N Ramani (Flute) & M Balamuralikrishna (Vocal) - A concert of novel experimentation (1970s)
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- Опубліковано 12 вер 2024
- Sankranti is a festival held across India, under a variety of names, to honour the god of the sun, Surya. It heralds the change of season--end of winter and the arrival of spring. To celebrate the festival of “change,” we offer an old concert, that celebrates the change of form to demonstrate the changeless aspect of music.
What inspired Dr. M Balamuralikrishna (BMK) to carry out some novel experimentation such as using flute as an accompaniment in the mid 1970s?
An appropriate excerpt, reproduced below, from the book “The Splendour of Swaras” by Sri. B M Sundaram provides a clue to the above question.
‘During one of the informal chats, BMK was questioned by a friend, "How is it that the violin has gained so much importance and become inevitable in music concerts?". BMK said, "Nothing is inevitable in this world, other than God. It is only our own misconception that this or that instrument is inevitable. All through the years, the vidwāns held violin in a high place and inculcated a wrong notion that this instrument is inevitable for supporting them on the stage and naturally, the artistes, who handle that instrument gained much importance. I do not, in any way, demean their talent. They are great, no doubt, as artiste. A viola and violin player myself, I know, how difficult it is to master the instrument.” ‘
Knowing BMK and his penchant for resourceful novelty, a conversation like the above, must have triggered him to actually undertake in practice concerts to try out different accompaniments than the usually accepted violin and mridangam.
There was a vocal recital in Sri Krishna Gana Sabha, Madras, with T.H. Vinayakaram's 'Ghatam' accompaniment, in 1975.
Then he tried by dropping the violin and substituting it with veena by Tanjavur G. Lakshamanan. With this, BMK gave a number of concerts. He even presented a few concerts without any accompaniment except the tambura.
The year 1977 saw BMK team up with Dr N. Ramani to provide support on the flute. This meet of two melody kings, offered a delicious feast to fortunate listeners.
We are indeed fortunate to discover some of the recordings from then, to experience those experimentations of 1970s.
Here is one such sample concert, where BMK, Dr. N Ramani and Sri. U K Sivaraman come together to present a concert of change.
This rare concert shows us how each artiste could possibly approach the subtle aspects of nāda, laya and bhāva from the point of their own manódharma. Also, how the right measure of spontaneity, creativity and coordination could facilitate building a larger canvas for expression with the fabric of melody. Be it an interplay of sangatīs in Māruvadhanyāsi; interplay of rhythmic patterns between the strokes of mridangam and svara-vinyāsam; singing svarams at the end of pallavi or anupallavi in the rendition of Dévādidéva; yati patterns such as gāna, sāmagāna, nīsāmagāna, māsāmagāna, sadāsāmagāna, etc., enable the listener to behold multiple dimensions of our music, transcending the mere form of presentation. Metaphorically, it can be like witnessing multiple rainbows in the sky, some obviously seen and many visible subtly.
Listening to this concert now, after some 40 years of initiation of this form, highlights our conditioned listening to Violin, Mridangam accompaniments form of concerts. It demands of us a newer attention to recognise the change of form of this concert in order to still perceive the underlying principles of nāda, laya and bhāva. To that extent, it requires a paradigm shift to recognise the change of form; and thus not to listen by comparing with the much used to conditioned form.
The concert of such experimentation, vocal with flute, seems to demonstrate the changeless principles through the change of concert form. Enjoy this novel concert and partake in the feast of the coming together of nāda, laya and bhāva dished out to us by the three acclaimed performers.
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The concert details [Time shown is the START time]
01 - Ninu nera nammiti - Varnam - Kharaharapriya - BMK [00’ 05”]
02 - Shobillu saptaswara - Jaganmóhini- Tyāgarāja [09’ 12”]
03 - Mrudu bhāshaña - Māruva dhanyāsi - Tyāgarāja [29’ 03”]
04 - Dévadi déva - Sunādavinódini - M Vasudevachar [36’ 12"]
05 - Gāna mālinchi - Kalyāna vasanta - BMK
06 - Varaleela gānalola - Shankārabharanam - Tyāgarāja [1 11’41’’]
07 - Nanu pālimpa - Móhana - Tyāgarāja [1 57’ 50’’]
08 - Krishnam kalaya sakhi - Mukhāri - Nārayana Tirtha [2 07’ 26’’]
09 - Nārayanaté Namó - Behāg - T Annamacharya [2 15’ 55’’]
10 - Tillana - Kadanakūtuhala - BMK [2 21’ 20’’]
11 - Nagumó galavāni - Madhyamāvati - Tyāgarāja [2 30’ 10’’]
11 - Mangalalam - Madhyamāvati - BMK [2 33’ 45’’]
My sincere thanks to Sri. Ravi Josh for sourcing the audio and Sri. T K Ramkumar for his support in bringing out this album.
Really a magnificent concert by a great maestro with wonderful pakkavadyam
A great concert by maestros and with another senior musician Sri Balamurali revels in taking the music to heights of excellence and perfection. An invaluable contribution by Sreenivasa Murthy, Ramkumar, Ravi Joshi and team to enrich our lives with mellifluous divine music, God bless them.
Thank you for this treasure!
A class classical rendition. Namasthe.
Proud to share that I was one of the fortunate (last row) rasikas, attended this feast.
What an apt heading
“Ramaniya Murali Ganam”.
The Samkramanam of the Three Giants (at Sai Kala Mantapam, Mylapore) ,sponsored by Murali Ravali Art Centre.
If my memory is still on, this happened on a Krishna Jayanthi day (correct me if I am wrong).
That great Sankramanam of Sangeetha Surya Murali with a Murali by his side has been gifted on this Makara Samkramam Day !
If I am not mistaken,
Sri Ramani had provided a subdued support during this concert, while UKS tried to steal the show, with his masterly attacks.
One of memorable events in my lifetime.
Thank you Sreenivasamoorthyji for the Sankramana Prasaadham.
Listening to this recording established how classical music of very high intellectual manodharma can be performed offering entertaining experiences. It's a serious lesson for sincere students of Karnataka Sangitam.
I join Sri Nangali Srinivasa in offering rasika 🙏 to Sri Srinivasa Murthy garu and associates.
What an apt caption for the greatest concert.really,an apt gift for the muraligana Priya rasikas, when we are at the threshold of spring season. Thank you sir, for the upload of the concert by three great masters.
01 - 00:05 Ninu nera nammiti - Varnam - Kharaharapriya - BMK
02 - 09:12 Shobillu saptaswara - Jaganmóhini- Tyagaraja
03 - 29:03 Mrudu bhashaña - Maruva dhanyasi - Tyagaraja
04 - 36:12 Dévadi déva - Sunadavinódini - M Vasudevachar
05 - 1:11:41 Varaleela ganalola - Shankarabharanam - Tyagaraja
06 - 1:57:50 Nanu palimpa - Móhana - Tyagaraja
07 - 2:07:26 Krishnam kalaya sakhi - Mukhari - Narayana Tirtha
08 - 2:15:55 Narayanaté Namó - Behag - T Annamacharya
09 - 2:21:20 Tillana - Kadanakutuhala - BMK
10 - 2:30:10 Nagumó galavani - Madhyamavati - Tyagaraja
11 - 2:33:45 Mangalalam - Madhyamavati - BMK
Happy to hear this varnam. Thanks for the valuable share
🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
super great legends thanks for post
Three musical giants together !! What a musical feast. !!!
Thought that the restoration could have been a tad better. Not to criticize. I really enjoyed the concert. Thank you for sharing.
Wah!! Satisfied!
Thank you
Soulful
beautiful amalgum of two stalwarts.