R. Vedavalli @ Lakshmipuram, Chennai

Venue: Lakshmi Hall, Srinivasa Perumal Koil, Lakshmipuram, Chennai

Date: 30th Oct 2006

Organizer: Srinivasa Music & Fine Arts

Vocal: Smt. R. Vedavalli

Violin: Smt. Charulatha Ramanujam

Mridangam: Sri N. Manoj Siva

Ghatam: Sri N. Guruprasad

List of songs:

1) gnAnAnanda mayam (slOkam) – nAttai – vEdAnta dEsikan

2) pavanAtmajA – nAttai – kanDa chApu – muthuswAmi dIkshitar (S)

3) OrajUpuchUchEdi – kannadagOwLa – Adi – thyAgarAja

4) mammu brOchu patla – simhEndramadyamam – Adi – vInai kuppaier (ANS)

5) tuLasammA – dEvagAndhAri – Adi – thyAgarAja

6) Azhi ezha – sarasAngi – Adi – nammAzhvAr (?)

7) venkaTashaila – hamIr kalyANi – Adi – subbarAya sAstri

8 ) srI vEnkaTagirIsham – suruTTi – Adi – muthuswAmi dIkshitar (O)

9) O ranga sAyi – kAmbOji – Adi – thyAgarAja (ANS – main)

10) chediyAy (viruttam) in rAgAs kharaharapriyA, sAvEri, mOhanam and sindhubhairavi

naDanda kAlgaL – sindhubhairavi – Adi (tisra gati) – tirumAzhisai AzhvAr

11) pathiki hArathi – suruTTi – Adi – thyAgarAja

12) pavamAna (mangaLam) – sOwrAshtram – Adi – thyAgarAja

(Key: O = raga outline; A = raga alapana; N = neraval; S = kalpana swaram)

SVK, who organizes concerts at Nada Inbam, Raga Sudha Hall in Mylapore was asked to speak a few words before the concert started and I think he aptly summed up what Sangeetha Kalanidhi Smt. R. Vedavalli’s music stands for in the words “… times have changed but if there is one person whose quality of music is still the best without any dilution, it is probably Smt. R. Vedavalli”. This concert is the first one being organized by the new sabha Srinivasa Music and Fine Arts and I don’t think they could have wished for a better concert to start their sabha with.

Smt. R. Vedavalli’s music I feel stands for its purity and pure classical music it was yesterday too throughout the concert. The simhEndramadyamam and kambOji raga alapanas, the step by step neraval and kalpanA swarams were all a treat to the ears. Vedavalli mami also sang two songs in suruTTi, one of my favorite ragas. (A few days back, I had gone to Sugandha Kalamegam mami’s concert and there also had been treated with two kritis in suruTTI raga).

Smt. Charulatha Ramanujam, who is no stranger to playing for Vedavalli mami, followed her like a shadow and played really well. Sri Manoj Siva and Sri Guruprasad also accompanied very well, playing with lot of sowkhyam and never beating their instruments loudly.