Upcoming Sruti Concert
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SRUTI The India Music & Dance Society A Publication of SRUTI Volume 1, Issue 4 Fall 1998 Board of Directors President Sudhakar Rao From the Editors 610-277-1607 Dear Sruti Friends Vice President Prabhakar Chitrapu As we present this last quarterly issue of Sruti Notes for 1998, we would like to thank all the 215-616-0486 writers who contributed to the issues during the year. The active participation made it possible for us Recording Secretary to make timely presentations of news, views, reviews and other articles. We have also received en- Poornima Narayan thusiastic responses to the Quiz and the Discussion Forum introduced in the last newsletter, encour- 215-493-9091 aging us to continue these features in the future. We thank all those who sent us their responses. Corresponding Secretary In addition to the usual reports from Sruti committees, this issue contains information regarding A. Srinivasa Reddy upcoming events in the area, news from the Sruti community, reviews of recent Sruti concerts, re- 610-272-5198 sposes to the quiz and the discussion forum and an article on music improvisation. Treasurer Usha Balasubramanian 215-699-2827 For the remainder of the year, the Library Committee will be working on bringing out the 1998 issue of Sruti Ranjani, Sruti's major publication. Please send your articles related to Indian Classical Members at Large music and dance to a Library Committee member. In particular, we would very much like to hear Santi Kanumalla from the children and youth and request parents to encourage them to write on any topic related to 610-277-8955 music and dance. The deadline for sending in the articles is December 15, 1998. N.V. Raman 302-421-9392 Uma Prabhakar For the Library Committee Resource Committee Ramana Kanumalla (Chairperson) 610-277-8955 Dinakar Subramanian 610-962-0526 P. Swaminathan 215-643-2145 UPCOMING SRUTI CONCERT Library Committee Uma Prabhakar (Chairperson) Chitravina Recital By Ravi Kiran 215-616-0486 Rama Gundurao November 7, 1998 610-292-8120 Time: 6:30 pm M.M. Subramaniam Montgomery County Community College Auditorium 610-240-0268 Viji Swaminathan 215-643-2145 CONTENTS ♦ From the Editors ♦ Raga Ataana’s Peculiarity ............K.S. E- mail ♦ From the President’s Desk Ramachandran [email protected] ♦ Resource Committee Report ♦ Improvisation in Carnatic Music....Sumanth ♦ Please visit our Web Site ♦ Answers to the Quiz Swaminathan ♦ ♦ [email protected]/~srutipa SRUTI Concert Reviews Upcoming Events ∗ ♦ Community News Shoba Sharma(Bharathanatyam) ....... Vasantha Naraya- ♦ SRUTI Concert Tapes nan ♦ RevSeR U T I Discussion Forum 1 From The President’s Resource Committee Report Congratulations to the following Desk The Resource Committee is pleased to Sruti Notes readers who enthusiasti- announce the award of $800 to SRUTI clly sent in their responses. Dear Sruti supporter, from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts K.S. Ramachandran correctly an- swered Questions 1, 2, 4 and 5; In- under their Presenting Organization Pro- dira Rajan sent correct answers to Greetings. We are coming towards the gram. This award would be used for pro- questions 1, 2 and 3. Kamala end of the 1998 concert season with one grams presented by SRUTI during the pe- andSrinivasan Rajan correctly an- more concert to be presented by Sruti. riod from September 1, 1998 until August swered question 3. They also provided On November 7th, Sruti will be present- 31, 1999. Pennsylvania Council on the the following informative account. ing a Chitravina recital by N. Ravikiran. I Arts' funding comes primarily through ap- hope you will be able to attend the con- propriations from the Commonwealth of "Poochi" Srinivasa Iyengar was cert and bring to an end yet another suc- Pennsylvania. always very active, vigilant and pos- cessful concert season for Sruti. sessed the personality of a "fly" or a Ramana Kanumalla "bee" which moves through the air I would like to take this opportunity to For the Resource Committee rapidly using wings. In his young age, thank all of you who attended the last two programs, the Bharatanatyam dance by thus, he got the nick name and the Shoba Sharma and the vocal concert by name "poochi" became a permanent part of this greatest composer/ Sudha Raghunathan. The attendance at the two concerts was very good, though I musician. In Tamil "Poochi" means a always hope we can do better. Your pres- Answers to the Quiz in common household fly or a bee. ence at these events goes a long way in July’98 Sruti Notes providing encouragement to all the Sruti Other data of interest on "Poochi" volunteers for their efforts. Srinivasa Iyengar: He was born on 16 Q1 Patnam Subramanya Iyer’s handling of a August 1860 in a place known as well known raga was so famous that the name I am glad to inform you that Sruti has "Parpaan Kulam" in Ramanathapuram of the raga became a moniker for him. What District, Tamilnadu, India. Mother's received a grant for $800 from the Penn- was this raga? sylavania Council on the Arts as part of name: Srimathi Laxmi, Father's name: A: Begada Sri Ananthanarayana Iyengar. their Presenting Organization Program. The funding received will be used for Q2: Why was the composer/musician Ra- Poochi Srinivasa Iyengar, Sethu programs to be presented in 1998-99. manathapuram Srinivasa Iyengar known as The Board of Directors of Sruti would Poochi Srinivasa Iyengar? Samasthana asthana music Vidwan, like to thank PCA for their continued A: Because his voice sounded like an was a contemporary of my great grand support. ‘insect flying’. Hence the nickname father Sethu Samathana Mahavidwan ‘Poochi’ R. Raghava Iyengar, a great Tamil We have already started working on Scholar & Sethu Kingdom the schedule for the 1999 concert season. Q3: Who was the composer credited with "pulavar" (1870 -1946). The Sethu We are looking at some excellent pro- “creating” the popular raga Hamsadhwani? Kingdom in Ramanathapuram pro- grams coming our way. We hope we will A: Ramaswamy Dikshitar, father of foundly supported good music and be able to present you a good mix of vo- Muthuswamy Dikshitar. great tamil & sanskrit literature. cal and instrumental concerts and dance Poochi Srinivasa Iyengar passed away ballets. Your feedback is very important Q4: Harikesanallur Muthiah Bhagavathar has in 1919. to us. Please e-mail or call us with any “created” a raga whose arohana/avarohana questions or suggestions. does not take either Madhyama or Panchama. Poochi Iyengar's original composi- What is the name of this raga? tions include: Varnams (8); Kirtanas We look forward to seeing you at our A: Raga Niroshta, a janyam from the (33); Javalis (7); Thillanas (12); Raga- next concert. raga Karaharapriya . malikas (1) & Kavadichindu (1); Sudhakar Rao Q5: Balamurali Krishna has “created” a raga Reference: Compositions of Ramana- with only three swaras. What is the name of President thapuram Asthana Vidwan Sriman the raga and what are the arohana/avarohana for the Board of Directors "Poochi" Srinivasa Iyengar in Tamil of this raga? Script, Edited by Sri Salem D. Chel- A: Raga Trisakhti, a janyam from lam Iyengar, Pub: Higginbothams Ltd, Raga Kanakangi. Madras (July 1982). Arohana: SA MA PA (SA). Avarohana:(SA) PA MA SA. 2 Bharathanatyam Performance of Shoba Sharma K.S. Ramachandran Vasantha Narayanan Some scholars give an ingenious interpreta- tion to the name of this raga. They say, 'A- Shoba Sharma captivated the audience with her brilliant dance perform- thana" to mean Bondage of Samsara (family ance for Sruti on 19 September 1998. The longing for oneness with God is burden; Thaana to mean 'Jail"). Whether this expressed in many ways in the classical dance form of Bharathanatyam. interpretation makes sense or not, there are note- Indisputably expressive, Shoba took the audience through the emotional worthy points about this raga as shown below: cycle of the familiar duos: Lord and his Devotee, Mother and Child, Lover 1. Sri Purandaradasa composed his first kriti and the Beloved. Mosahodenallo in Ataana Raga. 2. Sri Tyagaraja swamigal composed after Shoba began her recital with Kaali Kauthuvam in ragam Hamsadhvani. completing his Japa Avarthi of Rama Nama of This piece glorified the majesty of Kaali. It is unusual because it presents 96 crores, a krithi, Ela Ni-daya radhu in Ataana feminine divinity in a role of belligerence rather than the traditional one of raga. beauty and tranquility. Shoba showed her astonishing range of expressions 3. Sri Muthuswami Dikshithar composed his from the fierce Kaali to the triumphant One. This was followed by Shan- first krithi in his bunch of Navagraha Krithis in mukha Sabdam in Ragamalika. She skillfully displayed the various ex- raga Ataana. ploits of Muruga in getting Valli to marry to him, including the one in which Muruga goes to Valli in the form of an old man. The Telugu var- [Sri Ramachandran is a retired Chief Inspector of nam, UCO Bank. He is also a musician who studied vocal and instrumental music under the tutelage of illustri- Manavi Chekona in Shankarabharanam, set to Adi Talam was the center ous masters such as, Sangeetha Vidhwan late Sri piece of the evening. Enna Thavam Seythane in Kaapi is always a favorite Lalgudi Gopala Iyer, Sri A.S. Ananthagopala, late for the people because of both the lyrics and the charm of little Krishna. Sri Kittamani Iyer, Sri Trichur Sankara Menon and Shoba successfully created the mood and touched everybody?s heart re- Sri Tanjoor Jagadesa Iyer.] minding them of their own child indulging in this kind of mischief and bring forth an outpouring of emotions, anger, love and tenderness. This was followed by a padam, Praana Naathan in Abhogi and an Ashtapadi, Nibrutha Nikunja in Ragasri. In all these pieces Shoba displayed tremen- dous stage presence and a sense of drama which comes only when a dancer is relaxed enough to enjoy the experience of the character being played.