Annavarapu Ramaswamy, the famous violinist, who had accompanied vocalists like Mangalampalli BalamuraliKrishna and the great GNB was honoured with the title "Violin Ratna" by Nada Tarangam Trust, Hyderabad on 15th Sept.09 at the Megal Music festival that they held at Keyes Girls High School, Secunderabad.
It was a very small gathering of hardly 200 people, for such a big city like Secunderabad! It was not a holiday could be one reason - or is the interest for carnatic music reducing?? One more observation is, the crowd (if I can call it so) consisted of 80% old people in the age group of 60+.
What does that indicate?
Anyway, Annavarapugaru spoke after the felicitation. The gist is : he started his career/learning as a vocalist but shifted to Violin. Mangalampalli is the one who gave him a lot of confidence, encouragement and made him what he is today! He went on acknowledging his Guru for his career as a violinist and mentioned that on the same stage he had played for GNB in 1950s. He spoke about continuous practice and involvement in music.
Instead of 7 pm, the main concert started at around 7.40 pm. Neyveli was in his usual form - but I felt that the accompaniment was no match to his level. The whole concert had to be dominated by him - the mridangam especially was so pathetic. He went on adjusting the shruti but there was nothing matching the vocalist's flow. Violin was just alright - Neyveli went on encouraging him and making him play better. He had to literally tell the violinist what to do, as he was just giving shruti to him and not playing along with Neyveli.. a poor show, as far as the mridangam and violin were concerned. Ghatam was just alright - nothing bad, but nothing great. Ghatam player was the organiser and hence I think, his son was playing Tanpura.
Coming to the concert, Neyveli started with Patnam Subramanyam Iyer's Abhogi Varnam - Evvari Bodhana - wonder which language the composer spoke? Could he be a Telugu speaking person? But Ïyer" is slightly misleading, as it is used by Tamilians. Or could it be that, as the prevailing music world at his time was dominated by Telugu lyrics, he also wrote in Telugu?
That is the link to this thana varnam. Varnam - in dance as well as in music is the piece where the artist shows his versatility in different speed while bringing out the beauty of the ragam.
Next was Kanchadhalayadakshi Kamakshi of Muthuswamy Dikshithar in Kamala Manohari ragam. This is a beautiful kriti
Raga Sasi Vadhanay... was elaborated. Though I am not an expert in raga, I felt as though Neyveli is decorating the Goddess with gems, pearls, corals and checking whether each jewel looks on Her and then adding more and more to make the jewels shine more by being adorned by Kamakshi. Somehow this thought came to my mind and I felt that every swara prasthabam he did fit into this imagination of mine..
Kanchi Nivasinay.. Mandha hasinay... beautiful. What lyrics, what selection of ragam, and what rendering. I am blessed !
Next was Thelisi Rama Chinthana .. in Poorna Chandrika. Thyagaraja says that the name Rama is to be chanted with understanding. He takes few words - Rama, Arka and Aja which mean different things. Rama also means woman! He calls woman as "chapalakshulu" :-(
But I think I agree with him... women have more chapalam and hence their eyes are wandering with chapalam, and hence akshalu ( eyes) with chapalam.
Arka means tree as well as Sun! Aja means goat as well as Brahma!
Hence he says that at least for a minute the mind should be focussed on the real Rama and then one should utter his name with conscience! Otherwise, just chanting the name of Rama with thoughts wandering from Illinois to Mumbai to Hyderabad is no use !!
Hence, Sivakamasundari... thelisi Rama Chinthana Cheyavay!!!
Here is the link to get the meaning of this song:
Then was Eti Janmamidhi Oh Rama Rama... true, very true, what is this Janmam where it is spent not having enough time to enjoy the sculptures, the dances, the music, paintings and just fly around all over the world enjoying the beauty of nature!
Next was Nalina Kanthi Raga alapanai followed by Manavyalakim...
I wonder why he chose all Telugu songs to sing in Hyderabad. His pronounciation is very good, but still, I found one lady in front of me, commenting on it with little disappointment. Though I would not know how far she is correct, I suppose, when someone sings a song which is not his native language, there ought to be some small mistakes... God knows! Anyway, his patience was continuously tested by the violinist and mridangist and then by the microphone guys as well.. He carried on with patience and when he saw some people leaving, mentioned in Tamil, ëllorum sendhu vandhom.. sendhey aththukku pohalam. pinnala irukkarava ellam munnala vandhu utkarungo.."
If this is the situation for a A grade singer of carnatic music, what to say for budding artists? They have to just go on with their own interest and never expecting audience support.
to be continued....................
Balagopalam of Muthuswamy Dikshitar. He started it saying that the request to sing this song is from the Mridangist ! He mentioned that this song is very suited for Veena as the swara placing is so beautiful and sort of made for rendering in Veena. He specified "Vainika Gayaka Guruguha"to support this... he took this phrase for neraval. I am no expert in music but still I could sense the music flowing through all my senses and literally it took me to a trance status... all I had to do was just close my eyes and focus on the music.. that is it.. I was in a different level altogether; I had to come down with the Thani Avarthanam that followed.... I think he did a sort of better job now. Ghatam was good.
