SRUTI The India Music & Dance Society A Publication of SRUTI Volume 2, Issue 3 Summer 1999

Board of Directors From The Editors President Sudhakar Rao 610-277-1607 This issue of Sruti Notes comes to you at the end of a busy spring concert season. In this news- letter, you will find reviews of the three recent concerts including two music and one dance per- Vice President formance. We would like to thank the contributors, namely Kamakshi Mallikarjun, Praba Subrama- Prabhakar Chitrapu niam and Chidambaram Narayanan, who readily produced detailed and critical reviews of the vari- 215-616-0486 ous concerts. The debate on the role of saahithyam in continues with yet another letter to the Editors on this topic by Rasikan! In honor of the well known Carnatic music vocalist, Recording Secretary Musiri Subramaniya Iyer, we have included a brief excerpt on the musician from Sruti magazine. In Poornima Narayan addition, you will find our regular features including a note from the President, community news 215-493-9091 and a list of Sruti Tapes available for sale. Corresponding Secretary A. Srinivasa Reddy We are now getting ready for our annual Sruti Ranjani publication scheduled for November 1999. 215-272-5198 We look forward to receiving interesting articles, quizzes, anecdotes etc., related to Indian classical Treasurer music and dance, from both the young and not so young. Please do send us your contributions. Usha Balasubramanian Happy reading! 215-699-2827 Uma Prabhakar For the Library Committee Members at Large Santi Kanumalla 610-277-8955 N.V. Raman 302-421-9392

Resource Committee UPCOMING SRUTI CONCERTS Ramana Kanumalla (Chairperson) Sikkil Mala Chandrashekhar: Flute Concert 610-277-8955 Dinakar Subramanian September 25, 1999 610-962-0526 & P. Swaminathan 215-643-2145 ‘Thyagaraja Vaibhavam’ Dance ballet by Dhananjayans Library Committee Uma Prabhakar (Chairperson) November 20, 1999 215-616-0486 ...... details to follow Rama Gundurao 215-591-0380 M.M. Subramaniam 610-240-0268 Viji Swaminathan CONTENTS 215-643-2145 ♦ From the Editors ♦ From the President’s Desk ♦ Letter to the Editor ♦ Concert reviews: Abhyaasa ...... Kamakshi Mallikarjun Neyveli Santhanagopalan...... Praba Subramaniam Email Mysore Nagaraj & Manjunath...... Chidambaram Narayanan [email protected] ♦ A Tribute to Musiri Please visit our Web Site ♦ www.sruti.org Community News ♦ Sruti Tapes 1 From the President’s Desk Letter to the Editor Spring Concert Reviews

Dear Sruti Supporter, Dear Editor, Abhyasa Greetings! I hope you and your family are having an enjoyable summer. As we I read with interest the comments (see By Kamakshi Mallikarjun take a break from the concerts at the end Sruti Notes of March 99) of G. Shridar, a of the Spring season, and await our fall close friend of mine, on my article on the Alarmel Valli, one of the great program, I would like to thank all of you role of in a concert (Sruti Ranjani of Bharatanatyam dancers writes in the who supported us with your presence at Nov. 98). I was surprised that he dubbed Folio magazine (Dec’97 issue) our programs this spring. We had a very his comments as another point of view. I “Classes used to be conducted by my successful spring season which included rather think that his views are more gurus Pandanallur Chokalingam Pillai the ‘Workshop on Appreciating Carnatic mainstream. At any rate here is another and his son Subbarayya Pillai. These Music’, the Thyagaraja Aradhana, a point of view (extract from an article by grand old masters gave me, with total dance ballet ‘Abhyasa’, a vocal concert Ramaswamy R. Iyer published in Sruti generosity and complete commitment, by Neyveli Santhanagopalan and a magazine of Madras - Issue 173 Feb. 99), the key to the infinite wonders of double violin concert by Mysore Nagaraj commenting on certain weaknesses found Bharatanatyam. They helped me realize and Manjunath. in modern day concerts like lack of sruti my inner potential and express my alignment, too much speed etc. individuality. They gave me the We are looking forward to the fall Ramaswamy Iyer wrote: These are freedom, the strength and the courage season with a schedule including a flute compounded by certain features which are to make that inward journey, so vital to recital by Sikkil Mala Chandrasekhar on not even recognized as weaknesses but artistic expression and growth.” Sept. 25, a dance ballet ‘Thyagaraja are in fact assumed as strengths: a All of us may not have had the good Vaibhavam’ by the Dhananjayans on preoccupation with word-play and turns fortune to watch the dance classes that November 20 and our General Body of phrase, a stress on emotionality under Alarmel Valli talks about with such Meeting on December 4. Please mark the rubric of, and above all, the tendency reverence; however those of us who these dates on your calendar. to regard the whole corpus of Carnatic had the opportunity to watch the dance music as essentially devotional music. As drama ‘Abhyasa’ can relate to what Sruti is the recipient of two new grants a result, the response is often not to the Alarmel Valli says since the theme to support our activities. The music but to puns/alliterations or to the for Abhyasa was a day in the life of a Philadelphia Foundation has given a text as poetry; or to the sentiments nattuvanaar and his dance students. grant for $5000 from the Nancy B. expressed; or to the evocative names of The curtains opened to reveal a McKean funds to support Sruti’s 1999- the deities or shrines mentioned. When house in the village. It is the house of 2000 activities. We have also received a this happens, the experience is not the nattuvanaar. One of his students, grant for $1500 from First Union Bank musical but literary or sentimental or comes out to do the kolam. Then the for our 1999 concert series. We are pietistic. There seems to be a reluctance door opens to reveal the mittam of the grateful to both these organizations for to be open to genuine musical experience house. It is in this mittam that the guru their continued support for Sruti’s and a refusal to recognize music as an art; holds court, imparting his priceless art mission and goals. instead it is turned into poetry-recitation to his students. or unctuous declamation or bhajan- The dance students portrayed by As most of you are aware, SRUTI has singing. If this is what we want by way of Mahalakshmi, Bragha Bessel, Sreelatha a new web site address at www.sruti.org. musical experience, Carnatic music Vinod, Narendra and C.A Joy take their We have formed a committee to upgrade cannot rise above the second-rate; its places. The nattuvanaar, portrayed by our presence on the web and make potential for greatness unrealized. Shri Adyar Lakshman, is joined by the effective use of our web site. The I rest my case. musicians led by the singer O.S.Arun. committee will consist of Prabhakar Mahalakshmi points to the new dress Chitrapu, Dinakar Subramaniam, Yours truly, that she is wearing and the guru Kishore Pochiraju, Kamakshi Rasikan appreciates it. The dancers are Mallikarjun, Uma Prabhakar and Viji practicing with extra care in the Swaminathan. Please call Prabhakar morning because they are going to Chitrapu with suggestions or write to us perform in the village temple that night. at [email protected]. The dancers first pay respect and bow

before their guru and then start with the Looking forward to seeing you at the simple adavus, the stepping stones to forthcoming Sruti events ! the dazzling korvais that they will

perform later. An abundance of charm Sudhakar Rao. is evoked because it is done to the

2 accompaniment of Sarali Varisai. They master that skill as well; the musicians Grecian art. “For our children, Abhyasa start at a slow speed that gets faster and don’t just perform the songs...they was a learning experience that would faster! are totally involved with the dance and have given them a glimpse of Then the two men dance to the absorb all the nuances. gurukulavasam – the tremendous respect masculine Siva Tandavam jatis. The dancers were fantastic. What the students had for their teacher, the Another item that is performed is the perfect body lines when they did the humility they had as a result of knowing hauntingly beautiful Swara Jathi Rave beginning adavus! All the items how much they had to learn from their Himagiri Kumari by Shyama Sastri in performed were marvelous. They guru. The goal to perfect their art, the the Thodi. The guru interjects the improvised so beautifully to the assiduous practice that resulted to performance from time to time, Amrithavarshini ragam. First, simple achieve that goal . correcting the adavus and the mudras. gestures of the creeper, then the flower Some performances produce a He also asks the junior most student blooming, the bees drinking nectar from momentary spark of enjoyment within played by C. A Joy to learn from the the flowers, then the rain pouring, the us and a choice few produce a glow of senior students. The senior student, peacock spreading its feathers and satisfaction that persists. Abhyasa was played by Narendra, does Abhinayam to dancing in the rain … voila! a three the latter. From time to time, in my the kriti Evarani by Thyagaraja and the dimensional painting of spring! The mind’s eye, I recapture the vicarious joy guru tells him to show the emotion that theme of this dance drama was so the dancers and musicians must have had Thyagaraja has poured into the kriti unique that it lent itself to on the spot each day of their journey towards artistic with his bhakthi (devotion) for Lord improvisation and variations in the perfection, the joy brought by the fact Rama. Another facet of abhinaya, items being performed. each day in their lives was as perfect as Sringara or romance, is revealed in the O.S Arun the main singer for the the previous day since each day was abhinaya to the javali Sarasamula in performance really got into the spirit of spent mastering the glorious art of dance Behag by another student Bragha the dance drama by the way he and listening to melodious music. Bessel. A touch of authenticity is added playfully enticed the dancers to by the fact that the guru mentions that improvise when he sang

Bragha has learnt this from Gowri Amrithavarshini and matched his skills Ammal, an illustrious dancer of against those of the dancers. yesteryears. Then the guru asks his The choreography of Shri Adyar students to eat their lunch, rest and get Lakshman was wonderful. Each line of ready for the evening performance. the Swarajathi was so lovely. It was a When the guru is away, the students delightful moment when at the end of have some lighthearted fun, led by the the performance (both at the temple in A Tribute to Musiri...... singer who starts humming raga the story and for us) he comments like Amrithavarshini. The students start the traditional Indian guru, “Hmm… Musiri Subramania Iyer was known improvising abhinaya for the monsoon that was okay…let us continue working for his bhava laden rendering of . theme. When the guru comes back, the on improving it tomorrow!” It was a During the 30\92s he was bracketed with students are startled by his discovery of quintessential revelation of Indian Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar and Maha- their disobedience, and scatter away in culture – that it takes a lifelong journey rajapuram Viswanatha Iyer as probably fear, instantly. to achieve perfection in the arts since the most popular Carnatic musicians of The second half of Abhyasa was there is always something to improve the day. Musiri was one of the youngest like a traditional dance drama where upon and I am sure others in the to receive the Sangita Kalanidhi award the dancers portray the story of audience also had a delectable from the Madras Music Academy. He Meenakshi, her birth to the Pandya king flashback of their own gurus saying was the first principal of the Central Col- and his wife, her childhood where she that exact same sentence to them ! lege of Music in Madras. He is also masters both the martial arts and Abhyasa is the brainchild of Uma credited with organizing the group sing- music, her falling in love with Shiva Ganesan, from the Cleveland Cultural ing of the pancharatna kritis at the Thya- and marrying him. Alliance. It was a refreshingly different garaja Aradhana in Tiruvaiyaru, a pattern I enjoyed every minute of Abhyasa! kind of dance drama. For those of us followed in many places all over the The little deft touches made me feel I who are aware of India’s great cultural world. According to Semmangudi Srini- was actually part of the guru’s heritage, it was a beautiful trip to the vasa Iyer, musicians in those days did not household; the guru does not just teach glorious past of India. Abhyasa have a high social standing and many of dance, he takes a personal interest in brought to life those old days that to them had dubious reputations, but Musiri the students; he compliments the quote from Gone With the Wind, “the was one of the first to be associated with students and the musicians (!) on the old days had no glitter but they had a dignity (gouravam in Tamil). attire they are wearing; he asks his charm, a beauty, a slow paced (Reproduced from Sruti Magazine, Ma- senior student Narendra to conduct the glamour.” They had perfection and dras) nattuvangam for the dance being completeness and a symmetry to it like performed by the others so that he can 3 A mixed Bag: he had included alapana in this ragam. Mysore V. Nagaraj and Neyveli Santhanagopalan He did compensate for it by singing V. Manjunath: kalpana swarams in 2 speeds. Yadu- Concert kula Kambhodhi kriti of Thyagaraja, Violin Concert Review by Hecharikiga rara, was rendered sans Review By Praba Subramaniam alapana which is not unusual since it is Chidambaram Narayanan a utsava sampradaya kriti. Neyveli Santhanagopalan provided a Many eyebrows must have been The concert (June 5, 1999) ambiance mixed bag of some very innovative music raised when Santhanagopalan started was excellent with the sound system with some rather pedestrian stuff during Poorvikalyani at this stage since he had balanced to perfection. In the first few the SRUTI concert of 16 May, '99. He sung Pantuvarali earlier. While render- minutes itself Nagaraj and Manjunath's included both Pantuvarali and Poorvikaly- ing the well known Thyagaraja kriti command over the violin was clearly ani (most of the musicians render one or Jnana mosagarada he included neraval evident. They have great technique the other in their concerts). He included a and swara prastaram for Paramathmudu along with strict adherence to shruti. Sankarabharanam suite and quickly fol- jeevathmudu. The concert started off with a crisp ren- lowed it with RTP in Kalyani. There was Before the Sankarabharanam piece, dering of the Saaveri Varnam very little pause between many of the Santhanagopalan sang Kanden kanden (Sarasooda). This was followed by a pieces reminiscent of Ariyakudi style. He kanden a Arunachala Ramanataka kriti fastish rendering of Palukavatemira in also sang a number of kritis without in Vasantha. Devamanohari preceded by a small alapana a style associated with D.K. After rendering alapana and thanam aalapanai. Shri Bhaktavatsalam Jayaraman. Although a senior disciple of in Kalyani, Santhanagopalan appended (Mridangam) although technically very T.N. Seshagopalan, there were few traces short bursts of thanam in the gana pan- talented (amazing speed) came out a of his guru's style in the concert. Clearly chaka Nattai, Gowlai, Aarabhi, little insensitive to the aesthetic nuances Santhanagopalan has developed a distinct Varali and Sri. An interesting feature of of the kriti. This was followed by Meru style of his own. Delhi Sundararajan and the thanam was the rhythm accompani- samaana in Mayamalavagoula with a Srimushnam Raja Rao provided violin ment by Raja Rao. Raja Rao usually longish aalapanai. The presentation was and mridangam accompaniment respec- excels at creating excitement and pro- sedate and well paced. This was fol- tively. ducing fireworks which was quite evi- lowed by raaga-aalapanai in Lathangi. The major piece was Mahalakshmi the dent in his earlier thani in misra chapu. The brothers took turns in expounding Sivan kriti in Sankarabharanam. San- However when accompanying thanam a the raaga with Manjunath bringing out thanagopalan rendered an elaborate more sedate approach would have been slow patterns of the raaga and Nagaraj alapana and included neraval and swara- welcome. Santhanagopalan gave a playing some intricate fast-paced san- prastaram for Parkadal tharum kripakari . chance for another thani after the pal- charas. The kriti (Marivere) was fol- Since this piece also included a thani, I lavi also. lowed by swaram exchanges which felt that there may not be any RTP. But Delhi Sundararajan gave excellent tended to be a little noisy. By this time after singing the ragamalikai Aarabhi- support throughout. We were very im- Bhaktavatsalam had established himself manam (which he stared in the anupal- pressed with this young violinist when as a loud and insensitive accompanist lavi), Santhanagopalan started RTP in he had accompanied Ravi Kiran a few playing beautiful but unconnected Kalyani. Sankarabharanam and Kalyani years ago. He has clearly matured con- thekas throughout. This reached its ex- differ only in the madhyamam. It is most siderably since then. I am sure he will treme with the next kriti (Annapurne unusual to render these ragas elaborately be one the bright stars among violinists vishalakshi) in Saama. The emotion of at such short interval. To his credit San- in the future. pathos so beautifully woven into the thanagopalan pulled it off very well in- In the post pallavi segment, San- song by Muthuswami Dikshitar was at- deed. thanagopalan sang Rama mantra japi- tacked relentlessly by Shri Bhaktavat- The concert started sedately with Ninnu tho a Purandara dasa keerthana in Jon- salam, so much so that I even consid- kori, the adi tala varnam in Mohanam fol- puri, 3 thirupukazhs in Behag, Senchu- ered leaving at this point of time. For lowed in quick succession by Nada tha- rutti and Madhyamavathi. the first time I could relate with people numanisam in Chittaranjani of Thyagaraja Although the concert was a mixed who complain about mridangam being and Ini namakku oru kavalai illai in Bila- bag I got out with a feeling of having too loud and distractive.Well, if you are hari of Koteeswara Iyer. All pieces in- heard a very good concert. thinking "When will this guy stop com- cluded short swaraprastarams. Santhana- plaining?" Not yet. gopalan then rendered the Thyagaraja In any case, the next item was the kriti Siva Siva Siva in Pantuvarali. He main piece of the evening and the My- included alapana, neraval and kalpana sore brothers chose Bowli. The raaga swaram for this piece. exposition was elaborate and complete Santhanagopalan then continued with with Manjunath successfully evoking the beautiful Ananda Bhairavi kriti the feeling of morning time with a very Marivera gathi of Shyama Sastri. I wish thematic aalapanai. The kriti was Par- 4 vathi nayaka by Swati Thirunal. This COMMUNITY NEWS was followed by Eduta nilachithe in Kadri Gopalanath-Saxophone (1997) Kanya- Shankarabharanam, a Thyagaraja kriti kumari (V), Guruvayur Durai (M) GRADUATIONS!! in Aadi thaalam. The brothers brought T.N. Krishnan &Viji Krishnan Natarajan - Violin (1997) out the grandness of this Melakartha Mahesh Swaminathan, son of Viji B. Harikumar (M), Vaikkom R. Gopalakrish- raagam with traditional sancharas. The and Swaminathan, graduated with hon- nan (G) thani-aavarthanam was performed at the ors, in Bioengineering, from the Uni- end of this kriti. Bhaktavatsalam played versity of Pennsylvania. He will be Balaji Shankar - vocal (1997) some scintillating phrases in joining the Medical program at Tho- Ganesh Prasad (V), Poongulam Subramaniam (M) Chathurashra nadai before playing an mas Jefferson University this fall. elaborate Khanda nadai and then ending O.S. Thyagarajan-Vocal (1997) (3) with a bang with the traditional pharan, Vidya Venkatraman, daughter of Pad- mohra and corvei sequence.The Mysore Srikanth Venkataraman (V), Srimushnam Raja mini and Venkatraman, and a recent Rao (M) brothers then embarked on Raagam- graduate from the Springfield High Thaanam-Pallavi in raagam Shubhapan- School, was the valedictorian for her Shashank-Flute (1996) thuvarali. An excellent choice. The class. She received the Florence D- Gopinath (V), Satish Kumar (M), Tripunithira aalapanai was very enjoyable though Scioscia Memorial Award, the Radhakrishnan (G) there was a definite Hindustani tilt to it school’s top honor at graduation. Jayanthi & Padmavathi-Veena (1996) throughout. The pallavi was set to Vidya will be attending Princeton Uni- Khanda jaati Triputa thaalam which has versity this fall. M.S. Sheela-Vocal (1996) (3) to my knowledge become the thaalam of choice for pallavis. Of course, its struc- Nalina Mohan (V), Anoor Ananthakrishna Sharma (M), Sukanya Ramgopal (G) ture I think is well suited for pallavi ren- dition when used in Retta-kalai format. Nithyasree-Vocal (1996) The 5(laghu)-4(2 Drutham) combination Embar Kannan (V), Siva Kumar (M) makes it asymmetric as compared to Aadi thaalam and contributing to its Vani Satish-Vocal (1995) complexity and aesthetics. The Satish (V), Mahesh Krishnamurthy (M) SRUTI Concert Tapes "traditional" raaga-maalika swarams conisted of Hamir Kalyani, Desh and Sanjay Subramaniam-Vocal(1995) A partial list of the more recent re- R.K. Sriramkumar (V), K. Arun Prakash (M) Mishra Thilang all lilting Hindustani corded music tapes are available for raagams and very enjoyable.For the rest distribution among the patrons of Sowmya-Vocal (1995) of the concert Nagaraj and Manjunath Sruti. To receive any of these tapes Narmada (V), Balaji (M) were unable to break away from the and for a complete listing of tapes Hindustani mould and played Kamaas available, please contact Viji Swami- Bombay Jayashri-Vocal (1995) (Jaavali), Ahir Bhairav (Pibare Raama- nathan at (215)-643-2145. Each con- Vittal Ramamurthy (V), Palani Chakravarthy rasam), Sindhu Bhairavi (Lalgudi thil- (M) cert is on 2 cassettes unless specified lana), Kaapi (Jagadodharana) and otherwise within parentheses. Prices Sindhu Bhairavi (Mangalam) in that Charumathi Ramachandran-Vocal (1994) M. for Sruti members (unless noted other- S. Anantharaman (V), Skandaprasad (M) order. I must say that all the above were wise) are: $10 for a two-cassette set rendered very well;but for a person and $15 for a three-cassette set. Non- Sheela Ramaswamy-Vocal (1987) steeped in Carnatic aesthetics it was members should add $2 to the cost of K.S. Mani (V), M.S. Venkatesh (M) very disappointing that almost half the each set. Please add $2.00 per concert concert did not do justice to that fact. I for shipping & handling. Vijay Siva-Vocal (1993) missed raagams like Saurashtram, Su- Shriram Kumar (V), J. Vaidhyanathan (M) rutti, Madhyamaavati and other pukka V=Violin,M=Mridangam,G=Ghatam S.P. Ramh-Vocal (1994) Carnatic [ending] raagams. I came away with my Carnatic vessel only half filled. Shashidhar (V), Satish Pathakota (M) Mysore Nagaraj and Manjunath -Violin Overall Mysore Nagaraj and Manjunath (1999) Thiruvarur Bhaktavatsalam (M) are very talented and fully matured mu- sicians who can easily shoulder the bur- Neyveli Santhanagopalan-Vocal (1999) den of carrying forth this beautiful tradi- Delhi Sundararajan (V), Srimushnam tion of ours. Surely, I look forward to Rajarao (M) hearing them again. N. Ramani-Flute (1998)

Srikant Venkataraman (V) Srimushnam Please send your feedback/contributions Chidambaram Narayanan Rajarao (M). to Uma Prabhakar, at 135 Brochant Drive, BlueBell, PA 19422 or e-mail to [email protected] 5

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