NEWS & NOTES Unique concert of songs by a living vaggeyakara

amesh Vinayakam, the recognition of one who has been Vinayakam, two by his late father talented film music composer, with music for more than 35 years and one by Ravi Subramaniam (Su. Rconceptualised and curated now. Ramesh had obviously done Ravi) whom Ramesh describes as Class of Class—a full Carnatic music a precise selection of the songs “an extraordinary Tamil poet of great concert featuring many of his own and musicians, not to say of a calibre”. Most of them were in Tamil compositions rendered by leading professional presentation including and two kritis in Sanskrit. Carnatic musicians, at a well got the venue, ambience and excellent The first item was a varnam in up event recently in Chennai. The stage effects. The event commenced Niroshta (Tarunam idhamma), sung event, produced by Music Temple with a brief introduction of the by Sriram Parasuram and Anuradha and managed by Kavasam TV, had composer and included a short video Sriram. The muktayi swarams were around 30 musicians participating in of Ramesh’s initiatives in the field of lengthier than usual. This was it including Aruna Sairam, Nithyasree music and his collaborative efforts. followed by a kriti in Sreeranjani Mahadevan, P. Unnikrishnan, He has been associated with almost on Vinayaka. The rendering was Sriram Parasuram & Anuradha all genres of music and travelled scholarly. Saranam Ayyappa in Sriram, Trichur Brothers, Gayathri widely for many of his collaborative Bilahari was a bright rendering by Venkataraghavan, Sikkil Gurucharan, works. the Trichur Brothers. Raga alapana Abhishek Raghuram, and Sriranjani The programme offered thirteen and kalpanaswaras made it a full Santhanagopalan. The accompanying compositions—ten by Ramesh enjoyable suite much welcomed instruments included the chitraveena, violin, mandolin, nagaswaram, flute, Ramesh Vinayakam (centre) mridangam, and khanjira played by a team of young artists. Explaining the background of the initiative, Ramesh Vinayakam said that classical music and film music had always exhibited a healthy give and take. “If you take out the raga element, there will scarcely be a film song. While Carnatic music expects the artist to stick to tradition and a structured format, cinema offers the freedom to explore beyond the tradition.” Film music in the early days was heavily dominated by ragas in their pure, Carnatic form. His father Vinayaka Subramaniam—a writer and composer of merit— was a strong influence and Ramesh Vinayakam created his own first composition at the age of 12. A devotee of Tyagaraja and other vaggeyakaras like Papanasam Sivan, Ramesh writes the lyrics and the music of all his Carnatic music compositions which has naturally given him the status of a vaggeyakara. It is a befitting

56 l SRUTI October 2018 by rasikas. The pallavi followed This also facilitates voice culture. composition by Ramesh’s father. The by nine stanzas in the format I think that singing the varisais in raga was christened ‘Pratidhwani’ by of a swarajati was abundant in different ragas would be challenging none other than Dr. S. Ramanathan swarasahitya and similar specialties. but worthwhile for sure.” when it was demonstrated before Gatiyendru saranadaindene on him many years ago in 1985. A Lord Siva was a soulful rendering Ramesh Vinayakam’s innovation derivative of Kalyani, it ascends in Mukhari by Unnikrishnan with if not invention—the raga like Hamsadhwani (SRGPNS) and special gottuvadyam accompaniment Beethovanapriya—was a homage has a vakra prayoga in avarohanam by Allam Durgaprasada Rao. to the celebrated Western music (SNPMPMGRS). composer’s tune via a parallel Aruna Sairam rendered the next Ramadootam in praise of Lord two songs in Mohanam and sahitya: Tiruvarul tara varuvaay azhaganey. Abhishek literally Anjaneya was a Sanskrit composition Suddha Saveri (Varuga varuga in Manirangu sung by Nithyasree Muruga and Jai jai Harihara brought the roof down in delineating the raga, the kriti and swaras, it was Mahadevan. It has anupallavi swamiki) with verve. The second sahitya in madhyama kala and item was in the form of a bhajan. an instant hit with the audience. charanam in vilamba kala which The next couple of songs were Kritis in Kanakangi (Velavan can be considered sort of a rendered by the flamboyant Abhishek malar padame with a reverse of the general format of aghuram. Saravanabhavaguha was chittaswara) and Poorvikalyani Dikshitar kritis. in reverence to Purandaradasa (Gopala Govinda with pallavi highlighting the significance of and anupallavi in Sanskrit) were All the compositions were the sarali varisai with contrasting sung by Sikkil Gurucharan aesthetically pleasing and seemed usage of Mayamalavagaula and gracefully. Mamalaivasan to illustrate the scope of Hemavati. Manikantan in Natakurinji (with improvisation in the existing Ramesh Vinayakam elaborates, a beautiful alapana) sung by format but within the limits of the “I feel the varisais have a great Gayatri Venkataraghavan had the Carnatic music idiom. deal of musical content and pallavi and anupallavi in slow Young musicians of today could I wrote the song conforming tempo, and charanam in medium popularise the unique compositions to the rhythmic subdivisions and tempo, but not returning to pallavi. Quite an interesting format. The beauty of contour. Most students of Ramesh Vinayakam, who besides tanam rendition was a bonus. of music think that singing sarali being an ace pianist, is often referred Sriranjani Santhanagopalan varisai is not for an advanced level to as an ashtavadhani in view of his sang Sri Rajarajeswari—a unique and actually missing out on its worth. multifaceted prowess. S. SIVARAMAKRISHNAN

57 l SRUTI October 2018