Sanjay at Rani Seethai Hall (For Kalarasana) - 24th Dec 2008

sridrect · Post by **sridrect** » 24 Dec 2008, 23:50

Vocal: Sanjay Subrahmanyan
Violin: S Varadarajan
Mrindangam: Neyveli Venkatesh
Ghatam: Tirupanitura Radhakrishnan

The song list:

1. Varnam - Neevanti Deivamu - Neelambari
2. Sri Kanchi Nayike - Asaveri - Annusami Sastry
3. Telisi Rama - Poornachandrika - Thyagaraja (Alapana, Kalpanaswara and Neraval)
4. Kanthimathi - Kaanada - Papanasam Sivan (Alapana, Kalpanaswara)
5. Saadhu Tada - Vakulabaranam - Swati Tirunal (Alapana, Kalpanswara and Tani) - Main Item of the concert
6. Enneramum - Devagandhari - Gopalakrishna Bharathi
7. RTP - Hamir Kalyani (Ragamalika Tanam including Mohanam, Hindolam, Sahana)
Pallvai - "SamAnamaa Sabapathe Ulagame unakku...."
8. Kadai Kann - Khamas - Papanasam Sivan
9. Orile Kaani Illai - Viruttam (in Suddha Dhanyasi) followed by Brindavanam Idhuvo - Suddha Dhanyasi
10. Maal Maruganai - Viruttam followed by Kanda Guha - Jonpuri
11. Mangalam

I am putting my neck out and stating this is THE CONCERT of the season. I will not be surprised if the so called critics and pandits declare so.

The concert started at 6:15pm sharp and ended at 9:20pm and I am posting this on the same day at around 11:30pm IST.

After a Neelambari and Asaveri, the concert really changed gears with that lovely Poornachandrika krithi of Thyagaraj. With a brisk and sweet rendering Sanjay brought the concert to a zone of high expectations. What followed was a beautiful Kanada alapana with some innovative sangathis. As I was expecting "Kanthimathi" of Sivan instead of "Sukhi Evaro", bang Sanjay started off with Kanthimathi as if he read my mind.

After announcing the name of the raga, Sanjay rendered the main item of the concert which will remain in my mind for years and years to come. This was an out-of-the-world experience for all those present. The kalpanaswarams just poured like a torrential rain and there was no stopping Sanjay's imagination. If at all this krithi is heard again anywhere by me, I will be forced to compare with this rendition. I can only say that those who heard it today were blessed to be there.

After a soothing Devagandhari with the time tested "Enneramum", Sanjay moved onto Hamir Kalyani RTP. The only downside was that I have heard his Hamir Kalyani RTP with the same pallavi before. But he made up with a ragamalika Tanam.

After a delightful Khamas, he delivered a exciting Suddha Dhanyasi piece with special emphasis on the word "Kaanam" (meaning Forest) and "Ghaanam" (meaning music). He rounded off the concert with that beautiful Maharajapuram classic Viruttam, but in his own style in Jonpuri.

Last year Kalarasana was remembered for Sanjay's Bagesri RTP and this year it would be Vagulabaranam. I am told that Charsur has done a recording of this concert. But it would be a shame and a great loss to rasikas if this concert does not come out as a commerical CD release. This is worth its weight in whatever that is precious to each individual. This concert is a benchmark for posterity.

Just like Sachin is fond of Chepauk, it looks like Sanjay reserves his best for Kalarasana. So next year do watch out for Kalarasana concert.

I am extremely delighted that I attended this master-class of a concert by the MASTER.

vijay · Post by **vijay** » 25 Dec 2008, 00:32

Thanks Sridrect - Vakulabharanam is still virgin territory and I am not surprised that its potential was fully exploited by Sanjay's fertile imagination. If the Charsur recording of Saduthadha is anything to go by, it should have been a great concert! Thanks to our esteemed fellow forum-ite Sri Rama Varma for bringing this raga alive this season!

Sad to have missed this - I've been regularly attending Sanjay's concerts at Kalarasana and I second Sridrect's opinion about Sanjay reserving his best for it. I hope there is some left for the Academy as well

shripathi_g · Post by **shripathi_g** » 25 Dec 2008, 02:26

Is Sri Kanchi Nayike's raga Asaveri? www.ecse.rpi.edu/Homepages/shivkuma/per ... nayike.pdf

prashant · Post by **prashant** » 25 Dec 2008, 09:33

What beautiful selection of rAgAs! nIlAmbari, asAvEri, pUrNaCandrikA, kAnaDA, vakuLAbharaNam, dEvagAndhAri, hamIrkalyANi. Continously evolving moods in rAgA choice and song selection... wonderful.

sridrect · Post by **sridrect** » 25 Dec 2008, 09:55

shripathi_g wrote:Is Sri Kanchi Nayike's raga Asaveri? www.ecse.rpi.edu/Homepages/shivkuma/per ... nayike.pdf

Thanks Shripathi_g:

I have made the correction to my original post.

Sathej · Post by **Sathej** » 25 Dec 2008, 10:07

Was a good Vakulabharanam. But I personally felt dissatisfied at the RTP. Was a 7-8 minute Ragam and an almost equal duration violin reply! The Ragamalika Tanam was longer than either the Ragam or the Pallavi. The Pallavi was a very short affair lasting just around 10 minutes. Varadarajan was very good with all his replies especially in the Vakulabharanam Swarams. The Mrudangam to me, was not of a great quality! The Asaveri and Vakulabharanam pieces were rendered well.

Sathej

rajeshnat · Post by **rajeshnat** » 25 Dec 2008, 10:24

Sri Kanchi Nayike's in raga Asaveri is by annaSwami sAstri

Jigyaasa · Post by **Jigyaasa** » 25 Dec 2008, 13:31

sridrect wrote:
I am putting my neck out and stating this is THE CONCERT of the season.

I completely disagree. I'd divide this concert into two parts, pre tani n post tani... Pre tani was gr8, no doubt... But the RTP... hamIrkalyANi didn't deserve such speed n such prolific display of well-established vidwat... He threw brick after brick... Oops, I mean brigha after brigha at her n she had just no defense... Even in the pallavi, he attempted some brigas which didn't work at all... The violinist's versions came out just right but then I still think hamIrkalyANi was treated far too aggressively...

sumathibhuvarahan · Post by **sumathibhuvarahan** » 25 Dec 2008, 14:42

It was a bit too agressive for my taste. I started getting involved during the swaras in Kaanada but it was short lived. It was good in parts but I left dissatisfied overall. His voice was getting scratchy at higher octaves. Too many slip ups from Varadarajan and the loud percussion department didn't do anything to help either.

Jigyaasa · Post by **Jigyaasa** » 25 Dec 2008, 21:35

A couple more things abt this concert... The swaras in kAnaDa were innovatively structured.

The vakulAbharaNam AlApana was interestingly conceived. The really interesting part was when Sri Sanjay literally hummed the pallavi of the film song kallellAm mANikka kallAgumA!

Guess it falls within vakulAbharaNam's domain...

cmlover · Post by **cmlover** » 25 Dec 2008, 21:40

I thought 'kallellAm..' is MMG!

vijay · Post by **vijay** » 25 Dec 2008, 23:22

Well MMG and V'bharanam differ only by a swara so it could easily have been some sangathis between S and D

vijay · Post by **vijay** » 25 Dec 2008, 23:23

I haven't heard the song BTW. If it is uploaded I am sure the swaras can be identified

rbharath · Post by **rbharath** » 25 Dec 2008, 23:24

was the aTa tALa varNam, nIvaNTi deivamu in nIlAmbari???

vasanthakokilam · Post by **vasanthakokilam** » 25 Dec 2008, 23:27

Vijay, if you meant kallellAm, here it is: http://www.musicindiaonline.com/p/x/Bsv ... As1NMvHdW/

vijay · Post by **vijay** » 25 Dec 2008, 23:41

Thanks VK - the connection I have is a little slow - will try and revert by listening to it in a cyber cafe sometime. Meawhile someone could try and take a shot.

Sathej · Post by **Sathej** » 25 Dec 2008, 23:46

Yes, it was the Neelambari Ata Tala Varnam Neevanti Deivamu
Sathej

vasanthakokilam · Post by **vasanthakokilam** » 25 Dec 2008, 23:56

Since N is the difference, MMG ( N3 ) vs VB ( N2 ), when the song stays in the pUrvAngA( second quadrant ), it can fall into either one.

Let me take a shot at the first line ( Please provide corrections. I am sure there are plenty of mistakes. Also, I did not spend time on getting the long and short swaras notated exactly, so at best it is a rough framework). Hope I latched onto the Shadjam correctly. When I played the following swaras myself with MMGish gamaka, though it sort of resembled the song, it did not have the brightness of the film song, it sounded a bit sombre.

m p p;; m;; p; m; m p d; p m;; g r s; ( kallellAm mANikka kallAhumA.. A.... )

s s (r)s s s r g m p; m ( kalaiyellAm kaNgaLsollum )

m p g; r s;;; ( kalaiyAgumA )

vijay · Post by **vijay** » 26 Dec 2008, 00:19

I managed to hear it VK. Our versions tally closely for the first line...I would put it as - mpp,dp (kallelam) m,p,p,p (manikya) Kallahu (mpmpdp) m,,mgrsn (maam). The nishadam in the last phrase seems like N2 and not N3 although it is an anuswara. Elsewhere in the instrumental section however, N3 is heard quite distinctly!

SO it is a typical fimly mish mash. Anyway, since there is no explicit adhara shadjam, it could be pretty much any raga depending on the base note.

PUNARVASU · Post by **PUNARVASU** » 26 Dec 2008, 04:58

Hi, I also tried playing it on the veena. Unfortunately did not remember the full song.

vasanthakokilam · Post by **vasanthakokilam** » 26 Dec 2008, 05:07

Punarvasu, Post 16 above has the link to the song. I am copying it here: http://www.musicindiaonline.com/p/x/Bsv ... As1NMvHdW/

If you can record your playing the song on the veena, tha will be very interesting to listen.