Madurai. Sri. T.N. Seshagopalan @ Cleveland, April 7th

[kedharam]

Madurai. Sri. T.N. Seshagopalan @ Cleveland, April 7th, 7 – 10PM
Sri.V.V.Ravi
Thanjavur Sri. Murugabhupathy
Sri. E. M.Subramaniam –Ghatam
raga vistharam - saveri
elucidator - Dr. Pantulu rama
nadaswaram - Injikkudi sri. subramaniam
Dr. Pantulu rama demonstrated how the enigmatic ragam saveri is handled by various vageyakaras...showed how MD's monumental work, SrI rajagopala is saveri at its best. Sri. Injikkudi subramaniam showed some prayogas...

and the master strarted with Sri rajagopala and yes, it was indeed the essence of saveri...

Saveri – srI rajagopala.,R, S, MD
Poornachandrika –Thelisi rama, N,S,T
Ninnuvina –poorvikalyani, R,S
Ahiri – mayamma
Pasupathipriya – sharavanabhava
Shanmukhapriya – RTP
Pallavi: gUNa nidhi bAlasubrahmanya gAna vidya thurandara, chatusra triputa
Thani
Chandrakuouns – pachai mamalai pol meni, followed by thillana composed by Sri. TNS

My thoughts:
Saveri – – the probing interpretation of saveri with all the grandeur one could want with disarming breadth where Sri. TNS with his interpretive insights moulded it by mapping out the contours of the ghana raga in the rendition of the hauntingly beautiful composition, srI rAjagOpAla, in an organic steady pace with an expressively pleading voice, capturing the spirit of the composer.
Rtp:
The expansive Shanmukhapriya unfolded methodically with emotive phrases reflecting his intuitive sense of ragabhava - something quite impressionistic about his conception of the raga, with pockets of pregnant silence as he savored the nuances subtly teasing the pulse in three stages in the GNB style by gliding to the upper octaves along the way unfolding myriad phrases of the raga with jhanda prayogams and through the tara stayi forays he brought out the raga bhava in convincing terms..
After unfolding the salient features of the raga with ornateness, the meditative thanam uncurled capturing the earthiness of the ragam. The pallavi was a systematic interplay between the melodic, poetic and rhythmic variables - it had something for kanakku buffs to melody seekers...communicating the pallavi text celebrating the legend in the most alluring way followed by the swara ragmaliga in hindolam, hamsanandi, and behag with an imperceptible glide from melody to melody.

Concluded with ‘pachchaima malai pol meni’ in chandrakouns and with thillana – a gentle invocation.
The concert was soaring and captivating...
The accompanying artists kind of were in an awe throughout…so did the audience…the ovation was ecstatic
I think, it takes great artistes like Sri.TNS to polish monumental works, push against the limits and reveal the eternal truths underneath…

[arasi]

Thanks kEdharam for your reviews from Cleveland (the other on Bhushani Kalyanaraman). With so many concerts going on there, we were expecting several reviews from rasikAs who could make it to the festival. How nice it would be to hear impressions from kids too!
Good to know that the master was in such form.

[Rasika911]

Did you arrive late to the concert or did he start with the saveri krithi?

[srikant1987]

Having read the review, it appears to me that the latter is likelier.

[kedharam]

yes, Sri. TNS started with srI rajagopala