South Indian Carnatic Classical Music

[quad]

NCPA in conjunction with Sony Music opens up its treasure trove of Archival Music | Releases MASTERWORKS from the NCPA ARCHIVES | NCPA Mumbai

Anyone tried the NCPA CDs from Sony? I read a good review in The Hindu
on the Balamurali CD. Reasonably priced at Rs 150.

 

[moktan]

I would like to suggest you Kadri Goplanath , the only world famous Saxophone player from India. He had cut quite a number of Indian Classical albums. Most of his albums are from Sound India labels, while there is one from Music Today that contains North Indian style classical by Kadri.

Also check some albums from Nadswaram (or Naag Swaram?) players, I have one album in my collection .

Regards

i am not much into carnatic music but another great sax player with Indian roots is Rudresh Mahanthappa. The Italian born alto sax cat has collaborated with the celebrated jazz pianist Vijay Iyer in Panoptic Modes. Mahanthappa's improvisatory flourishes with the sax at time sound like a carnatic violin.

 

[matbhuvi]

I am new to this genre of music. My only taste of carnatic music is through some Ilayaraja numbers. Spoiled by bollywood and kollywood music, I would like try a slow transition. Can you recommend some albums for a beginner like me..thanks.

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

I'd say that instrumental is easier for the beginner than vocal. Try some flute, some violin. Try T N Krishnan, violin: his music is just so sweet!

If you want to understand what is going on in the music (like, this bit is neraval, that bit is kalpana swara...) then vocal is much easier, even to one such as I who does not understand any of the languages.

Anyway, enjoyment should come first. Do not listen to anyone who tells you that you have to understand carnatic music to enjoy it. I've been proving them wrong for nearly twenty years!

 

[Divakar7]

Those of you who like Kadri Gopalnath and Rudresh Mahanthappa should check out the album Kinsmen where they perform together. Superb! Excellently recorded too. In fact, Rudresh was gifted a CD of Kadri by his brother as a joke. But he was quite blown away by what Kadri was doing on the saxophone...

 

[Divakar7]

@Thad I love MSG's violin. He plays both Carnatic and Hindustani, which is quite remarkable

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

I have seen him give a Hindustani concert one evening and a Carnatic one the next. Both wonderful programs.

 

[canchi]

I have seen him give a Hindustani concert one evening and a Carnatic one the next. Both wonderful programs.

Staying on the subject, here is a CD I have on MSG and hindustani music, one word - sublime!



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[Divakar7]

Don't have that album, will check on flipkart

 

[balu613]

I am always on the lookout for good recordings of old M.S. Subbulakshmi concerts. During my recent visit to Sankara Hall in Chennai, I saw a number of live concerts released by Charsur Digital Works in their Paddhatti series. Can anyone who has heard them comment on their sound quality?

 

[canchi]

I am always on the lookout for good recordings of old M.S. Subbulakshmi concerts. During my recent visit to Sankara Hall in Chennai, I saw a number of live concerts released by Charsur Digital Works in their Paddhatti series. Can anyone who has heard them comment on their sound quality?

While on the subject of MS Subbalakshmi, I had the opportunity of meeting her in Chennai.This pic was taken in 1991 in Chennai.After a function at which Smt MS Subbalakshmi sang and as she was leaving the hall, I mustered enough courage to go upto her and ask for a photo with her and Sri T Sadasivam. "Dhaaralama ekadalaame" , she said, extremely magnanimously. After the 1st pic, she insisted a second one be taken since her hand was covering her face! This is that first pic and I am still searching for the second one! (Am the geeky guy between and behind MS Amma and Sri T Sadasivam)



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[Asit]

I have heard or read somewhere that Mr. Sadashivam (husband of MS) was called Mr. Sada-givam by many , because he used to donate very very heavily to charity.

 

[Gerry_the_Merry]

Balu 613, I have the 1966 concert in 2 LPs of MS Subbalakshmi...more as a collectors item than from wanting to listen to them (not my favourite artiste).

On the original topic of this thread, I wonder if anyone has heard L Shankar's 5 ragas. They are Kiravani, Hemavati, Savitri, Shankarabharanam, Aberi. They are all structurally hard-core carnatic classical, though L Shankar's unorthodox presentation is visible.

The files are commonly downladable in flac format (ask for Shankar Pancha Nada Pallavi flac).

The sound is quite brilliant in all but the #2, and #3, where it is a bit shrill. But in the Kiravani, his double violin makes his impact.

He is much more musical than his brother Subramaniam, but obviously less inclined to be classical. However he has stayed disciplined in this set.

The acocmpaniments are naturally top class (Vinayak Ram, Zakir Hussain).

The first 2 are enchanting, to say the least (one must tolerate a bit of tuneless singing in the beginning).

Through all this, his virtuosity is unbelievable.

 

[sughosh]

On the original topic of this thread, I wonder if anyone has heard L Shankar's 5 ragas. They are Kiravani, Hemavati, Savitri, Shankarabharanam, Aberi. They are all structurally hard-core carnatic classical, though L Shankar's unorthodox presentation is visible.

There are few more Shankar albums:

- Violin ecstasy (pure classical with Zakir / Palghat Mani) - Mohanam / Kadanakutuhalam
- Nobody told me (Vocal album - can be a bit grating) - Hamsadhwani / Chakravakam / Hindolam
- Soul Searcher (Also vocal, bit too much falsetto singing but beautiful raga Kapi)

Personally I am a big fan and like him much more than Subramaniam, although the overall family talent is simply incredible.

Unfortunately Shankar in addition to being a genius is a bit of a nutcase, hence missed out on the Shakti reunion which would have been an ideal opportunity for him to reenter the public consciousness. From what I understand he is now trying to be a pop star and uses minimal double violin on his recent recordings

 

[Gerry_the_Merry]

For rectifying Carnatic CDs that i really like, i rip them to wav, run a low pass filter in audacity, and generally the harshness is gone. It is rectified sound, not original, but the result is generally pleasant. One cant be an audiophile when listening to Carnatic music. Hindustani, now that is different as CDs are well recorded.

 

[gopib]

Since the subject here is Carnatic music thought I would post this here.

RadioWeb | Carnatic Music | South Indian Classical Music is an initiative by the former worldspace carnatic channel RJ.

Lots of good stuff. Sounds promising. let us see how it goes...

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

...One cant be an audiophile when listening to Carnatic music.

Very true ...and very sad.

Worst thing is that we cannot apply the hi-fidelity "should sound as close as possible to live music" test, as the PA systems in so many many venues are so dreadful.

For any Chennai rasikas who might be interested, there is an ongoing series of unamplified chamber concerts. The aim is to put on two concerts each month for one year. Please email [email protected] for details --- but you won't be able to all come at once, as these are mostly held in homes and small venues!

 

[gobble]

There are few more Shankar albums:

Personally I am a big fan and like him much more than Subramaniam, although the overall family talent is simply incredible.

Yep I I have a CD on which one track has L Shankar accompanying Semmangudi. The impression I got was like "here is a star player ... even though delegated to the role of an accompanist, something special and outstanding ... could be a great soloist yet blends in with a reserved sense of maturity as a backing performer... waiting to burst into the scene.. a strong sense of anticipation about something great about this performer ..." then I read the covers and found it was Shankar.

Very true ...and very sad.

Worst thing is that we cannot apply the hi-fidelity "should sound as close as possible to live music" test, as the PA systems in so many many venues are so dreadful.

For any Chennai rasikas who might be interested, there is an ongoing series of unamplified chamber concerts. The aim is to put on two concerts each month for one year. Please email [email protected] for details --- but you won't be able to all come at once, as these are mostly held in homes and small venues!

Yes most my CDs are ike that, but my fleeting childhood listening experiences from local temple festivals blaring carnatic through those conical loudspeakers fill me with nostalgia so the emotional response is still positive for me. For those others that heard carnatic only in adult life, this would be a definite turn off.

Balu 613, I have the 1966 concert in 2 LPs of MS Subbalakshmi...more as a collectors item than from wanting to listen to them (not my favourite artiste).

On the original topic of this thread, I wonder if anyone has heard L Shankar's 5 ragas. They are Kiravani, Hemavati, Savitri, Shankarabharanam, Aberi. They are all structurally hard-core carnatic classical, though L Shankar's unorthodox presentation is visible.

The files are commonly downladable in flac format (ask for Shankar Pancha Nada Pallavi flac).

The sound is quite brilliant in all but the #2, and #3, where it is a bit shrill. But in the Kiravani, his double violin makes his impact.

He is much more musical than his brother Subramaniam, but obviously less inclined to be classical. However he has stayed disciplined in this set.

The acocmpaniments are naturally top class (Vinayak Ram, Zakir Hussain).

The first 2 are enchanting, to say the least (one must tolerate a bit of tuneless singing in the beginning).

Through all this, his virtuosity is unbelievable.

Thanks for sharing your insights. Its nice to discover a new "find" that promises something... will download and check out

I also have more than a few L Subramaniam albums but dont like many because the violin is electric or it simply did not move me enough - the tonality and timbre is sadly lost. Likewise I never chased L Shankar for the same reason. Is this pure acoustic or electrified violin? But there is an L Subramaniam recording that makes me delirious for its melodic phrasing - "Sada Mandil Vazum", in raaga Abhogi, my all time favorites! Emotionally, I always end up drooling uncontrollably as I listen to this performance!

http://www.hummaa.com/music/album/i...bramaniam-live-in-london-at-india-house/35060

--G0bble

 

[Divakar7]

One way around poorly recorded Carnatic CDs is to do your own recordings! I have some great sounding recordings I have made on DAT using the AKG 414 matched pair in XY config. Soundstage is a bit compressed, but listening to the "raw" recording without compression or other EQ tampering is a real pleasure. I have mostly recordings of Rama Varma but also BMS, ranjani and gayatri, Sanjay subraniam, and more..

The best non-amplified Carnatic music I have ever heard is at the Padmanabha temple in Trivandrum during each day of Navaratri. The location and ambience is surreal. The only hitch is you have to be bare-bodied so the mosquitoes are unrelenting in their onslaught!

 

[canchi]

One way around poorly recorded Carnatic CDs is to do your own recordings! I have some great sounding recordings I have made on DAT using the AKG 414 matched pair in XY config. Soundstage is a bit compressed, but listening to the "raw" recording without compression or other EQ tampering is a real pleasure. I have mostly recordings of Rama Varma but also BMS, ranjani and gayatri, Sanjay subraniam, and more..

Am planning to attend Prince Rama Varma's concert at the Ramanavami Festival in Fort High School Grounds in Blore next week. Quite hot is the weather in Blore; should I go bare-chested, I wonder ....