In Memoriam: Flute Vidwan N. Ramani

Reminiscences by K.Srikantiah

" In the passing away of N.Ramani recently, not only have we lost a veteran Flutist, but I have also lost a dear friend. He has left behind a void in the carnatic music world which is indeed very difficult to fill. Yet another illustrious musician from my generation has passed into eternity.

My association with Ramani lasted for nearly five decades. He used to be a regular performer at the Ganesh and Ramanavami Music Festivals in our house.

As a person, Ramani was generally a man of few words, soft-natured and dignified. But there was always that sense of humour lurking behind that quiet nature. His music was comprehensive with melody (which is the first requisite for a flutist), vidwat, manodharma and balanced class-mass appeal. No wonder he was always a crowd-puller.

I vividly remember Ramani sitting on the stone bench in the lawns of our house after a three-hour concert, all by himself, rewinding and playing his own music in his head, enjoying the finer parts.The musician enjoying his own music seemed to me the mark of a true artist !

The melody of N.Ramani's flute will always echo in my mind and ears.

May Lord Rama bless his soul with eternal peace. "

We urge Rasikas to take in a fill of the Maestro's great Concerts that were performed in "Parvathi", chronologically, over the '70s:

DATE - Accompanists - Link

April 19, 1970 - K. Alagiriswamy - violin, U.K. Sivaraman – Mridangam, M. Manjunathan - Ghatam
http://chowdaiahandparvati.blogspot.com/2010/11/when-god-beckons-to-man-flutes-eternal.html

March 25, 1972 - Chalakudy Narayanaswamy - Violin, Vellore Ramabhadran - Mridangam, H.P.Ramachar - Khanjira
http://chowdaiahandparvati.blogspot.com/2012/09/a-rare-artiste-n-ramani.html

Sept 12, 1972 - M. Chandrasekharan - Violin, Vellore Ramabhadran - Mridangam, K.S. Manjunath - Ghatam
http://chowdaiahandparvati.blogspot.com/2013/10/establishing-instrumental-solo-concert.html

April 17, 1973 - M. Chandrasekharan - Violin, Vellore Ramabhadran - Mridangam, K.S Manjunath - Ghatam
http://chowdaiahandparvati.blogspot.com/2010/03/great-flautist-master-vidwan-dr-n.html

April 4, 1974 - M.S.Gopalakrishnan - Violin, Tanjore Upendran - Mridangam, K.S.Manjunath - Ghatam
http://chowdaiahandparvati.blogspot.com/2011/03/worship-through-music-dr-n-ramani.html

April 22, 1975 - Chalakudy Narayanaswamy – Violin, Vellore Ramabhadran – Mridangam, H. P. Ramachar – Khanjira
http://chowdaiahandparvati.blogspot.com/2012/03/remembering-god-without-list-of-demands.html

April 19, 1981 - M.Chandrasekharan - Violin, Srimushnam Raja Rao - Mridangam, M.A Krishnamurthy - Ghatam
http://chowdaiahandparvati.blogspot.com/2015/08/enriching-carnatic-music-through.html

Instrumental Tribute to the Great Masters

Vid. Emani Sankara Sastry 1973 Ramanavami

Reflections by R. Sachi

We present this festive season a wonderful instrumental ensemble- the redoubtable maestros Vid. Emani Sankara Sastry and Vid. M. S. Gopalakrishnan, accompanied by Vid. Guruvayur Dorai and Vid. Manjunath. They performed to a full house in the Ramanavami festival of 1973 at Parvathi, Mysore.

The concert has a wonderful flow of melody and a beautiful dialogue between the two masters, Emani and MSG. Emani fills the concert with musical masterpieces from Saint Thyagaraja and presents his trademark virtuoso melody, combined with great musical understanding between the accompanists. MSG produces his trademark violin responses, filled with an incomparable sweetness and matching the main artiste’s manodharma, throughout.

The main ragas are Vachaspati, Shankarabharana and Shanmukhapriya. Of course there are Jagadanandakaraka, Ganamurthe, and Nadaloludai, songs made famous by Emani’s renditions on many occasions. But the raga elaborations and song presentations in Vachaspati and Shankarabharana are vintage classics. The RTP in Shanmukhapriya is warrants that we will listen to it a few times to soak up its beauty. The Tanam is unforgettable.

The Thyagaraja composition in Vachaspati celebrates Lakshmana’s devotion as a true karma yogi. His construction skills when he erects the hermitage in Panchavati are so impressive that Rama feels ecstatic. He embraces Lakshmana and says Lakshmana’s deep empathy, righteousness as well as craftsmanship are such that Rama feels the presence of their dear father in Lakshmana! The hermitage construction is wonderfully described by Valmiki, the Adikavi:

Come, let us relive this vintage concert!

Concert Details

Emani Sankara Sastry --------------- Veena
Parur M.S.Gopalakrishnan ------------- Violin
Guruvayur Dorai -------------------------- Mridangam
K.S Manjunath -------------------------- Ghatam
on 19-4-73 at Parvathi

Song List

01 Jagadanandakaraka-Nata- Thyagaraja *** 02 Shobillu Saptaswara-Jaganmohini- Thyagaraja *** 03 Vachaspati –Kanta Judumi-Thyagaraja *** 04 Nadaloludai -Kalyana Vasantha –Thyagaraja *** 05 Nee Bhajana-Nayaki- Thyagaraja *** 06 Swararagasudha- Shankarabharana – Thyagaraja *** 07 Shanmugapriya RTP *** 08 Surdas Bhajan(Emani sings with Veena) *** 09 Folk song(Emani sings with Veena) *** 10 Krishna nee begane- Yamuna Kalyani- Vyasaraya *** 11 Japa (Veda) *** 12 Mangalam ***

Celebrating Thyagaraja’s Immortal Songs

Sri Neyveli Santhanagopalan
"Parvathi" Ramanavami Concert 1998

An Appreciation by R. Sachi

Ardent rasikas enjoying the Parvathi concerts have already been treated to a great concert of Sri Neyveli Santhanagopalan that we featured earlier from the 2012 Putturao Memorial Concert series ( click here )

This time we go back 17 years and give you a classic concert filled with Saint Thyagaraja’s immortal songs like Nadatanumanisham, Appa Ramabhakti, Brova Bharama, and Nanu Palimpa. The vidwan is in an expansive mood and gives each raga and song a very melodious treatment. Vid. Manjunath on the violin is an equal partner and gives us many wonderful moments.

Sri Neyveli has given critically acclaimed concerts in Vidwath sabhas in the presence of other erudite musicians and has been recognized with several accolades and titles. He is also an excellent speaker known for his wit, timing and sense of humour which make him a very wholesome entertainer and performer. He also presents engrossing lec-dems. His excellent theoretical depth with extensive research of the best approaches makes him a distinctive musicologist. This multi-faceted musician is also proficient at playing the Veena and percussion instruments with distinct strengths in ‘laya’ exposition.

Sri Neyveli has forayed big time into e-training of students in Carnatic music. Sri Neyveli has now a global student enrolment. His latest presentation at the Cleveland Aradhana, called the Epic Carnatic Choir, was an interesting effort with his training students remotely for a different type of group singing. The quality of music and innovation can be witnessed in this You Tube clip, where under his guidance, a large ensemble of dozens of young vocalists and instrumentalists, presented a medley of Thygaraja’s ever-popular Deshadi tala compositions. The quality of singing and the ingenuity of the composition prepared by Sri Neyveli are indeed commendable.

( Sri Neyveli conducting the Epic Carnatic Choir at Cleveland, 2015 )
( photo from his website )

Come, let us enjoy this delightful concert.

Concert Details

Neyveli Santhanagopalan ------- Vocal
Mysore Manjunath ----------------- Violin
T.A.S. Mani --------------------------- Mridangam
G.S.Ramanujam -------------------- Ghatam
0n 12-4-98 during Parvathi Ramanavami festival, Mysore.

Song List

01 Nadatanumanisham –Chittaranjani-Thyagaraja ***
02 Appa Rama-Pantuvarali- Thyagaraja ***
03 Bahudari Raga ***
04 Brova bharama-Thyagaraja ***
05 Mohana Raga ***
06 Nannu Palimpa –Thyagaraja +Tani(cut) ***
07 Manasa sancharare –Sama- Sadashiva Brahmendra ***
08 Chandrachooda- Darbari Kanada- Purandara Dasa ***
09 Thiruppugazh-Hamsanandi ***
10 Mangalam ***

Aug 31, 2015 - Sri K. Puttu Rao Music Memorial

Inviting all Rasikas

Enriching Carnatic Music through Emulation

Flute Ramani – Parvathi Ramanavami Concert 1981

An Appreciation from R. Sachi

It is not for the first time that we are sharing a wonderful concert of Vid. N. Ramani with our rasikas. A much-loved flautist in the Carnatic idiom for several decades, he stands for pristine music with an enchanting appeal and a wide repertoire. His several collaborations over the years with other great musicians have also resulted in unforgettable concerts. His innumerable recordings are cherished by collectors world over

[ Cover illustration from an HMV album ]

In this 1981 concert, the music is simply ethereal. The emanating melody in some of the items makes us close our eyes and wonder if this is how probably Sri Krishna's divine music would be.

This concert took place when Vid. Ramani was at the peak in his career. Of course,Vid. Chandrasekharan on the violin here is at his usual best, elevating the concert with his accompaniment. Vidwans Srimushnam Raja Rao and MA Krishnamurthy have lent good percussion support.

In the rich repertoire shared here, there is the Begada classic, ‘Shankari Neeve”. Its composer Sri Subbaraya Shastri (1803-1862) was the second son of Sri Shyama Shastri, one of the glorious Carnatic trinity. Subbaraya Shastri is reputed to have studied music not only under his father, but also under Saint Thyagaraja and Sri Muthuswami Dikshitar. He was an expert in many languages and had learnt even Hindustani music from famous Maratha vidwans residing at that time in Tanjavur. He could play with felicity the violin and a rare Indian bowed instrument, sarinda.

Sri Subbaraya Shastri’s compositions are greatly cherished by connoisseurs of Carnatic music. They are known for their musical enrichments- of raga, swara sahitya and laya. Dr. V. S. Sampathkumaracharya (Karnataka Sangita Vishaya Vishwakosha) makes many interesting observations. Sri Subbaraya Shastri’s krithi, “Vanajasana vinuta” in Shriraga eschews the note dha, emulating the approach of Saint Thyagaraja in “Endaro mahanubhavulu”. His composition, “Venkatashaila vihara” in Hamir Kalyani is modelled on the structure of Dikshitar’s compositions. His compositions, “Janani ninnuvina” (Reetigowla) and “Ninnu Sevinchina” (Yadukula kambhoji) show the influence of his own illustrious composer father, Sri Shyama Shastri. Sri Subbaraya Shastri has shown also great expertise in swara-akshara sahitya in many of his compositions.

Thus, we can see that apart from their own innumerable musical gems, the Carnatic trinity have extended their abiding influence on Carnatic music through the enriched compositions of vaggeyakaras like Sri Subbaraya Shastri who have emulated their compositional ideas.

Apart from Begada, this concert has many very enjoyable delineations – Kapi and Bhairavi to name just two. Come, let us enjoy the musical feast from Vid. N. Ramani and team.

Concert Details

N.Ramani ---------------- Flute
M.Chandrasekharan --- Violin
Srimushnam Raja Rao --- Mridangam
M.A Krishnamurthy ------ Ghatam
on 19-4-81 at "Parvathi" Ramanavami festival

Song List

01. Pranamamyaham-Gowla-Vasudevachar *** 02. Dinamani vamsa-Harikamboji- Thyagaraja *** 03. Entamuddu-Bindumalini-Thyagaraja *** 04. Begade Raga *** 05. Shankari Neeve- Subbaraya Shastri *** 06. Kapi Raga *** 07. Inta soukhya-Thyagaraja & Tani *** 08.. Evaritho –Manavathi- Thyagaraja *** 09. Bhairavi Raga *** 10. Tana-Pallavi- swaras (Bhairavi and Mohana) *** 11. Na naati bratuku-Revathi- Annamacharya *** 12. Ashtapadi-Mohana, Rageshri,Yaman, Sindhu bhairavi- Jayadeva*** 13. Venkatachala nilayam-Sindhu bhairavi- Purandaradasa*** 14. Magudi *** 15. Tillana-Dhanasari- Swathi Thirunal *** 16. Thiruppugazh–Kuntalavarali *** 17. Mangalam***

Bhakti: The Lasting Emotion in Carnatic Music

Vid. Maharajapuram Santhanam, 1983 concert

Dissertation from R. Sachi

Rasikas who have journeyed with us in Parvathi would attest to this fact: most musicians raised their concert standard memorably and gave of their best in the Parvathi setting. It was an ambiance filled with devotion and celebration. Vid. Santhanam, a shining star in Carnatic music in 1970’s and 1980’s, came often and performed many concerts in Parvathi. His music that we have shared here stands out for a vibrant delivery style, a wide repertoire, and a lyrical impact that left rasikas asking for more. We share below a photograph from one of Sri Santhanam’s innumerable concerts.

[ Maharajapuram Santhanam from an earlier indoor "Parvathi" concert with Ramabhadran, Manjunath and Chandrasekharan ]

This 1983 Ramanavami concert that we share this time is no exception. Filled with a wide range of krithis composed by the masters like Thyagaraja and Vasudevachar, the concert leaves a lasting emotion of Bhakti in our minds for a long time.

The feeling of Bhakti comes in several flavours. There is the filial devotion as in Seethamma Mayamma. There are praises of the glory of God, in one’s favourite form like Ganesha, Shanmukha, Krishna and Rama. There is the plea for protection, and benediction. There is the intense longing of separation from one’s ishta devatha. Then there is the glorious joy of beholding or experiencing the Divine as in Kannare Na Kande.

All prayer is a preparation for the union with the Ultimate. That is the essence of Bhakti Yoga. We are deeply moved by this narrative describing the last day on earth of Vid. Mysore Vasudevachar in 1961, when he was 96 years old.

We reproduce below the relevant portion from the famous book, With Masters of Melody (S. Krishnamurthy, pub: Ananya)

This narrative shows how a man who lived and breathed devotional music all his life attained a fitting end in the lap of the lord. That is the crux of what is yoga in the Bhagavadgita (8.10) And the resounding assurance of the lord in Bhagavadgita, to always take care of his devotee, never goes in vain (9.22).

Come, let us enjoy the concert!

Concert Details

Maharajapuram Santhanam --------- Vocal
T.G.Tyagarajan ------------------------Violin
Tanjore Upendran ---------------------Mridangam
Ramanavami Concert held on 24-4-1983 at "Parvathi

Song List

01.Vandenishamaham-Hamsadhvani-MV*** 02.Seetamma.mayamma-Vasantha-T*** 03.Narayana-Shuddha.Dhanyasi-PD*** 04.Ranganathude-Sourashtra-Ponniah.Pillai*** 05.Purvikalyani.Raga(Vocal&Violin)*** 06.Marachitivemo-Purvikalyani-MV*** 07.Aparadhi.naanalla-Revathi-PD*** 08.Nannu.vidachi-Reetigowla-T*** 09.Akhilandeshwari-Dwijavanti-MD- ***10.Kannarekande-Behag-PD*** 11.Sharangan.Marugane.-Ragamalika*** 12.Govinda.ninna-Janasammodini-PD*** 13.Vilayada.idhu.nerama-Shanmugapriya-TN.Balu*** 14.Namasmarana.sukam-Yamankalyani-Tulasivanam.(part.only)***

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 ***