Category Archives: Music

Brindavana Saranga

Sandeep & Vijayagopal’s awesome Brindavana Saranga in yesterday’s concert has got me hooked to this raagam. T.N.Seshagopalan’s Soundararajam, MS’ Rangapuravihara, Pandit Bhimsen Joshi’s Vrindavani Sarang and now, Sanjay’s Brindavana Saranga RTP. Can’t have enough of enjoying the various shades of this beautiful raagam!

Btw, I got to know from here and here that Pushpalatika is the Carnatic equivalent of Vrindavani Sarang. I haven’t heard this raagam at all. So, as usual, I had to check this page to know the aarohanam and avarohanam of this raagam. I am planning to listen to some songs in Pushpalatika tomorrow…

Cascade by Sandeep Narayan & Vijayagopal

Sandeep Narayan – Vocal
B.Vijayagopal – Flute
Arjun Ganesh – Mridangam
Nerkunam Shankar – Khanjira

Where & When? – At Music Academy (‘The Hindu’s ‘November Fest’) on 19th November

Concert Duration: 1 hr

Theme of the concert (if you could call it that): Desiya raagasraagas originating from Hindustani classical & folk

List of Songs:

1. reeNa madanutaBehag – brief alapana
2. Soundararajam – Brindavana Saranga – alapana; neraval & swarams at tumburunuta shrikaNtam duritapaha vaikuNTam – mini Tani
3. apaduru – Khamas – raaga outline

Ever since I saw the schedule of November Fest concerts, this was one concert that I wanted to go for, since the flute + vocal combo got me interested. And I am now happy that I went for it. This is the first time I am hearing Sandeep and Vijay and I should say that they both were brilliant.

Three very beautiful raagams, excellent singing, awesome flute – made my day! Complete silence at Music Academy created a perfect ambience to listen to this concert, making it all the more enjoyable. I really wished the concert could go on for some more time!

Brindavana Saranga itself was for some 45 minutes and every moment of it was pure bliss! I just loved the RMPN, NSRMPN, etc. swarams part of it sung in slow tempo.

I am really looking forward to attending more concerts of Sandeep & Vijayagopal in the future.

Bharat Sangeet Utsav Concerts

It took me two long weeks to overcome my laziness and type the songs list and write a small post on the concerts. What I did was type it in a word doc and without saving it, cut and paste it to wordpress. Just as I clicked on ‘Save and Continue Editing’ button, there was some problem with the net and my post never got saved! 🙁 To think that I have to write the post again! Anyway, here goes.
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Carnatic Music & Me – Part 3

During the December Season 2005, we again got Music Academy tickets, thanks to our neighbour. By then, Carnatic music had become a passion to me and my sister and we wanted to attend as many concerts as possible. My sister had her semester holidays and I had my semester exams at that time! But that didn’t stop me from going for concerts! I took my book along if I had to study something.
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Carnatic Music & Me – Part 2

The year 2002 is special since it was only in September 2002 that I first went for a concert of Sanjay Subrahmanyan at Siddhi Buddhi Sameta Sri Karpaga Vinayagar temple in R.A.Puram. I am not sure but I think he sang some song in Ananda Bhairavi (Marivere?) in that concert. I liked the concert and that was all.

During the December Season that year, his concert was at R.R.Sabha at 10 (or was it 10:30?) on a Saturday morning. The fact that the concert was in the morning made my sister and me go for it. We both went in our cycles to that concert. How I used to hate riding my cycle in the ever-congested Mada Streets of Mylapore! Reaching the venue, we came to know that his concert was earlier scheduled on some evening but it was later changed to a morning slot since Sanjay was to receive some award in Bombay on the scheduled day of the concert. If I remember correctly, there was a Bhairavi, Mukhari, Todi and the song Haridasulu Vedale sung in that concert. (Am wondering if he really sung all those!) Apart from that, I don’t remember anything at all about the concert except for the fact we really liked this concert of his too! Nithyasree’s at R.R.Sabha was the only other concert that I went to during the season that year. The sounds of dosa vaatthufying and other sounds coming from the canteen used to always be a constant accompaniment to all the concerts at R.R.Sabha. 😉
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Good Morning!

Waking up feeling super fresh. Humming O Rey Chori from the moment I wake up till now. Window seat. Cool breeze caressing my face. Reading one of the most beautiful love stories, Erich Segal’s ‘Only Love’, for the nth time. What a great start to the day! Looking forward to the rest of the day being as great as the beginning! 😉 Good Morning & Happy Weekend to you all!

Bliss!

pudhu veLLai mazhai, kummi aDi, uyirum neeye, thenmaerkku paruva kaaRRu, en veeTTu thoaTTattil, mellisaiye, azhage sugama, tu bin bataye – Pure Bliss!! Listening to tu bin bataye on a loop now! 🙂

Carnatic Music & Me – Part 1

As I was chatting with my friends over lunch yesterday, the conversation drifted to December Season and before I knew it, I was happily talking non-stop about the Season. None of my friends go for concerts or are interested in Carnatic music much. Despite that, the moment I get started about my passion, there’s no stopping me. 🙂 Talking about how excited I have been for the past two days ever since I saw Sanjay’s December Season schedule and talking about what an aural treat his concerts are going to turn out to be, etc., etc., I started reminiscing about Carnatic music and kutcheris. And born out of that reminiscence is this post – a post that I have wanted to write for a long time now.
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Rahman Rocks!

Today has been a musically very very satisfying day since I started the day with Rahman’s songs and till this moment, I have been listening to Rahman’s songs at every free moment I could get. Even though you know you keep saying this so very often, yet there are moments when you are completely lost in Rahman’s blissful music and all you can say is ‘Rahman, you rock!’ No words will ever be enough to express the magic of Rahman’s music and no words can do justice to the brilliant music he creates. These are moments when I feel so happy and proud to be a Rahmaniac. Now is one such! 🙂