Musicians,events,anecdotes and tid-bits

[sasibaloo]

the untimely demise of thiru thiruvenkadu jayaraman desciple of madurai mani iyer is a great loss to carnatic music world. our deep sympathies to his fmly members.
sasibaloo

[padmanabha]

yesterday umayalpuram was conferred the swati puraskaram. The award consists of rs one lakh cash, a citation and a momento. AFter the function t h subramanium's concert was staged, to which umayalpuram accompanied. unfortunate to say none of the swati tirunal compositions were rendered!!
any of the artistes dare to render non tygaraja songs at the tyagaraja aradhana?
They can render the songs of deekshitar or sastri or oothukadu will they evr do it? i am not underestimating the quality of any of the composers. if a concert is meant to honor the composer, sing ony his compositions-. if the musician is not familiar with that particular composer's song please do not accept the concert.


These are part of stage behaviour. one has to keep it up.

[sasibaloo]

Yes. You are right. His guru would not have taught him any swathi thirunal kritis. This could be the only reason for such indifferent behaviour.
sasibaloo

[padmanabha]

Umayalapuram could have directed him to render swati tirunal kritis. inspite of the presence great experienced musicians we feel a leadership vacuum! pathetic!! I thought of protesting in the middle. But wanted to give a long rope.

[padmanabha]

THAMARAIKKUDI RAJASEKHARAN: (MORSING ARTISTE)
Is morsing one of the upatahala vaadyas on the verge of extinction?
According to Thamaraikudi Rajasekharan one of the senior artiste “It is on the path of revival.”
My father Thamaraikkudi Raghavan Pillai was an ottam thullal and kakkarissi natakam artiste. He learnt mrudangam, and vocal music from Puthoor Raghavadas, Manakkala Gopalan, and Pattazhi Tyagarajan. After completing his course from Swati Tirunal Music Academy he happened to meet T P Venkitachalam Iyer a popular morsing artiste of yester generation.
“He is the one who trained me. Being a mrudangam artiste I could learn it easily” he said. He beautifully palys the four inch long instrument by holding its edges between his teeth and plucking the protruding metal piece with the index finger of the right hand.
“It is difficult adjust the sruthi. But by applying the a little bee wax, it can be achieved” he revealed. This is the cheapest but riskiest instrument. It costs just Rs. 100/. The chance of getting the tongue in between the sharp edges while controlling breath is the hazard, he explained.

He has accompanied popular tala vadya vidwans like T K Murthi, Mavelikkara Velukkutti Nair, Mavelikkara Krishnankutti Nair and Guruvayoor Dorai. He has accompanied Sasang and U Srenivas.
“Foreigners watch me perform the morsing with awe, recalled Rajasekharan. Its position is after mrudangam, ghatam and ganjira. A few mrudangam artistes behave indifferently when the morsing gets applause. Many even had the audacity to remove the mike while thaniavarthanam was progressing. The ego is unbearable” he remarked.
What happened then?
“I performed unmindfully and received more lingering applause.”

He had participated in a fusion concert of rhythm at Paris.

Rajasekharan has been teaching music at Kodiyathoor PTM High School for the past 25 years.

[sasibaloo]

He is really a great artiste and it is heartening to note that such a great vidwan is denied of sangeetha kalanidhi title by the academy all these years. The reason nobody knows till now. this reminds me of semmangudi's comments once in the academy that the curse of not honouring thiruvaduthurai rajarathinam and mali haunts the academy .

[unnigopal]

I have learnt Mridangam upto an intermediate
level but could not continue due to personal
constraints. I am keenly interested with
devotion, to pursue the art under a maestro,
anywhere from South India. Please advise me
and give me valid guidance.

Thanks in advance.

Unni

[srinivasan552000]

I refer to the observations of Padmanabha regarding a vidhwan not rendering the compositions of Maharaja Swathi Thirunal on the day Umayalpuram was honoured.

I agree 100% with him. One must render the compositions of the person in whose honour the occasion is organized. It is just like remembering someone on the jayanthi day of that person. Can we garland MK Gandhi on the day of Shankara Jayanthi?

However, I have been making a point from the day there were objections to sing Thamizh songs in Thyagaraja Aradhana. Saint Thyagaraja was for Nadho'pasana. Hence it can be done in any language as music has no language. In the same fashion the Maharaja who encouraged many vidwans and composers would have loved to hear the krithis of other composers. What we need to do is to render the krithis of the central figure on the main day and on other days the krithis of others and in many languages. The main aim is to pray to the Almighty through such occasions through the great compositions that are really melodious.


Srinivasan

[njn]

i am a new comer! and i came across the sayings of mr. padmanabha and sasibaloo; i think both of them shud know the truth tht has happened behind the stage.......
umayalpuram sir has requested mr. TH to play a swati krithi which leaves a place for thani in adi talam samam. TH replied tht he doesnt know a kriti of swati as per the requirements! and has also suggested tht he can play the famous saarasaksha in pantuvarali in 2 kala samam. but sivaraman sir didnt accept this. AND THEN IT WAS HE WHO SUGGESTED Nagumo TO BE RENDERED.. All the pieces tht was rendered tht day was under the order of sivaraman sir; i think both of u were there to listen to the concert...umayalpuram sir himself announced first and then started the concert....
It was not the fault of the musician or tyhe guru who has taught him....or the way he accepted the concert....
Just wrote this for all ur information....nothin on purpose......ur frnd NJN

[padmanabha]

32 NEELAKANTA SIVAN SANGEETHA AARADHANA
MUSIC CONCERTS BETWEEN 6-8-07 AND 12-08-07
AT SRI NEELAKANTAN SIVAN SANGEETHA SABHA
KARAMANA THIRUVANANTHAPURAM

INAUGURATION-PADMASREE NALLI KUPPUSWAMI CHETTY
6-8-07-O S THYAGARAJAN-VOCAL/ T K V RAMANUJA CHARYALU-VIOLIN/
SRIMUSHANAM V RAJA RAO-MRUDANGAM/UDUPI SREEDHAR-GHATAM

7TH AUG (5-6.30) POORNAPRANGA RAO VOCAL
SAMPATH VILOIN/UDUPI BALAKRISHNAN MRUDANGAM/NEYYATTINKARA ARAVINDAKSHAN MORSING/

6.45 KUMARI KANYAKUMARI VIOLIN
SHERTHALAI ANANTHAKRISHNAN MRUDANGAM/ ADICHANALLUR ANILKUMAR GHATAM/

8TH AUG-
5 TO 6.30 ARYANADU RAJU VOCAL
KADANADU V K HARIDAS VIOLIN
MANGADU JAGADEENDRAN MRUDANGAM
ATTINGAL MADHU GHATAM
6.45 GEETHA KRISHNAMURTHI VEENA
TIRUPATHY SUDHAKAR MRUDANGAM
P L SUDHEER GHATAM

9TH AUG
ARUNA RENGANATHAN VOCAL
VRINDA VARMA VIOLIN
TVM SUNDARESWARAN MRUDANGAM
GOWRISAPATTAM SASI MORSING

6.45PM-PALAI C K RAMACHANDRAN VOCAL
K VENKITACHALAM VIOLIN
TVM SURENDRAM MRUDANGAM
TVM KARTHIKEYAN GHATAM

10 AUG
SANGEETHA ARCHANA DISCIPLES OF PARCATHIPURAM PADMANABHA IYER

6.45 PERUMPAVUR SANKARAN NAMPOOTHIRI VOCAL
EASWARA VARMA VIOLIN
VAIKOM VENUGOPAL MRUDANGAM
KOTTAYAM UNNIKRISHNAN GHATAM
NEYYATINKKARA KRISHNAN GHATAM
11 AUG
TVM SUDARSANAN POTTI VOCAL
UDUPI BALASUBRAMANIAM VIOLIN
R V PRASAD MRUDANGAM
TVM GOPALA KRISHNAN MORSING

6.45 DR K OMANAKUTTI VOCAL
VAIKOM PADMA KRISHNAN VILOIN
VAIPIN SATHEESH MRUDANGAM
ANCHAL KRISHNA IYER GHATAM

12 AUG
LECTURE DEMO PAMMAL HARIHARAN-2 TO 5 PM
6.45 T V SANKARANARAYAN-VOCAL
M D SUNDARESWARAN VIOLIN
CHNAGANASSERY HARIKUMAR MRUDNAGAM
TRIPUNITHURA RADHAKRISHNAN GHATAM