TN SeshagOpAlan@vani mahAl on Dec 29th,2008

[rajeshnat]

TN SeshagOpAlan@vani mahAl on Dec 29th,2008
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Few delayed concert reviews that just got slipped because of excess concerts

Accompanied by M.Chandrasekaran - violin , KV prasad - mridangam and ?? - ghatam

1. varnam in kAmbOdhi??
2. siddhi vinayakam (?,S)- shanmughapriyA - MD

3A. viruththam "pAdi kOduthAr pAmAlai" - Anandha bhairavi - ??
3B. ungaL puzhakkaDai - Ananda bhairavi - AndAL's TiruppAvai
4. vara nArada (R,S)- vijayashree - T

5A. cikkani pAlu (R N S T) - kharaharapriyA - T
16 minutes of alApanai by TNS alone ,
neraval for 7 minutes in the usual "kantiki sundara" &
12 minutes of swaras
5B. tani

6. RTP - ranjani Ragam with pallavi rendition in ranjani + sumanEsa ranjani + shree - TNS??
7 minutes alApanai , 4 minutes violin return
tAnam for 7 minutes
pallavi line was "sumana rasikE sumanesa ranjani shree rAja mAthaNgi "
9 mins of swaras preceded by 6 minutes of pallavi

7. tu mAja shAmanu - hindustani Touch? - ?
8. perumAlE ??? - CM heavy rAGA? - ?
9. pavamAna


Usually I hear alteast 3 to 5 concerts of one my favourite vidwan TNS .This time I could only hear him just once , perhaps the sampling of TNS@ vani mahal was certainly not a good selection , despite the newly opened and lit vani mahal bridge

I was late by about 30 minutes , and I only heard the last few minutes of heavy voice depleted rendition of shanmughapriyA. The best no that was just very good was his Ananda bhairavi , shri TNS sang very well covering up very emotively with his right lyrical expression , certainly a right Ananda bhairavi tirrupAvai.The middle segment was a real let down. vijayashree (close cousin of varAli) was just average to good with Shri TNS voice problems partially covered with the not so voice mandated vijayashree. The 16 minutes of alApanai of shri TNS was just good for about 4 minutes ,

Shri TNS does have a tendency to go on and on in alApanai , perhaps he just wants to keep trying till his voice reaches a zone that suits his confidence .From 4th to 16th minute , he did that but certainly was below average rendition of kharakharapriyA, just too much of voice problem. I decided to taste gnambika , and joined back from cikkani pAlu, went just ok, Neraval had again too much of brigha laden voice problems. The swaras were not delivered sharp , despite his intention but definitely better than neraval. Overall a low key main rendition.Post tani that was just average to me(Shri KV prasad stopped too frequently and requested mike correction which made it a bit lowkey).

The RTP was a good finish. Certainly his alApanai in ranjani was good to very good ,tAnam was rendered in a very good fashion. Pallavi was just good , the swaras had a short shree rAgam, a longish sumanesa ranjani (can I say sumanesa ranjani has quite a resemblance to madhuvaNti) and a good ranjani finish.

The last tu mAja shAmanu was rendered excellently had a lot of hindustani touch, did not get the rAga there, the perumAlE was I think thirruppugazh was in a heavy carnatic rAga,only TNS and Lord perumAl must have got the lyrics , at times I dont know why thirruppugazh ?? is just rushed .

Overall this concert was my lowest concert of the season , the vidwat of sumanesa ranjani and rendition of Anandabhairavi was the take away here . A mediocre concert.Would be nice if Shri TNS finds a zone like Shri KVN /DKJ of 1990's where despite a little non cooperation of voice they still managed to give a good concert.

[abhiprayam]

T There is no doubt that he is legend genius in Carnatic music of our times. it was a wholesome concert . Despite voice problems , TNS brought out superb manodharmam in karaharapriya ragam which was amazing. RTP - ranjani sumanEsa ranjani shre was highlight of the concert, a superb concert.

[ksrimech]

3A. viruththam "pAdi kOduthAr pAmAlai" - Anandha bhairavi - ??

Looks like he sang "anna vayal puduvai ANDAL arangarkku" taniyan by uyyakkOnDAR, aka SrI punDarIkAkSa, the disciple of SrImannAtamuni. The words pAdikkoDuttAr naR pAmAlai appears in the 3rd line. May be Smt Saroja Ramanujam can clarify.

[shyam223]

Is item 5A Chakkani Raja Margamulundaga?

[rajeshnat]

Is item 5A Chakkani Raja Margamulundaga?

Yes certainly yes, I just put the line cikkani pAlu (R N S T) - kharaharapriyA - T with a

[Sahasranam]

The concert of TNS at VaniMahal reminded me the concerts of Ariyakudi in his fifties. I attended at least 6 or 7 concerts of TNS in this season. In my opinion he has found a concert plan where the sense of proportion (Pangeedu) of Iyengar has been amply employed with a successful display of his versatile vidwat in the lines of concert music.
His voice was trim all over the season.
He is an artist in this era who cannot sacrifice or compromise his style of open throat singing exploring not less than 3 octaves; and, he has been enjoying the success which has been evidently proved on his concerts.
For those who have enjoyed the rendering of 'Varanaradha' from Karaikudi Veena Brothers, Ariyakudi and Chembai, TNS's treatment of Vijayasri as well as the presentation of Krithi with the enthusiastic support from the Violinist made them feel thrilled. The kharaharapriya fare was extensively a beautiful treatment and the audience would have been pleased even if the alapana got extended for few more mnts.
I am happy that the musician of this era has not chosen to adhere the unhealthy vocal styles for the sake of convenience and compromise that is why he continues to stand in the field victoriously for at least 4 decades.

[sarojaRamanujam]

The thaniyans before thiruppavai of the day are rendered by TNS usually in the same raga in which he sings the day's thiruppavai.First would be 'annavayal pudhuvai andal arangarku pannu thiruppaavai palpadhiyam innisaiyaal paadikkodutthaal nal paamaalai poomalai soodikkodutthaaLai cchollu.' On this day in the line ‘paadikkodutthaaL naR paamaalai poomaalai,’ TNS actually made a garland of flowers that was a paamaalai.second is 'soodikkoduttha sudarkkodiye,' and he third 'paathakangal theerkkum paramanadi kaattum,' which TNS sings beautifully in kondukooti style. the thiruppavai of the day being 'ungaL purakkadai,' in anandabhairavi all the three thanityans were in anandabhairavi.

Here is my excerpts of the concert. The reviews of Sahasranam and Abhiprayam make me bold to present my review.

The main raga of the day was karaharapriya which delighted the rasikas who were hearing it the second day in succession because the raga was so rich and presented a fresh picture that it appeared as though we were hearing it for the first time. TNS sprang surprises like this through out this season. When the rasikas thought that he had covered the whole field in the exploration of a raga he sang the same raga again often in quick succession to display the inexhaustible treasure trove of his manodharma. Yesterday it was ‘pakkalanilapadi,’ and to day, yes, you have guessed it, it was ‘chakkani raja,’ the rasikas being taken along the rajamarga by the raga itself even before he started the krthi. In the anupallavi when TNS was singing ‘chikkanipaalu,’ one could see the milk being milked and boiled to taste. The neraval- svara was at ‘kantiki sundara,’ and it was indeed ‘sundara svara.’ The support of MC n the violin was superb.

When TNS started the raga ranjani which made the rasikas think that it was going to be a RTP in ranjani, especially when it was followed by an excellent thaanam in ranjani, TNS sprang a surprise in singing a ragamalika pallavi consisting of ranjani, sumanesaranjani and sree raga,. The line of the pallavi was ‘sumanarasikE sumanesaranjani sree rajamathangi.’ The alternate changing of ragas in the sahitya , neraval as well as svaras was so swift that it left the rasikas wonderstruck, which included MC, though he gave an excellent support through out.

Then the rasikas experienced a transformation of a vidvan becoming a Ustad! TNS sang the bajan ‘thum aajaa,’ in vakulabharanam in a perfect Hindustani style. And how! It excelled the usual Hindustani music because it combined the merits of both. After a thiruppugaz TNS concluded the concert with the slokam sriyahkaanthaaya in suruti instead of the usual sreeraga.

[rajeshnat]

The thaniyans before thiruppavai of the day are rendered by TNS usually in the same raga in which he sings the day's thiruppavai. TNS sings beautifully in kondukooti style. the thiruppavai of the day being 'ungaL purakkadai,' in anandabhairavi all the three thanityans were in anandabhairavi.
..........

Then the rasikas experienced a transformation of a vidvan becoming a Ustad! TNS sang the bajan ‘thum aajaa,’ in vakulabharanam in a perfect Hindustani style. And how! It excelled the usual Hindustani music because it combined the merits of both. After a thiruppugaz TNS concluded the concert with the slokam sriyahkaanthaaya in suruti instead of the usual sreeraga.

SarojA madam,
Is that not ungal pazhakkaDai instead of ungaL purakkadai. ?
What is taniyan and kondukooti style?

Can you let me also know the tiruppugazh rAgam and vakulAbharanam composer (certainly there was a ustad HM touch?)

[PUNARVASU]

rajeshnat- ungaL puzhakkaDai

[sarojaRamanujam]

The thiruppavai was 'ungal puRakkadai thoOttatthu vaaviyuL,' Thiruppavai no.14.
Thaniyan is the individual verses composed by others in praise of a work of a composer. In Nalayiradivyarabandham we have thaniyans for all the works sof the azvars.

Kondukootti style is a method of singing in ancient tamil music where the words coming later in a verse are joined with the earlier ones to give the respective mmeaning. In the verse 'pathakangaL theerkkum,' TNS sings the line ' kodhai thamiz aindhaindhum aindhum aRiyaadha maanidarai vaiyam sumappadhum vambu,' as kodhao thamiz, 'pathakangaL theerkkum kodhai thamiz , ' paramnadi kaattum kodhai thamiz, vedham anaiitthiRkum vitthaagum kodhai thamiz.' Thais the adjectives are joined with the qualified noun by turns.TNS sings also the last Thiruppavai in this manner. 'thamiz malai. sangatthamiz malia kodhai sonna sangathamiz maalai , bhattarapiraan kodhai sonna sangatthamiz maalai.'

I do not know the composer of the bajan. Some one who has heard him sing this earlier may know and the raga of Thiruppugaz sounded like malayamarutham or valaji may be, I do not remember as I did not note down the raga it being the last.

[Amruthavarshini]

Thiruppugazh raga is Malayamarutham.

[kartik]

And how! It excelled the usual Hindustani music because it combined the merits of both

Excelled the usual Hindustani music?What does that mean?

combined the merits of both

Both?

[coolkarni]

.

[saptaratna]

I did not attend the concert. Reading these posts, there is a small doubt ? for clarification

Tu Maazaa yajamaan is an Abhang. TNS renders it very well, as many more abhangs that he renders. The use of the letter is Z there, because, in Marathi, that is how, the third letter, in the "Cha" series is pronounced. It is written in Devanagari with a small dot under the letter.

The doubt is on the Bhajan. Which bhajan is being referred to here , as Kabir's?? Can't find it in the song list ?

Yes, this scribe also always feels that Tiruppugazhs are rushed, not only in this case, but in many concerts, of many other artists too. It sounds as though , it is sung for the sake of registering a tiruppugazh.
However there are times when I have also heard, it being rendered in a comfortable pace. Maybe a question of time pressure ???? or an after thought ???

[sarojaRamanujam]

It was thu maaza yajaman. If it is marati it cannot be kabir. I dont think anyone mentioned it here as kabir as well. If u you know the composer please let us know.

[sarojaRamanujam]

'It excelled the usual Hindustani music because it combined the merits of both.'

What I meant was that usually the Hindustani music is not gamakaoriented but brika oriented. The singig by TNS contained both.

[saptaratna]

Amrutavarshini :
I have a query. In the morning I saw the Bhajan Mudra as being Kabirs. But now I see an edit, in your post , without any explanation for my query on the bhajan?

Wouldn't it have been better to offer the explanation alongwith the edit?

[saptaratna]

Amrutavarshini :
I have a query. In the morning I saw the Bhajan Mudra as being Kabirs. But now I see an edit, in your post , without any explanation for my query on the bhajan?

Wouldn't it have been better to offer the explanation alongwith the edit?

[Amruthavarshini]

Sure, I should have.

[ragapriya82]

It was a great concert by the great maestro. Only he can sing such an RTP with ease.