Sanjay @ Houston Meenakshi Temple

Review the latest concerts you have listened to.
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kedharam
Posts: 419
Joined: 28 Sep 2008, 23:07

Sanjay @ Houston Meenakshi Temple

Post by kedharam »

Sanjay Subrahmanyan
Varadarajan
Venkatesh

Bhairavi – Viriboni, Pachimiriyam Adiyappaya
Kamala Manohari - Kanja dalayatakshi, MD
Janaranjani - Nadadina Mata, T, R, N @ talaku vaccina badha tala pAgaku jEtu, S
Surutti – Verevare, T, R
Kambhoji - ’Arulvai angayarkanniye en annaye, Aruvagi uruvagi agathil ezhum porulagi… followed by Adiyenai katharulvai, Dandapani Desikar
Hamsanandhi – pAhi jagajjanani, ST, R, N@ sArasakrutanilayE paramasadayE, S
Charukesi – Ondhe manadalli, PD
Bhairavi –RTP, Chatusra triputa, Un darisan kidaikkumo Nataraja dayanidhe
Begada - Innum parAmugam EnO, PS
chenchurutti - Vettaveli Thannil, Kudambai Sittar
Chenchurutti – Pitham theliya, Gopalakrishna Bharati
Kamas - tillana, PS
Adum mayilai followed by Karpagame – Madyamavathi, PS


To quote Victor Hugo, “Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and cannot remain silent.”   

My picks and thoughts:

It was a memorable performance with the usual cornerstone works and some rarities with fine contributions from Varadarajan and Venkatesh. The endearing ata tala varnam, Viriboni, a repository of raga bhairavi has been a staple concert starter and one could hardly ask for a grander opening than this.

This was followed by his earnest exploration of the majestic, ‘Kanja dalayatakshi’. He skipped along with rhythmic bite in the transition between notes with pensive introspection and a natural lilt as the composer has beautifully brought out the raga mudra. Varadarajan played with agility and sensitivity to the composition and Venkatesh’s mrudangam sang along while maintaining a firm rhythmic momentum - an expertly executed examination of the composition …

Concise and crisp delivery of surutti started as he painted the unalloyed summary with elongated intonations through some salient phrases in fully establishing the identity of the ragam followed by Varadarajan’s interpretation with polished vigor.
Then he chose to champion Thyagaraja ‘s worthy work "Verevare". It was presented with fidelity of diction and the layered rhythm befitting the composer as Varadarajan partnered with fluid bowing technique and Venkatesh with his anticipatory strokes with clarity.

Framed by emotive power, the verses from Dandapani Desikar’s Darmavathi composition,’ Arulvai angayarkanniye en annaye, Aruvagi uruvagi agathil ezhum porulagi ….’ came as a pleading despair that served as a prelude. Through his elegantly shaped phrases, he caressed and exploited the text in kambhoji, bringing out the impetuous fervor. And he capped it with his jaunty take on ‘Adiyenai katharulvai angayarkanni’ with a reverential bent and crystalline articulation exposing it’s textural weight with the rhythm dancing defiantly. Though the composition has the virtue of brevity, much of the pleasure of this musically scrupulous work is in the pensive lyrics, poetic nuances and the gait enhanced by Varadarajan and Venkatesh’s collective interpretation making a compelling case for this semi-obscure work…

With probing insight, Sanjay sculpted hamsanandhi by shading its myriad cascading dimensions and plain notes to the hilt. It was anchored by Varadarajan as he followed his spacious rendition and fleshed out nuances with lucid articulation.

Swathi Thirunal’s celebratory work ‘pahi jagajjanani‘, a comprehensive lesson in hamsanandhi galloped with emphatic verve by virtue of its intrinsic rhythmic nuances that pervades the composition— his diction perfect, his ornamentation elegant with fidelity to the intent of the composer — the performance evinced the logical progression of sangathis and variegated rhythmic structuring of the work with admirable clarity. No surprise there, this composition being a standard of his repertory. Varadarajan was at his most inspirational hugging subtle nuances and Venktaesh’s perfectly timed flourishes adding to the flow of the composition.

Musing pensively, he batted around ‘sarasakrutanilayE paramasadayE‘ with seamless phrasing by reconciling the lyrics with intricate rhythm. Varadarajan and Venkatesh gamely acquitted themselves and played with anticipation fortifying his filigreed variations and the aesthetics of rhythm in their constant give-and-take as Sanjay took off with abandon and executed swarams by leaping through notes with rhythmic dexterity. Venkatesh and Varadarajan sailed through with him in putting across the rhythmic cadence in fine style ... my toes won’t stop tapping as I write this…

The high point of the concert, RTP -

Then he launched into an expansive Bhairavi through step wise elaborations of notes. Plumbing a striking degree of depth through wondrous phrasings, with his uncanny ability to mold long karvais and hold on a single breath in enhancing the melodic canvas, Sanjay stripped down to the essentials giving unique contours anchoring his strength in the lower reaches. Varadarajan with his approach in line with Sanjay and with an unerring aesthetic sense was at his most inspired as he played with delicate articulation.

The rhythmically propelled Tanam opened riveting under the melody, infused with subtle inflections with a buoyant swing, sort of gradual terraced dynamics with the ragam playing peekaboo. Varadarajan lent his sheen to great effect, improvised in tandem highlighting Sanjay’s adornments and setting the stage for the pallavi…

Hovering over bhairavi with organic ease, ‘Un darisanam kidaikkumo Nataraja dayanidhe', sliced through the neat transit of chatusra triputa with precision as he probed the rhythmic potential that built to diff nadais in the reprise without obscuring the melodic structure of the text. Varadarajan and Venkatesh were responsive with an innate sense of rhythm to his flourishes, cadences and seamless nadai changes as they carefully calibrated and glided through the range of dynamics. This was followed by thani. Venkatesh was at his finest here, displaying his proficiency in rhythmic patterns and his dexterity over the instrument as his classic korvais with tonal clarity and speed control following Sanjay’s calculations.

Then Sanjay gracefully navigated through a few a primordial, folk-inspired works with rustic feel, spirited Kamas tillana, and a wistful rendition of ‘Karpagame’ capping off a memorable evening at the temple and the adoring audience erupted in a spontaneous ovation.…
Last edited by kedharam on 17 Oct 2017, 08:15, edited 5 times in total.

kvchellappa
Posts: 3598
Joined: 04 Aug 2011, 13:54

Re: Sanjay @ Houston Meenakshi Temple

Post by kvchellappa »

Kedharam, Sanjay has not yet spotted you, no kedharam still!

arasi
Posts: 16774
Joined: 22 Jun 2006, 09:30

Re: Sanjay @ Houston Meenakshi Temple

Post by arasi »

I was wrong. You made it to the Houston concert! East or west coaster? I give up. You are from kedharA land--wherever that is. Glad you were there. We have a double header review on this concert. Thanks to sreebeecane.
Bhairavi lover I'm not but virivAna (expansive) viribONi hooks me in.
kanja (not kancha) dalAyadAkshi it is. A sizzler.
If well sung, hamsAnandi is very appealing. I think too many film songs over the years have made it stale for some, no wonder.
Dandapani Desikar's lyrics are simply beautiful, beautiful musically too. Thanks to Sanjay for bringing them to our attention some years ago.
As Rajesh says, who knows? CA concerts may not be too far for you this year too! Waiting for reports from rasikAs (you too?) ...
un darisanam kiDaikkumO naTarA (as GNB sometimes would finish) is a grand pallavi line in any ghana rAgA.
All end pieces are as entertaining as always. Sanjay, a super planner of concerts. Varada Venkatesa-s add immensely to each performance of his, bless them...
Last edited by arasi on 17 Oct 2017, 01:30, edited 1 time in total.

kedharam
Posts: 419
Joined: 28 Sep 2008, 23:07

Re: Sanjay @ Houston Meenakshi Temple

Post by kedharam »

Arasi, I am an east coaster now. But I couldn’t resist the invitation to soak in the Southern hospitality :) :) :)   

Ramasubramanian M.K
Posts: 1226
Joined: 05 May 2009, 08:33

Re: Sanjay @ Houston Meenakshi Temple

Post by Ramasubramanian M.K »

Kedaram: Excellent review. Nice to know that you are an East Coaster!!! If you happen to be in the NY-NJ-Conn area all the more better!!!

More power to your rasika/reviewer elbow!!!

shankar vaidyanathan
Posts: 108
Joined: 25 Jan 2014, 18:16

Re: Sanjay @ Houston Meenakshi Temple

Post by shankar vaidyanathan »

Thank you, @Kedharam, for an excellent review. It was an energy packed 3.5 hours! Sanjay is a champion.

I was in the audience yesterday. I thought that Sanjay sang the Kudambai Siddhar's lyrics in Anandabhairavi (??) and GKB's Pitham Theliya Marundhondrikkudhu song in Senjurutti (?)

If I had known that you were coming to our space city, I could have showed you some Texas size welcome!

kedharam
Posts: 419
Joined: 28 Sep 2008, 23:07

Re: Sanjay @ Houston Meenakshi Temple

Post by kedharam »

shankar vaidyanathan, I thought Vetta veli thanil was in senjurutti.

I look forward to your Texas size welcome :) sooooon :)
Houston size welcome is a bit too much for me to handle. Still reeling under the warmth :) Thanks !

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