Accompanied by
Ganapathiraman (Mridangam)
Trichy Murali (Ghatam)
Right at the onset this concert gets my all enthusiastic 2 thumbs up. What a concert to say the least. As always the stage, the ambience was perfect. No unnecessary appendages or vestiges floating around for the mridangist, ghatam artist or MSG Sir. Lighting on stage was perfect and the sound was well balanced. MSG Sir as usual was on his chair ably assisted by Narmada to his left. The hall was about 40% full.
The concert list is as follows.
Kalyani Adi tala Varnam
Sarasi Ruha-Nattai
Kriti in Begada
Siva Siva Ena Rada- Pantuvarali Ragam, Neraval and Swarams
Nennarunchi nanu- Mallavi Ragam with swarams
RTP Nattakurunji Ragam
Pallavi in kannada, Saveri, Sahana.................Dwijavanthi and a few others. Lost count and did not take notes as I was so enjoying the transitions
Tukkada in a very traditional Hindustani style
Mangalam
I have reviewed other MSG concerts in the past and have been listening to this master for the last 30 years in various continents. Last nights concert had the Umph he is so well known for.
The backbone and the adhesive that held this force together was undoubtedly Narmada. Her mastery and command over the instrument is commendable. The raga de force for the evening was of course Pantuvarali. She developed the raga leisurely and scaled heights that one can only imagine. An A+++ for her development.
Nattakurungi RTP had all the necessary sangatis. It did not build momentum until the tanam and the pallavi was taken up. I was not sure which of my senses were tickled the most. With the masala dosai smell from the canteen outside seeping through the A/c vent or through an open door and the raga delieanation in the pallavi itself. Somewhere between Sahana and Dwijavanti both my olfactory and auditory senses were heightened.
Simply put this was one of the best concerts I attended thus far.
In regards to the percussion suite, both the mridangists and the ghatam artists played for the kirtanam with great understanding and restraint, till it came to putting the tirmanam. Then the mridangist would go into a conniption of some sort like and the volume would reach a peak that out did all the sowkyam. I trained my ears to shut him of entirely for the tirmanams. The tani was passable.