Injikudi Subramanian-Nagaswaram-20 Jan 2018

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Sivaramakrishnan
Posts: 1582
Joined: 02 Jan 2010, 08:29

Injikudi Subramanian-Nagaswaram-20 Jan 2018

Post by Sivaramakrishnan »

Brahma Gana Sabha
'Nalli's Nadhaswara Tavilisai Fest',
PS school, Mylapore, Chennai.
20 Jan 2018
6.30-8.30 pm

INJIKUDI E.M SUBRAMANIAN &
Pollachi M Chandrasekharan- Special Nagaswaram
Cuddalore MP Subramanian &
Pondicherry M Saravanan -Special Tavil

Kritis rendered :
1....?
2. Vijayanaagari-Neeye Akhandaganey-Muthutandavar-
Misrajhampa
3. Aahirbhairav-Pibarey Ramarasm-Sadasiva brahmendra
Aadi
4. Sindhubhairavi-Tillana- Lalgudi-Aadi

The concert was part of the laudable 'Nagaswara-Tavil music festival' happening at the venue from 17 Jan. There are 2 concerts a day (4.30-6.15 &6.30-8.30pm). Artists from all over South India are featured. Naturally most of them are from Tamilnadu - the homeland of the adorable Mangala Vaadyam. The inaugural concert this year was by the legendary vidwan A K C Natarajan.

I could reach the venue only by 6.50pm when Injikudi was already into an alapana of Vijayanaagari raga. (He must have played a kriti before this - I couldn't get details)

The rare kriti in Vijayanaagari was in praise of The Lord of Chidambaram and Subramanian made it the main piece with an elaborate aalapana, unhurried kriti rendering and manodharma swaras in plenty in charana. He touched the upper panchamam easily during Alapana but struggled to register the Mandrashadjam (why to dip so much? - I thought!). He was seen adjusting the 'seevaali' (the 'blower' piece) too often.

The composition also turned a testimony to the artist's grip over laya as he employed a variety of khandachapu kurraippu patterns loyal to the 'big brother' misrajhampa with the Tavildars lapping up each take. It was clear that the Nagaswara vidwan had internalised the sahityam and varnamettu thoroughly. The Tani (which we don't come across frequently in this Tala) was well shared by the Tavil vidwans which I felt our young mridangists should have listened to in large numbers.

The next was a delineation of Aahirbhairav for the famous Pibare raamarasam. This time Injikudi didn't venture into Hindustani mode (a usual segment looked forward by rasikas from Injikudi!). The concluding piece was the Tillana preceded with an outline of Sindhubhairavi which he rendered with elan and pep.


Tail piece 1:
Though people hail the melam as the source of substance in Carnatic music, it doesn't reflect in the attendance for Nagaswaram concerts. I couldn't spot a single professional singer in the audience for this concert.

Tail piece 2:
My next seater in this concert (referring to a programme notice of the Nagaswara-Tavil festival) asked if I knew what a 'Special Tavil' or special Nagaswaram meant.
Simple answer. The vidwans are not members of a stock team but 'specially' featured for the event.
(Absolutely nothing 'special' about the make or size of the instrument as I was thinking so in my boyhood!)

CRama
Posts: 2939
Joined: 18 Nov 2009, 16:58

Re: Injikudi Subramanian-Nagaswaram-20 Jan 2018

Post by CRama »

I could not attend this concert. I would like him to perform in Chennai more often.

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