Ramana Balachandran (Veena) Kishore Ramesh (Mridangam) Recorded as part of the digital 94th annual concerts of the Music Academy, Madras, supported by HCL concerts
There is so much new talent surfacing each year in Carnatic music. But this guy is one in a thousand... Captivating concert without even a single dull moment. We miss his veena when he only sings and we miss his voice when he only plays.
Sir, the educational system in India should have Arts as a compulsory subject and at least 1 musical instrument should be made mandatory till high school. Both Arts and music should be a compulsory co-curricular and not optional/extra curricular activity. Unfortunately, the new NEP turned out to be even more pathetic than the previous educational system.
The Music Academy truly honoured itself when it invited Ramana Balachandran to perform. Its system of scaled recognitions would seem to rob quality to reward quantity, however. But it is good to see this musician--I think it's about time we stopped calling performers like this young--here, and to see the here and now here and now. When you see a gift, you don't bring conditions and erect fences around it. Ramana's singing brings to this instrument its rightful place--lost, alas, to louder neighbours--as the primal, and I dare say primary, influence on both the theory and practice of music in the South of the country. Vocal music had two inexhaustible souces of inspiration and models, the veena and the nadaswaram, the one imparting the detail that only a chamber context can bestow, and the other providing the range of improvisation and clarity that only a public purposiveness and temporality can call forth. The fact that Ramana sings and plays the veena reminds me very much of how these lost connections are being happily restored to us, after what must be at least one whole century. I have often thought of how delightful it would be if Ramana were to master the Rudra Veena. I would love to hear what the descent of the octaves and the emphasis on vertical playing would do to his music. The Dhrupad touch that would result would then be able to resume the pollination of our music that it had stopped doing with the passing of Dikshitar (who was a great vainika, note). I would very much love to be on that bridge of hope. Truly, this musician is a gift hamper that we have barely had time to take the brown paper off. I hope he doesn't start making too many long trips abroad to comfort the nostalgia of expatriates. We have lost one too many a 'genius' to the winds of that kind of success, alas! We have lived too long without the unity of language, thought, and music that produced the Trinity. Southern child 'prodigies' (in the North, all of them start very young anyway, so it is not necessary to be precocious or to need special labels!) also have faster burnout rates, so the question of who might continue the kind of roundedness that we associate with the big three cannot even arise. Any sign of an inner life of any sort is nowadays confined to the forehead signage and strict and loudly proclaimed copycat credentials. That is why Ramana's talent, his creative engagement with the lyric impulse, and the fact that his mangalam does not differ from any lay person's warms my heart, because I read in them signs of a whole new generation of creativity in Carnatic music.
Your comment was most insightful @Vichar Tatwa ! I'd like to add that our Sampradayam always encouraged change and diversity. Mudduswami Dikshitar brought Dwijavanthi from HM, Tyagaraja brought Kharaharapriya from folk traditions, (I could go on and on). We as rasikas should understand that Carnatic Music, like all other forms of Music evolves through such methods, and has grown through change and transfer of information across genres and baanis. The information channels with HM, and even Arabic music helped CM grow, and to continue this smooth exchange of information to facilitate the growth of CM is indeed welcome. I particularly enjoyed your reference to how CM was once greatly influenced by the Nagaswaram and the Veena, and the Vainika-Gaayaka bani of Ramana Balachandhran (and Karaikudi Sambashiva Iyer and even Mudduswami Dikshitar himself!) signals a step towards restoring those influences. I completely agree with you there!
Listening to Carnatic Music concerts since last 55 years. Listened to live Kutcheris of S.Balachandar, Chittibabu, Gayathri every one was unique & Great!. What attracts me to this young Prodigy is total involvement and unique style of singing while playing the veenai. There will be many naysayers but mark my words this young man will reach Greater heights with Bhagwan Ramana Maharishi's ashirvadham. I feel the same way when I heard U.Srinivas, Kumaresh-Ganesh, Sanjay Subramanhyam, Abhishek Raghuram for the first time. Ayushmann Bhava 🙏🏻
What a surprise man! I used to listen to your music some 15 years ago and was always a fan. My cousin and I used to comment that something in the water of Kerala produces such outstanding vocalists ! Good to run into you here again !
Another outstanding performance by this enormously talented musician Chiranjeevi Ramana. His Asaveri and Mayamalavagoula were excellent. He has the natural ability to not only follow impeccable layam and weave in complex phrases with ease, but immerse himself in the full bhavam of the compositions he renders. What an immense Divine blessing! Love his Vainika Gayaka bani - rare to find these days. All further enhanced by his inherent humility. Brilliantly supported and enhanced by Kishore Ramesh on the Mridangam. Beautiful stage setup. Thanks for sharing such outstanding music.
Ramana u r just an embodiment of music. I think sadguru Thyagaraja Swamy himself has reincarnated to revive all his compositions in its granduren originality. I wonder whether u r nadashareera or ur shareera is made from musical vibrations rather than physical nerves. God blessu ma.infact I feel blessed to listen to u in this life.
I met Chittibabu 1970 in Music Academy Madras A great Artist a Master!!! From Nov. 1970 I settled in France, loving veenai & Carnatics, Ramana, wishing you a wonderful career like S. Balachandar!!!
Young bright stars....the young shoulders carry lot of weight....huge expectations on such youngsters to reclaim lost glory of our sacred music....hope they stick to tradition and continue to enthrall people with pure divine music akin to yester year Jambhavans.... dirgaisuman bhava...
Ramana Balachandran performed melodiously with utmost precision. What makes his performance outstanding is his utmost devotion which adds Bhavam to the songs. The young mridangam player Kishore Ramesh also did a fine job. May God bless you both.
Outstanding performance. May Bhagwans Grace be always be there with you. It will surely be as you are associated with Ramanasramam and have been performing there.
The young Lad is on fire. This gifted Vainika cum Vocalist is really passionate about his music. Thanks for keeping up the tradition of Singing together with the Veena. You will need a collar mike for your vocals. Excellent Studio Recording by Music Academy.
Is this RTP in Mayamalavagowla? Some experts call it simply Malavagowla. That is a rare treat. My guess is correct : It is indeed a Ragam-tanam-padam as he is singing the whole song! He did not announce prior to singing to insult serious rasikas who would much rather guess the raga and song. Thank the vidwan for that classy gesture. VainikagayakaRamana !!!! "Ganamuna shobhillu kanakabhushana" the Mridangam is at its best here!!! Ha ha ... Fast swaroms in the hands of an expert instrumentalist do not sound uncouth as is the clear case here. Both youngsters must be proud of this flawless kutcheri for the rest of their lives.
Wonderful talent , playing Veena and singing with clarity is amazing , on the instrument no doubt he going to match Veena supremo Yamini Shankara Shastry Garu for sure in the coming years
A prodigal Vainika Vidwan in the traditional mould. Truly amazing performance. Excellent support by the young and promising Mridangam artiste as well. Thanks a lot to Music Academy!
It is not easy to play been n sing simultaneously. It is a rare that Shri. Bala R. manages very effectively both singing n playing Veena. It should be appreciated wholeheartedly. Bale! Ramana!
Excellent performance. Let not the fact that the Veena playing is accompanied by Vocal be a factor to not appreciate his Nada-reverberating playing. I too personally prefer that he only play the Veena, but let's also give him that respect and space.
Namaskarams. He has an illustrious example before him that of Veenai Dhanammal. This child will definitely scale very great heights. His is already so sublime and divine, without much noise and ஆரவாரம் you see in some of the accomplished vainikas. Let Maa Saraswati bless this boy profusely. 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🎉🎉
I think it is good to present the lyrics - especially of rarer kritis. The bhava (that the player is portraying) becomes clearer to the audience resulting in the right rasaanubhava (in the sense of the rasa as influenced by the underlying lyrics and the associated ragam, and layam).
Thanks MAM. As usual you have brought to us such talnted young artist. Vocal and Instrumental . Excellent. I agree with JS and Savitri R , can't refrain from thinking of R Maharshi.
What an amazing takent. Unique katcheri indeed! It is no mean task to perform vocals and Veena together. It also requires guts to present this format. I hope Rasikas continue to encourage Vidwan Chi. Ramana. May Ma Saraswati bless him always
☺️-Such a phenomenon of talent. Leave it to him as he sings, when he does. Overall an engaging Artiste. Before the might of his talent, any suggestions would look silly
Great talent. All wonderful performances. Outstanding sound. The Director of this program should never be tasked with this undertaking If not here's free lesson. Get your master shot, establish, orientate the audiences then just go to the players.Those are moments if not captured on camera gone forever. Nobody cares about the wonderfully constructed stage which by the way not going away anytime soon
Two most of the most accomplished youngsters in action together. I tell you when Ramana sings along it is such delight. This Asaveri's Lekana ninnu came to rasika's heart when MDR with the pakkom of TNK and UKS in a lovely garden kutcheri in the old Madras city. How cah anyone forget that? It is in circulaation on RU-vid. Check it out. Kishore is such delight. Kishore is as good as the senior Patri who thrives in Ramana's company. Sri Vichar Tatwa is amply correct: Take up Rudraveena, Ramana ! I would urge Ramana to come calling us rasikas including yours truly at 75 in Central Valley California when the pandemic is history. Namaskar to the vidwans. Narayanakurup Kanthikumar
