Sanjay @ Pethachi hall, 13-12-2018

[sureshvv]

Accompanists
------------
Avaneeswaram Vinu
Neyveli Venkatesh
N.Guruprasad

Song List
--------
1. Varnam, Sami nenarunchi naa pai daya judara, Kharaharapriya, adi
2. Maracheti nyayama rama neeve, hamsadvani, adi, Patnam, s@p (same tune as raghunayaka)
3. Kumaraswamynam guruguham namami, asaveri, adi, D
4. Shoolini, Paaramukham adheno, adi, s@p
5. Reethigowla, Janani ninuvina, ns@jagamulona gaana dikkeveramma
---
6. Anandavalli, Neelambari
7. Narasimhudu, kamala manohari, Mysore Sadasiva Rao
8. RTP, Mohanakalyani, Adi, Ragamalika tanam in Sahana, Madhuvanti, Kaanada
Mohanaranga Vandarul ! Varam Thandharul Jagan !!
9. Viruttam, Aadugalum Maadugalum, Ahir Bhairav
10. Nitham unai vendi manam, rupaka
11. Maavallagaadamma, Maand
12. Nijagadasa, Sindhubhairavi
13. Adum Chidambaramo, Behag
14. Pavamana (Mangalam)

[kvchellappa]

nanna irunthathaa?

[arasi]

sureshvv,
What a list! In eateries, an old term for procurers and keepers of provisions is sarakku master. Here's someone with sarakku (stuff) who is master at planning a concert with carefully chosen items for a list.
Missed this one...

[sureshvv]

nanna irunthathaa?

Running out of superlatives.

It was like Indiana Jones. Totally different team from last year (by design?) and it was a great and grand event, without a moment's sag or pause from start to finish.

[arasi]

Suresh,
nanRAga irundadA? is a stock question Add one more to that of mine: is a recording available?

Heard the thamizhum nAnum concert on the web. A most fulfilling concert not only musically, but where with sweet notes the muse in tamizh danced along. bhAva blending so well in music and words was a joy to experience ...

[Sivaramakrishnan]

Suresh,
You've said:

RTP, Mohanakalyani, Adi, Ragamalika tanam in Sahana, Madhuvanti, Kaanada
Mohanaranga Vandarul ! Varam Thandharul Jagan !!

If the RTP was in Mohanakalyani and the Pallavi sahityam as given above by you, didn't Sanjay incorporate the word 'kalyani' anywhere (like a kalyana mohana ranga) so that we have the tripti of the singer doing justice to the raga name at least partially!(The lay rasika is used to it and would be overjoyed)

[sureshvv]

Add one more to that of mine: is a recording available?

Not Really. But since the request is from your highness, check out:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGZEEXt ... e=youtu.be

Also see viewtopic.php?f=13&t=32292&p=345667#p345652

[sureshvv]

didn't Sanjay incorporate the word 'kalyani' anywhere

Nope. May be it was a case of reuse of a pre-existing pallavi (designed for a different [set of] raga[s]).

[arasi]

Sureshvv,
Much obliged

[arasi]

As for the AIR relay, the ritigowla AlApanA would have been grand. I missed it due to my idiocy with tech matters Thanks to kindred souls, They guided me to the concert. It was meditative throughout, with two neravals and leisurely svarAs--all in vilamba kAlA, but for the brief, tAmasamu sEyakave finale. All so very pleasing. Of the few jananis I've heard from Sanjay, the old BKalachar one I cannot forget, but may be I would, now that I have heard this one.
mA vallagAdammA is a teaser and was a nice contrast to Janani. Jayadeva followed, another lively piece.

Bharathi's Chakravakam, a true 'in place of' the oft sung kANi nilam' is a gem of a composition. Sanjay's prefacing it with another verse of it as virutham (ADugaLum mADugaLum) is a favorite.

bhAva ruled that evening, it seems.

I like Avaneeswaram Vinu's playing--a blend of sweetness and Chowdiah-like grit ....
Venky jives,,,

[kvchellappa]

Sridhar Kalyanaraman in FB:

10-Dec was a very tense day with the Men-in-white creating history by winning the first TEST of a series down under after a nerve wracking tense final hour. The day ended well having enjoyed a very sedate and sublime concert of Sanjay at Bharat Kalachar.
With the Men-in-white moving over to Perth - Sanjay concert series moved back to Mylapore for Brahma Gana Sabha.
Brahma Gana Sabha - brings lots of fond memories of having attended Sanjay concerts over the past several years. And since 2015 there is a new year bonanza too. That is another story for another day.
Sanjay started the concert with a rarely heard varnam in ragam Karaharapriya.
The Hamsadhwani krithi was rendered with real energy and zest. It is amazing to see the way he builds the krithi rendition. He takes each line and brings out the essence of the raga lakshanam through a variety of sangadhis. The raga shines throughout in regal manner. The Hamsadhwani swarams is a case in point. He created a lovely amalgamation of short swara structures - each one unique and well brought together.
The rarely heard Asaveri krithi was rendered at a nice slow tempo. It flowed like molten wax. When he does not take up a raga alapana he goes the extra mile to showcase the beauty of the raga in the krithi rendition. Every line was rendered in an unhurried fashion.
He did a detailed alapana of raga Shulini - the 35th melakartha ragam. Thankfully he announced the name of the raga as I was hovering around Chalanaattai and its variants. His alapana was marked with remarkable control and many difficult single syllables. I could guess the krithi right as I have heard him sing this krithi way back in 2007 at Narada Gana Sabha. It was amazing to see him go to the upper sancharas and immediately dive deep into the lower ones. The best part was reserved for the swara section where he effortlessly traversed between some stunning swara variations and sahityam in cascading patterns. It was a mighty effort.
The Reethigowla alapana was all about freshness. Although I have heard him sing Reethigowla many a time, the approach he takes to construct is so refreshingly different. Each phrase was oozing of freshness. At one point where he held his breath for quite a long time was amazing as that single breath resonated Reethigowla. An amazing feat to achieve. There was a particular stage in the alapana when he was showcasing the very best of Reethigowla by sprinting across the lower and upper sancharas in a flash. It was indeed a sumptuous treat.
The krithi is based on a slow tempo and he was literally chiseling out every single syllable and making us soak in the beauty. It is manodharmam sangeetham that ultimately wins the hearts of rasikas and what a neraval he did at "Jagamulona Gana Dikkevaramma". His outlook towards music is all about expanding the scope and pushing the boundaries. Those who attended the concert would understand the import of that statement. An astonishing push of "Dikkervaramma"" to the zenith - sheer goosebumps moment.
If "Innum Enna Ezhaimel Paaramugham" the other day was a tongue twister in Tamizh language the “Narasimhudu” krithi is a tongue twister in an alien language. How about this for a contrast - Neelambari followed by a roaring fast krithi on Lord Narasimha.
It was around 740pm and the clock cued an RTP, which duly came. It was a fascinating alapana of Mohanakalyani especially the way he developed it. After laying out all the signature phrases he ventured into uncharted territory. As he gets into the zone there is no holding him back.
More excitement was in store for Tanam - after three rounds of Tanam in Mohanakalyani he changed gears into Sahana, Gowrimanohari and Kaanada. A special word of mention for the Gowrimanohari segment where some of the sancharas and sangadhis were sheer delight - the imagination was in full measure and he was not letting go of certain phrases and made us want more.
In the pallavi he did short sequences of swarams in Sahana, Gowrimanohari and Kannada and did one more round of extended swaras in all the three ragas before moving back to Mohanakalyani.
After an extended RTP he starts a Viruttam with fill vigor and energy as if he is just commencing the concert. The man knows no half measure. His professionalism just shines through. And in two more krithis he does some minor sangadhis on the composer name - Jayadevar and Gopalakrishna Bharathi.
All the accompanying artistes provided excellent support in elevating the concert. A special word of mention for Vid Neyveli Venkatesh in the way he showcased different patterns of playing - soft and deft at times and an energetic Tani with Vid Guruprasad.
Sanjay renders a top notch concert of 3hr 10mns that had the rasikas in a trance.

[sureshvv]

I found that the Shoolini alapana from Vinu to be a counter point to the preceding alapana by Sanjay - emphasizing the uttarangam in the scale of the raga, It was a brilliant move to sustain the interest and the tautness of the proceedings.

The exchange between Neyveli Venkatesh and Guruprasad was memorable. Both were going toe to toe with each other and excelled alternately in speed and strategic punch, all the while freely applauding each other. It was great to see an animated percussion team in full form,

[arasi]

Thanks KVC for bringing Sridhar Kalyanaraman's vivid and enthusiastic post in FB. A detailed commentary on the concert it is, but wherein his keen appreciation of the music doesn't get shortchanged by all the intricacies he finds--which can sometimes lead folks to don their lab coats and gloves to take apart music too analytically. We are after all rasikAs--not scientists. The proof of the pudding is in its taste.

Wish I had heard the alApanA...

[kvchellappa]

No big loss:
http://www.sangeethamshare.org/tvg/SEAS ... rahmanyan/

[gajaa]

Attended the concert with a lot expectations. To be completely honest, after listening to Tamizhum naanum online on YUV, the expectations for the BGS concert were set too high. There were quite a few initial hiccups with SS’s voice not really cooperating at the varnam, volume levels were a bit too high for comfort. What was very interesting is / this concert proved what a fighter SS the man is! He just never ever gives up... in spite of the stellar list, personally the concert did not take off (for me at least) till the RTP. Soolini and Reetigowlai were great too but inexplicably, the magic didn’t happen. and Perhaps it’s also to do with the violinist being a relatively rare accompanist for SS (vs Varadharajan).