Guruguhaamrta

The time has come finally!!!
For a long time now, I have been toying with the idea of setting up a trust exclusively dedicated to Sri Muttusvami Dikshitar.
Somehow, over the past few months, the idea finally took shape with the blessings of my Gurus!!!
The name of the organization would be 'Guruguhaamrta' - the nectar of 'Guruguha' which was the signature of Muttusvami Dikshitar.
It was suggested by Violin Vidwan Sri RK Sriramkumar who is one of the most scholarly musicians of the present generations.
The inauguration is slated for 1st November, 2009 and my Guru Sri RK Srikantan would be flagging it off.
What you see above is the invite that I have just mailed out to musicians and rasikas in Karnataka and outside.

I sincerely hope and pray that Guruguhaamrta would be encouraged by one and all.

- Ravi.

--
G Ravi Kiran
http://www.gravikiran.com
http://swanubhoga.blogspot.com

Concert Recording

Hi Folks,

Here is the link to the Air Concert which i wrote about a few days ago.
You can download the concert using the links below:

1) O Jagadamba - Anandabhairavi - Adi - Shyama Shastry (~ 14 MB)
2) Parandhamavathi - Dhaamavathi - Rupaka - Dikshitar (~ 11 MB)
3) Giripai Nelakona - Sahana - Adi - Thyagaraja (~ 30 MB)


You can also visit my website where these files would be available for download.
They are also available on mediafire.

Cheers,
Ravi Kiran.

AIR Live

Just back from a Live program at the All India Radio 100.1 FM station Amritha Varshini from 8:30 am to 9:30 am.

Radio programs come with their own set of challenges and this one was no less.

As is customary for me, I sang at least one kriti not sung hitherto by me in any concert…and it was Giripai the sahana masterpiece of Thyagaraja.

My guru Sri RK Srikantan had taught me this kriti with great passion nearly 8 years ago and I still cherish that class….

Some kritis just require time to age and settle in one’s mind – Giripai was one such kriti.

It was also a first time that I was singing Sahana as a main piece with neraval.

Sri TG Thyagarajan was on the violin while the suswara mridanga vidwan Sri Sainath played the mridangam.

 

The list:

1.       O Jagadamba – Ananda Bhairavi – Adi – Shyama Shastry (S at ‘varasitha giri’)

2.       Parandhamavathi – Dhamavathi – Rupaka – Dikshitar (R)

3.       Giripai Nelakonna – Sahana – Adi – Thyagaraja (R,N,S) at “Gaacheydhananuchu….”

 

I was happy to have been able to sing one krithi each of the Trinity.

Mention must be made about Dhamavathi – it is a raga in the Venkatamakhin Sampradaya.

It is almost similar to present-day Dharmavathi but the main difference is that “p d n s” is never sung and neither is “s r g m”, instead “p d s”, “s g r”, etc. are preferred.

It is a pity that today, the ragas from the Venkatamakhin Sampradaya have been ignored and conveniently replaced with the Sampurna Melakartas.

It is high time all musicians revive the rich heritage of the Venkatamakhin Raga Padhathi.

Concert at Thrissur

‘Griha vinika’ is a chamber music organization based out of Thrissur.

The nice thing about them is that all their concerts are held in the residences of their members.

I have always known that Carnatic music sounds best in chamber performances because one gets to sing and listen to kritis that are not always chosen while singing in a public stage.

My hosts Smt and Sri Brahmadathan were at their cordial best and their coffee (apparently sourced from Germany) was to die for!!!

Sri Palakkad Swaminathan was on the violin while Sri Palakkad Mahesh Kumar played the mridangam.

The list:

1. Sami nine – shankarabharanam – adi – varnam along with the anu bandha sahitya “nenarunchi goodi….”

2. Surya murthey – souwrashtra – chathurasra dhruva – Dikshitar (S) at ‘sourashtraarna manthraathmaney”

3. E papamu – athana – misra chapu – thyagaraja (R,N,S) at “raja shekhara sannuthanga…”

4. Parandhamavathi – dhaamavathi – rupaka – Dikshitar (R)

5. Atu kaaradani – manoranjani – adi – thyagaraja

6. Rave himagiri kumari – todi – adi – swarajathi – shyama shastry (R,Thanam, N,S) at “shyama Krishna nutha…”

7. Miscellaneous Tukkudas

In retrospect, I am surprised that there were only six items till the thani avarthanam!!!

The concert lasted a good three and half hours.

The experience of singing Todi in three stages followed by Thanam and Swarajathi was an enriching one personally.