Greetings everybody,
I recently performed a Karnatak mandolin concert at Wesleyan University. Some of the pieces we played are up on the page. If you like the kriti "Amba Paradevate" I posted a mandolin/mridangam duet (Aaron Paige on mridangam) at my audio page at garrettfield.com  In "Amba Paradevate" Aaron and I performed some kalpanasvaram ideas that the great T. Viswanathan used to perform.
If you are curious about the pieces, below is the concert program:

An Evening of South Indian Classical Mandolin

Garrett Field – Karnatak Mandolin
B. Balasubrahmaniyan – Karnatak Vocal
David Nelson – Mridangam
Aaron Paige – Mridangam

World Musical Hall, Wesleyan University, 8pm
February 22, 2008

This concert of South Indian Karnatak classical music would not have been possible if not for the efforts of a young boy named U. Shrinivas, who, with the help of his father, teacher, and an instrument maker in Chennai, transformed the mandolin into a South Indian classical instrument in the 1980s. In the 1930s and 40s, South Indian music directors used Western mandolins for film music. By the 1980's the mandolin's popularity in film music diminished due to the onset of keyboards. U. Shrinivas's father Sathyanarayana, was the leader of the "Saraswati Music Party," a Light Music Orchestra that performed film music in Andhra Pradesh and used an acoustic mandolin with a contact microphone. Shrinivas used to play that mandolin and after Sathyanarayana moved the family to Chennai around 1979, Shrinivas began studying South Indian classical music with his father's teacher, Subbaraju, who had learned Karnatak music with a famous Karnatak vocalist named Chembai Vaidyanatha Baghavatar. Thulsi Shah, an instrument maker and owner of the Madras Musical Craft in Chennai met with Shrinivas, Satyanarayana and Subbaraju around 1980 and modified the western solid body mandolin so that Shrinivas could play the gamaka, or ornamentation found in the ragas of South Indian Karnatak music. By replacing double strings with single strings, adding pickups, a fifth bass string, and curves on the side of the instrument, the Western mandolin became the Karnatak mandolin. Shrinivas tuned the mandolin like a Karnatak vina or violin, C G C G C. The young boy practiced hard and two years later, at the age of twelve, he shocked the Indian subcontinent with his prodigious talent and new instrument, bringing tens of thousands of people to "all are welcome" concerts. He continues to be one of the top Karnatak South Indian classical musicians in the world today. I'd like to thank my teachers B. Balasubrahmaniyan and David Nelson, who taught me these compositions, taught how to improvise on them, and who have patiently worked on performing them with me. Thanks Balu and David for your continued guidance and support. Thank you Aaron for all your hard work and thanks Mom, Dad, Andrew and Jordan for your love and encouragement.

Set 1
Varnam "Evaribodana"
Abhogi raga C D Eb F A C C A F Eb D C
Adi Tala 1 2 3 4 1 2 1 2
Composed by Patnam Subrahmania Ayyar (1845-1902)
Telugu

Since the early 20th century, Karnatak concerts have begun with varnams, a compositional genre divided into two main sections, each with text and svara solfege (the "do-re-mi" of Indian music). The raga Abhogi is the Dorian mode without the fifth and the seventh. We will be playing the first section of the composition in three speeds (dividing the beat into two notes, three notes and then four notes). You will hear the same process in the last piece of the concert, the Thillana.

Translation:
Whose advice did you listen to?
You are behaving like this!
Quickly, please take me under your protection
Oh Venkateshwara!
I cannot stand teasing from you, the God of love.

Like most Karnatak compositions, the lyrics of Patnam Subrahmania Ayyar, found in this Varnam, are devotional. Subrahmania Ayyar is known as "Little Thyagaraja" for having imbibed the musical and lyrical style of Thyagaraja, one of the three most celebrated of South Indian "Trinity" composers. (Ayyar actually studied with a direct disciple of Thyagaraja). Musical compositions of Karnatak music composers like Subrahmania Ayyar, and Thyagaraja were vehicles for bhakti or devotional mysticism. Their songs usually sung in first person, ask gods for protection on the path to spiritual realization, provide elaborate descriptions of their respective deity, and often refer to Hindu mythological stories.

Kriti "Garuda Gamana"
Nagaswaravali raga C E F G A C C A G F E C
Rupaka Tala 1 2 3 (1845-1902)
Composed by Patnam Subrahmania Ayyar
Telugu

Nagaswaravali is a five note derivative of the major scale that omits the second and seventh. We will be performing kalpanasvaram, improvisation in the "do re mi" of Indian music. The eduppu or place where the improvisations have to end, is two pulses after the first beat.

Kriti "Ninnu Vina"
Kalyani Raga C D E F G A B C C B A G F E D C
Adi Tala 1 2 3 4 1 2 1 2
Composed by Subbaraya Shastri
Telugu

Subbaraya Shastri is the only person known to have studied with each member of the Karnatak "Trinity" of composers, Thyagaraja, Dikshitar and Shyama Shastri. Legend has it that Shastri was one of Thyagaraja's favorite disciples. He only composed twenty kritis but each is renowned, for its creative use of raga and its devotional lyrics. "Ninnuvina" is in praise of Dharmasamvardhani, the goddess if Tiruvaiyaru, Tamil Nadu. It is said that Thyagaraja was present at the Tiruvaiyaru temple when Shastri offered this song there and Thyagaraja is said to have praised the exquisite raga bhava (feeling) in this composition of his disciple.

Set 2
Kriti "Amba Paradevate"
Rudrapriya Raga C D Eb F G A Bb C C Bb G F Eb D C
Kanda chapu 1 2 3 4 5
Composed by Krishnaswamy Ayyar
Sanskrit

We could call "Amba Paradevate" a Wesleyan kriti. I say this because the Karnatak flutist T. Viswanathan who taught at Wesleyan, loved this piece and he taught it to Jon B. Higgins, a Karnatak vocalist (regarded as the first non-Indian to become proficient at Karnatak music), who performed it often. B. Balasubrahmaniyan teaches it to all his students to honor his teacher Viswanathan. Aaron and I will do some kalpanasvaram ideas T. Viswanathan used to perform with his brother T. Ranganathan.

Translation:
O Mother goddess Rajesvari, greatest of the deities, consort of Siva
with lotus-shaped eyes, most powerful one, mother of Kumara, please
bless me.

Kriti "Kaddaikan"
Begada Raga C E D E F G A G C C Bb A G F E D C
Misra chapu 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Composed by Ramaswami Shivan (18th century)
Tamil


Translation:
Please glance at me Mother goddess
Oh Goddess of Mugavuy, if only I could have your blessings and grace!
Please bestow your grace to those who pray
Make your minds still and protect the one who prays for you
Oh lotus faced one, always young, soothing to hear, one who is liked by all
You live in the hearts of your devotees
Come, divine consort of Shiva

Kriti Shree Kanthimati
Hemavati C D Eb F G A Bb C C Bb A G F Eb D C
Adi Tala, Rendu Kalai 1 1 2 2 3 3 4 4 1 1 2 2 1 1 2 2
Composed by Muthuswamy Dikshitar (1775-1835)
Sanskrit

Hemavati, for me, is a very haunting and contemplative raga. This raga is favored by instrumentalists. The alapana that I will perform was inspired by U. Shrinivas's alapana performance on the album Dikshitar Masterpieces Volume 1. The lyrics of Shree Kanthimati are an elaborate description by Muthuswamy Dikshitar of the goddess Kanthimati, goddess of Tirunelveli, the sixth largest city of Tamil Nadu.

Translation:
I prostrate before goddess Kanthimati, the young bride of Sankara. I prostrate before the mother of Guruguha. Her face is of the form of mystic Bijakshara. She is established in the lustrous golden mansion studded with gems. She is extolled by Indra and other celestials. She, the daughter of Himavan, is worshipped by Parashurama. She is always venerated by Suka, Saunaka and others. She dwells on the banks of the crystal-clear river Tamra Parni. She is anointed with holy waters from 108 pitchers and conches. She is benevolent to the celestials.

Thillana "Dim Ta Na Na Na"
Hindolam Raga C Eb F Ab Bb C C Bb Ab F Eb C
Kanda Eka Tala, Rendu Kalai 1 1 2 2 3 3 4 4 5 5
Composed by T.V Bhagavatar (early 20th century)
Telugu

Thillanas are a compositional genre composed for South Indian classical dance, and uses spoken rhythms of South Indian percussion in the beginning and ends with lyrics. In the early 20th century Karnatak musicians began singing Thillanas at the end of their concerts.

Translation:
Oh Kamaksi, dweller in Kancipuram; constantly singing your praises, I have forgotten myself (in your remembrance). O my mother, show me compassion and protect me.

I chose to learn Shrinivas's 1986 album Mandolin Ecstasy since I wanted to begin early in his career. As far as I know this is his second album. His first was "The Adorable Prodigy" which I'm pretty sure is a vinyl recording. (If you know how to get a hold of this album please let me know!!)

On Mandolin Ecstasy he does not play nereval nor does he play a pallavi, though he does do kalpanaswaram. He does one korvai in "Enduku Dayadura" in Todi, misra chapu. Each of the three statements equal three full avartanam in misra chapu. Since the edippu is after two pulses, you start the korvai after two pulses.

The korvai: (he skips over pa in the high octave)

d , , m , , g , , r , , s , ,
d , m , g , r , s ,
(dmgrs) [,] (mgrsn)[,] (grsnd)

m , , g , , r , , s , , n , ,
m , g , r , s , n ,
(mgrsn) [,] (grsnd) [,] (rsndp)

g , , r , , s , , n , , d , ,
g , r , s , n , d ,
(grsnd) [,] (rsndp)[,]( sndpd) N!

In the Todi korraipu that leads up to the korvai above, there is a nice moment when Shrinivas plays a descending melodic cell and Sikhil Baskaran answers with the next logical cell. In his long sarva laghu kalpanaswarams, whether in Todi or Sunada Vinodhini, it's very beautiful to hear how he picks up the intensity. One nice thing he does to break the monotony of picked eighth notes is to oscillate (picking and sliding) on the beat, and then play the same oscillation off the beat.

I posted some new music I recorded today at the Audio for the Arts studio in Madison. I recorded an additional composition, "Brova Bharama" in the raga  Bahudari, Adi tala. If you want to hear the composition, I posted it at garrettfield.com
all the best and thanks for listening, Garrett

This Sunday I'm going to be recording some of the music I have recently learned from U. Srinivas's "Mandolin Ectsasy" at the Audio for the Arts studio in Madison, Wisconsin. I have two hours of studio time available to record. I'll be playing on the Carnatic mandolin. I'll post the music on this myspace page as soon as possible. This is what I plan on recording:
1. Varnam "Sarasijanabha" Kamboji raga, Ata tala, Swati Tirunal
2. Todi alapana
3. "Enduku Dayaradura" Todi raga, Misrachapu, Thyagaraja
4. "Marugelara" Jayanthasree raga, Adi Tala, Thyagaraja
5. Bahudari alapana into "Brova Bharama" Bahudari raga, Adi tala, Thyagaraja

I can't wait to have new music on this page! After I finish with this recording, I just have to finish learning the SunadaVinodhini composition and the Tirrupugazh and then I'm through with the album! Yes! Aferwards, I want to begin learning Srinivas's Kamboji alapana from a jugalbandi performance he played with N. Ramani in Cleveland in 1996. I will also begin relearning the repetoire of compositions I acquired last year.

Hi everyone,
Since Fall '06 I have been learning and transcribing U. Shrinivas's album "Mandolin Ecstasy." It has been a wonderful and enriching undertaking and I am now 3/4 done. I feel as though I am copying a master painter's work to learn how to paint myself. Most of his long Todi alapana is under my fingers and in my mind, as well as the Bahudari alapana. I just have to keep chugging along. "Marugelara" in Jayanthasree is very thrilling to play. I still can't play the Kamboji ata tala varnam in second speed with tala but I'm getting better at it.
-Garrett

Hi friends,
My live album "ElectricArtSong" is now available at CDbaby.com.You can click on the link below:
http://cdbaby.com/cd/garrettfield
It is an important album for me since it documents my first baby-step in blending my own music with some tools I have picked up from South Indian Carnatic music.
All the best,Garrett Field