Thyagaraja, The Saint Composer

Vid. Maharajapuram Santhanam – 1972 Ramanavami

Text by R. Sachi

We are happy to share with rasikas this concert from 1972 as a part of our Season’s greetings and best wishes for the New Year 2014. This season is auspicious for Hindus and Christians alike, being a period of prayer and holy celebration. The Margashirsha masa (Margazhi in Tamil) is considered the best month in the Hindu calendar as it instils a mood of prayer and tranquility.

In this concert, Vid. Santhanam has sung a wonderful composition of the saint composer Thyagaraja in Yadukula Kambhoji, a raga most suited to prayer. In the song (part of Prahlada Bhakti Vijayam), Thyagaraja describes his utter anguish at his separation from Lord Rama. His feelings are very similar to those of anguish in the voices of mystics Meera, Andal and Chaitanya. We give below the lyric and translation from The Spiritual Heritage of Thyagaraja (pub. Ramakrishna Math, Chennai)

Concert Details

Ramanavami Concert 1972, Parvathi Mysore, held on 28-3 1972

Vid. Maharajapuram Santhanamm – Vocal
Vid. M.Chandrasekaran ----- violin
Vid. Palghat Raghu ------ Mridangam
Vid. Vikku Vinayakram ------Ghatam.

Song List

01-Gananathaya-Gowla-Ambi Dikshitar*** 02-Telisirama-Purnachandrika-Thyagaraja*** 03-Banturiti-Hamsanadam-Thyagaraja*** 04-Unde Yedi-Harikambhoji-Thyagaraja*** 05-Mohanam-Alapana*** 06-Mohanarama-Mohana-Thyagaraja*** 07-Chelimini Jalajakshu Kante-Yedukulakambhoji-Thyagaraja*** 08-Kandukandu-Mohana-Purandaradasa*** 09-Yochana-Darbar-Thyagaraja*** 10-Ammaravamma-Kalyani*** 11-Sarangamarugane-Ragamalika-Veeramani***

Torchbearer of a Bani and a Role-model

Sangitha Kalanidhi Designate Vid. Sudha Raghunathan

A Review from R. Sachi

We are extremely happy to offer our felicitations and best wishes to this year’s Sangitha Kalanidhi designate Vid. Sudha Raghunathan.

A busy year indeed for Vid. Sudha Raghunathan has culminated in the famed award being announced by the Madras Music Academy for 2013. It has been a splendid journey for the lady musician since the 1970’s under her tutelage with Dr. M. L. Vasanthakumari. She has been hailed as the torchbearer of the famous MLV Bani.

We feature her concert from the 1989 Parvathi Ramanavami series. In his valedictory speech (audio featured below), Sri. K. Srikantiah hails her as a worthy successor to Dr. MLV and predicts a very bright future for her. Vid. Sudha’s music has stayed at the top of the charts all these years, garnering honors year after year.

We are also happy to feature excerpts from her interview by Lakshmi Devanath, published recently in the Hindu (click the link for the full interview):

“I dedicate this award to my Mata, Pita, Guru and Devah. They made it happen,” says Sudha. Sudha’s mother Choodamani was a trained musician blessed with a strikingly beautiful voice. Circumstances stood in the way of her becoming a professional, but the tenacious lady moulded her unfulfilled aspirations into a dream that she dreamt for her second daughter, Sudha. The way the three-year-old repeated Sai bhajans after her was enough and more indication of the child’s inherent musicality. Choodamani willed to hone that talent and entreated the Supreme Grace of Sai.

Choodamani put Sudha under the tutelage of vidwan T.V. Viswanathan and later under vidwan B.V. Lakshman. With impressive perspicacity, she decided that participation in music competitions would benefit her daughter hugely. She enrolled Sudha in every possible competition and zealously sourced teachers who would teach her daughter the stipulated songs.

The decisive turn happened, however, with Sudha winning the Central Government Scholarship for music in 1977 and subsequently, MLV’s consent to teach her.

(Courtesy : ICARC Inc)

Commenting on that crucial period in her life Sudha says, “Realising that I wasn’t in control of what was happening, I took a crucial decision - to make it big, irrespective of what I did.” This fire in her set the pace of her career graph.

“I have no time for formal teaching. You have to be sharp and grasp whatever you can when I sing.” MLV was very matter of fact in her approach. Sudha just strummed the tambura in her Guru’s performances for a year, before she graduated to being her second voice. She found the experience of sharing the stage with her teacher inestimable. Every concert was worth its weight in gold. MLV’s legendary flights of imagination as she explored ragas, her intellectually-stimulating swara matrices, her brilliant RTPs …Sudha had the privilege of being exposed to them all at close quarters. Returning home, she would mull over MLV amma’s music, listen to her recordings, sit with the notations and go back the next day fully equipped for yet another enthralling session. During her musical interactions with MLV, Sudha would always be on tenterhooks, for MLV was not given to open praise. The first telling indication of her assessment of Sudha’s capabilities happened in the early 1980s after a concert of MLV in New York. The students of Stony Brook University, who had come for the concert, requested MLV that Sudha give a solo performance at their school. MLV not only graciously agreed but also spontaneously requested her accompanists Kanyakumari and Mannargudi Easwaran to join Sudha in the concert.

The Sangita Kalanidhi award (being conferred in this Dec. season by the Music Academy on her) is an important milestone in Sudha’s career. She is overwhelmed by gratitude. “I look upon this award as an opportunity for me to thank all those who have stood by me - my family, my accompanists, my rasikas, music organisations and the press.” Even as she says this her thoughts go back to her dedication.

“I have talked about the role of my mother, father and guru. In the final reckoning they are all different manifestations of God, Sai Baba, as I recognise him. It was He who named me Sudha. I sat on His lap as a child and twirled His hair in innocent frolic. He did my aksharabhyasam, my formal initiation into the world of education. The first song that I sang was a Sai Bhajan…”

Concert Details

Parvathi Ramanavami concert held at Jaganmohan Palace on 23 April 1989.
Vid. Sudha Raghunathan – Vocal
Vid. Lalgudi Rajalakshmi – Violin
Vid. Chandramouli – Mridangam

Song List

01 Vanajakshi Varna-Kalyani- Poochi Srinivasa Iyenger *** 02 Sri Mahaganapatim- Athana-Jayachamaraja Wodeyar *** 03 Shobillu saptaswara -Jaganmohini- Thyagaraja *** 04 Marugelara Jayanthashri – Thyagaraja *** 05 Raghuvara – Kamavardhini –Thyagaraja *** 06 Shankarabharana Raga*** 07 Yeduta nilachite –Thyagaraja *** 08 Rama Rama –Vasantha -Purandara Dasa *** 09 Narayana ninna - Shudda dhanyasi – Puranadara Dasa *** 10 Shanmukhapriya Raga*** 11 Marivere dikkevarayya - Patnam Subrahmanya Iyer-Tani*** 12 speech by Sri K. Srikantiah *** 13 Rama Rama- Tilang – Purandara Dasa***

The Lalgudi wave continues

As our tribute to the continuing Lalgudi legacy, we bring you a full-fledged concert from the Ramanavami series of 1997.

( Courtesy: The Hindu )

Details

Sri Ramanavami Festival 1997, Parvathi, Mysore
Concert held on 21-4- 1997.

GJR Krishnan---------Violin
Ramesh-----------Mridangam
Bangalore Venkatram-------Ghatam.

01 Varna- Lalgudi Jayaraman (Garudadhvani)***
02 Janaki Ramana- Thyagaraja (shuddha seemantini)***
03 Sri Narada – Thyagaraja (Kaanada) ***
04 Smaraneyonde salade- Purandara Dasa (Malayamaruta)***
05 Shanmugapriya Raga***
06 Mariveredikkevarayya-Patnam Subrahmanya Iyer ***
07 Enta muddu- Thyagaraja (Bindumalini)***
08 Lavanya Rama - Thyagaraja (Poornashadja)***
09 Kamboji Raga***
10 Sri Raghuvaraprameya - Thyagaraja***
11 Tani***
12 Rama Rama – Purandara Dasa (Tilang)***
13 Manasa Sancharare – Sadashiva Brahmendra (Sama)***
14 Tillana – Lalgudi Jayaraman(Bhimplas)***
15 Mangalam***

Remembering Srimati Rajalakshmi L. Jayaraman

In one way or another the “hand of fate” seems to seal many a thing for us as human beings. It is the last drama of our lives.

We may hear about it from a William Shakespeare in his plays, we may hear of its millions of narratives through our own Hindu texts; but it inevitably does visit all of us. We are told that the ever compassionate Buddha himself asked of his disciples to drive home a point “Bring me three mustard seeds from a house where no one has deceased”.

We can only but respond to such situations through a collectivity and in the dignity and silence of prayers.

Mrs. Rajalakshmi Jayaraman, wife of one of the greatest of modern violinists Vidwan Lalgudi Jayaraman, chose to follow her husband a week before last Monday night, Nov 18, 2013 soon after his own demise on April 22, 2013. A lady devoted to partnering her husband throughout, this path may have been the most inevitable one as scripted out by Nature.

Following the news, we hid our feelings behind a picture captured a few years earlier in the late couple’s home in Chennai

The news as we heard it from someone very alert in their postings on the popular forum Rasikas.Org came as a bit of a shocker.

We turned for some sentiments from Mysore Prabha to learn why:

"Ironically, the previous day, the Maestro’s children G.J. R. Krishnan and Viji had called us. Both of them spoke to me and Anna (Sri. K. Srikantiah). When we enquired about their mother, they said she was quite alright now. But Fate seems to have had other plans! They were in Mysore then, and had to rush back to Chennai. Unfortunately there was a flight delay and it was all over by the time they reached.

Uncle Jayaraman’s house was always so full of life and people; he, his wife, son, daughter-in-law, aged mother, and about 20 disciples each day. It is very hard on Krishnan and Viji now. There was once a Grandmother in their lives who passed away and now so soon with both the parents following each other. Anna spoke to Krishnan (for whom he has great affection) at length, and advised him on coping with life’s travails into the future…."

They say that behind the success of a man stands a lady of quiet resoluteness and support. We would just like to remember Srimati Rajalakshmi that very same way.

The Multi-faceted Repertoire of Carnatic Music

Chowdiah Award for Vid. M. S. Sheela

A Retrospection by R. Sachi

We congratulate Vid. M. S. Sheela on receiving the Chowdiah Award from the Academy of Music Chowdiah Awards & Sri. K.K.Murthy Memorial Music Festival 2013. She is a very popular vocalist and has received many awards in the past, including the Ganakalashree. She has just returned from a triumphant concert tour in the north American continent.

(Photos courtesy The Hindu and Deccan Herald).

The multi-faceted repertoire of Carnatic music is something to marvel at. We have over 500 years of compositional reservoir, full of absolute gems composed by saints and scholars from several parts of India. These krithis as we call them abound in languages, styles, structural variations, moods and mythological, architectural and geographical references. This mind-boggling body of work is the mainstay of the Carnatic musician. Some accomplished vocalists regularly take up a wide range of krithis including rare ones in less-heard ragas and show great felicity of presentation. Vid. M.S. Sheela is one of the foremost of such exponents.

We feature, this time, Vid. M. S. Sheela’s concert - from the 2012 series of Sri. K. Putturao Memorial festival, held at Jaganmohan Palace, Mysore.

The concert covers a wide range of compositions from a wide variety of composers spanning a gamut of ragas. Vid. Sheela is accompanied by Vid. Narasimhamurthy, Vid. Ravishankar, and Shashishankar.

Concert Details

K. Putturao Memorial Music Festival, Jaganmohan Palace, Mysore held on 3 Sept. 2012

Vid. M. S. Sheela – Vocal
Vid. H. K. Narasimhamurthy- Violin
Vid. B. Ravishankar – Mridangam
Vid. B. Shashishankar – Ghatam

Song List

01 ChalamelaJesevura- Darbar Varnam- Tiruvottiyur Thyagayya *** 02 Sr iShankara Guruvaram- Nagaswaravali – Mahavaidyanatha Sivan *** 03 OrajoopujuChedi- KannadaGaula- Thyagaraja***04 Dhanyudevvado- Malayamaruta- Patnam Subramanya Iyer*** 05 MeenaLochani Amba- Todi- Harikeshanallur Muthiah Bhagavatar*** 06 Paraku Nee Kelara Rama- Kiranavali- Thyagaraja*** 07 Bhavanuta Na Hrudayamu- Mohana- Thyagaraja *** 08 Toredu Jeevisa bahude- Kiravani – Kanakadasa *** 09 Kamala Mukhiye- MohanaKalyani- Gopala Dasa*** 10 Taa taTadimi Taka- Brindavani- Purandaradasa ***

Our Tribute to a Doyen of the Harikatha World

Sant Bhadragiri Achyut Das

A Tribute by Mysore Prabha:

The doyen of Harikatha world, Sri Achyut Das, is no more. In his passing away, he has left a void probably never to be filled.

Harikatha is one of our ancient, traditional art forms, where philosophy and life values are taught to people in a musical form. My father, Sri. K. Srikantiah, time and again says, “one can with effort become a singer, a dramatist, an orator, a scholar, a humorist, a linguist. But only a combination of all these qualifications added to excellent memory can make a person a Harikatha Vidwan. Such is the depth and merit of our Harikatha Art.”

This dying art was kept alive thanks to a few scholars like Sri Achyut Das (1933-2013). His Harikathas would have flashes of Carnatic music, Hindustani music, abhangs, bhajans, humour, bhakti , satire, navarasas and worldly knowledge. No wonder it would reach out to a large number of people and attracted a huge fan-following. Sri Achyut Das performed in various languages like Kannada, Marathi, Konkani, Tamil, Telugu, etc. Listening to 3 hours of his Harikatha would be equivalent to reading 300 hours of various books. That was the sort of knowledge that a listener would gain!

Sri Achyut Das was a very close friend to my father, K.Srikantiah. His Harikatha performance was a regular fixture in our annual Sri Ramanavami Music Festival at Mysore for the past 40 years. His pleasant countenance, the kind,loving smile on his bright, graceful face, his friendly voice, will all be etched in our memories forever. He was a 'Sadhu' in the true sense of the word. Such was his affection for my father that he, himself, would call us around December-January, give a date for his performance for our on-coming festival in April, and then start off on his far-flung tours.

And on the day of his programme, without any prior intimation, he would be at the venue of the programme in Mysore promptly at 6 in the evening- be it from Bangalore, Hassan, Maharashtra, Andhra, or even a place as remote as Chambal Valley! He used to tour all over India in his well-equipped caravan-like orange coloured van. He always had a kind word, a blessing, an ncouragement to anyone and everyone who came to him. It was my privilege and honour that he released one of my audio cassettes, 'Haridasa Vani' in our Ramanavami pandal on 19th April 1986.

Sri Achyut Das has without doubt led a worthy life - touching a lot of lives with his discourses. It was our proud privilege to honour this saintly vidwan during our silver jubilee Ramanavami Festival at Mysore in the year 1994.

Our tribute to this great soul is in the form of presenting one of his Harikathas, "Seetha Kalyana" at Parvathi.

May his soul rest in peace.

Details

Sant Bhadragiri Achyut Das - Harikatha ‘Seetha Kalyana'
on 19-4- 86 at "Parvathi" , Ramanavami Festival

01 Seetha Kalyana - Katha commencement*** 02 Seetha Kalyana - Rama Dhyana*** 03 Seetha Kalyana - Bhajana Shravana*** 04 Seetha Kalyana - Ma Nishaada*** 05 Seetha Kalyana - Sri Rama Janana*** 06 Seetha Kalyana - Vishwamitra-Rama Vanavasa*** 07 Seetha Kalyana - Ahalya Shapavimochana*** 08 Seetha Kalyana - Shiva Dhanurbhanga*** 09 Seetha Kalyana - Seetha Swayamvara*** 10 Seetha Kalyana -Mangalam***

A Master class in Carnatic Vocal Music

Prof. T.R. Subramaniam, Parvathi 1972

A Tribute by R. Sachi

Through sharing this concert with rasikas worldwide, we offer our respectful remembrance of the late Prof. T.R. Subramaniam (1929-2013). Over the years, Prof. TRS came and performed many times in Parvathi.

(Photo from one of several TRS concerts in Parvathi)

While we were reading the various tributes and obituaries on his recent passing away, and preparing this upload, the title for this posting suggested itself. You have here a master class in how to sing a great Carnatic vocal concert. A master class from a vidwan who was always a student and a teacher, one who earned a devoted following among rasikas, fellow artistes and students for several decades.

We quote Vid. Chitraveena Ravikiran on Prof. TRS:

" Few people have brought to the Indian music field as much innovative spirit, intellectual merit and more than all these, a positive attitude as Prof T R Subramaniam has done for several decades. His story reveals that he has not only done different things but also done things with a difference. Right from the beginning, he carved a special path for himself, one that several others are following today.

Prof TRS has made wonderful use of the gifts he possessed – an analytical and objective brain, exposure to several great styles, creativity and strong laya sense. He combined these to create a style of his own that wafted into the music field in a refreshing manner. It goes without saying that his approach and all too well known musicianship have accorded him a great status today "

Prof. TRS was active even on the last day, teaching in the Music Academy (4 Oct., 2013). For many decades, he had been a music professor in Vijayawada College, later Delhi University , finally settling down in Chennai where he set up the Music Education Trust to implement his ideas of creative musical exploration and developmental pedagogy. His Lec-dems on RTPs and other subjects are very well known and available through several DVDs.

Importantly, the concert opens uniquely, with three consecutive pieces offered as a tribute to Sri Muthuswami Dikshitar (MD), youngest of the trinity and often cited as the most accomplished vaggeyakara in Carnatic music. The first one is MD’s Malahari krithi in praise of Ganesha, then follows a rarely heard MD composition in Hindola in praise of Saraswathi; the third being a tribute by the famous Tanjavur Quartet in raga Purvi Kalyani to their incomparable guru, Sri Muthuswami Dikshitar.

Then there comes a another major item to cherish- the Abhogi exposition and the krithi Nikeppudu daya by Mysore Sadasiva Rao.

Prof. TRS is well known to be masterly in rendering Kannada compositions, especially rare Dasarapadas, with impeccable diction and with his own original musical score. In this concert he has sung a Purandaradasa krithi, in which the saint composer is himself giving a master class in how a musical concert should be!

Pallavi
tāḷa bēku takka mēḷa bēku

Anupallavi
Ollē vēḷe bēku gāna kēḷabēkembuvarige

Charanam
gaḷa śuddavirabēku tiḷidu pēḷabēku
kaḷavaḷa biḍabēku kaḷe mogavirabēku

yatiprāsavirabēku gatige nillisabēku
rati pati pitanoḷu ati prēmavirabēku

aritavarirabēku haruṣa heccalubēku (sabheyalli)
purandara viṭhalanalli sthira bhakti irabēku

Here is a free –style translation:

For a great musical experience, there should be “Tala” and appropriate accompaniment. One should find a quiet time (without hurry!). The lyrics should have poetic graces like Yati and Prasa (alliteration, rhyme); and the right tempo and time sense. Both the musicians and the listeners should harbour great love for the Lord (Vishnu=Ratipatipita). The singer should sing with a clear voice and be knowledgeable (like Prof. TRS!) He should cast aside worldly cares, and have a happy countenance. The listeners should be knowledgeable too (both musically and spiritually). The concert should spread joy all round. And one should have firm devotion to the supreme Lord, Purandara Vitthala.

After singing this beautiful song in Sriranjani, Prof. TRS takes up Mohana and later the Natabhairavi RTP, both highly cherishabe renditions. The concert concludes with some lovely Kanakadasa and Purandaradasa compositions and a Lalgudi tillana. Throughout the concert Prof. TRS motivates the accompanists to give of their best.

So dear rasikas, come, let us sit in the master class of Prof. T.R. Subramaniam and listen to some divine music.

Concert Details

Vid. T.R. Subramaniam ------------ Vocal
Vid. V.Sethuramiah ------------------ Violin
Vid. Tanjore Upendran ------------- Mridangam
Vid. ??? ---------------------------------Khanjira

on 2 April 1972 at " Parvathi " during Ramanavami.

Song List

01-Panchamathanga-Malahari- Muthuswami Dikshitar*** 02-Saraswathividiyuvathi-Hindola-Muthuswami Dikshitar*** 03-Satileni-Purvikalyani-Tanjavur Quartet*** 04. Nikeppudu daya – Abhogi – Mysore Sadasiva Rao *** 05-Varanarada-Vijayashree-Thyagaraja*** 05a-Talabeku-Sriranjani-Purandaradasa*** 06-Mohanarama-Mohana*** 07-Yarukkum Adangada Nilli-Begada-Muthiah Bhagavatar*** 08-Thathwameruga-Garudadhwani-Thyagaraja*** 09-RTP-Natabhairavi (+Ganamurthi )*** 10-Haribhaktisara stanzas-Behag, Valachi- Kanakadasa*** 10a-Vasudevana nenedu - Valachi-Purandaradasa*** 11-Tillana-Bageshri- Lalgudi Jayaraman***