A Pure Carnatic Evening by Smt. R. Vedavalli

The carnatic concert by Sangeetha Kalanidhi Smt. R. Vedavalli on 21st October 2008 at Ravindra Bharathi, Hyderabad offered classical music in its purest form to the audience. The concert was organized by SICA, Hyderabad in the memory of Dr. Vinjamuri Varadaraja Iyengar. Smt. Vedavalli, known for presenting the carnatic music in its pure and holy form, rendered the compositions of the trinity of carnatic music along with compositions of Patnam Subramanya Iyer, Mysore Vasudevacharya and Purandara Dasa. Smt. Charulatha Ramanujam provided support on violin and Sri K. Sivakumar on mridangam. Smt. Sumathi, Smt. Vedavalli's disciple, provided vocal support.

The concert started with the Ghanaragamalika Varnam composed by Dr. Vinjamuri, in whose honor this concert was organized by SICA, Hyderabad. The next few compositions in Rudrapriya, Vachaspathi and Marga Hindolam set the mood for a perfect evening. After the ragalapana of Panthuvarali and a short krithi of Shyama Sastri in Manji, the main highlight of the evening 'Ekamresa Nayaki' composed by Dikshitar set to raga Shanmukhapriya was rendered. The ragalapana was in great detail and the rendering of the words reflected the bhavam of the composition. The concert ended with short compositions in Suruthi, Abheri and Kaanada. Overall, it was a wonderful and memorable concert.

Photo Courtesy: Google Pages

The entire concert is recorded. You can download the full concert in the form of two zip files: file 1 and file 2. You can find the individual MP3s below.

If there are any copyright issues for putting the MP3s for free download, please let me know. I will remove the access to files in that case. I am hoping that the MP3s downloaded from here are ONLY for personal use and will NOT be used for commercial purposes.

1. Introduction (MP3)
2. Ghanaragamalika Varnam - Adi- Nata,Gowla,Arabhi,Sri,Varali - Dr.Vinjamuri Varadaraja Iyengar (MP3)
3. Gananayakam - Adi - Rudrapriya - MuthuswamiDikshitar (MP3, Lyrics)
4. Yennadu Nee Krupa - Adi - Vachaspati - Patnam Subramanya Iyer (MP3, Lyrics)
5. Chalamelara Saketa Rama - Adi - Marga Hindolam - Thyagaraja (MP3, Lyrics)
6. Ninnu Nera Namminanura - Rupaka - Panthuvarali - Thyagaraja (MP3, Lyrics)
7. Brovavamma Tamasa - Misra Chapu - Manji - Shyama Sastri (MP3, Lyrics)
8. Ekamresa Nayaki - Adi - Shanmukhapriya - Muthuswami Dikshitar (MP3)
   Neravel : 'kAnchi nagara nivAsini'
   Thani Avarthanam
9. Slokam - Pathiki Harathire - Adi - Suruthi - Thyagaraja (MP3, Lyrics)
10. Gokulanilaya Krupaalaya Paalaya - Adi - Abheri - Mysore Vasudevacharya (MP3, Lyrics)
11. Sreekantha Enagistu Daya Mado Than De - Misra Chapu - Kaanada - Purandara Dasa (MP3, Lyrics)
12. Thillana (MP3)
13. Bhavamana (Mangalam) - Adi - Saurashram - Thyagaraja (MP3)

The Hindu gave the following review about the concert:

South Indian Cultural Association (SICA) has been religiously holding memorial concerts of Vinjamuri Varadaraja Iyengar, since his demise in 1999, with the assistance of the musician’s family. Most of the vocalists who are invited are senior musicians, who either know Iyengar directly or have full knowledge of the late musician’s contribution. Invariably, they include one or two compositions of this late veteran composer-vocalist, in their repertoire.

R.Vedavalli of Chennai who gave concert on the opening day of this year’s two-day memorial festival held at Ravindra Bharathi, opened with Varadaraja Iyengar’s Ghanaraga malika varnam with swarakalpana in each of the respective Ghana ragas. Vedavalli, as many would know, is a Sangeetha Kalanidhi of Madras Music Academy and is on various expert committees too. No wonder, she took time to set her aging voice in order and once she did it, the concert gained momentum.