Thursday, October 2, 2014

Pahimam Sri Rajarashwari - Notation

Dear All,

Here is the link to the notation for the Maha Vaidyanatha Iyer krithi in Janaranjani raga, Pahimam Sri Rajarajeshwari -

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2usQL9U958MOVBEV0Fzcy1nNVE/edit?usp=sharing

Thanks,
Lalit

Friday, September 19, 2014

Tribute to Sri Mandolin U Srinivas



I am deeply saddened as I write this post.  Musical genius Mandolin Sri U Srinivas is no more.  This humble giant musician tragically passed away today at the very young age of 45.  As the whole music fraternity and billions of rasikas and fans of this avant-garde genius mourn, I thought it would be appropriate for me to write this post as my way of offering a tribute and sharing it with all of you.

In this day and age, we often find the phrase 'child prodigy' being used carelessly.  In the world of Indian Classical Music, there have however been only a handful of 'true' child prodigies, and Mandolin Srinivas was one of them; and one that later blossomed into one of the finest musicians of our time.  Born in 1969 in eastern Andhra to Sri U Satyanarayana, a musician and music teacher himself, young Srinivas took to playing western music on the mandolin under his father's guidance.  Very soon, he was attracted to Carnatic music and desired to play the Carnatic style on the mandolin, a feat that not been performed hitherto.  His father took him to his own Guru Sri Rudraraju Subbaraju who then taught Srinivas Carnatic music.  The Guru would sing the krithis and young Srinivas would flawlessly reproduce them on his electric mandolin!

Mandolin Srinivas gave his first public performance (arangetram) at the tender age of 9 in Gudivada, Andhra.  While connoisseurs and critics recognized the talent of the young boy, they were also too quick to criticize him for taking up the mandolin for Carnatic music, saying that it was unsuitable for classical music and even advised him to switch to a more traditional instrument.  However, the soft-spoken, ever smiling Srinivas was a true revolutionary and continued making sweet music on the mandolin and very soon all his critics were silenced!  Beginning with a cracker of a performance at IFAS when he was 12, he started a career of amazing concerts in Chennai.  Mandolin Srinivas grew in stature very quickly while he remained the humble and smiling boy everyone knew by then.  Very soon, Mandolin Srinivas was a household name, and he was touring not only all over India but all over the world!  When I was growing up I remember Mandolin Srinivas was a role model for all of us kids that were remotely associated with music!  As a school kid, I used to listen to a cassette album of his which had the sweetest Vatapi Ganapatim followed by kalpana swaras.

Apart from being a great Carnatic Musician, Mandolin Srinivas is known today as a band member of Remembering Shakti and many other acts where he collaborated with Hindustani musicians and Jazz musicians.  He was awarded the Padma Shri award (the fourth highest civilian award in India) at the young age of 29, which is an unthinkable feat, and he was also the recipient of awards like the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, Sangeeta Ratna, Mysore T. Chowdiah Memorial National Award, Sangeetha Bala Bhaskara by Sangeetha Kalanidhi M.S. Subbulakshmi, National Citizen's Award by The President of India among others.

When I think of Mandolin Srinivas, I think of a handsome young man, quiet, sitting on stage smiling and head bowed down over his tiny yet mighty mandolin immersed in music, while his fingers create magic.  I have not yet digested the fact that this gentle giant is no longer with us and that the only music we have of his is his recordings.

Please check out the links below for some of his music.

Not sure how old he is in this video, but looks very young -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H07Yqe5-daU 


This is when he was 20-21 -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtJ0bqgpyzE


His tribute to the great Lalgudi Jayaraman.  Don't miss the Charukesi varnam -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrIepcMALCI


Remembering Shakti -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGXcoDlhmoY


Here is a little tribute of his to another great musician who passed away young; Kanjira G Harishankar.  The irony - whatever he says about Harishankar-ji is applicable entirely to Mandolin Srinivas himself -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3Yzj4hIDYg


Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Tuesday, September 2, 2014

Thursday, July 10, 2014

Tuesday, July 8, 2014

Poornachandrika Thillana - notation

Here is the notation for this wonderful traditional Thillana in Poornachandrika raga composed by Ramnad (Poochi) Srinivasa Iyengar

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2usQL9U958Md056RXRiNTJ0QVk/edit?usp=sharing

Thanks

Monday, July 7, 2014

Himadri Suthe - notation

Dear All,

I have written the notation for the krithi Himadri Suthe Pahimam in Kalyani raga composed by Syama Sastri.  Here is the link -

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2usQL9U958MOV85TU9yMW9feVU/edit?usp=sharing

Thanks.

Thursday, July 3, 2014

Srimannarayana - notation & audio

I have written the notation for Srimannarayana in Bauli raga composed by Annamacharya.  Here is the link -

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2usQL9U958MZWllSTFrbjlxaXc/edit?usp=sharing

Here is a video of this krithi sung by Smt MS Subbulakshmi


Tuesday, July 1, 2014

Ramabhadra ra ra - audio and notation

Here is the notation for Ramabhadra Ra Ra in Anandabhairavi Raga, compsoed by Bhadrachala Ramdas

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2usQL9U958Manp4QW4xd0NGYmc/edit?usp=sharing

Here is a video of this krithi sung by Sri Neyveli Santhanagopalan


Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Thunai Purindarul - notation and audio

Here is the notation for Thunai Purindarul in Varamu Raga composed by Papanasam Sivan.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2usQL9U958MbHRNb3g4RFpFSGM/edit?usp=sharing

Also, here is a video of a wonderful rendition by none other than Vidwan Sri Neyveli R Santhanagopalan -



Thanks!

Tuesday, June 10, 2014

Sri Saraswathi notation & audio sung by me

Dear All,

Here is the next krithi notation I have written for you - Sri saraswatI namOstutE in ArabhI composed by muttuswAmI dIkshitar.

Here is the link -
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2usQL9U958MVGNJcWw4V0tKbzA/edit?usp=sharing

And here is the audio sung by me - https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2usQL9U958MVFJkeE1SYTVWSnc/edit?usp=sharing

Thanks!

Sunday, June 8, 2014

Alaipayudhe - notation & audio sung by me

Here's the notation I have written for the next song Alaipayudhe in kAnaDa composed by Sri Oothukadu Venkatasubbaiyer.  The notation can be accessed at -

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2usQL9U958MYmh3VmgwYWxNbjQ/edit?usp=sharing

Here's an audio of the krithi sung by me -

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2usQL9U958Mc2NtR3BtTHhYU1k/edit?usp=sharing

Thank you.

sItApatE notation

Please click on this link to access the notation for sItApatE in Ragam kamAs composed by Sri TyAgarAjA.


Thank you.

Sunday, June 1, 2014

Cleveland Aradhana Assignment results

Thank you all for submitting Cleveland Aradhana Assignments this year.  I have finished grading the essays and here are the results.

Results:
Best essay - Srihan (1st place), Suchita (2nd place)
Best observations - Sushmita (1st place), Bala (2nd place)
Best presentation - Nidhi (1st), Sriya (2nd) -- I really liked the pictures
Special mention - Srihan -- Nice presentation on your favorite composer Muthuswami Dikshitar

Congratulations!

* Please click on this link to view all the essays so you can read each other's work - https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B2usQL9U958MSjV1N0pyWmlHbW8&usp=sharing

Some of you have not submitted the assignments this year.  Some of you were not able to submit essays but have submitted the concert reports.  Next year I would like to see everyone submit the assignments!

Warmly,
Lalit

About me

I would like to invite you to visit two of my other webpages that I maintain -

My website that contains my bio - http://lalitsubramanian.weebly.com/

Casual blog where I occasionally write - http://lalit-blogs.blogspot.com/

Welcome to my new blog

Welcome!

श्री गुरुभ्यो नमः||


Dear All,

Welcome to my new blog page.  I intend to post music related articles on this blog.  Please enjoy and feel free to comment!

Warmly,
Lalit

Trinity

Trinity