India Community Center, Milpitas, CA
23-April-2010 7:09 PM to 11:29 PM PST
I try to pen down a few notes about concerts for my own reference sometime later. Sudha Ragunathan's concert everytime makes me recall Beethoven in the saying 'Music is a higher revelation than all wisdom and philosophy......'
No exception yesterday as well. And everytime I have difficulty in making an eloborate summary of the entire concert due to two simple reasons
1. Sudha has a charm and a unique capability to lift the rasika's to a higher orbit of divine musical experience and make us stay there for over 4 hours time and again (Beleive me, yes, it was a 4 hour and 15 minutes marathon concert yesterday) that its difficult to remember the entire course of dishes served out during the experience !!!
2. The joy of experiencing something so divine where time seems to stopped moving forbids me to take notes....
I am yet to come down into this mortal world from where I was bumped up yesterday by Sudha. From what I remember, Sudha started off with a Lalgudi Varnam in Nalinakanthi followed by Ganapathiye in Kharapriya. A couple of quick renditions of Shobillu Saptaswara (Jaganmohini), Brochevarevarura (Kamas) and a Mandari composition set the stage for the more serious stuff to follow. The highlight(s) of the entire concert for me was
1. Sudha's rendering of Charutdasha Ragamalika krithi of Muthuswamy Dikshitar 'shrI vishvanAthaM bhajEhaM' set to Chatrushra Eka Thalam. (The song is composed in 14 raagams namely Shree, Aarabhi, Gowri, Nattai, Gowla, Mohana, Saama, Lalitha, Bhairava, Saaranga, Shankarabharanam, Kambhoji, Devakriya and Bhoopalam). Not really heard this in many concerts and understand from Sudha that it was being sung previously by Dr. MLV and D.K. Jayaraman
2. The excellent elaboration and rendition of Hanumathodi for over 45 mts was too good. Vittal Ramamurthy was an able match for the excellent improvisations during Ragam, Neraval and Swara Prastharas. Not to forget Thiruvarur Vaidyanathan lively tempo on the Mrigandam (Remembered Karaikudi Mani Sir !!!!)
3. The most anticipated part of the whole concert for me everytime is Ragam Thanam Pallavi. A single ragam RTP is good enough challenge for improvization. A Three Ragam Pallavi is still better !!! Sudha chose Kalyana Vasantham, Vasantham and Vasanthi for the pallavi. I understand that MLV used to be addressed as Vasanthi as well and this combination was a tribute to the musical genius's 80th birth anniversary this year. The pallavi was 'Kalyana Vasantha Mandapathil Vasantha Ragam Sugandha Vaasam'. Kalayana Vasantha Mandapathil being rendered in Kalyana Vasantham, Vasantha Ragam rendered in Vasantham and Sugandha Vaasam in Vasanthi. Truly the RTP 'Vaasam' was 'Sugandham' however it was to be evaluated.
The concert comes to an with quite a few devotional renditions. My favourites being 'Venkatachala Nilayam' in Sindhu Bhairavi and Oothukkadu Venkatasubaiyer's 'Vishamakaara Kannan' in Chenjurutti. Sudha signs off the day with 'Pavamaana Suthudu' mangalam in Saurashtram.
I am winding up my now preparing to drive a short distance of 400 miles to Los Angeles in anticipation of one last oppurtunity this season for a divine experience at Sudha's concert for the South India Music Academy. 400 miles is a short distance taking into consideration the extreme speed with which we would be bounced into a higher orbital from this mortal plane of existence to experience a divine connection, as Sudha starts her concert tomorrow.......
C.S.Rajesh
Fremont, CA
24-April-2010 2200 PST
