(My first concert in 2018)
1. Jagadhanandakaaraka- Naatai
2. Begada Ragam outline-Thani vari
Neraval at Rama x 3 raksha + swaram
3. Hindolam ragam- Yaare ranganaa
Neraval @ Gopalakrishnana and a brilliant swaram
4. Kedara gowla - Ragam Outline- Saamikku sari yevvare
5. Maanavathi (5th melakarta-announced)- Evaritho- Thyagaraja
6. Kalyani ragam with sruthi bedam to suddha dhanyasi, mohanam, madhyamavathi
Kamalamba bhajare.
Neraval @ Nithyakalyani ..kaathyayani and neraval 2nd kaalam and swaram @ Kamalamba. Sruti bedham in swaram also to same ragams as alapanai plus hindolam?
7.Thani. Completed Kamalamba after thani !!!
8. Idhu bhagya x 3- vayya
9. Oorilen, kaaNi illai virutham in Desh? and Hamsanandi
10. Kannanai kaanbadhu eppo - Ragamalika
11. Mangalam
Comments:
a. As usual a flawless,melodious concert by Saketharaman. He is growing in musical stature day by day. This concert is one of the best I have heard from him, especially with regards to manodharmam.
b. The high quality accompaniments greatly enhanced the overall concert experience. I am hearing Violin and mridangam artists live in a concert for the first time. Just brilliant and greatly supportive and understanding of the main artist.
c. The highlights were definitely the swara prastharams of Hindolam and Kalyani. The last korvai in Hindolam with complex dhattu prayogams (TVS type) went on and on to the sheer delight of the audience. Kalyani sruti bedham in swaram was mind boggling. After shifting the scale by one,two, or three notes to bring out different ragams, he continues to sing the Kalyani swaram although it sounds like Suddha dhanyasi, mohanam and madhyamavathi. He sang also after superimposing the scale of the new raga, say mohanam, for our understanding and that there is no confusion and went back to the kalyani scale.And it fit like a glove. No apaswaram- no missing of thaaLam. Amazing virtuosity.
d. Nagai Sriram in his turn of Kalyani ragam repeated the swara bedhams in all three ragams. Yes. He is talented. But to listen to that process repeatedly is a bit tiring to the audience. IMHO, he could have just showed his talent by going to one of the ragams say Madhyamavathi !! It is just my personal feeling. He executed it perfectly and hats off to his virtuosity as well.
e. Could not the Kamalamba have been completed before thani? Well- artist's prerogative.
f. Kannanai kaanbadeppo is a masterpiece- popularised by GNB,I am told.Meaning bordering on erotic. Heroine sends a message to Kannan to come and meet her, through her thozhi (friend). But the friend spends a lot of time with Kannan , comes back at night and says,this is not the right time to meet Kannan
Amazing lyrics and equally fantastic music. Author of the song is unfortunately not known. The brilliance points to someone like Bharathiar.g. Without doubt Saketh will continue to move up in the carnatic music scene rapidly in the years to come. My best wishes to this young vidwan.
H. Very elaborate arrangements have been made by SRLKM in their premises including generator, fully covered by shamiana, nice backdrop and stage arrangement.
I. Also, it was heartening to see a fully packed hall, around 500-600 people. Normally I have a feeling that Saketharaman doesn't get the type of attendance he deserves.