Raaga Rasika
Exploring the World of Carnatic Music
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Welcome to Raaga Rasika! 
 
Raaga Rasika is a series of weekly podcasts and interviews exploring the world of Carnatic Music! Carnatic music is one of the two main styles of Indian Classical music most prevalent in the southern part of India, comprising of the states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu.
 
Are you a novice just getting exposed to Carnatic Music? Wish you could listen a concert with a deeper understanding? Are you a connoisseur who wants to discuss and explore intricate nuances? Join us on this musical journey! We look forward to hearing from you. Your comments, thoughts, suggestions, ideas, and critiques are welcome!

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Listen to our podcasts at:

http://raagarasika.podbean.com.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

August 31

Episode 68: Featured Person: Sri. G. N. Balasubramaniam - Part II
We continue our conversation on Sri. GNB and discuss his talent, music and style. Vidya talks about the GNB Baani (or the GNB school) as well as the incredible improvisational and creative talent he brought to bear - including his contributions to techniques such as graha bedham and neraval. We conclude this episode with a snippet from a GNB composition "Samagama Lole", rendered by one of his prime students - Dr. M.L. Vasanthakumari.

11:45 AM GMT  |  Read comments(0)

August 23

Episode 67: Featured Person: Sri. G. N. Balasubramaniam - Part I
In this episode, we feature the legendary musician, Sri. G. N. Balasubramaniam (1910-1965). We discuss how Carnatic music shaped and influenced his early childhood days and his debut performance in the city of Madras (now called Chennai). We finish with a snippet from a concert recording to give a glimpse of the experience enjoyed by audiences during his time.


8:34 PM GMT  |  Read comments(0)

July 26

Episode 66: Analysis of a Kalpanaswaram Rendition by Sri G N Balasubramaniam
We continue our discussions on kalpanaswarams from the last episode. Using a few snippets of Sri. GN Balasubramaniam, we showcase the spontaneity and variety in this form of improvisation in Carnatic music. Finally, Vidya concludes the episode by listing some of the common techniques used by Carnatic musicians when they perform kalpanaswarams.


12:34 PM GMT  |  Read comments(0)

July 13

Episode 65: Carnatic Terms Defined -- Kalpanaswarams
In this episode, we introduce the listeners to some of the elements of kalpana swarams and compare kalpana swarams with another key form of improvisation, the alapana. Vidya gives illustrations of kalpana swaram rendition and explains certain conventions such as performance of kalpana swarams in multiple speeds and progressing from short to long cycles of kalpana swarams.


8:18 PM GMT  |  Read comments(0)

June 15

Raaga Rasika -- Update

It is with great pleasure that we would like to inform you all that Vidya and family have recently relocated to Chennai, India and are settling down. This is really a fantastic development for Raaga Rasika, because we will now have the ability to establish stronger contacts with the Carnatic music world and bring you richer and much more insightful episodes in the future. Please join me in wishing Vidya and her family the best, as they settle down in their new environs. However, as they settle down, please expect a slightly spread out frequency with which we will be publishing new episodes. Vidya and I still remain committed to the cause of Raaga Rasika and we will work hard to get back to our normal programming. Thanks for your patience and your continued support.



9:15 AM GMT  |  Read comments(0)

April 30

Episode 64: Raaga Rasika Quiz III -- Answers!
Thanks to all those of you who participated in our quiz. In this episode, we discuss the answers to the three quiz questions that we asked in Episode 63. Listen to the episode to see if you got them right! Special congratulations to those of you who answered correctly!


9:58 PM GMT  |  Read comments(0)

April 19

Episode 63: Raaga Rasika Quiz III
In this episode, we conduct a quiz largely based on material and information we have covered in previous Raaga Rasika episodes. This segment includes three sets of questions for which the answers will be shared in the next episode. We look forward to your enthusiastic response and participation.


8:23 PM GMT  |  Read comments(0)

March 27

Episode 62: Featured Raaga Alapana - Atana -- Part II
In this episode, we conclude the analysis of the Atana raaga alapana by Sri. G. N. Balasubramanian. We discuss how Sri. GNB uses specific techniques such as "jaarus" or glides in his alapana, and highlight his mesmerizing, fast passages towards the conclusion of this highly spontaneous exercise.


11:37 AM GMT  |  Read comments(0)

March 16

Episode 61: Featured Raaga Alapana - Atana -- Part I
In this episode, we feature an alapana of raaga Atana, rendered by the legendary musician Sri. G. N. Balasubramaniam. Vidya translates portions of this alapana, a highly spontaneous and improvisational aspect of Carnatic music into swaras (notes). She highlights the salient phrases that capture the quintessential beauty of this bright raga and the development of the alapana in distinct segments.


7:53 PM GMT  |  Read comments(0)

March 05

Episode 60: Featured Raaga — Atana
In this segment, we discuss the raaga Atana. Using a Papanasam Sivam composition, Vidya shares with us this raaga's high emotive appeal. She also illustrates key phrases in this raaga and describes its form and scope. We conclude the episode by covering some well known Atana compositions one can expect to hear at concerts.


6:07 PM GMT  |  Read comments(0)

February 02

Episode 59: Special Rasikas’ Voice With Listener Renditions -- Part X
We conclude our series showcasing listener submissions with a snippet from Smt. K. S. Vasanthalakshmi from New Delhi, India. Her submission is the Muthuswami Dikshitar Navagraha kriti "Brihaspate Tarapate", in the raaga Atana. Vidya elaborates on the meaning of this song and shares a high-level overview on the group of songs commonly referred to as the Navagraha kritis. We would like to thank each of our listener contributors for their enthusiastic participation in this sub-series.


4:21 AM GMT  |  Read comments(0)

January 25

Episode 58: Special Rasikas’ Voice With Listener Renditions -- Part IX
Continuing our series featuring listener submissions, we showcase a rendition on the veena by Sri. Srinivas Raghavan, from Chennai, India. His submission is a tillana composed by Dr. M. Balamuralikrishna, in the raaga Brindavani. Vidya highlights some of the salient aspects of this raaga and also shares with us another tillana in the same raaga, composed by her guru Sri. Lalgudi Jayaraman.


11:45 AM GMT  |  Read comments(0)

January 20

Episode 57: Special Rasikas’ Voice With Listener Renditions -- Part VIII
Continuing our series on listener submissions, we feature a snippet from Smt. Uma Sankar from Massachusetts, USA. Her submission is a Muthuswami Dikshitar composition, "Sri Rama Saraswati Sevitham" in raaga Nasamani. The second featured submission is from 7 year old Ananya Rajesh of Wisconsin, USA -- "Maakelera Vicharamu", a Tyagaraja composition with a profound philosophical meaning in raaga Ravichandrika. We conclude this segment by playing a short snippet from a similarly themed composition by Annamacharya: "Nanati Baduku", rendered by the legendary singer Smt. M.S. Subbalakshmi.


7:20 AM GMT  |  Read comments(0)

January 13

Episode 56: Special Rasikas’ Voice With Listener Renditions -- Part VII
In this segment, we feature a submission from 3rd grader Kum. Srinidhi Ananth of New Jersey, USA. Her submission is a Tyagaraja composition "Entha Nerchina" in the raaga Suddha Dhanyasi, also known as Udayaravichandrika. Vidya uses this submission to elaborate on Suddha Dhanyasi raaga, and shares snippets from several popular songs by other composers. We finish this episode by discussing the naming convention of this raaga in the Dikshithar and the Thyagaraja schools of music.

9:18 AM GMT  |  Read comments(0)

December 22

Episode 55: Special Rasikas’ Voice With Listener Renditions -- Part VI
In this segment, we feature a submission on the violin from nine year old Sri. Hari Santhanam of Pennsylvania, USA. His submission is a varnam "Ninnu Kori" in the raaga Mohanam. Vidya uses this submission to elaborate on how varnams are used by students of Carnatic music to obtain rhythmic and melodic mastery. Vidya illustrates how varnams can be used for advanced rhythmic techniques by singing a segment of the Mohanam varnam in Tisra gati wherein each beat is divided into three sub-units as compared to the original of four sub-units.  We finish the segment with a tanam on veena by Smt. Vasumathi Narayanan of Arizona in the same raaga, Mohanam.


5:29 PM GMT  |  Read comments(0)

November 23

Episode 54: Special Rasikas’ Voice With Listener Renditions -- Part V
Continuing on with the listener submitted renditions, we feature two submissions: the first one is by Smt. Seethalakshmi Parameshwaran from Ohio, USA who submitted a bhajan (devotional piece) on Lord Ganesha in the raaga Tilang; the second submission is a Vasantha raaga alapana by 10 year old Kum. Shreya Ashok from Texas, USA. Vidya provides additional information on each of these raagas and also sings snippets from other popular compositions these raagas.


11:02 AM GMT  |  Read comments(0)

November 11

Episode 53: Special Rasikas’ Voice With Listener Renditions -- Part IV
In this episode, we feature Smt. Gayathri Satya from San Francisco Bay Area, California. Smt. Gayathri has sung a Thyagaraja composition "Vinayakuni" in the raaga Madhyamavathy and set to Adi tala. Unlike most Thyagaraja compositions which are in praise of Lord Rama, this composition is fairly unique in that it is a Devi (Goddess) kriti. Vidya provides examples of other compositions by the Trinity in this majestic raga.


8:29 AM GMT  |  Read comments(0)

November 02

Episode 52: Special Rasikas’ Voice With Listener Renditions -- Part III
In this episode, we feature a submission by our listener Sri. Aren Skalman, from San Diego, California. Aren submitted a swarajati: Raara Venu in raaga Bilahari and Adi tala. Vidya elaborates on swarajatis. She also shares with us an example from a complex and involved Swarajati by Sri. Shyama Shastri in the raaga Yadukulakambhoji. We wrap up the episode with a rendition of Thyagaraja’s Raaka Sashivadana in raaga Takka and Adi tala by Smt. Padma Govardhan, from Auckland, New Zealand.

8:37 PM GMT  |  Read comments(0)

October 23

Episode 51: Special Rasikas’ Voice With Listener Renditions -- Part II
Continuing on with the listener submitted renditions, we feature a submission by Sri. Shashank Shridar, a 3rd grader from Pennsylvania, USA. Shashank submitted a Papanasam Sivan composition: Maaramanan Umaramanan, in Hindolam raaga and Roopaka tala. Vidya sings snippets from other popular compositions in raaga Hindolam. We wrap up the episode with a discussion on the mood created by the notes in this raaga.


1:11 PM GMT  |  Read comments(0)

October 16

Episode 50: Special Rasikas’ Voice With Listener Renditions -- Part 1
Happy Deepavali! We have received an excellent response to our call for listener submissions. We really appreciate your involvement and enjoyed listening to each submission. Given the response, we will be spreading the submissions as well as our discussion on each selected entry across the next few episodes. In Part I, we feature submissions by: Kum. Ashraya Ananthanarayan who sent in a Tyagaraja composition in Bangala raaga, Adi tala and Smt. Durga Krishnan who submitted a thanam on veena in two raagas -- Hamsanandi and Kalyani.


7:47 AM GMT  |  Read comments(0)