Episodes
Tuesday Aug 31, 2010
Episode 68: Featured Person: Sri. G. N. Balasubramaniam - Part II
Tuesday Aug 31, 2010
Tuesday Aug 31, 2010
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.
Tuesday Aug 24, 2010
Episode 67: Featured Person: Sri. G. N. Balasubramaniam - Part I
Tuesday Aug 24, 2010
Tuesday Aug 24, 2010
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.
Monday Jul 26, 2010
Episode 66: Analysis of a Kalpanaswaram rendition by Sri G N Balasubramaniam
Monday Jul 26, 2010
Monday Jul 26, 2010
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.
Wednesday Jul 14, 2010
Episode 65: Carnatic Terms Defined -- Kalpana Swarams
Wednesday Jul 14, 2010
Wednesday Jul 14, 2010
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.
Tuesday Jun 15, 2010
Raaga Rasika -- Update
Tuesday Jun 15, 2010
Tuesday Jun 15, 2010
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.
Saturday May 01, 2010
Episode 64: Raaga Rasika Quiz III -- Answers!
Saturday May 01, 2010
Saturday May 01, 2010
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!
Tuesday Apr 20, 2010
Episode 63: Raaga Rasika Quiz III
Tuesday Apr 20, 2010
Tuesday Apr 20, 2010
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.
Saturday Mar 27, 2010
Episode 62: Featured Raaga Alapana - Atana -- Part II
Saturday Mar 27, 2010
Saturday Mar 27, 2010
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.
Tuesday Mar 16, 2010
Episode 61: Featured Raaga Alapana - Atana -- Part I
Tuesday Mar 16, 2010
Tuesday Mar 16, 2010
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.
Friday Mar 05, 2010
Episode 60: Featured Raaga -- Atana
Friday Mar 05, 2010
Friday Mar 05, 2010
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.