Prarthana Rao @ TTD Information Center, Chennai

Venue: TTD Information Center, Venkatanarayana Road, T. Nagar, Chennai

Date: 21 May 2007

Organizer: TTD Information Center

Vocal: Vid Prarthana Rao

Violin: Vid Karaikkal Venkatasubramaniam

Mrudangam: Vid Erode Nagaraj

Tambura: Vid Keerthana Rao

List of songs:

1) inta mODi (varnam) – sArangA – Adi – tiruvOtriyUr tyAgayya (O)

2) vandE anisham aham – hamsadhwani – Adi – mysore vAsudEvAcAr (S)

3) sAdincanE – Arabhi – Adi – tyAgarAja

4) cani tODi tEvE – harikAmbOji – Adi – tyAgarAja (ANS)

5) shrInivAsa nInE pAlisO – Anandabhairavi – Adi – purandaradAsa

6) innu daya bAradE – kalyANavasantam – kanDa cApu – purandaradAsa (A)

7) praNamAmyaham shrI prANanAtham – ranjani – misra tripuTa – mysore vAsudEvAcAr

8 ) kamalAmbAm bhajarE – kalyAni – Adi – muthuswAmi dIkshitar (ANST)

9) venkaTAcala nilayam – sindhubhairavi – Adi – purandaradAsa

10) tuNai purindaruL – sudha hindOLam (varamu) – Adi – pApanAsam sivan

11) kurai onrum illai – rAgamAlikA – Adi – c.rAjagOpAlachAri

12) nI nAma rUpa mulaku (mangaLam) – saurAshTram – Adi – thyAgarAja

(Key: O=raga outline, A=raga alapana, N=neraval, S=kalpana swaram, T=taniavartanam)

Almost a galaxy of composers was represented by the choice of songs, with special emphasis on Purandaradasa & Mysore Vasudevachar. As a result, I got to hear a couple of songs for the first time ( songs 5 & 7 in the above list). I liked the kalyANavasantam alapanas by both the vocalist and the violinst. The experience of Sri Erode Nagaraj shone right through the concert both in the excellent way in which he accompanied for the songs as well as the way in which he played the taniavartanam.

If I remember the announcement made correctly, Vid Prarthana has been under the tutelage of Vid Mani Krishnaswamy, Vid T.K. Govinda Rao & Vid Chengleput Ranganathan and has also been taking guidance from Vid Kadri Gopalnath.

Hindu reviewer SVK’s presence was also announced. I think we can look forward to a review of this concert in the newspaper this Friday.