News Muncher - searching for alapana

1 day, 9 hours ago

Sowmya displays her musical acumen through her intelligent choices

The nuances of nishadam in Surutti make it a rather tricky note to navigate. Senior vocalist S.Sowmya’s Surutti alapana interwove choice phrases of almost every kriti in the raga, as she explored the rishabam to nishadam portion in the madhya sthayi before focussing her creativity around the upper nishadam. If one closely observed Sowmya’s Natabhairavi alapana, certain phrases from ‘Sri …

Kannan Raga Gopalakrishnan Phrases Narayanan Sowmya Vocalist

6 days, 7 hours ago

Ashwath Narayanan presents a classy Kamboji at The Music Academy’s December music festival

The Hindu

Ashwath Narayanan is a musician with impeccable tutelage, good voice range and dynamics and respect for tradition. The kriti is a masterpiece in Khanda Chapu and Ashwath’s patantara allegiance took the concert to a good high. ‘Jambupathe’ was a good idea to stoke in some serenity, but the execution skipped the emotive weight and the vilamba kala mastery Dikshitar presents …

Ashwath Kamboji Bhaktavatsalam Good Concerts

6 days, 9 hours ago

S. Srivathsan’s unique ‘Ragam Tanam Mallari’ heightened the appeal of his concert

The Hindu

With a mallari taking cue from ragam-tanam, S. Srivathsan’s 35-minute suite after a neat centrepiece emerged as the highlight of his performance. The last two were a reminder of the first and last of the five ghana ragas sequenced in Tyagaraja’s famed Pancharatna kritis. ‘Sukhi evvaro’ opened placidly, but gained frills on entering the anupallavi portion, where the percussionists complemented …

Sri Mallari Srivathsan

1 week ago

A. Kanyakumari and Vittal Rangan presented a delightful string theory

The Hindu

On a rainy evening, there was a downpour of melody as violin vidushi A. Kanyakumari and her disciple B. Vittal Rangan, drenched rasikas in their nuanced and aesthetic music. In perfect sync, the guru-sishya duo commenced the concert, for Kartik Fine Arts, evoking bhakti rasa with ‘Karimukha varadha’, a GNB composition in raga Nattai. This was followed by an alapana …

Raga Kanyakumari Vittal Rangan

1 week ago

Brindha Manickavasakan captured the mood of every kriti

The Hindu

The vocal recital by Brindha Manickavasakan, for Sri Thyaga Brahma Gana Sabha, was vibrant and refreshing from start to finish. The concert began with Tyagaraja’s Begada kriti ‘Tanavari tanamu’ with a swara package concluding with the raga’s signature notes of ‘mmgrs nndpm’. The raga alapana was followed by a rare kriti ‘Paruvam parka nyayama’ by Anai Ayya. Syama Sastri’s ‘Ninnu …

Brindha

1 week, 6 days ago

Aathreyee Krishnaa’s concert shone with rare kritis

The Hindu

Athreyee Krishnaa is endowed with a melodic voice that easily traverses across octaves. Neraval and swaras were at ‘Baddu tappaka bhajiyince’ in the charanam.The swara korvais that she sang showed her control over laya. Athreyee commenced the evening concert with a Viruttham in Sankarabharanam, followed by ‘Meru samana’ by Saint Tyagaraja with engaging kalpanaswaras at the pallavi. Sublime rendition The …

Kalyani

2 weeks ago

Cherthala Renganatha Sarma and J.A. Jayanth unravelled the layers of ragas

The Hindu

Cherthala K. N. Renganatha Sharma’s concert on the inaugural day of the three-day Mangaluru Sangeethotsava 2024 featured an eclectic mix of kritis. Veenai Kuppaier’s Behag varnam ‘Vanajaaksha ninnae nammithi’ made for a pleasant beginning. The Veenai Kuppaier’s Behag varnam ‘Vanajaaksha ninnae nammithi’ made for a pleasant beginning. Renganatha Sharma even included a crisp RTP in Saveri with the pallavi ‘Sri …

Jayanth

5 months ago

Rishabh Kaushik’s vocal concert was a showcase of talent

The Hindu

What stood out in Rishabh Kaushik’s Nadhasangam concert for Narada Gana Sabha held at its Mini Hall recently was his diligence. After a crisp raga alapana of Vachaspathi, Rishabh presented Papanasam Sivan’s ‘Paraathpara Parameswara’. Oothukadu Venkata Kavi’s poignant Ritigowla song ‘Enna punniyam seidaeno’ in Misra Chapu was followed by the main kriti ‘Kaligiyuntegada’ by Tyagaraja. While the concert underlined Rishabh’s …

Rishabh

7 months ago

On a musical trip to Madurai, Rameswaram and Thanjavur

The Hindu

Naada Inbam’s Kshetra Sankirthana Vaibhavam series was an exciting musical journey through the temple towns of Tamil Nadu. Another Lalgudi Jayaraman composition that Vikram sang was ‘Thenmadurai vaazh annaiye’ in Hamsarupini, with a lilting chittaswara. Another song that Vikram offered on Meenakshi was ‘Madhura madhura Meenakshi’ by Swami Dayananda Saraswathi in raga Bageshri. On Rameswaram, Vikram offered, after an elaborate …

Madurai Vikram Temple Rama Raga Thanjavur Meenakshi

11 months, 3 weeks ago

N.J. Nandini showed why song selection matters too

The Hindu

Trivandrum N.J. Nandini presented a well-planned two-hour recital at The Music Academy. Beginning with Ambujam Krishna’s ‘Iniyaagilum ninai’ in Purvikalyani, Nandini consistently demonstrated clarity in sangatis in all the pieces she performed. Even her selection of phrase for swarakalpana in Tyagaraja’s ‘Samajavaragamana’ proved to be engaging – she centred her swaras on the phrase ‘Murali vaadana’ in the charanam landing …

Nandini Raga

1 year, 2 months ago

Jayanthi Kumaresh’s veena never fails to delight the audience

The Hindu

Clarity and technical prowess are the two words that come to mind when one witnesses a performance by senior veena vidushi Jayanthi Kumaresh. This was preceded by a brief yet clear outline of Mukhari for the timeless kriti ‘Enraikku shivakripai’, which was poignantly sung by KVN in several of his kutcheris. While her approach has transcended cultural boundaries and enhanced …

Raga Ragas Jayanthi

1 year, 4 months ago

Ashwath Narayanan, Krishna Excel with Virtuoso Renditions

Deccan Chronicle

A stellar performance by Ashwath Narayanan drew wholesome applause from followers of Carnatic music and brought the curtains down on the mid-season festival of Kalasagaram. Ashwath Narayanan’s rendition exemplified how being under the tutelage of a good guru and patanthara can pay dividends. A special mention has to be made about K. V. Krishna’s mesmerising raga alapana, which were in …

Krishna

1 year, 5 months ago

C.V.P. Sastry’s concert brought forth Balamuralikrishna’s ability to challenge dominant narratives with his compositions

The Hindu

On the occasion of vidwan M. Balamuralikrishna’s 93rd birth anniversary, Sarvani Sangeetha Sabha organised a concert by Chivukula Venkata Pery Sastry. Sastry and Krishna presented a neat delineation of the raga in their alapana preceding the kriti ‘Mahaneeya madhura murte’. ‘Nee daya rada’, another composition by Balamuralikrishna, set to Adi tala, was energetically rendered with niraval and kalpanaswaras at the …

Concert Raga Sainath Laya Sastry Balamuralikrishna

1 year, 9 months ago

‘Minakshi - The Warrior Prinicess’, a digital album, themed on Syama Sastri ’s Navaratnamalika

The Hindu

This album is not just about songs, but traces Syama Sastri’s devotion to Meenakshi, the powerful warrior, who transformed into a goddess and is enshrined inside the 700-year-old landmark structure at Madurai. The album begins with ‘Udhyadh bhanu sahasrakoti sadrusham ’, from Meenakshi Pancharatnam, followed by the kriti ‘Devi meena nethri’ in Sankarabharanam, Adi tala, with seamless niraval and swaraprastaras. …

Bhaskar Meenakshi Mishra Chapu Syama Sastri Raga Sankari Sankarabharanam

1 year, 11 months ago

Vijay Siva offered a mixed musical bag

The Hindu

A purposeful career, shaped by good musical values and a sharply defined style, steered Vijay Siva’s concert to a satisfactory finale at the Indian Fine Arts Society. The opening pieces lacked conviction as Vijay Siva attempted kritis such as ‘Thera theeyaga rada’ and ‘Ikanaina’. ‘Jayathu gokula vasa’ in Adi 2 kalai, though not commonly heard, has an engaging structure and …

Vijay Siva Vijay Siva Chapu

1 year, 11 months ago

H.V. Srivatsan: Keeping alive the KVN bani

The Hindu

The guru-sishya relationship is the pivot around which music is carried forward to the next generation. The vocalist chose to render Swati Tirunal’s Navarathri kriti, ‘Devi jagad janani.’ The extensive niraval and swaraprastara were at the anupallavi, ‘Devamakuta mani.’ Mridangam exponent Trichur Narendran offered a powerful, yet aesthetic thani. Srivatsan commenced the concert with the Chaya Tarangini composition by Tyagaraja, …

Kvn Chapu Srivatsan Viloma Chapu

1 year, 11 months ago

Prasanna Venkatraman’s alapanas stood out for their traditional interpretations

The Hindu

Prasanna Venkatraman’s concert at Madhuradhwani was distinguished by neat presentation and perfect diction. Warming up with a less heard Kanada varnam ‘Ninne kori’ in Adi talam by Tiruvottiyur Thyagayyar, Prasanna launched into ‘Anudinamunu kavumayya’, the Begada kriti by Poochi Srinivasa Iyengar. Prasanna’s raga alapanas stood out for their traditional interpretations and his elaborate delineation of three ragas competed for main …

Adi Raga Rishabhapriya Interpretations Prasanna Kriti Rendition

1 year, 11 months ago

Nisha Rajagopalan makes an impact with her Varali raga alapana

The Hindu

With a voice that negotiates curves with ease, Nisha Rajagopalan lit her concert up with ragas that shone further with her involuntary loops. Syama Sastri’s ‘Parvati ninnune’ in the lesser-heard Kalgada came second, with sangatis proceeding nicely on predictable lines. The singer’s nasal notes steered a vocal-violin rally in Semmangudi spirit.. Varali, as sub-main, opened with a bold alapana journeying …

Hemalatha Nisha Varali Raga

1 year, 11 months ago

Neyveli Santhanagopalan’s poignant rendition

The Hindu

Neyveli Santhanagopalan, who was greeted with thunderous applause as the curtains went up at his morning concert, treated listeners to a performance packed with aesthetic, emotional and musical elements. The niraval/swaras were at, ‘Tyagaraja nutudu sri ramuni tatvamu.’ This section bristled with colourful phrases. After a beautiful Begada alapana, Santhanagopalan rendered ‘Lokavana chatura’. In the RTP in Surutti, the vocalist …

Santhanagopalan

2 years ago

The evening belonged to Priya

The Hindu

Veteran vocalists, Shanmukhapriya and Haripriya, are known for their rich manodharma. At Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan’s December music festival 2022, Shanmukhapriya began the alapana and let Haripriya continue it and together the Priya Sisters produced a thoroughly enjoyable Rishabhapriya. Pattammal’s composition, ‘Panniru Kaiyane’, would have guessed, the vocalists took up that composition and sang it beautifully, with a long tail of …

Priya Haripriya Rishabhapriya Evening Belonged Priya Sisters

2 years ago

Charulatha Chandrasekar began her Naadhabrahmam concert on a promising note

The Hindu

Charulatha Chandrasekar’s veena recital in Naadhabrahmam’s 21st year concert series established that musical expertise is independent of age. Gopalakrishna Bharati’s fast moving ‘Sababathikku veru deivam’ in Abhogi, with brisk swarakalpana, was followed by a precise and sober raga essay of Sahana for Tyagaraja’s ‘E vasudha nivanti daivamu’. Here too, Charulatha embellished the kriti with swaras at ‘Dasa varada tyagaraja hrudaya.’ …

Charulatha Naadhabrahmam Concert

2 years ago

Bhavya Hari’s renditions added richness to the listening experience

The Hindu

For Arkay Convention Centre’s 12th anniversary series, Bhavya Hari showcased the full range of her scintillating talents in her evening concert. Impressive alapana The main kriti that Bhavya took up for her recital was the magnum opus by Muthuswami Dikshitar, ‘Akshaya linga vibho’, in a majestic Sankarabharanam, decorated with an impressive raga alapana and niraval at the charanam, ‘Badari vana …

Kriti Bhavya Thiruppugazh This Kriti Bhavya Hari

2 years ago

Vivek Sadasivam scored with his Pantuvarali and Vagadeeswari essays

The Hindu

Vivek Sadasivam rendered Pantuvarali and Vagadeeswari for equally long durations in his two-hour vocal at Naadhabrahmam, contrasting the beauty of the two ragas set to different times of day. Both ‘Shambho mahadeva’ and ‘Paramatmudu velige’ were Tyagaraja’s; only that an entailing tani avartanam for the second defined its status as the main. The medium-paced ‘Shambho mahadeva’ didn’t exactly match the …

Vivek Pantuvarali Alapana Vagadeeswari

2 years, 3 months ago

How T.V. Sankaranarayanan’s music combined style and substance

The Hindu

Sankaranarayanan will continue to be celebrated for his authenticity. Sankaranarayanan’s father, Vembu Iyer, offered competent vocal support to Madurai Mani Iyer and continued the link. The Trinity was the core set, but he embraced a lot of Tamil compositions by Papanasam Sivan, Gopalakrishna Bharathi, Koteeswara Iyer, Tamil moovar and Arunachalakavi without seeking Ra Ra Maa raga Asaveri / repeat shuffle …

Music His Music Sankaranarayanan Madurai Mani Iyer

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Search results for alapana

Sowmya displays her musical acumen through her intelligent choices

Ashwath Narayanan presents a classy Kamboji at The Music Academy’s December music festival

S. Srivathsan’s unique ‘Ragam Tanam Mallari’ heightened the appeal of his concert

A. Kanyakumari and Vittal Rangan presented a delightful string theory

Brindha Manickavasakan captured the mood of every kriti

Aathreyee Krishnaa’s concert shone with rare kritis

Cherthala Renganatha Sarma and J.A. Jayanth unravelled the layers of ragas

Rishabh Kaushik’s vocal concert was a showcase of talent

On a musical trip to Madurai, Rameswaram and Thanjavur

N.J. Nandini showed why song selection matters too

Jayanthi Kumaresh’s veena never fails to delight the audience

Ashwath Narayanan, Krishna Excel with Virtuoso Renditions

C.V.P. Sastry’s concert brought forth Balamuralikrishna’s ability to challenge dominant narratives with his compositions

‘Minakshi - The Warrior Prinicess’, a digital album, themed on Syama Sastri ’s Navaratnamalika

Vijay Siva offered a mixed musical bag

H.V. Srivatsan: Keeping alive the KVN bani

Prasanna Venkatraman’s alapanas stood out for their traditional interpretations

Nisha Rajagopalan makes an impact with her Varali raga alapana

Neyveli Santhanagopalan’s poignant rendition

The evening belonged to Priya

Charulatha Chandrasekar began her Naadhabrahmam concert on a promising note

Bhavya Hari’s renditions added richness to the listening experience

Vivek Sadasivam scored with his Pantuvarali and Vagadeeswari essays

How T.V. Sankaranarayanan’s music combined style and substance