Vijay siva & TMKrishna - 17 Oct 09 - Mumbai

s_hari · Post by **s_hari** » 19 Oct 2009, 08:29

Sri vijay Siva - vocal
Sri T.M.Krishna - vocal
Smt Amrita murali - violin
Sri Manoj siva - mridhangam
Sri B.S.Purushottam - kanjira

Any comments on this concert? Mumbaikars - please write for details..

-hari

bilahari · Post by **bilahari** » 19 Oct 2009, 08:40

Looking forward to the songlist and review.

rajeshnat · Post by **rajeshnat** » 19 Oct 2009, 08:45

Is this the concert that prashant was talking about that his family is organizing.? I think prashant would review this.

bilahari · Post by **bilahari** » 19 Oct 2009, 08:54

Yes, I think this is the one Prashant's family organized.

narayan · Post by **narayan** » 19 Oct 2009, 09:46

Concert was rather good. Reetigoulai varnam, Vijay Siva alone. Amrita Murali bailed VS out on one of the swarams, and overall she shadowed just brilliantly throughout, and she just knows all the songs, no matter who sang. Very impressive. Tantalising glimpse of begada ragam, and then Innum paramukham by TMK followed by somewhat frantic neraval swaram at the charanam line. Song picked up by Vijay after that. Poorvikalyani ragam by TMK. Meenakshi memudam dehi, with both contributing to neraval swaram at Madurapuri nilaye. TMK picked up the song after the swaram round. Rave himagiri kumari sung beautifully by both, alternating lines, with both singing the swarams one after the other, and alternating in the sahityam.

Sri mahabala giri nivasini (saranga mallar) sung very interestingly by both, alternately singing all the sangatis and brilliantly singing the cittaswarams alternating the swara and non-swara parts. Wonderfully executed. This was sort of repeated by Manoj Siva and Purushottaman, although I can't be entirely sure. Yadukula Kambodi ragam by VS and Hecchariga sung by him, and swarams at the charanam by both. TMK sang the latter part of the song. Bhairavi ragam sung by both, alternating the way Hindustani musician duos sing, each singing brief parts and overall, it was well constructed. Rakshabettare of the DKP/DKJ version sung faithfullly by both together, neraval and swaram at Sangeetapriya. Explosive taniavartanam by the percussionists.

I leave it to others to list the post main items. I enjoyed all of it, and the meeting of minds was noteworthy. Good preparation and enough spontaneity to make the concert a worthwhile experience, like a breath of fresh air.

Rasika911 · Post by **Rasika911** » 19 Oct 2009, 14:44

Did TM Krishna sing Raksha Bettare the way the dkp school sing it? As in they sang the entire song together? -Interesting
Neraval would have been a gem at "sangeethapriya"1/2 before samam eddupu. If recorded we can ask for artists permission if they are happy for it to be shared. Very rare experience for rasikas.

s_hari · Post by **s_hari** » 19 Oct 2009, 15:13

Not just raksha bettare, Innum paramukham is also a vijay siva speciality. Interesting that TMK rendered it...

Meenakshi memudam is a apt choice for deepavali, since Dikshitar attained mukthi on this very day. Last year, i heard sumitra nitin singing this song on deepavali eve. This concert seem to be good concert planning, as usual, that we see in VS concert(s).

-hari

Rasika911 · Post by **Rasika911** » 19 Oct 2009, 15:34

Vijay Siva is a classy musician....just doesnt have the blingy celeb status as sanjay and tmk

PUNARVASU · Post by **PUNARVASU** » 19 Oct 2009, 20:20

narayan, thanks for the review; being a mumbaikar, and not attending the concert, I was waiting for a review atleast. Hope some one else chips in with a review of the remaining pat of the concert. Yet another miss for me.

arunsri · Post by **arunsri** » 20 Oct 2009, 12:32

Narayan has written the gist. Here is the set list and a few comments:

(VS - Vjay Siva and TMK - TM Krishna)

1. vanajAkshA - rItigauLa varnam - khanDa aTa - vINai kuppaiyEr (VS)

2. innum parAmukhamEnO - bEgaDa - rUpakam - duraiswAmi kavirAyar (N, S by TMK), kriti post Neraval by VS. The one avartana swaras by TMK here require special mention. This kriti is usually a VS speciality, but was sung by TMK! The N was typical TMK style here - high voltage stuff.

3. mInAkshi mEmudam - gamakakriyA - Adi - muthuswAmy dIkshitar (R by TMK, Kriti by VS follwed by N, S by VS and TMK alternately, kriti
completed by TMK) - Appropriate choice considering it was Deepavali day - the day MD is supposed to have attained samadhi.
4. rAvE himagiri kumAri - tODi - Adi (2) - shyAma sastry (the piece was sung in both versions available. VS sang the SSI version and TMK sang the other version, each one sang the swara passage alternately, followed by the sAhitya alternately). I felt this was THE piece of the concert. How seamlessly the versions merged with one another, how Amrita accompanied, how the percussionists played was a treat.

5. hechariga - yadukula kAmbhOji - khaNDa chApu - thyAgarAja (R by VS, Kriti by VS and S by both)

6. shrI mahAbalagirinivAsini - sAranga malhAr - Adi - muthaiAh bhAgavatar (Kriti sung by TMK and VS alternating the sangatis, the chitta swara/sollukaTTus were sung by the duo - first one singing chittaswara while the other pitching with the sollukaTTu. The roles were reversed for the chittaswara/sollukattu passage rendered after the charaNam. Finally, they sang the passage together. This was the first piece where they sang "together" in the concert!). This was another outstanding effort - Imagine shutting up suddenly during the flow of a chittaswaram/sollukaTTU passage for a second or two and taking up from where the other person left, I am sure, it required hours and hours of practice. Hats off to the duo for the same. They made it look so simple. The role of the mridangam/kanjeera duo here was awesome, the whole effort evoked spontaneous response from the audience.

7. raksha bETTarE - bhairavi - Adi - thyAgarAja (R sung by both, started by VS, they did some sawal-jawab type improvisations during the end of the alapana. Kriti was sung TOGETHER in the DKP pAThAntara. N and S at sangItApriya thyAgarAja - were sung by both alternately) followed by Tani. Very nice rendition on the whole, N was superb followed by unhurried vilamba kala swaras transitioning into the second speed ones.

8. shlOkam - sung as a ragamalika - TMK playing the role of Krishna and VS that of Radha

9. rAdhikA krishnA - ashTapadi (rAgamAlika) - khamAs, vasantA, mukhAri, sindhubhairavi - Adi - jayadEva

10. nAdavindu - chEnchuruTi - aruNagirinAthar thiruppugazh. This was sung by VS and TMK alternately.... When one sang the thirupugazh, the other started off with appropriate verses from subrahmaNya bhujAngam - each of these verses ending where they left off in the tiruppugazh. If I remember, There were four such places where the digression to the shlOka from bhujangam was done. This practise is common harikatha / bhajana sampradAya, where verses from another poem/ text is taken and sung. However, the meaning of the verse would have to necessarily be in the same context as the word/situation described at the point of digression from the original verse. What I have written may not explain the actual rendition very well. Sorry, but this the best way I could put it.

11. Mangalam

All in all - an excellent team effort - with no one-upmanship by either of the duo - who are seasoned performers in their own right. It was not an avial, run of the mill concert, with each one doing something in his way, without an effort to merge into one.. There was so much sincerity, effort and dedication in this whole affair. A standing ovation to the team for the wonderful evening of great music. Special mention must be made about the accompanits, without whose support, the concert would not have reached its lofty heights.

PUNARVASU · Post by **PUNARVASU** » 20 Oct 2009, 13:03

arunsri,
thanks for the detailed review; can very well imagine how the concert would have been;feel very bad that I missed it;have to satisfy myself with reading the review, sitting so far away from mumbai.Hope to attend any future concert the duo is likely to give.

rajeshnat · Post by **rajeshnat** » 20 Oct 2009, 13:08

Arunsri
Lovely review .Was this held in shanmughananda sabha , matunga?

s_hari · Post by **s_hari** » 20 Oct 2009, 13:26

Arunsri - great review for a great concert..Mumbaikars are really lucky this time around, thanks to Prashanth's family.

Eagerly waiting for next concert of theirs, whenever it happens.

regards
hari

sappri · Post by **sappri** » 20 Oct 2009, 15:03

Arunsri - great review, written with passion and feeling which makes us feel we were there at the concert - and yes, feel terrible to have missed it !!!

vnvasudevan · Post by **vnvasudevan** » 20 Oct 2009, 16:47

The concert or you can call it in a way "Jugalbandi" held at The Fine Arts Society, Chembur, Mumbai, on Sunday 17th October 2009 on the eve of Deepavalai being the Annual Memorial Day of Late Shri S U Sitaram was awesome. I do not think I have heard such a wonderful concert in my lifetime during my stay in Mumbai for over 48 years. 'Thani' was very unique as also the rendition of a krithi where both TMK and Vijay Siva sang individually both Jathi and Swara on exchange basis. I was not in myself till the end of the concert. Those who missed the concert on that day really missed it. A very good and close rapport, understanding and co-ordination between all Artists.

God bless TMK and Vijay and their team.

Vasudevan, Chembur, Mumbai

Rasika911 · Post by **Rasika911** » 20 Oct 2009, 19:34

We need a recording of such events....surely the artists will allow...even make it a commercial album...it will sell like anything.

rajaglan · Post by **rajaglan** » 20 Oct 2009, 20:57

arunsri,

What is the SSI version of Rave Himagiri and what is the other version and how they differ.
I will be keen to have the recording how it happened.

Rasika911 · Post by **Rasika911** » 20 Oct 2009, 21:05

rajaglan wrote:arunsri,

What is the SSI version of Rave Himagiri and what is the other version and how they differ.
I will be keen to have the recording how it happened.

TMK does not sing it the SSI version, I think he has learnt it from Seetharamasharma.

hemavathy · Post by **hemavathy** » 20 Oct 2009, 22:10

thanks for the detailed review.of the concert of Sri Vijay Siava& Sri TMK .i have heard TMK rendering RAVE HIMAGIRI . it is slightly different from SSI version . may b what Rajaglan has written is right .
Being a mumbaikar it was a pity that i had to miss this concert . sitting far away from Mumbai my mind was all the time running through the evening as to how the concert would have been.definitely it should have been a fantabulous one

aviyukth · Post by **aviyukth** » 22 Oct 2009, 20:28

good comination

narayan · Post by **narayan** » 23 Oct 2009, 07:11

arunsri wrote: Imagine shutting up suddenly during the flow of a chittaswaram/sollukaTTU passage for a second or two and taking up from where the other person left, I am sure, it required hours and hours of practice.

arunsri,

I tried this (by myself), for the Sri Mahaganapati (Gowlai) chittaswaram. Not as difficult as it seems. My estimate is 10 mins of practice, max, for people who already know the chittaswaram. And here we are talking about a couple of the top musicians of their generation. But I must say that the effect was most pleasing.

Would also add that the concert was interesting for the play of personalities of the two singers and the way it shows up in their contrasting approaches to the music. You also get to see them as rasikas, TMK lively and impatient and openly encouraging, but sometimes restless, and Vijay Siva calm and attentive throughout, but less demonstrative.

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 23 Oct 2009, 07:49

narayan,
You whet our appetites for a concert like this. Hope they will present one during the season, but I doubt it. They will be too busy for a joint effort like this in December.

rajaglan · Post by **rajaglan** » 23 Oct 2009, 09:46

arasi wrote:narayan,
You whet our appetites for a concert like this. Hope they will present one during the season, but I doubt it. They will be too busy for a joint effort like this in December.

I wonder how come such experiments happen in Mumbai and chennai and not in Blore.
How about Sanjay and Unni (they have an album of pancharathna kirthana rendered together).

annamalai · Post by **annamalai** » 23 Oct 2009, 17:18

rajaglan wrote:
I wonder how come such experiments happen in Mumbai and chennai and not in Blore.
How about Sanjay and Unni (they have an album of pancharathna kirthana rendered together).

These sort of special concerts have been there for years. Ardent rasikas and patrons may be the requirement.

Semmangudi & MS Subbulakshmi Divine unison concert at the residence of KR Sundaram Iyer.

Recordings of krithi renditions by Musiri & Semmangudi, Semmangudi & Alathur Srinivasa Iyer Semmangudi & KVN could be downloaded from sangeethapriya.

Balamuali & Kishori Amonkar is another a classic.

Rasika911 · Post by **Rasika911** » 23 Oct 2009, 19:53

Sanjay and Unni would be slightly easier for the artists because they have both learn from KSK.

TM Krishna + Sanjay Subrahmanyan.......now that would be some high energy stuff.

If its well advertised and maybe sometime during the season imagine the crowd

rajaglan · Post by **rajaglan** » 28 Oct 2009, 10:47

Rasika911 wrote:Sanjay and Unni would be slightly easier for the artists because they have both learn from KSK.

TM Krishna + Sanjay Subrahmanyan.......now that would be some high energy stuff.
If its well advertised and maybe sometime during the season imagine the crowd

That has to be in a stadium I guess, if I am not exagerating. Like Eden Garden(world cup finals) or Nerul D Y Patil Staudium (IPL finals).

fiddler · Post by **fiddler** » 28 Oct 2009, 23:29

Disclaimer: I have listened to both over years and I don't mean to cause flares here.

Here's my take :

I have heard them together and am not impressed with either of them performing together...Each is better off, performing individually. Objectively speaking, No one can catch up with 'Bolt' Sanjay neither Vijay nor T M Krishna (or combined for that matter).

I personally wouldn't like either of them to be featured alongside Bolt. For me, it would be dilution of Bolt's music by humungous proportion !

Despite my disclaimer, I know the imminent, and I am wearing my shield

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 29 Oct 2009, 05:07

Don't wear a shield

While tastes differ, one cannot deny that they are all stars and are very popular with rasikAs. As an experiment, it will be exciting to hear Vijay Siva and TMK singing together.
Truly, they all shine, and are better off giving performances of their own to show their own merits. Why pool such talents together on a regular basis!
Personally, the idea of Sanjay singing with Unni does not appeal to me. They might have learnt from the same guru, but they are far apart. I am not questioning their merits here, only the styles of their singing and how odd it will be to hear them together!

Rasika911 · Post by **Rasika911** » 29 Oct 2009, 09:19

fiddler wrote:I have heard them together and am not impressed with either of them performing together...Each is better off, performing individually. Objectively speaking, No one can catch up with 'Bolt' Sanjay neither Vijay nor T M Krishna (or combined for that matter).

I disagree...im sure both can.
The way vocalists present their concerts is not reflective of what they can and cant do musically.
Tm Krishnas kalapramanam in his alapanas is definitely slower than sanjays...but tmk's neravals are far more explosive. I think it will be an interesting combo.

sureshvv · Post by **sureshvv** » 29 Oct 2009, 11:02

Having heard one, I think this "combo" singing is a bad meme for CM but unfortunately seems to be catching on!

Rasika911 · Post by **Rasika911** » 29 Oct 2009, 19:05

Yes but its a good listening experience now and then

sureshvv · Post by **sureshvv** » 30 Oct 2009, 11:25

It is not as satisfying as hearing each of the performers by himself. Both performers compromise on their individual strengths for the sake of joint performance. The interplay between the artistes is also not considerable as it takes a lot of time & practice to sing as a duo (like Malladi bros. or Hyderabad bros). I will admit it adds star value to the concert like a 70's multi starrer and people are drawn to it out of curiosity.

To go back to the time trusted "sadhi saappadu" metaphor here at rasikas, this is like mixing together sambar rice and curd rice. May be novel for the first time, not satisfying in the long run.

vasanthakokilam · Post by **vasanthakokilam** » 30 Oct 2009, 11:50

sureshvv, you may have to change your metaphor. Quite a few people, including me, like sambar as a side item with curd rice and vice versa

In that sense, the metaphor may be in support of the duo effort, when done in right proportion enhancing the overall taste. We can sure hope for the Gestalt effect.

sureshvv · Post by **sureshvv** » 30 Oct 2009, 13:08

Aah.. no wonder there is a market for these dueling bhagavatars

Rasika911 · Post by **Rasika911** » 30 Oct 2009, 13:17

sureshvv wrote:Aah.. no wonder there is a market for these dueling bhagavatars

vmr · Post by **vmr** » 30 Oct 2009, 14:22

As long as it goes well with the rasikas and response from them is good, any combination is OK. Senior students of Semmangudi Mama - TMT Sir & PSN Sir had performed together in the 80s and early 90s. I remember to have heard them in the National Programme over the radio . Can also give a good listening experience to rasikas....

annamalai · Post by **annamalai** » 30 Oct 2009, 17:27

sureshvv,

Carnatic - Hindustani Jugalbandhi have been going on for years. Certainly when there are 2 styles, there is certainly going to be some restraint or compromise, teamwork and less of one-upmanship. Anyhow, teamwork is a must in any Carnatic concert - between the main artist and pakkavadhyam. As far as Jugalbandhis - Balamuralikrishna and Kishori Amonkar is one of the best.

While I agree the the novelty factor of Carnatic duo singing is fascinating; regular/constant duo singing requires a lot of practice - Hyderabad Brothers or Ranjani and Gayathri, ....

I was told once GNB and Alathur Sivasubramania Iyer sang at Navarathri Mandapam; since Srinivasa Iyer was not well and GNB agreed to sing with Sivasubramania Iyer. Just imagine the fireworks - in Nattakurunji - Amba Pahi Janani - thanam or neraval or swara exchanges when such musical giants sing together. I would assume that for the musician there is going to be some extra inspiration

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 30 Oct 2009, 18:59

True. Just as the novelty part draws the crowd, the artistes themselves may look forward to novelty of this kind to charge their batteries!
On the other hand, yes, there's nothing novel in this, as some of you say. RKS sang to Ravikiran's chitra viNA recently. Two vocalists who are vainikAs too (NSG and Sowmya) are going to give a duet performance next week at the Carnatica Utsav. TMK and Sangeetha are singing together too.
We have enough duo vocalists to listen to. We would like our solo vocalists to give solo performances. An occasional whim of theirs in performing together is exciting for the rasikAs too, of course.