T M Krishna's first ever performance in London

sunaada · Post by **sunaada** » 29 Mar 2009, 22:54

Organised by Avarthanas (http://www.avarthanas.org/)
T.M. Krishna- Karaikudi Shri R Mani- Shri H N Bhaskar- Shri N Amrut

1. Sabapathikku- Abogi- Rupakam (S)
2. Kaa Vaa Vaa- Varali- Adi (N, S)
3. Nadamaadi thirinda-Kamboji- khanda chapu (A)
4. Nenarunchinanu- Malavi- Adi
5. Karthikeya Gangeya (A, N, S, T)
6. Irakam Varaamal- Behaag -Roopakam
7. Yeppovaruvaro- Jhonpuri- Adi
8. Manasa Sancharare- Saama- Adi
9. Virutham-thandai thaiyum nee (sahaana, dhanyasi, bilahari, kharaharapriya) followed by a tamil composition in kharaharapriya (starting with the word naamasiddhi)
10. tAm tAm tAm- kamas thillana- adi talam
11. Nee namaroopamula-Mangalam

Krishna was as explosive and brilliant as ever. Its been a while since I heard him live and I must admit to have forgotten how much I enjoyed his music.

Thanks to the Sri Lankan tamil organisers, we just have to live the fact that most performances in London are always going to be dominated by tamil, Shaivite compositions. But I can hardly complain since the quality of music was sooo good.

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 29 Mar 2009, 23:34

Please... don't forget that it is

Thanks to the Sri Lankan tamil organisers

and their community, there is so much carnatic music in London. If that means living with their choice of compositions, London should still count itself lucky to have so much.

I have often reflected that it is their dreadful misfortune that brought the music to me.

Please excuse me probably being a little over-sensitive on this point!

vijay · Post by **vijay** » 30 Mar 2009, 00:06

Three cheers to the Sri Lankan community helping CM along...and a special thanks for helping bring Nick to our forum!

But that does not condone such requests - no one can have a quarrel with the odd thematic concert but really, if Telugu, Kannada and Sankrit compositions dominate the scene in Chennai, why shuold it be any different for Lankans in London? Of course, this is assuming that this happens in the first place - even TMK seems to have included a few Telugu/SAnkrit pieces although the list looks rather Tamil heavy...

BTW, I can understand the language thing but not sure what does Shaivism/Vaishnavism have to do with it...Unless, of course, we are talking about the ninth avatar (according to some traditions)!! Would they object to a Thiruppavai piece, for instance?

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 30 Mar 2009, 01:03

Thank you for taking my comment in a positive spirit

Of course, for me, it makes little difference what languages are sung, and that is my shame. I'm aware though, that may in those audiences do not like it if they feel that insufficient content was in Tamil. Perhaps it is just a different dimension of a different audience --- that however much they are dedicated to the music in general, still they feel the need for content which also relates them to their lost motherland.

I'm guessing here, and unless any of our members belong to that community, I suppose that guessing is as far as we can get.

Unless you'd like to conduct some interviews!

sankirnam · Post by **sankirnam** » 30 Mar 2009, 04:10

Wow... KRM sir and Amrit... would like to hear a recording, if possible

I guess this would also be the first time KRM sir is coming to London, am I right?

srkris · Post by **srkris** » 30 Mar 2009, 04:19

I have never heard TMK sing nadamADi tirinda.. such a classic of Gopalakrishna Bharathi.

Wonder where I can find a recording.

mohan · Post by **mohan** » 30 Mar 2009, 04:41

sankirnam wrote: I guess this would also be the first time KRM sir is coming to London, am I right?

I am sure Sri KRM would have visited UK before. He has a couple of students there. In fact I am surprised this is TM Krishna's first tour to UK.

saveri · Post by **saveri** » 30 Mar 2009, 10:47

Yes, surprising that, TMK had an unvisited "big continent" in his list.

Going from the concert list, he has carefully planned it to suit the audience.

Our music has such a vast spread, just like our scriptures, that each one can take any route, to the suit his ultimate goal. TMK sings Irakkam varamal vey well and I am sure the song would have capped the show well.

vasanthakokilam · Post by **vasanthakokilam** » 30 Mar 2009, 11:02

srkris wrote:I have never heard TMK sing nadamADi tirinda.. such a classic of Gopalakrishna Bharathi.

Wonder where I can find a recording.

srkris, here are two links to AIR recordings.

http://sangeethamshare.org/tvg/UPLOADS- ... .62-MB.mp3
http://sangeethamshare.org/nagarajan/T. ... mbodhi.mp3

The AIR announcer says it is by pApavinAsa MudaliyAr. The two links seem to be the same rendition except with different AIR announcers. The first one is a better quality recording.

sathya_vrathan · Post by **sathya_vrathan** » 30 Mar 2009, 13:31

that karaharapriya krithi must be nava siddhi petrAlum by neelakanta sivan

ganeshkant · Post by **ganeshkant** » 30 Mar 2009, 14:10

VK,

Thanks for ur link.I listened and was imensely pleased.

Sam Swaminathan · Post by **Sam Swaminathan** » 30 Mar 2009, 14:19

It is an universal fact that where ever you go, which ever country you choose, Sri Lankan Tamils contribute significantly to the development of Carnatic music in the cities they live. Their devotion to tamil music is unprecedented and their efforts in bringing up their children in their cultural mode is extremely commendable. Conspicous non-acknowledgement of TN expatriates is deliberate.

grsastrigal · Post by **grsastrigal** » 30 Mar 2009, 14:27

Before coming to London, TMK gave a performance in Dubai/Abudhabi Any reviews on these ?

Svaapana · Post by **Svaapana** » 31 Mar 2009, 13:52

There is a vibrant Sri Lankan community in the Toronto area as well. You do get listen to lots of CM in the city.

denver · Post by **denver** » 31 Mar 2009, 23:01

Great concert - the music kept going round in my head for days afterwards. I had only ever heard TMK in Madras so was very excited to hear him a little closer to home!

The concert was definitely a little Tamil kriti heavy for my tastes but, as has been mentioned above, it's probably not fair to complain when I wasn't the one who made the effort to bring the artistes over.

vasanthakokilam · Post by **vasanthakokilam** » 31 Mar 2009, 23:13

vijay wrote:Three cheers to the Sri Lankan community helping CM along...and a special thanks for helping bring Nick to our forum!

But that does not condone such requests - no one can have a quarrel with the odd thematic concert but really, if Telugu, Kannada and Sankrit compositions dominate the scene in Chennai, why shuold it be any different for Lankans in London? Of course, this is assuming that this happens in the first place - even TMK seems to have included a few Telugu/SAnkrit pieces although the list looks rather Tamil heavy...

BTW, I can understand the language thing but not sure what does Shaivism/Vaishnavism have to do with it...Unless, of course, we are talking about the ninth avatar (according to some traditions)!! Would they object to a Thiruppavai piece, for instance?

Vijay, I do relate to your curiosity which I take it as founded on 'why limit yourself to this and that when there is a whole lot of treasure out there.'. That is indeed a valid and honorable point, coming from 'nAn petra inbam peruga ivvaiyagam' ( I want the world to feel the joy I feel ). We all share that missionary zeal to diferent degrees. That all comes from the best of intentions. All good.

Outside of that, there is an interesting dynamic here, isn't it?. If a Tamil from Tamilnadu makes such requests, there will be all sorts of accusations ( nationalism, jingoism, superioority complex, inferiority complex, idiosy etc. ). Such reactions are not without reason, there is a history and people bring all that baggage to the argument instead of seeing such requests in neutral fashion or in the above mentioned generosity of heart fashion. But with Sri Lankan tamils, such negative baggages are not perceived and most people are only too glad and grateful that there is a cohesive group out there providing sponsorship of the arts that we all care deeply. It is all good.

Moving beyond all that, the choice of krithis can be wisely made by the artist if he/she has a pretty good idea about the demographics and preference of the audience. I think in this case it was fairly easy to determine whereas in Chennai the CM audience tends to be much more diverse in their interrests which is refelected in the choice of krithis there.

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 01 Apr 2009, 04:53

VK,
On a lighter (serious?) vein, does one need to be displaced--once because of one's forefathers seeking a livelihood in Srilanka and then again cruelly being scattered in every part of the world from their land and language due to violence--to feel such deep love and care for one's own language and culture? Angst-less Chennai perhaps takes its culture and language for granted?

Rasika911 · Post by **Rasika911** » 01 Apr 2009, 08:00

I dont get it so the organiser tells tmk only to sing tamil songs? If that 'is' the case its pretty arrogant and disrespectful and i find it hard to believe that tmk would agree to that.
Perhaps the artist just sang to the audience ?

coolkarni · Post by **coolkarni** » 01 Apr 2009, 12:18

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 01 Apr 2009, 15:03

Arasi... Yes of course, but it is only human to take what one has for granted.

It is also only human to have preferences and to express them. Rasika911, I'm sure that artists visiting London know that they will be singing to a majority-Sri-Lankan audience, and I am sure that, as you say, they take that into account. Of course, the organisers might remind them, and I do not see a problem with that. Be assured that, regrettably, some of the organisers find plenty of other ways to miss-treat the artists; much as I support that community, I'd be the last to complain that all is perfection!

Probably, many artists would see it as a small price to pay for performing to audiences that listen attentively, do not make a mass exit at the start of the thani, and do not usually treat the occasion as one to meet and gossip with friends to an incidental background of live music. I know artists that, for one reason or another, do not like UK --- but most of the ones I have talked to are appreciative of the audiences.

If there is a next step for the Carnatic music community in London, it is to take the music to the wider community. Many of their programs have the element of fund-raising, and to increase the audience size can only be to their benefit. There are but a handful of non-Tamil/Indian audience members, and the concerts are not advertised outside the community.

mridangam.karthic · Post by **mridangam.karthic** » 01 Apr 2009, 23:39

does anyone have a recording of this concert......I am DYING FOR A COPY

rshankar · Post by **rshankar** » 02 Apr 2009, 00:24

Karthic,

Sri TMK is an artist who is very much against recording his concerts and uploading them anywhere.

endaroo · Post by **endaroo** » 05 Apr 2009, 20:45

Mr Nick H,
Yes I heard about the organisers are mistreating artists and forcing the artists to sing Tamil Compositions only. The payment to the artists also very low. Anyway, I am happy that they are promoting our Classical divine music.

vijay · Post by **vijay** » 06 Apr 2009, 00:14

On second thoughts I agree with Rasika 911 - it is hard to imagine TMK acceding to such requests. It was probably of his own accord, "keeping the audience in mind"

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 06 Apr 2009, 00:21

There are some very good organisers.

Its true that a few are not. Whilst recognising that, let us "accentuate the positive" and, as endaroo says, be happy that they are promoting the music

endaroo · Post by **endaroo** » 08 Apr 2009, 22:25

vijay,
unnecessarily giving reply to me.

endaroo · Post by **endaroo** » 08 Apr 2009, 22:26

what are you, are you artist or listener, I dont know

endaroo · Post by **endaroo** » 08 Apr 2009, 22:27

to type it is easily, but it goes somewhere

endaroo · Post by **endaroo** » 08 Apr 2009, 22:30

sometimes you are reasonable, but sometimes you are nothing

vasanthakokilam · Post by **vasanthakokilam** » 09 Apr 2009, 11:41

endaroo: Do you realize you are not making much sense with these half liners. What is going on?

endaroo · Post by **endaroo** » 09 Apr 2009, 17:33

My opinion is the respected members can express other things of the concert for example Violin accompaniment or Mridangam accompaniment and there are so many points to express. That's all.