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Pannagendra Shayana - Ragamalika - Swathi Sangeethotsavam - Kuthiramalika

Tue, 25 Mar 2014 22:24:50 +0000

Beautiful rendition of the grand ragamalika by Maharaja Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma, by his worthy descendant Prince Rama Varma, exquisitely accompanied by Sr...

Prince Rama Varma. Live at Paris. Part One.

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 17:37:12 +0000

A rare recording of one of Prince RamaVarma's unaccompanied concerts at Paris in 1998. Here he sings Maharaja Swathi Thirunal's composition in South Indian Behag, "Smara Janaka Shubha Charitha." The video was taken by M.Daniel Bertrand whose wife Natalie is seen playing the Tanpura. This concert was held at the house of senior French Bharathanatyam exponentChristine Kleine, popularly called"Malavika" in May 1998.

Prince Rama Varma. Live at Chicago. (Evarani)

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 17:36:43 +0000

Finally! After waiting for one year I got some excerpts from one of Varmaji's U.S. concerts, with Varadarajan and Patri Satishkumar. Even now after one year, hespeaks about them with so much warmth and affection. Here, they perform the Thyagaraja masterpiece Evarani, with a beautiful intro by Varmaji.

veena by prince varma - Guruvayoor Dorai and Harishankar 2/3

Fri, 15 Oct 2010 05:49:54 +0000

Continuation of the brilliant thaniavarthanam by Shri Guruvayoor Dorai and Shri G.Harishankar during Prince Rama Varma's Veena concert at Kuthiramalika during the Swathi Sangeethotsavam.

veena by prince varma - Guruvayoor Dorai and Harishankar 1/3

Fri, 15 Oct 2010 05:49:53 +0000

Prince Rama Varma gives a disarming introduction to senior accompanists, Shri Guruvayoor Dorai and Kanjira wizard Harishankar during his veena concert at Kuthiramalika during the Swathi Sangeethotsavam. Though Varmaji became acquainted with Shri Harishankar only during the last few years of the maestro's life, they shared an immense amount of mutual admiration, warmth, affection and goodwill as can be glimpsed from the smiles exchanged during this thaniavarthanam. I feel extremely lucky to upload these rare and precious videos. Thank you so much Varmaji!

veena by prince varma - Heavy Ragas/Aliveni Part One

Sat, 02 Oct 2010 22:50:52 +0000

Prince Rama Varma gives charming examples that illustrate the difference between "Light" Ragas and "Heavy" Ragas and goes on to display his proficiency in both singing and in veena playing by singing and playing the beautiful Padam by Maharaja Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma of Travancore in the Raga Kurinji.

veena by prince varma - Navarathri Mandapam (Gopalaka. Part One)

Sat, 02 Oct 2010 22:50:47 +0000

Prince Rama Varma plays Maharaja Swathi Thirunal's composition on Lord Krishna in Raga Revagupthi during a private concert at the Navarathri Mandapam in 1998. (Devotees can rent out the Mandapam in the morning during Navarathri and make their musical offerings like this in front of the Goddess.) Cherthalai Ananthakrishnan gives subtle and sensitive mridangam accompaniment in this recording.

veena by prince varma - Tharuni (Padam. Dwijavanthi)

Sat, 02 Oct 2010 22:50:45 +0000

Prince Rama Varma plays Tharuni Jnaan Enthu Cheyvu, the exquisite Padam in Malayalam by Maharaja Swathi Thirunal, during his maiden concert at Madras during the early 1990s.

veena by prince varma - Prince Rama Varma talks about Dr.M.Balamuralikrishna's Varnams 2/2

Sat, 02 Oct 2010 22:50:44 +0000

Prince Rama Varma is probably the only person who has given both vocal and veena support to his guru Dr.Balamuralikrishna's singing and has also sung, with Dr.Balamuralikrishna accompanying him on the viola! Here is a track from the recently released DVD of the five Pada Varnams of Dr.Balamuralikrishna, where Varmaji offers some insights into his guru's Varnams. I have heard Varmaji throw light on the intricacies on the compositions of Dr.Balamuralikrishna in a way few others can. This DVD should be available for sale at places like the Karnatic Music Book Centre, Sripuram 1st Street, Chennai, sooner than later.

veena by prince varma - Varali Raga Alapana (Part One) Swathi Sangeethotsavam 2002

Sat, 02 Oct 2010 22:50:38 +0000

A magnificent and royal delineation of Raga Varali by Prince Rama Varma under the full moon during his concert at Kuthiramalika for the Swathi Sangeethotsavam 2002, revealing the perfect blend of various schools of music that he has harmoniously imbibed, including the Semmangudi style and the Veena style. Prof.VVSubramaniam follows him on the violin like a shadow, providing subtle and sensitive doses of inspiration and support. Varma ji rues the fact that he couldn't get the video of Prof.VVSubramaniam's own Varali Alapana which followed.

veena by prince varma - Bhavayaami Raghu Ramam. Part 1.

Sat, 02 Oct 2010 22:50:36 +0000

Prince Rama Varma plays the very popular Bhavayaami Raghu Ramam (Composed by Maharaja Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma, recounting the entire Ramayana in capsule form, tuned as a Ragamalika by Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer, popularized by MSSubbulakshmion and taken to dizzying heights by MDRamanathan) on the veena with MDR-like sensitivity and precision at Swati Smruthi at the Kuthiramalika palace, Trivandrum in Jan 2005.

veena by prince varma - DVD of Dr.M.Balamuralikrishna's Pada Varnams

Sat, 02 Oct 2010 22:50:35 +0000

A DVD containing five Pada Varnams of Dr.M.Balamuralikrishna was released recently. He is accompanied by Prince Rama Varma on the Saraswathi Veena and Shri B.Harikumar on the Mridangam. The songs are 1) Amma Anandadayini - Gambheera Naattai 2) Saraguna Gaavumu - Thodi 3) Omkara - Shanmukhapriya 4) Chalamu - Ramapriya 5) Ninu Neranammithi - Kharaharapriya This DVD should be available for sale at places like the Karnatic Music Book Centre, Sripuram 1st street, Chennai. I have uploaded around a minute or two from each of the five varnams here.

veena by prince varma - Aliveni/Part Two

Sat, 02 Oct 2010 22:50:34 +0000

Prince Rama Varma gives a fascinating display of his ease in both singing as well as in veena playing by doing both at the same time with the beautiful Swathi Thirunal Padam in Malayalam "Aliveni" during one of his delightful lecture demonstrations where he "makes the voice like an instrument and the instrument like a voice."

veena by prince varma - Sri Rama (Bhajan)

Sat, 02 Oct 2010 22:50:32 +0000

Prince Rama Varma and the children of the Veenavadini School of Music, Perla, sing a sweet little Bhajan on Sri Rama composed by Kaiwara Amara Nareyana, tuned by Dr.M.Balamuralikrishna. I have rarely seen another musician handle the heaviest pieces like Shyama Shastri's Bhairavi Swarajati "Kamakshi" to lilting, child friendly songs like this, Vara Leela Gana Lola or Bala Tripura Sundari with equal ease, as Prince Rama Varma does.

veena by prince varma - Appa ! Rama Bhakthi Part Two. (Veena)

Sat, 02 Oct 2010 22:50:31 +0000

Prince Rama Varma reveals his love for Madurai Mani Iyer in this rendition of the Thyagaraja Krithi "Appa Rama Bhakthi" in Raga Kamavardhini. This is an excerpt from his first ever veena concert at Madras and was attended by a host of luminaries from the Carnatic music field.

veena by prince varma - Prince Rama Varma talks about Dr.Balamuralikrishna's Varnams 1/2

Sat, 02 Oct 2010 22:50:29 +0000

Prince Rama Varma is probably the only person who has given both vocal and veena support to his guru Dr.Balamuralikrishna's singing and has also sung, with Dr.Balamuralikrishna accompanying him on the viola! Here is a track from the recently released DVD of the five Pada Varnams of Dr.Balamuralikrishna, where Varmaji offers some insights into his guru's Varnams. I have heard Varmaji throw light on the intricacies on the compositions of Dr.Balamuralikrishna in a way few others can. This DVD was released in London recently and should be available for sale in India too, sooner than later.

veena by prince varma - Bhaavayaami Raghu Ramam. Part 3.

Sat, 02 Oct 2010 22:50:28 +0000

Prince Rama Varma plays the very popular Bhavayaami Raghu Ramam on the veena with MDR-like sensitivity and precision at Swati Smruthi at the Kuthiramalika palace in Jan 2005.

veena by prince varma - Kaanthanodu Chennu- Neelambari (Audio Only)

Sat, 02 Oct 2010 22:50:26 +0000

Prince Rama Varma mesmerizes us with his gentle and yet intense veena rendering of Raaga Neelambari bringing alive the meaning of this romantic Malayalam composition by Maharaja Swati Tirunal. The song is a message sung by the love-lorn "Nayika" to her friend (Sakhi)asking her to tell Krishna that she is languishing with love and pining away for Him. Neelambari is known for its extreme sweetness and it is the preferred choice of Raaga for singing lullabies.

veena by prince varma - BBC Interview

Sat, 02 Oct 2010 22:50:25 +0000

Stephen Cole interviews a shy, diffident young Prince Rama Varma for the BBC World Service at London, before they started their India based programmes. Despite being shy and hesitant, Prince Varma still manages to come up with a few Varmaji like statements :) Enjoy !