From String to Song to Symphony – A Cadence of Excellence

Chitraveena N. Ravikiran – Parvathi Ramanavami 1988

Reflections by R. Sachi

We bring to rasikas worldwide a wonderful concert of Chitravina (earlier name gotuvadyam) by prodigy N. Ravikiran, held at Parvathi in 1988.

Born in Mysore in 1967, the phenomenon called N. Ravikiran made an impact on the Carnatic scene as early as in 1969. He astonished the greatest musicians with his ability to recognise a vast array of ragas and talas when other children would be lisping baby words. M.S. Subbulakshmi, T.R. Mahalingam, Mysore Doreswamy Iyengar, Pandit Ravi Shankar, and others, expressed astonishment and delight at this phenomenon called N. Ravikiran. After training intensely under his father, Chitravina Narasimhan, Ravikiran debuted as a vocalist in 1972, at a record-setting age of five in Coimbatore and presented concerts in prominent venues. He won a scholarship from the Madras Music Academy at that young age.

At the age of 10, he switched over to the 21-stringed chitravina (earlier called gotuvadyam) and gave his maiden chitravina concert at age 11. He established himself as a frontline Indian string instrumentalist within the next 3 years with recitals in major venues and festivals. He won an exemption to perform professional concerts for Indian Radio and Television (Doordarshan) at age 12 and was invited to represent his country in Festivals of India all over the world. Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer presented the gotuvadyam that had been played by his guru Vid. Sakharama Rao, to Ravikiran.

From 1986–96, Ravikiran underwent training under the celebrated vocalist T.Brinda, an acknowledged musicians' musician, renowned for her microscopic nuances, authentic repertoire and uncompromising values. His own approach to ragas, songs, and especially javalis and padams, reflects this.

The incredible saga of Ravikiran’s musical journey is well narrated over the Internet and well documented at ravikiranmusic.com. Today, N. Ravikiran is one of the most highly accomplished and respected musicians around the world, performing, teaching, composing and conducting music concerts of several formats and genres round the year around the globe. He plays the chitravina as well as gives full-fledged vocal concerts.

Ravikiran is making fundamental contributions towards popularising Oothukadu Venkata Kavi’s compositions. He is helping musicians to hone their skills in advancing both lakshana and lakshya of their Carnatic competencies through conducting many lec-dems, and Internet teaching sessions. Many of his students have been well recognised.

Ravikiran's significant contribution to world music is 'Melharmony', a new approach to compositions and aesthetics that he initiated in the year 2000 at the Millennium Festival in UK. The impact of this has been reflected in Melharmonic concerts, collaborations, academic papers and recognitions. Melharmony harnesses melodic concepts of the East and harmonic concepts of the West. His 72-raga melakarta melharmony presentation and his composing and performing music for a dance ballet performed by Pandit Birju Maharaj are among many recent achievements.

The present concert is a good example of how balanced, sparkling and fulfilling Ravikiran’s music has always been. The range of ragas and compositions leaves the listener highly satisfied. As Ravikiran enters the “golden age” in a Carnatic musician’s career, we wish the maestro all success and happiness in his multifaceted endeavours.

Details

N. Ravikiran ------------------- Chitravina (Gotuvadyam)
T.G.Tyagarajan ----------------Violin
T.A.S Mani ----------------------Mridangam
Bangalore Venkataram ------- Ghatam (Ramanavami Concert held on 2-4-1988 at “Parvathi")

Song List

01 Raghunayaka-Hamsadhvani- Thyagaraja *** 02 Simhendramadhyama Raga *** 03 Natajana paripalaka-K.V. Srinivasa Iyengar *** 04 Manavinala-Nalinakanti- Thyagaraja *** 05 Todi Raga *** 06 Emi Jesite – Todi- Thyagaraja *** 07 Sudhamayee – Amrutavarshini- H Muthiah Bhagavatar *** 08 Kamboji Raga *** 09 Tana in Ghana Ragamalika *** 10 Pallavi –Parimala Rangapathe *** 11 Yare Rangana –Hindola- Purandara Dasa *** 12. Vagaladi Bodhanalaku-Behag Javali – Tirupathi Narayanaswamy *** 13 Mangalam ***

In Memoriam: Jim Gaines

[ Courtesy: NJ.com ]
[ NJ Advance Media-AP/Santos Chaparro ]

Towards the start of our blog in an acknowledgement section, our readers may have noticed a name mentioned but only in brief.

It had to be in brief, because the large and beautiful personality of Jim Gaines would not accept it any other way. He was, tellingly, the most modest person in whatever he did.

On Tuesday May 12, 2015, an Amtrak train bound for New York from Washington derailed close to Philadelphia in arguably one of the most horrific accidents of our times. An ever responsible and ebullient Jim, had even then text-ed home to his wife Jacqueline that he would be there "in just about half an hour". But, fate, just snatched him away in a few minutes in perhaps one of the cruelest of fashions.

To this writer and the many who knew him in the communities of the Princeton suburbs, and to his many colleagues at work, it was hard not be held captive by Jim's many-a-sided 'goodness'. His ever eager spirit was always involved in helping some deserving institution or in charity or in the cause of somebody. He was just the "go to" guy, the one that would accommodate you in any situation at any hour when you called on him.

It was in such a situation, in a call for help to Jim that this 'Parvathi' blog started in earnest.

This writer had always felt a pang on the story of a unique home in India that had a large part of music entwined with scores of performers, and in the large lay of a country, it's classic traditions and culture. Ever creative himself, such stories had a unique appeal for Jim.

Ever the faithful father, in bundling his two dear children in a car wherever he went, and always the technical one in brandishing his lap top, he would show up for sittings, faithfully, sacrificing his own weekends to be in a coffee shop, to be the teacher, the creative persona, the designer.

The memory of those beautiful mornings haunt this writer even as he recalls the teacher in Jim "You know, just with a wee bit of help, Jacqueline has mastered her web page in providing her own creative expressions. This is no rocket science and you too can do it. I'll teach you how, but you alone must roll up your sleeves and do it!".

As we roll up each posting in the future, we will have cause to recall Jim's words each time and with a lump. He has left his indelible presence in our hearts and minds.

We only wish he had not left us this way, with only a philosophy to comfort us.

Jim Gaines, less than fifty years old, was professionally a Manager in Video technology with the Associated Press. Gifted techically, he was part of a team that won the AP Chairman's Prize in 2006 for developing the agency's Online Video Network.

He leaves behind wife Jacqueline and two lovely children 16-year-old son Oliver and 11-year-old daughter Anushka.

We can only but pray that they may all be comforted in some manner.

Scriptures and Devotion

Bombay Sisters – Parvathi Ramanavami Concert, 1975

Appreciations from R. Sachi

We bring the rasikas worldwide this time excerpts from a 40 year-old recording of the concert by Bombay Sisters. Vidushis C. Saroja and C. Lalitha were born in Kerala and grew up in Bombay. After their initial musical training they won scholarships to study under the doyens at the Central College of Carnatic Music, Adyar, Chennai. They have been hailed as pure classicists bringing credit to their gurus Musiri Subramanya Iyer and T.K. Govinda Rao. The Bombay Sisters have had a steady run of popularity for nearly 50 years and were conferred the coveted Sangitha Kalanidhi title by the Madras Music Academy in 2010.

In this concert, we find some fine renditions of famous krithis like Evari Mata and Innu Daya Barade. These songs unburden the longing of the devotee for divine grace. The bhakti movement in India has given rise to an extraordinary breadth and depth of devotional outpouring, fully harnessed in the lyrics of Carnatic music. To name a few of the originators of these lyrics: Andal, Annamacharya, Bhadrachala Ramadas, Chaitanya, Meera, Kabir, Tulsidas, Surdas, Purandara Dasa and others of that tradition, Thyagaraja, Shyama Shastri, Swati Tirunal, Papanasam Sivan, Vasudevachar…

“Come to me, please reveal yourself, save me, help me cross the ocean of this wretched existence”: these sentiments and their variations come again and again in impassioned entreaties to the Lord. In the Srimad Bhagavatam, Uddhava, a great intellectual, spiritual aspirant, and associate of Krishna, is sent to Gokula to meet Krishna’s family and the gopis. There he encounters the real bhakti of the gopis for Krishna. He is simply swept away. He says to them (quote from Srimad Bhagavatam, The Wisdom of God by Swami Prabhavananda): “How Blessed are you to have surrendered yourselves completely and whole-heartedly to Bhagavan Sri Krishna, the God of Love. Love and devotion grow after one has practiced many austerities, undergone many spiritual disciplines, and meditation. But fortunate indeed are you who were born with all-consuming love and devotion, and have renounced everything for the love of your dear Krishna. O happy ones, who enjoy the bliss of divine love, I am blessed and purified by coming into your presence.”

The song Evari Mata by Thyagaraja is famous and pours out the rasa of Kambhoji incomparably. No wonder it is often taken up in concerts for elaborate treatment. To show the emotive content of the lyrics, we reproduce below the text and translation of the song from The Spiritual Heritage of Thyagaraja:

Come let us enjoy this fine concert by Bombay Sisters!:

Concert Details

Bombay Sisters (Saroja and Lalitha) --------- Vocal
Master Nagaraj (Now Mysore Nagaraj) ---- Violin
P.G.Lakshminarayan ------- Mridangam
M.A.Krishnamurthy --------- Ghatam
on 27-4-1975 at 'Parvathi'.

Excerpts List

01. Ganamurthe- Ganamurthi- Thyagaraja *** 02.Rama Rama –Simhendramadhyama- Swathi Thirunal *** 03. Ramachandram Bhavayami –Vasantha- Muthuswami Dikshitar *** 04. Kambhoji Raga- Evarimata-Thyagaraja *** 05. Innu daya baarade-Kalyana Vasantha- Purandara Dasa *** 06. Shloka - Ab mein naachun-Yaman Kalyani- Surdas *** 07. Tillana-Jinjhuti- Veena Sheshanna

Bidarama Krishnappa Prasanna Raama Mandira: Mysore's sacred space for music

This article authored by Shri R. Sachi has been reproduced with kind permission from Sree Rama Lalitha Kala Mandira's fine newsletter available at http://www.srlkmandira.org/newsletters/LalithaKalaTarangini_April2015.pdf

[ Please use the magnifier below the article to magnify its engrossing contents ]

Bidaram Krishnappa Rama Mandira

AN ADDENDUM by Shri K. Srikantiah: " Before B.K Padmanabha Rao and others took over as secretaries of the Mandiram, Sriyuts S.K.Ramachar and D.K.Kapanipathi Rao rendered worthy services as secretaries to the Mandiram"

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: The following pictures of the Mandira and Violinist T. Chowdiah's house were taken by K.R. Dinanath who probably has the last word on anything that is connected to Mysore. We urge readers to make his acquaintance at a superb blog called 'MYSOREAN MUSINGS':

The Mysore Veena spoke in His Hands

Sangeetha Kalanidhi V. Doreswamy Iyengar (1997)

Reminiscences from R. Sachi

We are happy to share on the eve of Ugadi a beautiful veena concert from 1997 of Vidwan Doreswamy Iyengar. His concert in the first year of the Ramanavami festival, 1970, has already been shared here.

The featured concert of 1997 would be his last in Parvathi since he left his mortal coil in the same year.

In this concert, even at the age of 77, Sri Doreswamy Iyengar has shown his famous touch of class. Ragas like Narayanagowla, Harikambhoji, Purvikalyani and Todi come out in splendid finery. His veena speaks and sings with such melody. The tempo is really easy on the ears. The concert shows what Sri Doreswamy Iyengar was most loved for... the true sweetness of the Mysore Veena bani.

Sri Iyengar shared a close friendship with Mr. K. Srikantiah and used to spend long hours with him and RK Narayan, the famous writer in the beautiful city of Mysore. The three formed a kind of three musketeers. Sri Doreswamy Iyengar was honoured by the home of Parvathi during the silver jubilee of the Parvathi concerts in 1994 (photo here).

Here is a translation of the page on Sri Doreswamy Iyengar in the Kannada musical encyclopedia, “Karnataka Sangita Vishaya Vishwa Kosha” (author Dr. V.S. Sampathkumaracharya, pub. DVK, Mysore, 2012):

========

Veene Doreswamy Iyengar (1920-1997)

A famous contemporary vainika, V. Doreswamy Iyengar was born in 1920 in the family of Veena and Flute maestro Venkatesha Iyengar. He began his musical training under his father on the veena and later received advanced training under Asthana Vidwan Vainika Venkatagiriyappa. He performed when he was 14 in the presence of Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wodeyar and received the king’s appreciation. He passed BA in Mysore Maharaja’s College.

His first public performance was in 1943 Ramotsava in Bangalore. Since then he has performed at every venue known for Carnatic music, and also Bombay, Calcutta, Delhi and other cities. Apart from solo appearances nationwide, he has performed with Ali Akbar Khan and Halim Jaffer Khan. He has performed duets with T. Chowdiah for over 10 years. He has performed with Dr. Balamurali Krishna in a veena-viola duet. He represented India at the international music conference in Shiraz, Iran in 1969. He travelled and performed in many concerts in Europe and America. He served for several years until retirement as the music producer in AIR, Bangalore. He was awarded the Central Sangeet Natak Akademi award in 1970. He was the eighth president of the Bangalore Gayana Samaja conference and received the title Sangeetha Kala Ratna. The Mysore University awarded him an honorary doctorate.

Iyengar’s veena style touches the heart. His plucking is majestic in gait, pleasant always and melodious. His raga essays are filled with rich manodharma and his kalpana swaras show great expertise. His style of play is predominantly gayaki. Natakurinji, Hamir Kalyani, Todi, Kalyani, Shankarabharana, Kharaharapriya, Kambhoji, Shanmukhapriya, Jinjhuti, Darbari Kanada – in these ragas, his renditions showcase his unique style. He received the Padma Bhushan from the Government of India. He served as the head of Karanataka Sangeetha Nataka Academy. He presided over the 1984 conference of the Madras Music Academy and was conferred the Sangeetha Kalanidhi title.

Among his numerous disciples are his son D. Balakrishna and Mysore C. Krishnamurthy.

=====

Concert Details

V.Doreswamy Iyengar ----------- Veena
D.Balakrishna ---------- Veena accompaniment
Cheluvaraj ---------------- Mridangam
M.A.Krishnamurthy ----- Ghatam
on 24-4-97 during Ramanavami.

Song List

1. Sarasuda- Saveri varnam - Kothavasal Venkatarama Iyer *** 2. Vallabha Nayakasya-Begada-Muthuswami Dikshitar *** 3. Teliyaleru Rama - Dhenuka- Thyagaraja *** 4. Shobhillu- Jaganmohini-Thyagaraja *** 5. Chani Todi-Harkambhoji-Thyagaraja *** 6. Ninnuvinaga mari- Purvi Kalyani- Shyama Shastri *** 7. Narayanagowla Tana+Sri Ramam- Thyagaraja *** 8. Tani 9. Koluvamaragada-Todi-Thyagaraja *** 10. Marulukonnadira - Khamach Javali- Ramnad Srinivasa Iyengar *** 11. Sapashyat- Jaunpuri - Panchapakesha Shastri *** 12. ??Jinjhuti 13. Mangalam

Traditional Song and Western Influences

Vid. Rajkumar Bharathi – Vocal Concert 1998: "Parvathi" Ramanavami Music Festival

By R. Sachi

We are pleased to share with rasikas worldwide the concert from the Ramanavami series 1998 of Vid. Rajkumar Bharathi. This very enjoyable concert has traditional Carnatic fare as well as a lovely “English” note of Thyagaraja-swami and also a patriotic song of the famous Tamil literateur Subrahmanya Bharathi, the renaissance poet of the early 20^th century, who stridently voiced the spirit of the Indian freedom struggle and gave a whole region much inspirational poetry.

Rajkumar Bharathi is the great grandson of Sri Subrahmanya Bharathi.  For Rajkumar Bharathi it was but natural to be associated with music owing to his family’s keen interest in art and literature. By the instructions of his music guru, Sangeetha Kalanidhi T. V. Gopalakrishnan, Rajkumar decided to quit his engineering job in an R&D division and devote his time for classical music.

Rajkumar Bharathi has given Classical Carnatic music concerts throughout India and abroad. His career spans classical music, bhavageethe, film playback singing, composing for classical dance, international fusion and choir music and teaching. He has many audio cassettes and CDs to his credit. His voice is very popular across Karnataka for his clear diction and melodious singing of Kannada compositions.

The concert has excellent accompaniment from Sri Manjunath and Sri Cheluvaraju.

The concert features an interesting composition, not often heard, of Saint Thyagaraja, which sounds very much like an English note. The words are meaningful and clever. We reproduce the lyric and meaning, taken from sahityam.net:

The Subrahmanya Bharathi song in Behag reflects the aspirations of a resurgent India, a century ago, when the population was just 30 crores! The spirit of the nation and also the “modern” spirit of national pride was the product ironically of the efforts of the English rule to create a single nation patched up from several smaller princely states. The result was a “critical” mass of national spirit.

Come, let us enjoy the concert!

Concert Details

Rajkumar Bharathi -----------------  Vocal

Mysore Manjunath ----------------- Violin

Cheluvaraj ------------------------- Mridangam

Srinath ----------------------------- Ghatam

          on 13-4-98 During Ramanavami.

Song List

01. Chalamela -Atatala Varna Shankarabharanam- Swathi Thirunal *** 02. Vandisuvudadiyali- Nata- Purandaradasa *** 03. Sri Rama -Purnachandrika - Thyagaraja *** 04. Sunadavinodini alapana 05. Devadideva - Sunadavinodini- Mysore Vasudevachar *** 06. Chintane Sada - Kunthalavarali - Thygaraja *** 07. Madhyamavathi alapana *** 08. Ramakathasaudha - Madhyamavathi - Thyagaraja *** 09. Ramanamava Nudi Nudi- Ragamalika (Desh,Vasanthi,Brindavani)- Purandaradasa  *** 10. Hanumana matave - Jog- Purandaradasa *** 11. Varaleelaganalola -Shankarabharana-Thyagaraja *** 12.  Bharathasamudhayam-Behag-Bharatiyar *** 13. Mangalam 

' I wish I had met you earlier ' - K.J. Yesudas

Vid. K.J. Yesudas in 2000 : "Parvathi" Ramanavami Music Festival

Reminiscences by K.Srikantiah

" We are pleased to present this time, in our blog, a full length concert of Sri. K.J.Yesudas during our Sri Ramanavami Music Festival on April 19, 2000 at Mysore.

I also take this opportunity to wish my dear friend, Yesudas, a very Happy New Year ! January is also the month when he performs Pooja and Homam at Mookambika Temple on the occasion of his birthday. May Goddess Mookambika Bless him with perfect health, longevity of life, and may he continue to enthrall his countless fans inside and outside of India. "

" When I go down my memory lane, I vividly recollect the day I first met him on April 18, 1976. Our friendship began on a rather discordant note. Yesudas was to sing at my Ramanavami Festival on April 14, 1976. Music of films like 'Chit Chor' , 'Apoorva Ragangal' etc, were a super hit by then, and Yesudas was a heart-throb of thousands of music-lovers. He was a versatile singer in both carnatic classical music and film music, which was very rare. A massive crowd had gathered to listen to him,but he didn't turn up, even at 7 in the evening.Nor was there any word or message from him. I was fuming by then.Somehow I pleaded with Neyathangara Vasudeven, and he agreed to sing in Yesudas' place.

Next morning at 5 AM, Yesudas called me and calmly explained what had happened. The car in which he was travelling from Bangalore to Mysore broke down midway. The driver left him alone in the car and went to get help. It was almost 8pm in the night by the time the car problem was finally resolved and by which time it was too late to reach Mysore and perform. After explaining all this, Yesudas agreed to sing on April 18, 1976. That was how we first met. His genuineness, sincerity and warmth completely melted away my previous anger. From that instant, I became an ardent admirer of Yesudas the person, besides Yesudas the singer. "

" His words to me on that day still ring in my ears - 'I wish I had met you earlier' was what he said. Thus began our friendship of four decades, a friendship which has been steady without ups and downs. This was the exact sentiment which Yesudas also expressed during his recent concert at our K.Puttu Rao (my father) festival in september 2014. Innumerable are the days and hours that we have spent discussing music, men and matter, and pulling each others legs. "

" I am deeply indebted to Yesudas for accepting without a second thought my invitation to sing at my festival about 15-20 times during these four decades.I can only repay the debt by praying to Lord Rama to always bless my beloved friend and his family with HIS protective shield.

God bless you, my dear friend ! "

Concert Details

K.J.Yesudas --------- Vocal
Mysore Nagaraj ------ Violin
T.A.S.Mani ------------ Mridangam
Shivaramakrishnan ---- Ghatam

during Ramanavami Festival, "Parvathi", Mysore April 19, 2000.

Song list:

01 Sarasijanabha-Varnam-Nata-Swathi Thirunal *** 02 Sri Gananatham-Kanakangii-Thyagaraja *** 03 Pavanaguru-Hamsanandi-Lalithadasar *** 04 Tirupati Venkataramana-Keeravani -Purandaradasa *** 05 Ksheerasagara-Devagandhari-Thyagaraja *** 06 Pantuvarali Raga *** 07 Ramanama payasake-Pauntuvarali-Puranddaradasa *** 08 Ramanamam bhajare - Madhyamavathi- Thyagaraja *** 09 Sripate-Nagaswaravali- Thyagaraja *** 10 Kharaharapriya Raga*** 11 Tana-Pallavi-Swara*** 12 Tani*** 13 Krishna nee begane-Yamuna kalyani- Vyasaraya *** 14 Swami sangeeta- Abheri- Aleppey Ranganath *** 15 Mangala darshana - Anandabhairavi- Dakshinamurthy *** 16 Rama Rama Rama Sita- Huseni- Thyagaraja *** 17 Samayamithapoorva- ragamalika- Ouseppachan*** 18 Harivarasanam - Madhyamavati -Kambangudi Kulathur Srinivasa Iyer+G. Devarajan***