Sanjay at Aurora Balaji temple, Chicago, Sept 14

sankar.n · Post by **sankar.n** » 15 Sep 2008, 23:10

Concert at Aurora Balaji temple, Chicago
Vocal: Sanjay
Violin: Nagai Murali
Mridangam: Neyveli Venkatesh

Vanajasana-- Varnam Reethigowla
Thyagarajagurumashraye--Kedaram--Rupakam
(???) -- Kanada-- Aadi
(???) -- Simhendramadhyamam--Aadi
Swararagasudha--Sankarabharanam-Aadi
Nagagandhariraga--Nagagandhaari (?)--Aadi
RTP-- Komalaangi-- Aadi (2kalai, 10 thalli eduppu)--(Dwijavanthi, Subhapantuuvarali, Behag)
Virutham-Kharaharapriya,Mohanam,Behag, Surutti, Kapi
(???)-- Kaapi---(Aadi, Khandajathi)
Nijagadasa(Jayadeva's)--Sindubhairavi--Aadi
Mangalam

The unmentioned songs are too uncommon that I am unable to recall them. Hopefully someone else fills it up.
Excellent virutham. Sanjay sang it with clear 'padanthara', emphasizing the meaning of the lyrics which brought awesome applause from the audience.
Nagai Murali was excellent in the violin, and utilized each of his solo sessions (especially while following up the swara-session) to bring out his virtuosity on the violin.
Neyveli Venkatesh did just a normal job on the mridangam...
Overall an excellent concert from Sanjay.

SangithaRasika · Post by **SangithaRasika** » 15 Sep 2008, 23:28

Here si the full list -
1. varnam - Reetigowla
2. tyagaraja umashraye -- Kedaram --Roopakam -- MDR
3. paratmukha -- kanada --Aadi --GNB -- A, S
4. ika para -- Simhendramadhyama -- Aadi -- PS -- A, N, S
5. swara raga sudha -- S'Bharanam -- Aadi -- T -- A,S and Tani
6. Nagaghandari -- Nagaghandari -- Aadi -- MD
7. RTP(Narayanai bhajipo_ -- Komalangi -- Aadi -- ??
Raagamalika - Dwijavanthi, Subhapantuuvarali, Behag
8.kandu dhanyanaade -- Maand ?? --Kamalesha Vittala
9. Vorumai (Viruttam) --KHP, Mohanam, Behag, Surutti, Kapi -- ??
'Nidhi Vendum' was the one sankar.n referred to which drew lot of applause !
10. nijagayasa -- Sindhubhairavi -- Aadi -- Jayadeva
11. pavamana -- T -- M'vati

I echo sankar.n comments. Superb concert.
Given my lack of knowledge in taala/tani , Venkatesh was ok.
Best part of the concert - No speeches

and on a lighter note, Sanjay signalling kids to be quite in the first row

Highlight was SimmhendraMadhyama - Superb manodharma !! S'bharanam Swaraprastaara was godo with great replies from the violinist. Also swaras in S'Pantuvarali wasawesome where he converts it to the snake song (enjoyable) !! Overall a great concert and very lively till the end !

Please correct if anything is misinformed !

SR

vijay · Post by **vijay** » 16 Sep 2008, 00:15

SangithaRasika wrote:Also swaras in S'Pantuvarali wasawesome where he converts it to the snake song (enjoyable) !!

I suppose you mean the phrase G,RR,SN,,RG,RSR,SS....he also did this when he sang Dhenuka RTP (Suddha Madhyama counterpart) at Hamsadhwani 07

vijay · Post by **vijay** » 16 Sep 2008, 00:16

BTW great to see the coverage SS' US tour is getting...thanks and keep it coming guys!!

sankar.n · Post by **sankar.n** » 16 Sep 2008, 00:26

the Kedaram song is a composition of MDR, though it seems like a Dikshitar krithi, with madyama kaalam in charanam and chittaswaram.
Nagagandhari song should be by MSD, as I noted the mudra 'guruguha' in it.

SangithaRasika · Post by **SangithaRasika** » 16 Sep 2008, 02:13

vijay wrote:I suppose you mean the phrase G,RR,SN,,RG,RSR,SS....he also did this when he sang Dhenuka RTP

yes the same thing ..
what I enjoyed the most was Nagai Murali's response, it was one of those excellent Agassi like returns. Given the bad weather, Sanjay's concert, hot vadas and masala tea

compensated for a 2 hr drive !

SR

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 16 Sep 2008, 03:01

parAmukhamEla in kAnaDA is by GNB.

Venkatesh and Arunprakash, both very good accompanists for Sanjay occasionally get a comment that they underplayed--even though they are 'pakka' vAdyam and 'takka' vAdyam. It is far better for me than when some mrudangists flood a concert with thunder bolts.
Incidentally, both these mrudangists, in their own individualistic way are such a pleasure to listen to...

PUNARVASU · Post by **PUNARVASU** » 16 Sep 2008, 03:55

Vadas of the Balaji Temple are quite famous.
Feast for the ears, food for the palate
What more does one want in this earthly planet?

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 16 Sep 2008, 04:27

That is--if you get them! Same place, same performers (substitute Guruvayur for Venkatesh), wind back two years and a bit, what have you? At least, what did I experience? My son, then in Chicago, me on a short visit, our mad rush to find the temple, getting poor seats. The concert was enjoyable at the end of which there were no signs of any trace of food or drink! Hungry until we reached my son's place--Sevikku maTTum virundu. Give me Gnanambika and other eateries during the season, any day.
Sorry, Chicagoans. It wasn't your fault. It was my being unfamiliar with your neck of the woods!

PUNARVASU · Post by **PUNARVASU** » 16 Sep 2008, 05:18

'dAnE dAnE pE likhA hai khAnEwalE kA nAm
boond boond pE likhA hai pInE wAlE kA nAm
kyA karUn ham yA tum, na dAnE pE thA ApkA nAm, na boond pE
par, swarOn pE thA ApkA nAm, isliyE sunthO sakEn
Arasi, said in lighter vein.

suma · Post by **suma** » 16 Sep 2008, 07:24

Adding to the review, here are some highlights that me and the crowd near me felt:
Sanjay was great as usual. He is a great artist and is very easy going and enjoys audience. He did not have a single problem with audio etc etc which has become a usual trend here for some artists. Even when there were squeeks, he was cool.

The best part of the concert was, they were having a lot of fun with manodharmam specially when they were doing the swarakalpana. Sanjay used all kinds of mathematical calculations to fit swaras sometimes in 1 cycle and sometimes in a couple. Neyveli Venkatesh did a SUPERB JOB trying to quickly respond and keep the cycle. Nagai Muralidharan did a perfect job as an accompanist. When his turn came for replying to Sanjay's swarams, he did exactly what is expected out of a SEASONED accompanist. He could have just played a simple swaram and ended it. However, he played back exactly like how Sanjay did, ie fitting several math calculations within the cycle, ending it just like how Sanjay ended before continuing with the next cycle etc.

Sanjay was great and the it was so nice to see a down to earth person without any attitudes perform such a great concert. At one point an upcoming artist next to me said "they are teasing the mridangist" with their crisp swaras, but mridangist was VERY GOOD and kept up. All 3 get a 200% for the concert.

Due to Hurricane, there was a lot of flooding and several roads were closed. Despite all the trouble of getting there, it was worth it to go see such a simple, humble yet a GREAT ARTIST perform with such good accompanists.

fuddyduddy · Post by **fuddyduddy** » 16 Sep 2008, 07:31

wow, rtp in komalaangi? have not heard that raagam. and i woud hv totally enjoyed dhwajavanthi from Sanjay! .

suma · Post by **suma** » 16 Sep 2008, 07:35

yes, when he saw that the audience was battling trying to figure out the ragam, he announced that it is called komalaangi and then continued with his alapana.

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 16 Sep 2008, 09:02

Yes, Suma. That 'humble, yet great artiste' (in your words) does not disappoint. IHe offers a solid classical fare; yet , it is filled with imaginative flights.

Punarvasu,
gAnE kE sAmnE khAnE ki kyA bAt hai?
vOh din thA upavAs ka, likhA tO vohI--
kabhi kabhi aisI hAl tO hOtI hai
bUnd binA, ek dAn binA--agar hAl
aisI thI jab milA kuch khAnE gAn binA,
kaisI hAl hai vOh--pET bhar dAn!
magar man sur binA!

PUNARVASU · Post by **PUNARVASU** » 16 Sep 2008, 09:19

Arasi, that was fantastic. 'Arasi sollIukku 'appeal' kidaiyAdu'. I always look forward to your replies.

vijay · Post by **vijay** » 16 Sep 2008, 11:53

Admit I had to look up Komalangi in karnatik.com...for the benefit of others, Charukeshi scale with dhaivatham and panchamam varja in aro and avaro respectively...the site does not list any songs in the raga nor are there any songs in my database...flavours of Bindumalini and Lalitha must have wafted along with Charukeshi, of course...I hope this concert will be released by Charsur...or to hear it in during the season...

kmrasika · Post by **kmrasika** » 16 Sep 2008, 12:59

SangithaRasika wrote:2. tyagaraja umashraye -- Kedaram --Roopakam --??

MDR is the composer. He employs the mudra, "varadadAsa" in his compositions as a tribute to Tiger varadAccArya.

SangithaRasika wrote:3. paratmukha -- kanada --Aadi --?? -- A, S

This is a composition of GNB which begins from the high sa (he came up with the idea as they were no compositions that started thus)

SangithaRasika wrote:6. Nagaghandari -- Nagaghandari -- Aadi -- MD?

If the words are, "nAgagAndhAri rAganutE nagajAnanditE mAmava" is it by dIkshitar.

tylerconscious · Post by **tylerconscious** » 16 Sep 2008, 18:02

kandu danya naathe is a composition of kamalesha vittala in the raga behag.

SangithaRasika · Post by **SangithaRasika** » 16 Sep 2008, 20:12

kmrasika, thx for the titbit abt GNBs composition.
tylerconscious Abt behag, I am sure what he sang was not Behag for Kandu Danya !

SR

deepsands02 · Post by **deepsands02** » 17 Sep 2008, 21:01

Then maybe it wasn't Kandu dhanya. Afterall, you said he sang Behag in the virutham, and I have never heard Kandu dhanya in any other ragam... Maybe you have the wrong song name.

vasanthakokilam · Post by **vasanthakokilam** » 17 Sep 2008, 21:16

I attended the concert. I remember it to be Behag as well. Also, in the viruththam I do not recall him singing Behag.

Vocalist · Post by **Vocalist** » 20 Sep 2008, 19:54

I think the Viruttham and song was of Ramalinga Swamigal - Orumaiyudan

The song must've started at Nin Karunai Nidhi Vendum....