Music Season - 27th December 2008

Lec Dem 1 - Sangita Kalanidhi TK Govinda Rao on Perisami Thooran's compositions

Unfortunately, I could only hear only two of his demonstrations as I had to battle with the authorities to get some ticket for TM Krishna's concert in the evening. Finally, I was lucky to get a seat in the mini hall with a audio/video feed.

Sri TKG presented:

1. A composition in Kiravani
2. Nenjam Eni - Husseni?

Obviously, we are there at the lec dems not for the great performances, voice etc..TKG sir's erudition and context of his times are what I wanted to capture, some hints of it at least. I am sorry to have missed the rest.

Lec Dem 2 - Tiruchi Thayumanavan - Konnakkol

Amazing and spirited performance from who looked like septuagenarian. He supposedly has several sishyas who made it big on the music scene. His 'sol' (verbal syllables for rhythm instruments) was so robust and crisp. I really enjoyed him articulating various ways of punctuating the tala cycle with interesting patterns of rhythmic syllables.

The most interesting part was when he showed how the 'konnakkol' would be like when accomanying for a few specific kritis. A lot of work goes on on the side line to make the main performance succesful.

Veteran Concert - Charumathi Ramachandran

I remember listening to her during 1980s in Hyderabad. She is evidently past her prime, but, there were a few flashes of brilliance for us to capture.

Her disciple as pinpattu (vocal support) was quite good. A budding artist, I am sure. Enjoyed most of the compositions before Charumathi's voice gave way during RTP. Krishna Nee Begane Baro (Yaman) was delightful especially the way both sang it in tandem and alternately.

1. Mayamma (Ahiri)
2. Chitra Ratna (Kharaharapriya) lovely and rare piece
3. Orutti Maganay Pirandu (Behag) prefixed by a slokam
4. RTP (Atana)
Mohana Rama Lavanya Rama Rama Rama Dasaratha nandana dasarathi
5. Malayalam lullaby in what sounded like Arabhi
6. Muralidhara Gopala (?)
7. Na Mritya (Nirvanashatkam - Hamir Kalyani, Darbari, Sindhu bhairavi)
8. Viswesvara (Sindhu Bhairavi)

Interesting element of RTP was the way each phrase was suffixed with the composition starting with that phrase ..during swara phase. (Mohana, Purnashadjam, Simhendra Madhyamam, Asaveri, Todi)

My only grouse is that it is disturbing how she chose to do neraval on 'Mitri vaibhavam' in stead of sowmitri vaibhavam... Bad choice. (Lyrical purity police alert!!)

Amritha Murali - 12 Noon

Phenomenal concert. Excellent rendering, sukham (ease), modulation and diction and high quality music.

1. Raghupate (Sahana)
2. Soundara Rajam (Brindavana Saranga)
3. Vara Narada (Pantuvarali)
4. Sankaracharyam (Sankarabharanam)
5. Virtuttam (Behag, Kapi, Manji)
6. Varugalamo (Manji)

Each and every piece was weighty, delicate, subtle and pleasant all at the same time. Certainly, some one to watch out for next year.

She should try not to appear to labour with clenched teeth while singing..hard to correct perhaps.

R. Suryaprakash - 2PM

He appeared extremely confident and enjoying the limelight and his presence at the academy. He overdid it several times especially during his RTP and fell flat on a wrong foot (note). Very jarring..

1. Anu Dinamu (Begada)
2. Manasuloni (Hindolam)
3. Pahi Sri Rama Ramana (Atana)
4. Kava va (Varali) - started from Anupallavi and at a brisk pace..good!
5. Marakatavalli (Kambodhi)...never heard it..great piece by Dikshitar
6. RTP (Shanmukhapriya)
etc.

I hope he focuses on not projecting everything he knows on the stage. More humility and balance will do him a world of good!

Aruna Sairam - 4:15pm

I know I am going to upset the throngs of Rasikas who love her music. I am really sorry to say that I am not one of them. I love her tukkadas but, I am unable to grow to like her heavier pieces, neraval, swara kalpana, alapana etc.. She seems to focus on impressing the lay rasikas who are ready to break into applause every time they hear her crashing with a loud thud at the end of several swara patterns (korvai). Alas! the more the volume the more the noise and the less the signal (I mean music) S/N ratio is low!! Besides, her voice was grating and harsh till the end of her RTP.

Some of her earlier pieces were uncharacteristically slow, but did not exude sukham (pleasing ease).

1. Ninnu Kori - varnam in natakurinji
2. Sri Manini - Purnashadjam?
3. Narahari (Simhendra Madhyamam)
4. Raka sasi vadana (Takka)
5. RTP - on Trinity of carnatic music (Todi)
followed by 11 ragas in which she featured their famous compositions.

Tyagaraja (5), Dikshitar (3), Syamasastri (3)

It was a bit tedious and not well strung together. They appeared to be hanging loose on the RTP framework as if it were an after thought.

6. Brindavanam (Kurinji)
7. Savare (Malkauns)
8. Viruttam (Shanmukha priya, Hamsanandi etc.)
9. Enna kavi padinalum (Siva Ranjani)


TM Krishna 7pm.

First time, in my experience, the concert started 15 min late due to chaos and delays caused by rasikas of Aruna Sairam swarming her on the stage to congratulate her. No big deal...we can wait...reading the Hindu supplement or Kutcheri buzz.

Amazing concert. His voice seemed to need lot of hot water (or whatever!) this evening..perhaps, due to grinding schedules during the season. His alapanas, swaras were mind-boggling and enertaining. Amazingly enough, he also excels in slow compositions caressing notes literally.

1. Intha paraka (Mayamalavagowla)
2. Karuna elaganti (Varali)
3. Na jeevadhara (Bilahari)
4. Mangala devate (Margadarshi)
5. RTP - Bhairavi
6. Idu thane thillai sthalam (Behag)
7. Viruttam (Ananda bhairavi, Kharaharapriya, ?, Khamas)
8. Karpuram narumo Kamala Pu Narumo (Khamas)

Na Jeevadhara was scintillating and the alapana was very sedate appropriate for the song. The piece in Margadarshi was exotic ..very hard to croon or repeat. Has both Madhaymas, he said.

He chose to sing Viriboni in 2 speeds (with some additional chitta swaras that people don't generally perform) before he took up a line for exploration. I personally would have preferred a regular pallavi loaded with rhyme and poetry. The line he chose did not have much lyrical beauty.

Behag piece among the thukkadas was extraordinary.

What a classical singer he is? Perhaps, old masters were like this!!

- Krishnaprasad

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