Afternoon Beat 3 - Prasanna Venkatraman and TNS Krishna

vijay · Post by **vijay** » 27 Dec 2008, 23:46

Two great white hopes back to back at the Academy

PRASANNA VENKATRAMAN - MUSIC ACADEMY

This bright youngster took another little step towards joining the seniors with this concert. In the years to come, I suspect Prasanna will acquire a KVN like reputation for consistency. Major items were Aparadhamula (Lathangi) and Nadopasana (Begada) - both alaapanas got the benefit of PrasannaÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢s profound manodharma and depth. Neraval was done at Tantri Laya (?) in Begada and the predominantly sarvalaghu swaras kept one engrossed. His voice, like his GuruÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢s, involves just that little bit of a struggle which only seems to accentuate the passion in music!

Arunachala Karthick played an excellent Begada but the Madhyamam in Lathangi were somewhat sharp and straight which meant that the alaapana had its lighter moments.

The hero of the day however was Jaya Bhaskar on the mrudangam. In ragas involving R2, he played some exquisite strokes that were in consonance with this swara (Ram informed me later that this is called "Dheem"

vijay · Post by **vijay** » 27 Dec 2008, 23:48

Sorry - IIRC take off was 3/4 idam (1.75 after samam) in the swaras/tani

abhiprayam · Post by **abhiprayam** » 28 Dec 2008, 06:46

TNS Krishna may have excellent manodharma and vishaya gnyaanam but i think he lacks maturity and azhutham

Amruthavarshini · Post by **Amruthavarshini** » 29 Dec 2008, 09:09

The place of commencement of the Pallavi of TNS Krishna is 5/8 (arai and araikaal idam). In case if you want further clarifications get it confirmed either from TNS Krishna or TNS Sir.

Amruthavarshini · Post by **Amruthavarshini** » 29 Dec 2008, 09:13

The place of comencement of the Pallavi of TNS Krishna is 5/8 (arai and araikaal idam). In case you want further clarifications get it confirmed either from TNS Krishna or TNS sir

Sahasranam · Post by **Sahasranam** » 29 Dec 2008, 09:39

Krishna has more maturity in presenting good music in a dignified manner than the frogs with a meagre knowlege and daring to give out abhiprayams in the discussions of the forum. This is my 'abhiprayam'.

mridhangam · Post by **mridhangam** » 29 Dec 2008, 11:04

Vijay sir you have written so much about two youngsters of about the same age. Whereas you have praised one and partially praised the other.

But i think you have left out on picturing a few negative points in Prasanna Venkatraman's concert as i also attended the concert .... may be wantonly ? or may be to throw some spice on TNS and his Sishya ?

Dont understand this logic of yours ... I would see it this way ... If TNS Krishna sang a pallavi and there was a lack of time .. let it be .... Let us allow them to mature.. You want maturity out of Krishna and the same can be said for Prasanna also ?

JB

abhiprayam · Post by **abhiprayam** » 29 Dec 2008, 11:08

Cool down sahasranam !!!!! i just told my view, everybody has their rights to express their views in this forum
I expressed what i felt in my mind.

abhiprayam · Post by **abhiprayam** » 29 Dec 2008, 11:10

Sahasranam wrote:Krishna has more maturity in presenting good music in a dignified manner than the frogs with a meagre knowlege and daring to give out abhiprayams in the discussions of the forum. This is my 'abhiprayam'.

You have felt that Krishna has more maturity its your opinion please allow others to give their views too. Pl give replies in a dignified manner

saptaratna · Post by **saptaratna** » 29 Dec 2008, 12:59

The pallavi eduppu is 5/8, and the arudhi is 7 karvais, seemingly easy yet tricky placements. If we are not completely clued clued on we will mistake it for 6/8. He handled it with deft and absolute clarity and confidence.

Overall Krishna has matured and his singing speaks of quantums of vidwat, practice and internalisation.Yes , for the brilliant pidis of Sankarabharanam, he could have sung more, , as he really can, instead of launching off onto the sruti bedham .

Instead of merely copying his titan father, he is working hard to create a self style approach. Very difficult for children like him to prove easily.

All of us learn by imitation and conditioning. Then we move on slowly to understand things according to our maturity and then become independent and individualistic. In the Carnatic field especially, we easily brand or write off by saying " oh he is a copy" or " he can't match up to his guru". As rasikas, we need to grow with the artist and allow him or her also to grow.

Let us not keep on comparing artists. Each one unto his standards. We should like it or leave it at an absolute level.

vijay · Post by **vijay** » 29 Dec 2008, 16:27

Balaji sir - I do not generally like to "criticize" unless artistes indulge in wilful murder. I just point out a few things that strike me during concerts that too with an overall positive tone. I have taken pains to point out several times that mine is not an expert opinion.

To begin with, I have absolutely no intention of throwing spice on TNS or his son. As many people on this forum well know, I am one of TNS' greatest admirers and as I have pointed out in my post above, I think Krishna is probably the best junior around in the circuit. I think my point about the pallavi is that there was too much time left afterwards - he could have sang Shankarabharanam in more detail as it was going really well. This was not so much a criticism as an expression of my disappointment at not being to enjoy the piece for a little longer! Let me again clarify that it was an excellent concert which I really enjoyed - perhaps this did not get conveyed in the right manner.

Coming to Prasanna, I really did not notice the mistakes you refer to - it is, however, quite possible that some errors might have escaped my attention. Perhaps you could let us know, for our benefit, what they were. I also think that my comments on Prasanna's concert was shorter because 1) the concert itself was shorter and 2) it was more conventional so there were fewer talking points. Krishna's concert on the other hand included several intricacies. This may have given the impression that I praised one and not the other - however, this was not my intention.

Saptaratna thanks for your correction - I did not notice the 5/8 eduppu - thought it was ara eduppu reduced to mukkal eduppu. my apologies for the mistake.

swaminathan123 · Post by **swaminathan123** » 01 Jan 2009, 12:03

many of the rasikas have discussed the pallavi eduppu thalam aruthi kaarvai etc sung by T N S Krishna but none of you have given the lyrics which is more important, can anybody post the full lyrics of the Pallavi/

vijay · Post by **vijay** » 01 Jan 2009, 15:38

Sorry, I didn't take notes and I'e had too many concerts since for me to remember!

sarojaRamanujam · Post by **sarojaRamanujam** » 02 Jan 2009, 12:27

I am not an expert in music like some of the members to comment about eduppu of pallavi etc. I listen with my heart rather than my head. I do not know whther the lack of tecnical knowledge of music is a blessing or a defect. Moreover I left early that day since I wanted to be in time for the concert of TNS in Bharatkalachar.I will give the list of the songs the member has asked for.
1. Reethigoula varnam
2. raga alapana of poorvikalyani and the krthi 'ninnuvnagamari' of Shyamasasthri
3.Neerjakshi -Hindolamof Dhikshithar
4.Shankarabharanam- ethudanilachithe of Thyagaraja.
5. vaanchathonuna- karnaranjani- Muthiah bhagavathar
6. lathangi -RTP.
7. Thillana in hameer kalyani

Since I left just before the RTP which I came to know about later, I am not sure whether any other songs were included in the post RTP part of the concert. Perhaps others who have attended the concert in full can confirm the same.

Sometimes I get so involved with the music that I forget even to identify the ragas, which alone I am capable of to certain extent, until someone asks me ! So my reviews are not that of an expert , not from the head but from the heart , simply expressing the joy experienced and the thoughts and emotions reflected by the music.

saptaratna · Post by **saptaratna** » 04 Jan 2009, 17:33

Swaminathan , answer to ur question

@ 5/8 eduppu of a 4 kalai Pallavi in Tisra triputa, with arudi karvai of 7 , the words were these :

matangi - maamadura - meenakshi (ardui) - maragathaangi - lalithangi - latangi - maampahi

To add on to Saroja Ramanujam's list, the pallavi was followed by a short virutham, " Krishnaya vasudevaya Devaki Nanada nayacha", followed by a Tillana in Hamir Kalyani by his Father.

Chathurya · Post by **Chathurya** » 04 Jan 2009, 18:28

Thank you very much saptaratna. Usually I enjoy the pallavis of the great artist TNS which are very much different unique and also intelligent and rich in sahithya and musical bhava, definitely it should be TNS sirs pallavi. Many artists who rendered Pallavi s in the afternoon slot of Music Academy announced that the pallavi they sung was set by so and so. Even Ranjini Gayarthri in one of their concerts have told that the pallavi they sang was set by ArunPrakash, Did TnS krishna give any information regarding the composer of the pallavi. I missed the concert.

swaminathan123 · Post by **swaminathan123** » 04 Jan 2009, 21:48

The lyrics are catchy enchanting, thanks a lot saptaratna for the information. As chaturya says did krishna give any information about the composer of the ppallavi?? naturally it should be his father's, who is a great vidwan among vidwans. Unfortunately I too missed TNS Krishna's concert at Academy. Everybody say that he sings exactly like TNS sir.

saptaratna · Post by **saptaratna** » 05 Jan 2009, 10:53

He did not announce whose it was, but undoubtedly it has to be his fathers. TNS is an expert in singing mesmerisingly tricky pallavis. Such precision in fractions, seemingly chatusram, seemingly tisram , mel kala pallavi , all kinds of permutations and combinations. It takes an astute mind, alert rasika and interested person , to understand, the nuances or else, the bus is missed.

PSN disciples had last year organised a lec dem of Pallavi singing by TNS at Raga Sudha Hall which was well attended, but neither reported or reviewed !. According to me, it was one of the best lec dems in Pallavi ever. How many different approaches, rules, science and art combined were discussed in the same. Serious students of music should get to listen to that once again , if somebody could organise the same. pallavi can be interesting without having to resort to general tamasha, as is often heard these days.

As One review in The Hindu said, students in the future should know exactly how pallavis should be sung and only some are left to demonstrate the same.

Sorry for the digression. As for Krishna, i think he is coming of age and evolving gradually.
All of us learn and present by imitation. If not banis / gharanas would not have come up. Even gurus, feel slighted if the student were not be showing fidelity to their style. After a certain stage in the learning curve, the Guru themselves advise, what to keep and what not to. The disciples also should be mature to sift the grain and take the essence and only such artists have always had a great platform.

I'm sure singers like Krishna have the maturity to do this and also have the fortune of an enlightened Guru, who can articulate well so as to lead the sishya in the right path.

kunjammaal · Post by **kunjammaal** » 05 Jan 2009, 11:14

Yes saptharathna you made the point here, I attended the pallavi Lec Dem by TNS sir, it was amazing marvellous , though the subject was a serious one he could able to do it very lively and interesting with lots and lots of information, he rendered varieties of pallavis throughout the entire session, he was extempore and did nt even refer even a small point throghout his demonstration which lasted for more than 3hrs. Definitely some organisation should come forward and arrange for the same which will be very much useful to the younger artists of today.