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Psusheela Fans

Topic started by raj (@ 198.151.230.253) on Wed Apr 17 05:21:40 EDT 2002.
All times in EST +10:30 for IST.

hi PS Fans

Check out The New Episode of Aboorva Ragangal on vijay Tv Sunday @ 10:00 AM

The First Guest of this New Episode is P.susheela

Dont miss..

Progamme is Anchored by Yugendran
Produced by Subhashree Thanigachalam

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Responses:

• Old responses
  
• From: Vicky (@ 12.89.173.115) on: Thu Aug 21 21:03:19 EDT 2003
  
  Brava!!!!…. Brava!!!!
  
  One song in particular deserves a special mention from “Bangaru Papa” (1954).
  
  An emerging dominance of a great mezzo over the next few decades was already foretold or was it a divine event (other than the birth of Christ). Critics can have their field day, but, refusing to give credits to her early Telugu repertoire would be like stripping someone of their ethnic identity.
  
  But Smt. Susheela is here. I have curiously bought works of these other great divas that I have often quoted, they are good, but Smt. Susheela’s voice is complete, powerful, refined and perfect. Yes, perfect.
  
  They all had fine careers and made some well-received recordings, but I don't recall them receiving anywhere near the adulation that Smt. Susheela somehow engenders. Absolutely everything she does seem extraordinary, because, of her pretty voice.
  
  “Yauvanna Madhuvanilo Vannela Poovula Ooiiyalla”- A M Rajah/P Susheela - composed by Ogirala with libretto by Devullapalli Krishna Sastry (of “Malleswari”- fame, how could one forget Bhanumathi’s repertoire).
  
  It is unquestionable that she (Smt. Susheela) was the master of these songs - yet consider that while on her early recording assignments in studios, she certainly would have observed other contemporary mezzo’s vocal abilities, and as evident in her, certainly picked up a thing or two or may be not. I decline to be the judge of that.
  
  After listening to recordings by (pardon me if I have quoted them often…and also I rarely discuss carnatic vocabulary because I believe that there are quite a few qualified enthusiasts who continue to do this great task) Callas, Sutherland, Voigt, Popp, Scharzkopf, Jessye Norman, Janowitz, Della Casa, Caballe, Price, Flagstad, Kiri Te Kanawa, this early recording of hers leaves me with an acknowledgement that she had a sense of musical spontaneity, tonal-buoyancy, libretto interpretation, vocal-equilibrium, perfect tempi (of Anugama/Deuter/) and they all seem to testify or emphasize the "glory" of her voice.
  
  On the same scale I remember the faint clarinet/oboe of G Ramanatha Iyer’s from somewhere (was it from Yanai Thantham Pole or Raja Yogame or Vadaname Chandra). Yes, her voice is gorgeous, and I felt/imagined like Callas herself singing at Carnegie Hall, this wonderful song.
  
  It was like a real feeling of sitting at the roof of the world, Tibet, and observing the mountain ranges…a tranquil atmosphere. Though it is said that the all songs are manufactured, audio-packaged, and pre-ordained for maximum theatrical emotions to rejuvenate moviegoers, this recording is still my favorite.
  
  As with marvelous Sastry’s poetic confluence, Smt. Susheela partnered with Ogirala and, again his approach to the music is as strong an influence on the final product as his female soloist's is. It is as if he decided that the already impossibly long vocal lines are not quite impossible enough, so he slowed things down at the central sections, but definitely stretches the vocal lines and therefore Smt. Susheela’s breath-control to the maximum.
  
  I have always wondered how much manipulation went on in the post-production, or is it simply possible to sing the same in one single breath? Be that as it may, the result is very autumnal and her tonal texture soars beautifully and creamily throughout. She seems to enjoy the challenge of the long lines and, rather than battling through them, she comes up a winner.
  
  Also one is amazed how she absorbs the distance of the orchestra at this point. The percussion arrangement seems like totally integrated with her voice, but yet her vocalize comes out flawless like a metallic sound.
  
  The song is splendidly rendered, (assimilation like “Befreit" and "Wiegenlied"). If one closely gets to observe, there is a marvelous detail in the woodwind part, which seems to loosen her up a little, as her graceful voice really entrances.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• From: Vicky (@ 12.89.173.115) on: Thu Aug 21 22:01:56 EDT 2003
  
  We Buddhist's have always had a different perspective.
  
  
• From: Vicky (@ 12.89.173.115) on: Thu Aug 21 22:11:38 EDT 2003
  
  Site Admin:
  
  Please remove my religious identity (the above posting) as I was responding to a friend of mine and I had too many windows opened....and must have erroneously got in there. Sorry for the inconvenience.
  
  
• From: raj (@ 202.54.137.100) on: Fri Aug 22 03:50:12 EDT 2003
  
  Pleasure to Read this vicky & kaumudi
  
  Continue with more Like this
  
  
• From: Kaumudi (@ 136.142.153.250) on: Fri Aug 22 09:46:33 EDT 2003
  
  Vicky
  Nice. Krishna sastry was a phenomenon and with Ogirala and Suseela in the ring, they were destined to create this wonderful, magical song.
  
  And for those who would like to take a listen, here is the link: http://www.musicindiaonline.com/music/l/XY00000119
  
  
• From: vidya (@ 216.77.201.125) on: Sat Aug 23 12:39:44 EDT 2003
  
  Hi vicky,
  Give me a few suggestions as to how to write so interestingly!!!!!!!!!!!
  You are going to end up having many many fans.Great writing.
  Hi vicky &Kaumudhi,
  In the movie "Bangaru Paapa" the MD is it Ogirala and Adhepalli Rama Rao?
  Because we dont hear Ogiraala name in the vividh bharathi.
  Regards
  Vidya
  
  
• From: Vicky (@ 12.89.168.218) on: Sat Aug 23 21:47:42 EDT 2003
  
  Vidya:
  
  Thanks for your genuine appreciation. I thought I did, already have enthusiasts (tfm forum..what a group to be part of..) and such as yourself who encourage me to write more on Smt. P. Susheela.
  
  You seem to have good writing skills and I envy you for taking strong positions on issues that are dear to your herat, no matter what.
  
  As regards asking me for suggestions, I am not qualified to advise you on the same (hehehehe). There are quite a few qualified writers who really do an outstanding job.
  
  I have observed that the TFM PAGE is not devoid of any required talent (visit SOTD archive..there are some pieces which are worth investing your time)
  
  Whenever I begin to write (randomly)out of the blue, I usually finish the same within a few minutes depending on the flow of my already confluenced thoughts. Thats all.
  
  I should admit though, that I am not a film historian and I dont intend to be one.
  
  Looking forward to seeing you around......
  
  
• From: vidya (@ 216.76.207.54) on: Sun Aug 24 16:34:14 EDT 2003
  
  Hi vicky,
  I have a suggestion.Could U listen to songs in Mahamantri Thimmarasu which has 2 golden no's of PS 1)Mohana raaga maha with Ghantasala
  2) Tirumala thirupathi with S.Varalakshmi
  I think U might have heard these no's.
  When I heard the first no or actually saw it in the movie.It was amazing.The entire scene was perfect.NTR playing SriKrishnadevaraya, Devika playing Tirumala devi and both of them trying to form a portrait of the other.
  It is too heavenly.PS voice blends so beautifully with Ghantasala that I regard it as something which has to be treasured.
  Regards
  Vidya
  
  
• From: Vicky (@ 12.89.129.51) on: Sun Aug 24 20:19:58 EDT 2003
  
  Vidya:
  
  "Mahamantri Timmarasu" (1962) starring Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao, Devika, S Varalakshmi, Gummadi, Relangi Venkatramiah (an interesting personality to watch in Vijaya-Vauhini's "Patala Bhairavai" (1951), Shoban Babu, L Vijayalakshmi, Mukkamala (Directed Maradula Pelli (1952)(also reminds of his role in Laila Majnu (1949), Prema (1952), Rechukka (1954).
  
  Screenplay/Lyrics were by Pingali Nagendra Rao (who gave some of the immortal songs in "Patala Bhairavi" and the the music score was by Pendyala Nageswara Rao. The playback included Ghantasala, P Leela, P Susheela (of course), S Varalakshmi (displaying an extraordinary vocal acrobatism, always stunned by her vocal scale....) and M Satyam.
  
  I do recall the first one, but the second one with SV is out of my memory. A good classic, and thanks for reminding the same.
  
  
• From: Vicky (@ 12.89.129.51) on: Sun Aug 24 22:28:14 EDT 2003
  
  "Ondrodu Onranome Anbodu ..Kondadum Inbangal Nenjodu"- a PS/IR colloboration.
  
  To appreciate a master of the bow, one should then appreciate the genius of Camille-Saint Saens "Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso, for violin & orchestra in A minor, Op. 28" or Henryk Wieniawski's "Violin Concerto No. 2 in D minor, Op. 22 Romance (Andante)" or Nicclo Paganini's "Violin Concerto No. 2 in B minor ("La campanella"), Op. 7/MS48 Rondo à la clochette "La Campanella" or "Sonata for violin & continuo in D major, Op.9/3 Tambourin (Presto)" composed by Jean-Marie Leclair.
  
  I have always appreciated all of the above mentioned, but, something that plundered my soul was none other than Jules Massenet's "Meditation" from his opera "Thais". Massenet is second to none than Paganini in crafting a romantic amphi-ambience. If this analogy holds true then it also should for Smt. P. Susheela for her vocal deliverance in "Ondrudu Ondranome Anbodu", a knockout but yet amazing composition by Illaiyaraaja (a master of percussion), where he expresses his real love for the music and great attention to orchestral detail. Both praised the other's abilities, because they understood that each had unique musical talent.
  
  Not a day goes by without my sub-conscious spectrum reminding me of this masterpiece.
  
  The recorded analog is very polished and sophisticated and both of them definitely hold their own in a performance which, especially demonstrates their sonic and enhanced virtuosity. The aria in particular knocks me out, the orchestral circuitry contrasting enough to make repeated listening easy.
  
  It shows Smt. Susheela's as a true dramatic coloratura mezzo-soprano, a rare pedigree among of all singers. She is sensational in this most arduous of all written dramatic libretto. It simply calls for a mezzo of great vocal range with flawless technique capable of handling a mid-sized IR size orchestra. Perhaps who knows what went into IR'S pre-production selection criteria and perhaps he did make a sound judgment and I can assure you that IR-especially his cadenzas so far the best I have ever heard. He shows off his amazing compositional brilliance like most of the other composers, but devotes all the effort to the needs of music and he prizes his precision notwithstanding his fascinating technique. Also a good musical ear can notice that he never skips anything or never just plays something messily - even in the most difficult and fastest parts you can hear simply every single musical note”. I thought his recordings were like a musical marriage between “the genius of violinist Salvatore Accardo and the immortal Niccolo Paganini”.
  
  Most musicologists would consider Ilaiyaraaja to be the greatest composer that the TFM has ever known. He essentially created techniques for his compositions that were unheard of before him, and to this day, his compositions define the technical limitations for an orchestral number. In fact, MSV admired IR’s compositional abilities so much that he once said that IR’s compositions made into the history of renaissance music of the 80’s and the 90’s (emphasis added). This song shows that IR was more than just a technical wizard. He created beautiful progressive notes that stand up musically on their own. The pure joy and brilliance of these pieces will astonish you. Smt. Susheela’s rendering is simply flawless. I have found myself enjoying and listening to the same time and again.
  It reminds me of Dame Sutherland, when after a performance at the Metropolitan Opera for "Esprits de l'air! Eprits de l'onde!", the Herald-Tribune writer Herbert Berlin wrote,
  "...Miss Sutherland is the supreme soprano of this century. She may be the greatest soprano of any century but we have no way of judging. We do know that she is the only person in the world who can sing Esclamonde. It is a fiendishly difficult part that demands a combination of every vocal skill. Only Sutherland can do it. She is the phenomenon for whom the opera was revived..."
  
  Looking at that literature, it occurred to me that the art of play back singing was revived by Smt. P. Susheela's sincere and divine vocal acrobatics, for she definitely is a phenomenon even during those declining days of hers (80s) with S Janaki at the helm (which I never refuse to acknowledge). Her vocalise was its most glowing at that time, and its size, tremendous. Since it is sung in Tamil, her diction is superb. It is a tour de force of the highest magnitude. Hear it for yourself and you won't believe your ears. See how she copes with the aria's difficult fioratura very well.
  
  Of course, we must be thankful that her aria from the filmography was included in the post-production session. Her voice is huge, rich, powerful, and commanding. It is a force of nature capable of performing the most mind-boggling coloratura as she adds to the musical texture, her possessed divine voice. It was like listening to Sutherland’s coloratura arias like the Doll Song from "Les Contes d'Hoffman", "Pour ce contrat fatal" from "La Fille du Régiment", "Il dolce suono mi colpì di sua voce" from "Lucia di Lammermoor" and "Son vergin vezzosa" from "I Puritani"
  
  What an extraordinary prelude did IR create? Sometimes I was spellbound by his musical geometric progression. The second highlight on this recording is her voice. Never once have her fellow singers drowned her nor her composer (s). She has such an artistry and musicianship. This is certainly a pleasure to hear over and over again.
  
  The technique to jump two intermediate octaves like that and she doesn't even have to slide. WOW! That is one of reasons that why she became so famous. She has that dramatic voice that can sing so high and stay there forever and ever and ever and ever and ever. There never was one before her and there never will be one like after her. Thank God we have her preserved in recordings. She has absolutely changed the course of playback and the whole art form in general.
  
  
  
  
  
  
• From: Ravi (@ 192.147.58.6) on: Mon Aug 25 02:39:58 EDT 2003
  
  Vicky, very well said, esp "Thank God we have her preserved in recordings". I always used to feel this whenever I listen to her older renditions. I wish these songs (even the ones which were great but did not become so popular) should be made available to future generations as well. We need to remember that there were no tracks then.
  
  

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