of pious people!
Please protect me, O Lord with emerald-like body!
One enamored by the precious Lakshmi!
O Nourisher of dependants!
One with terrifying prowess!
O Lord worshiped by the very hands of Bhima!
O Lord far-removed from people given to
inertia (darkness) and passion (action)!
O Lord whose feet is praised by Thyagaraja!

( Source: sahityam.net )

The concert features an expansive Abheri and the krithi Bhajare Re Manasa Sri Raghuviram of Mysore Vasudevacharya. The flute maestro is in a mood of creative exuberance as he develops the raga, the song and then embarks on an array of raga-malika swaras at the end of the song. This is like a shahi bhojan with a series of unexpected delicacies! The violin, mridangam and ghatam accompaniment are very good, too.

Details : Concert held on 7-4-1977 during Ramanavami at "Parvathi"

K.S.Gopalakrishnan ------- Flute
Chalakudy Narayanaswamy ---- Violin
Tanjore Upendran ------- Mridangam
M.A.Krishnamurthy ------- Ghatam

Song List

01 Niravadhi Sukhada – Ravichandrike- Thyagaraja *** 02 Manavinalakincha – Nalinakanthi - Thyagaraja *** 03 Abheri Raga *** 04 Bhajare re manasa-Abheri – Mysore Vasudevacharya Ragamalika swaras (Dwijavanti, Shekharachandrika, Mohana,Hindola, Bageshri, Sindhubhairavi) *** 05 Karunai daivame –Sindhubhairavi – Madurai Srinivasan *** 06 Cheline netlu Javali - Paras - T Chinniah *** 07 Ramgovind Hari (?) Kabir Bhajan –Desh *** 08 Thiruppugazh- Hamsanandi *** 09 Tillana –Kamach -- Patnam Subrahmanya Iyer *** 10 Mangalam ***

Doyen Vid. Prof. Mysore V. Ramarathnam – A Remembrance

In our desire to be true to many things over a very large landscape, we as a team sometimes come up short in featuring some very respected personalities who may have done exemplary things to a community or have contributed their might in the field of music.

It was during our recent post of the reverential Vidwan Dr. R.K. Srikantan, that we happened to reflect on some of the great difficulties that we have often had to run into in making available a concert. One realized that one could not do a full concert posting on many, due to not having recordings, or to having lost many that were there, over time.

Even though memories of GNB, Chembai and the Alathur brothers used to resonate so high with members, one was not able to post even a single concert on them that was performed in "Parvathi". Similarly, though we have mentioned T. Chowdiah several times, we have been hard put in playing even two or three of his recordings. Then, there is the whole list of Karnataka musicians, who have always been such constant fixtures in a continuous life with “Parvathi”, such as Titte Krishna Iyengar, M.A. Narasimhachar, R.N. Doreswamy, Flute B.N.Suresh, V. Deshikachar (in a long list); on whom we have never been able to do a sufficient posting.

Somewhere, we also missed out, previously, in expressing our gratitude to Prof. V. Ramarathnam who passed away on November 15, 2008, at a grand age of 91.

Reproduced below is a rare and historical photograph that once used to adorn the "Parvathi" walls. For the sake of accommodations to this blog, and to display the faces of the Vidwans in a magnification, we have seen fit to split the large photograph into two halves.

1939: This Photo is an "at home" celebration given by K.Puttu Rao at his Mysore residence 'Parvathi' to felicitate T. Chowdiah on being conferred with the title 'Sangeeta Rathna' in the company of all the leading musicians of the day. [ Vidwan Ramaratnam can be seen in the bottom picture, standing second row from top, third from right ]

In such circumstances we turn to Sri Srikantiah on his thoughts:

“ Vidwan V. Ramaratnam was closely associated with me ever since he landed in Mysore city under the Shishya vritti of Sangeeta Rathna T.Chowdiah, who was our family friend.

Prof. Ramaratnam used to be in touch with all the great artistes in Carnatic music like Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar, Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar, Alattur Brothers, Musuri Subrahmanya Iyer and others, and learn many fine compositions from them. He was always eager to enrich his knowledge in Carnatic music.

I had the privilege of honoring him during our Silver Jubilee Sri Ramanavami Music Festival in the Year 1994. "

" Prof.Ramaratnam had a very long and distinguished music career in his life. He served as the Vice-Principal of Ayyanar College for 20 years, Principal of Mysore University Music College for 12 years, and presided over the 14th Music conference of Bangalore Gayana Samaj. He gave many Music concerts in every music sabha getting great acclaim from music rasikas.

Ramaratnam has also brought out many valuable carnatic music publications for the benefit of music students. There was abundant depth in his music knowledge.

It is very unfortunate that recordings of his performances at 'Parvathi' are missing, along with a few other valuable recordings. ”

We are also extremely glad for Prof. Ramarathnam having brought out his own reminiscences and for having narrated such a beautiful history of Mysore during his times.

Doyen Vid. R. K. Srikantan – A Remembrance

1994 Ramanavami Concert of Vid. R. K. Srikantan at Parvathi, Mysore

Contributed by R. Sachi

1972: Vidwan R.K. Srikantan in “Parvathi”
With: Vid. T.A.S Mani (Mridangam), Vid. Anoor Ramakrishna (violin)

We offer our respects and prayers for the doyen of Carnatic music, Vid. R. K. Srikantan, who passed away this week in Bangalore. As a mark of our respect, we share an excellent vocal concert of his from 1994. His voice, repertoire, and vidwat on display in this concert, when he was already 74 years of age, are truly noteworthy.

Mr. Srikantiah’s Reminiscences

" I knew Vid. Srikantan from 1950’s. As a young musician, along with his brother, he used to visit our house to meet and learn from the masters like Musiri and Semmangudi whenever they stayed with us in Mysore. He went on to take up employment in AIR, Mysore. He performed and taught Carnatic music for seven decades. He was full of encouragement to young musicians of Karnataka. His leading disciple, Vid. M.S. Sheela, has perfomed a few times in Parvathi.

Vid. Srikantan received acclaim and awards from all over the world, though belatedly. It is remarkable that he continued to perform and teach well into his nineties. His passing is a great loss to the world of Carnatic music."

Concert Details

R.K Srikantan ..... Vocal
R.S. Ramakanta......vocal support
Mysore Manjunath...violin
P.G.Lakshminarayan....mridangam
G.S.Ramanujam.......ghatam

on April 26, 1994 during Ramanavami.

Song List

01 Chalamela (Varna)-Durbar- Tiruvottriyur Thyagayya *** 02 Kamalambike - Nata –Jayachamaraja Wodeyar *** 03 Undedi Ramudu –Harikamboji- Thyagaraja *** 04 Rama ninnu - Anandabhairavi – Veene Sheshanna *** 05 Paramatmudu –Vagadheeshwari –Thygaraja *** 06 Kalyani Raga *** 07 Varava kodu enage- Kanaka Dasa *** 08 Eti janma –Varali – Thyagaraja *** 09 Bhairavi Raga *** 10 Olaga Sulabhavo-Vyasaraya *** 11 Hare Venkatashaila – Sindhubhairavi – Sripadaraja *** 12 Nadupai – Madhyamavati- Thayagaraja *** 13 Mangalam***