Special 4 hour concert by Unnikrishnan in Mudra Festival

CRama · Post by **CRama** » 12 Jan 2010, 12:48

The above concert was held at 5.00 P.M on 10 Jan 2010 in Infosys Hall, Ramakrishna Mission School, Bazulla Road, T.Nagar. Unnikrishnan was accompanied by Embar kannan on violin, Tiruvarur Bhakthavalsalam on Mridangam, B.S.Purushotham on Ganjira and Vaikom Gopalakrishnan on the
Ghatom. List of songs

1.Varnam- Thodi
2.Tulasidadla- Mayamalavagowla
3.Vadera Deivamu- Panthuvrali
4.Sadananda thandavam- Bahudari
5.Mokshamu galada- Saramathi
6.Bhogeendrasayinam- kunthalavarali
7.Balagopala- Bhairavi
8.Pibare Rama rasam- Ahir Bhairav
9.Visweswara- Sindubhairavi
10.Krishna nee begane- Yamunakalyani
11.Pavanaguru- Hamsanandi
12.Mangalam.

This was an excellent concert by Unnikrishnan. He defied the criticisms against him - not having azhutham and not full throated singing. He sang all the songs with lot of azhutham and bhavam. In Jaya TV concert, I saw a type of muffling in his singing which was not appreciable. But this concert was mindboggling. The alapanas were elaborate taking full advantage of the four hour format. Bahudari and Saramathi alapanas took 12 minutes each by Unnikrihnan alone and Bhairavi 20 minutes. His voice was in good mettle and it could produce whatever he imagined and could traverse in all the three octaves very easily. The swaras were also very elaborate. For Mokshamu galada, he did not attempt swaras but he did splendidly for Bhogeendrasayinam. The entire Bhairavi song took one hour excluding Thani. Neraval was done in Neela neerada sareera followed by elaborate swaras. Emabar Kannan gave very good support and the percussionists also did their best to embellish the concert. Tiruvar Bhakthavalsalam played along with the songs during
the vocal segment but he was loud during thani which was neverthless appreicated by the audience through repeated applauses. The thani lasted for 30 minutes. I could see all the artists singing in a relaxed atmosphere and with full enjoyment.

After the thani, Bhakthavalsalm appreciated the rasikas of MUDRA who have been groomed to listen to such innovative formats like four hour concert, one raga concert, etc and he expressed his happiness to present in this venue. He said that quality rasikas are most vital to bring out the best in the artistes and with such type of audience, the musicians will be happy to sing even 24 hour concert. He said that every year Unnikrishnan and himself would give four hour concert in this venue. He lavishly appreciated the role played by the other percussionists and mentioned that the will like them to be called not as upapakkavadyam but sahapakkavadyam. He thanked Mudra Bhaskar and Radha Bhaskar for their unitiring efforts in this field and requested the rasikas to wish Happy Birthday to Mudra Bhaskar. He added that even the man incharge of mike system is a knowledgeable rasika and he is enjoying the music. He suggested Mudra Bhaskar to give award to the mike man next year to which Mudra Bhaskar promoptly ageed. Mudra Bhaskar replied that he
felt happy that the rasikas of Mudra never go out during Thani - no matter who is the mridangist. He thanked the audience for their continued support.

Unnikrishnan told that they were carried away by the good atmosphere and eventhough he planned for a pallavi, due to shortage of time, he is not singing any pallavi. He concluded with the tukkadas - some of them being rasika's requests. A very enjoyable concert and one of the best of Unnikrishnan's concerts.

rbharath · Post by **rbharath** » 12 Jan 2010, 12:55

m surprised that there was no RTP even for a 4 hour concert..

well, m not finding fault. just making an observation.

i was thinking of attending this concert, but eventually landed up NGS for TNS and the meeting before ensured i could listen only to the varnam

rajeshnat · Post by **rajeshnat** » 12 Jan 2010, 13:46

crama,
Apart from not having RTP , was there any viruththam or slokham?
Also All numbers that he sang are mostly his usual numbers, just an observation.

CRama · Post by **CRama** » 12 Jan 2010, 14:57

There was no virutham or slokam. I have also heard this Bahudari and Saramathi , but this concert stood tall becuase of the elaborate alapanas and his full throated singing. I wanted to ask for a Kavadi chindu, but one elderly man rushed to the stage and requested Pavanaguru. I think becuase of the elaborate thani and the speech of Bhakthavalsalam thereafter, he could not accommodate Pallavi. But in this concert, that cannot be taken as a minus point, because adequate importance was given to the other songs.

Sivaramakrishnan · Post by **Sivaramakrishnan** » 12 Jan 2010, 20:48

Presuming the list is complete, i note that one among the trinity is 'conspicuously missing' (yes, syama sastrigal). A 4 hour concert could easily accommodate!

saianamika · Post by **saianamika** » 14 Jan 2010, 11:39

Thanks for the excellent review, Crama. I was there too and I agree that this was an extraordinarily excellent concert, considering it was also his last kutcheri for the season. His melodious voice, the azhutham and the bhavam were so good that I need not say more.

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 14 Jan 2010, 11:59

Some of us are very keen on hearing an RTP in a concert. While trying to sing one in a two and a half hour concert does not work, surely, even with a prolonged tAni, there is time for it in a four hour concert.

HarishankarK · Post by **HarishankarK** » 14 Jan 2010, 12:21

Usually in a 2.5 hour concert itself there are around 12-14 songs including thukkadas, viruthams, shlokas, thirupugazh and in a 4 hour concert at least 15-16 songs are expected and paraphrasing the others 'it's a good opportunity for a grand RTP' but this list seems to be quite less for a 4 hr concert