SUNIL GARGYAN IN ARKAY- 20/9/18

[CRama]

Single Mike concert
Accompanists- Raghul- Violin
B.Ganapathyraman-Mridangam
List of songs.

• Munduvenuga- Durbar- T
• Aparna Parvthy- Nalinakanthi – Kalyani Varadarajan (R,S)
• Okabari choodara- Kalavathi- T
• Vazhi maraithirukkude-Natakurinji- GKB (R,N)
• Lakshanamula- Sudhasaveri- T
• Meenakshi memudam- Poorvikalyani- MD (R,N,S)
• Thani
• Virutham- Pannirukarathay potri- Sahana, Kapi, Behag
• Muruganin maru peyar azhagu- Behag- Guru Surajananda
• Mariyada teliyakane- Suruti
• Thillana- Desh

Single Mike concert is a new concept explored by Arkay Ramakrishnan once in a month in which only one mike is kept in the centre (slightly moved towards the violinist side) common for all the artistes. This is the first time I attended this type of concert. I found that the volume is ideal and it catches all the minute nuances of vocalist and accompanists to the best listening pleasure.

Sunil Gargyan, of the PSN Parampara is a steadily rising vidwan. With nice voice texture, hard work, sruti sudham, SSI patantharam and a pleasant demeanour, he is on the way to top. Before the concert, he announced that today is TRS Sirs birthday. So I will include some of the songs popularized by TRS Sir. That is a bonus for me. Sunil presented three alapanas, Nalinakanthi, Natakurinji and Poorvikalyani. Nalinakanthi is definitely a TRS number. Sunil did bring the TRS flavour in the alapana and the kriti is the one popularized by TRS. I have never heard this kriti from anybody else. The TRS brighas were lovely presented and the swaras too had TRS all over it. Lakshanamula is also a kriti I will attribute to TRS. Sunil presented some lovely porutham swaras for this kriti.

The alpanas of Natakurinji and Poorvikalyani were very elaborate showing the characteristic pidis of the ragam in a profound manner. The open throated singing, long akara passages, gamakams, captivating brighas, were very good. Besides the flavour of TRS, I could see a lot of impact of TNS in the alapana of Poorvikalyani. But he should be more careful while delineating fast brighas and fast passages. The kritis were well rendered in the right kalapramanam. IN the song Vazhi maraithirukkude, Sunil did bhava laden neraval at the lines Oradi vilaginal podum inge nindru utru paarkka satre vilagatho undan madu. For Meenkashi memudam, the neraval in the time tested lines Madhurapuri nilaye mani vilaye brought in the bhakthi element. TRS occupies a prominent place among the vocalists who popularized Desh Tillana. Sunil did full justice to the thillana.

Raghul conveyed the essence of ragas though his delicate bowing. It had the texture of MC. His alapanas of Natakurinji and Poorvikalyani had many aha moments. Ganapathyraman was top. The azhutham, variety of strokes, clarity, pauses, speed all were embedded admirably to give a significant boost to the concert and with the right volume and amplification it was delightful. A very good concert for two and half hours.

[CRama]

Link to the above concert.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGJQ-jYkPSA

[sureshvv]

Single Mike concert is a new concept explored by Arkay Ramakrishnan once in a month in which only one mike is kept in the centre (slightly moved towards the violinist side) common for all the artistes. This is the first time I attended this type of concert. I found that the volume is ideal and it catches all the minute nuances of vocalist and accompanists to the best listening pleasure.

Me too. It is certainly an interesting experiment. A typical concert is an assault on the ear. This is much more subdued. I wonder if it is more taxing for the artistes and if most of them will be happy with this format.

The lights were also dimmed and there was a certain informality in the air, kind of like a "mehfil".

Altogether a different experience.

[Sivaramakrishnan]

It's but a fact that the single mike (or even 'mikeless') concerts will suit only compact venues like Arkay Convention or chamber programmes.

Mr Ramakrishnan (Arkay) deserves appreciation for creating an exclusive aesthetic ambiance.

[rajeshnat]

Single Mike concert is a new concept explored by Arkay Ramakrishnan once in a month in which only one mike is kept in the centre (slightly moved towards the violinist side) common for all the artistes. This is the first time I attended this type of concert. I found that the volume is ideal and it catches all the minute nuances of vocalist and accompanists to the best listening pleasure.

Arkay Shri Ramakrishnan
For the last 10 years or so i was thinking keeping a microphone before vocalist and one for violinist (there is a famous photo of ariyakudi and lalgudi in the web ) is best . With the orientation of microphone moved towards the violinist may be a great idea. My gut feel the violinist in this concert R Raghul is a good press violinist and I am assuming sunil gargyan is not that roaring (not heard yet). Any way looking forward to hear this concert. Microphone for mrudangam may not be needed .

Possibly you can also experiment one for vocalist and one for violinist in the future like the below link (antha kalathu ariyakudi and LGJ)
https://www.thehindu.com/features/frida ... 533509.ece

[CRama]

Single mike concert or mike less concert does not necessitate dim light for the audience. That day light was too insufficient and Carnatic music listeners being mostly senior or super senior citizens naturally find it very difficult when they enter the pitch dark hall. It requires a few minutes for the eyes to adjust to the darkness. For going to the rest room and also to go out- many people would have faced this difficulty. I was all the more affected.

Further, our musicians also would like to see the audience reaction for the music created on the stage.

[HarishankarK]

Good singing by the young vidwan- his voice and style are very matured.
I Will prefer individual mike concerts to one mike for all.
In Aparna Parvati - he sings Kapalesha rahithe i/o Kapalesha sahite - this is blunder of artham - am sure mistake has been inadvertently made. Also madhyamakalams sahityam not sung (TRS didn't sing as well).
Nrupala nuthe became Krupala nuthe -I think he just quickly heard the song from TRS tape and sang away.
Now I am scared to listen to Lakshanamunu - one of my favourite TRS songs

[HarishankarK]

Just happened to read the below article and found a paragraph relating to the same issue I felt in the above comments

https://www.thehindu.com/features/frida ... 533509.ece

Quoting
One more disturbing feature is youngsters, without proper training under a guru, learning something from an amateur or listening to cassettes, CDs and You tube and rushing to the concert platform with half baked stuff. The pity is, even parents encourage this practice.
"
Looks like the above is what may have happened with the two TRS popularized numbers in this concert.???

[Sivaramakrishnan]

Further, our musicians also would like to see the audience reaction for the music created on the stage.

Agree.