Malladi Brothers

Carnatic Vocal

Malladi Brothers

3 minute read

The Malladi Brothers (Sreeramprasad and Ravikumar) sing Carnatic vocal music together. They hail from an illustrious Andhra Pradesh musical family, training under their grandfather Srirammurthy and father Suri Babu, as well as Nedunuri Krishnamurthy and Sripada Pinakapani.

Their style of singing blends a deep approach to learned composition with extended forays into improvisation, covering rare ragas and commanding stages around the world. Known for their impeccable adherence to tradition, their performances showcase an intricate balance between classicism and creativity. Over the years, they have performed at prestigious festivals and sabhas globally, earning recognition for their rich manodharma (improvisational prowess) and reverence for lyrical beauty.

In addition to their concert career, the brothers are dedicated teachers, mentoring the next generation of Carnatic vocalists through workshops, masterclasses, and online platforms. Their numerous recordings and collaborations continue to expand the reach of Carnatic music across diverse audiences.

“Nedunuri Krishnamurthy’s advice to us was, ‘The science of music must be learnt but the art should be presented aesthetically’.”

Most recently, they performed at Darbar Festival in October 2018 at Milton Court Concert Hall at the Barbican in London, sharing the stage with Lalgudi Vijayalakshmi, Trichy Sankaran, and Giridhar Udupa, further cementing their status as leading ambassadors of Carnatic music on the global stage.

The Malladi Brothers use Hindustani Raag Rageshwari as the setting for a lively (Carnatic) thillana. Recorded at Darbar Festival 2018.

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Aruna Sairam | Kalinga Nartana Tillana | Carnatic Vocal

Recorded at Darbar Festival 2009, on 3rd April 2009, at the Purcell Room at London's Southbank Centre. Musicians: - Aruna Sairam (vocals) - Jyotsna Srikanth (violin) - Patri Satish Kumar (mridangam) - RN Prakash (ghatam) - Priya Parkash (tanpura) Kalinga Nartana Tillana The esteemed Carnatic vocalist, Aruna Sairam adds powerful dimensions to it, making it the show-stopper of the evening. Giving apposite accompaniment to this experiential performance are Satish Patri on the mridangam, Jyotsna Srikanth on the violin and RN Prakash on the ghatam. Set to Raag Gambheera Nattai in Adi talam, Kalinga Narthana is an attention-grabber of a composition by Oothukadu Venkata Subbaiyar’s (1700-1765). More about the music: This thillana emerged in the 19th century and gained popularity with the renditions of the famous Harikatha exponent, Late Brahmashri Needamangalam Krishnamurthi Bhagavathar. Though essentially suitable for classical dance performances and Harikatha (a traditional Hindu discourse that explores stories from epics through music), this piece has become a popular presentation in Carnatic vocal music because of its charming and vibrant gait. Kalinga Narthana is a narrative about Lord Krishna’s mythical battle with Kaliya, the fearsome five-headed snake who boiled and poisoned the waters of the Yamuna River. ‘Kalinga Narthana,’ literally translates to ‘dance of the Kaliya serpent’ and is recorded in the Indian epic Mahabharata, which is also the world’s longest epic believed to have taken place 5000 years ago. Sairam’s poetic interpretation of the thillana is extraordinary. Defying conventions, she adds her inimitable charm and drama to this piece by delivering an upbeat, groovy recitation of the thillana in her sensuous, sonorous voice. As she doles out the syllables of the thillana with authority, Kumar and Prakash play in excellent synchrony, blending their instruments with the mnemonics of the composition. Gambheera Nattai is a pentatonic raga of the Carnatic system that has been derived from Chala Nattai, the 36th Melakarta. It is a symmetric raga that does not contain rishabha and dhaivata. Its arohana and avarohana are as follows: S G₃ M₁ P N₃ Ṡ[a] Ṡ N₃ P M₁ G₃ S[b] The notes used in this scale are shadja, antara gandhara, shuddha madhyama, panchama and kakali nishada. Gambheera Nattai is also known as Shuddha Nattai. Subscribe to the Darbar Player to access the full, uncut performance.