Its Ranjani Gayatri after MLV
Been listening to all of RG's albums released thru Rajalakshmi Audio recently. I almost nagged a friend of mine who visited India to buy their albums especially. I am using my accident and disability leave time to listen to them day and night.
What can be said about this duo! On the first hearing, it made me drop things from my hand, stop from doing everything else, wide open my eyes towards my music system, and gape in awe. Their sweet honey dew melody and razor sharp synchronization were what struck me first. Then as I listened more and more, their care in planning the concert, their maintaining individual space and creativity during raga alapana and kalpanaswaras deserved notice and respect. How much ever synchronization is achieved in sangathis and mudivus, that much space is also present for each's display of vocal capabilities and imagination.
Ranjani's sounded to be a base voice with the right amount of tonal variations and Gayatri's slightly shriller with nasal accent at certian octaves. Naturally, my mind developed a tinge of MORE liking for Ranjani's voice than Gayatri's though I know I am not just in choosing between them. Can I not listen without judging.
Their choice of krithis requires remarkable applaud. Kelvippadatha keerthanaigal. Undoubtedly, excellent research work and practice behind the scenes. But, my Tamil comprehension is not so strong to appreciate the meaning of their viruttams. I am flabbergasted now and then.
Praises apart, there are few points that they could work towards improving. Gayatri does seem to dominate an iota when she starts the viruttam and most of the alapanas. Also, Ranjani takes the lower octaves and establishes the raga for main krithis while Gayatri thrives from and develops them further to higher octaves. Gayatri also ends up doing all the fireworks and mudivus. For a change, why don't they reverse the roles and try a concert.
I also noticed that they have not released any albums with Charsur. Releasing albums thru Charsur wud bring them more learned audience, enable their capabilities as musicians a little bit more since Charsur always defines the Theme behind their albums. Further, Charsur's albums always comes with a good write up on the songs and the authors/music composers. Rajalakshmi Audios didn't have too many write ups attached to their CDs though they have the lyrics online in their site. For example, TMKrishna's album on Ambujam Krishna thru Charsur had a wonderful write up on the composer while RG's album on Ambujam Krishna didn't have any, not even a picture of the great lady.
RG is definitely Empress of the carnatic music world and they know better. These are only my humble ramblings.
When I wrote the review for Sanjay Sub's concert, I have mentioned that his Sindhubairavi and Mohanam are the best of the season that I heard. Enna muhurtham? Why did I write that was the end of season? There was a concert of RG scheduled one week later and I was fully aware of that. I met with a car accident and Sanjay's turned out to be the last concert of the year for me. Misfortune at its peak for a vivid RG listener.
RG's blog: (with two posts from Gayatri so far)
http://ranjanigayatri.blogspot.com
Going back in time, the very first time I heard RG is their Rangapura Vihara in Youtube. Taken aback and mesmerized. Yaaruda eva endru viyandhae ponen. Also captivating was their saree combination !! I thought, concert mummurathula, they forgot and interchanged their blouses! ! My friends had to explain this naivete that that's the fashion in India. ;-))
This song is Sundareswaruni_KovurPancharatnam_Sankarabaranam.
This one is KaalaiThookki_YadhukulaKamboji_Marimuthupillai
What can be said about this duo! On the first hearing, it made me drop things from my hand, stop from doing everything else, wide open my eyes towards my music system, and gape in awe. Their sweet honey dew melody and razor sharp synchronization were what struck me first. Then as I listened more and more, their care in planning the concert, their maintaining individual space and creativity during raga alapana and kalpanaswaras deserved notice and respect. How much ever synchronization is achieved in sangathis and mudivus, that much space is also present for each's display of vocal capabilities and imagination.
Ranjani's sounded to be a base voice with the right amount of tonal variations and Gayatri's slightly shriller with nasal accent at certian octaves. Naturally, my mind developed a tinge of MORE liking for Ranjani's voice than Gayatri's though I know I am not just in choosing between them. Can I not listen without judging.
Their choice of krithis requires remarkable applaud. Kelvippadatha keerthanaigal. Undoubtedly, excellent research work and practice behind the scenes. But, my Tamil comprehension is not so strong to appreciate the meaning of their viruttams. I am flabbergasted now and then.
Praises apart, there are few points that they could work towards improving. Gayatri does seem to dominate an iota when she starts the viruttam and most of the alapanas. Also, Ranjani takes the lower octaves and establishes the raga for main krithis while Gayatri thrives from and develops them further to higher octaves. Gayatri also ends up doing all the fireworks and mudivus. For a change, why don't they reverse the roles and try a concert.
I also noticed that they have not released any albums with Charsur. Releasing albums thru Charsur wud bring them more learned audience, enable their capabilities as musicians a little bit more since Charsur always defines the Theme behind their albums. Further, Charsur's albums always comes with a good write up on the songs and the authors/music composers. Rajalakshmi Audios didn't have too many write ups attached to their CDs though they have the lyrics online in their site. For example, TMKrishna's album on Ambujam Krishna thru Charsur had a wonderful write up on the composer while RG's album on Ambujam Krishna didn't have any, not even a picture of the great lady.
RG is definitely Empress of the carnatic music world and they know better. These are only my humble ramblings.
When I wrote the review for Sanjay Sub's concert, I have mentioned that his Sindhubairavi and Mohanam are the best of the season that I heard. Enna muhurtham? Why did I write that was the end of season? There was a concert of RG scheduled one week later and I was fully aware of that. I met with a car accident and Sanjay's turned out to be the last concert of the year for me. Misfortune at its peak for a vivid RG listener.
RG's blog: (with two posts from Gayatri so far)
http://ranjanigayatri.blogspot.com
Going back in time, the very first time I heard RG is their Rangapura Vihara in Youtube. Taken aback and mesmerized. Yaaruda eva endru viyandhae ponen. Also captivating was their saree combination !! I thought, concert mummurathula, they forgot and interchanged their blouses! ! My friends had to explain this naivete that that's the fashion in India. ;-))
This song is Sundareswaruni_KovurPancharatnam_Sankarabaranam.
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This one is KaalaiThookki_YadhukulaKamboji_Marimuthupillai
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Hey Arthi
ReplyDeleteYour writing is so good...Enjoyed every word.Keep it up Guess you wud have heard the abhangs of RG too....They are mesmerising...
Dee
Nice to read your review.. I am an ardent fan of RG. The first time I heard them, I ransacked the web left right centre to find all possible works of them! Next to MS amma. They both drip bhakthi in every word they sing!
ReplyDeleteMS and MLV add different perspective to carnatic music. We will discuss that more. I will update you when I could post new articles . thank you.
Delete