Glory of Raga Abheri over the times - The Nagumomu of 1950s and 1970s - M Balamuralikrishna
10.3 هزار بار بازدید -
7 سال پیش
-
An accomplished rasika, Sri. I
An accomplished rasika, Sri. I Kameshwara Rao, who was fortunate to witness some memorable live concerts of Mangalampalli Balamuralikrishna during 1940 to 1960, has briefly captured his reminiscences in an article written for a felicitation volume in the honour of Balamuralikrishna.
Here, a reference is made to a concert of 1959, which was held in the Jubilee hall of Hyderabad for the Indian republic day celebrations. Balamurali was accompanied by M S Gopalakrishnan on the violin and Palghat Kunjumani Iyer on the Mridangam. This programme was also relayed live by AIR.
When I read this absorbing article, I could relate to a very old radio recording with the same accompanying artistes and I guess the recording that you are going to listen in this album, is perhaps coming from the time line around late 1950s. Considering it to be an AIR relay, it might well be from the same concert referred by Sri. Kameshwara Rao? Who knows!
On listening to this distinct and rare recording, one would get a picture of the inborn creativity of BMK and also how his music has evolved through improvisation over the years.
The album “The glory of Abhéri over the times” attempts to provide the well-informed listeners an opportunity to discover and capture such new dimensions in Muraligānam by listening to the two renditions, spanning a time line of at least 20-25 years.
The first rendition of 1950s referred above, is about 49 minutes in duration and the second recording is from a live concert of 1979 which runs for about 45 minutes. Both these recordings have components of rāgālāpana, kriti, sāhitya-vinyāsam (niravel), svara-vinyāsam and laya-vinyāsam (tani āvartanam).
Now, let us see some aspects of rendition in the 1950s version and try observing how these have possibly taken shape in the later version of Abhéri.
1. Rāgālāpana: The form of the rāga presented here, resembles what was prevailing at that time but, there are also clear indications of an emerging new format of BMK’s interpretation of Abhéri. This threshold version gives us an opportunity to listen to Abhéri that was traditionally sung and the beginning of an innovative Abhéri that was in the making.
In one of the discussions, focussed on the topic of Abhéri, BMK has shared his approach and insight into the rāgā. BMK opined that ‘Nagumómu’ was being sung emphasising Ri and Da as prominent notes and when it is sung that way, the rāgā has a colour of ‘Bhimphalās’. His approach was to make Ga and Ni as prominent in the presentation of Abhéri and to use the Ri and Da as less emphasised notes (alpa-svara). The phrases such as “Nii-da-Pa-Ma..,” and “Gaa-ri-Sa” sung in the renditions in the later years highlights how he brings the Ga and Ni to the foreground and takes Ri and Da to the background.
In the 1950s rendition, we can observe this transition. In some places, his emphasis on Ri and Da and the new format with Ga and Ni that is emerging.
Dr. K Rohini Prasad, a well-known musicologist, in his long essay on Balamurali’s music, indicates some of the mannerisms seen during the performances in the 1950s. One of them was the frequent throat clearing which can be observed in the 1950s version. It is interesting how this habit transformed into a discipline in the later years of clearing the throat just before and after a rendition, rather than during the rendition.
Another interesting observation is the “language” used for the rāgālāpana---the use of typical “ ta-da-ri-na.a.a” and the absence of the phrase “ Hari .i.i.i.i”.
2. Kriti presentation: The hallmark of Balamuralikrishna’s music is giving equal importance for the lyrics, it’s pronunciation and the pauses where it is most appropriate, so that the intended meaning is conveyed correctly.
For example the line “nagarājadhara needu parivārulella” (nagarājadhara = one who lifted the Mandara mountain as in Kūrmāvatāra or lifted Góvardhana in Krishnāvatāra) that we hear from BMK in the later renditions, has been sung “ nagarāja dharaneedu parivārulella” in the 1950s version. So, this version also gives us an indication of how he started working to improve the idiom of his presentation with respect to pronunciation.
3. Svara-Vinyāsam : The 1950s version gives us a picture of fast paced notes sung with accuracy of each note precisely placed in its designated place beautifully. The style of singing the “ Jagamélé” and sometimes “ Jagamé..” is noteworthy. While listening to the second rendition(1979), we can also observe how the beauty of the svara-vinyāsam in slower speed oozes out the beauty in different dimensions. The extent of use of the lower octave in the 1950s version and how it evolved over the years is also interesting to note.
We could go on and observe many aspects of Muraligānam and its journey over the decades by listening to these renditions in tandem.
Listen, enjoy and savour the glory of Abhéri over the times.
Here, a reference is made to a concert of 1959, which was held in the Jubilee hall of Hyderabad for the Indian republic day celebrations. Balamurali was accompanied by M S Gopalakrishnan on the violin and Palghat Kunjumani Iyer on the Mridangam. This programme was also relayed live by AIR.
When I read this absorbing article, I could relate to a very old radio recording with the same accompanying artistes and I guess the recording that you are going to listen in this album, is perhaps coming from the time line around late 1950s. Considering it to be an AIR relay, it might well be from the same concert referred by Sri. Kameshwara Rao? Who knows!
On listening to this distinct and rare recording, one would get a picture of the inborn creativity of BMK and also how his music has evolved through improvisation over the years.
The album “The glory of Abhéri over the times” attempts to provide the well-informed listeners an opportunity to discover and capture such new dimensions in Muraligānam by listening to the two renditions, spanning a time line of at least 20-25 years.
The first rendition of 1950s referred above, is about 49 minutes in duration and the second recording is from a live concert of 1979 which runs for about 45 minutes. Both these recordings have components of rāgālāpana, kriti, sāhitya-vinyāsam (niravel), svara-vinyāsam and laya-vinyāsam (tani āvartanam).
Now, let us see some aspects of rendition in the 1950s version and try observing how these have possibly taken shape in the later version of Abhéri.
1. Rāgālāpana: The form of the rāga presented here, resembles what was prevailing at that time but, there are also clear indications of an emerging new format of BMK’s interpretation of Abhéri. This threshold version gives us an opportunity to listen to Abhéri that was traditionally sung and the beginning of an innovative Abhéri that was in the making.
In one of the discussions, focussed on the topic of Abhéri, BMK has shared his approach and insight into the rāgā. BMK opined that ‘Nagumómu’ was being sung emphasising Ri and Da as prominent notes and when it is sung that way, the rāgā has a colour of ‘Bhimphalās’. His approach was to make Ga and Ni as prominent in the presentation of Abhéri and to use the Ri and Da as less emphasised notes (alpa-svara). The phrases such as “Nii-da-Pa-Ma..,” and “Gaa-ri-Sa” sung in the renditions in the later years highlights how he brings the Ga and Ni to the foreground and takes Ri and Da to the background.
In the 1950s rendition, we can observe this transition. In some places, his emphasis on Ri and Da and the new format with Ga and Ni that is emerging.
Dr. K Rohini Prasad, a well-known musicologist, in his long essay on Balamurali’s music, indicates some of the mannerisms seen during the performances in the 1950s. One of them was the frequent throat clearing which can be observed in the 1950s version. It is interesting how this habit transformed into a discipline in the later years of clearing the throat just before and after a rendition, rather than during the rendition.
Another interesting observation is the “language” used for the rāgālāpana---the use of typical “ ta-da-ri-na.a.a” and the absence of the phrase “ Hari .i.i.i.i”.
2. Kriti presentation: The hallmark of Balamuralikrishna’s music is giving equal importance for the lyrics, it’s pronunciation and the pauses where it is most appropriate, so that the intended meaning is conveyed correctly.
For example the line “nagarājadhara needu parivārulella” (nagarājadhara = one who lifted the Mandara mountain as in Kūrmāvatāra or lifted Góvardhana in Krishnāvatāra) that we hear from BMK in the later renditions, has been sung “ nagarāja dharaneedu parivārulella” in the 1950s version. So, this version also gives us an indication of how he started working to improve the idiom of his presentation with respect to pronunciation.
3. Svara-Vinyāsam : The 1950s version gives us a picture of fast paced notes sung with accuracy of each note precisely placed in its designated place beautifully. The style of singing the “ Jagamélé” and sometimes “ Jagamé..” is noteworthy. While listening to the second rendition(1979), we can also observe how the beauty of the svara-vinyāsam in slower speed oozes out the beauty in different dimensions. The extent of use of the lower octave in the 1950s version and how it evolved over the years is also interesting to note.
We could go on and observe many aspects of Muraligānam and its journey over the decades by listening to these renditions in tandem.
Listen, enjoy and savour the glory of Abhéri over the times.
7 سال پیش
در تاریخ 1396/04/03 منتشر شده
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