V.Shankaranarayanan at Nada Sudha-Velachery-18-4-2010

[mridhangam]

V.Shankaranarayanan-Vocal
Dr.M.Narmada-Violin
Mannarkoil J Balaji-Mridhangam

The above concert was organised by Nada Sudha Velachery as part of their monthly concerts at Satchidanda Ashram Hall in Velachery, near Baby Nagar.

The concert included the following :

1) Vanajakshi-Kalyani-Adi-Varnam
2) Janaki Ramana-Suddha Seemandini-Adi
3) Evarani-Devamrutavarshini-Adi
4) Tanigai Valar-Thodi-Khanda Chaapu
5) Ranganayakam-Naayaki-Adi
6) Marukelara-Jeyanthasri-Adi
7) Sri kanthimathim-Hemavathi-Adi
8 ) Karpaga Valli Nin-Ragamalika
9) Virutham-Tedi Unnai Sharanadainden-Sindhu Bhairavi-Adi
10) Mangalam

A hard working and industrious Shankaranarayanan gave a brilliant performance for the above sabha on 18th April 2010 from 6.40 to 9.00 pm. IPL match and Sunday evening blues kept the audience away from coming out of their home for this brilliant artiste who has the right combination of raga-laya-bhava. The golden path of Ariyakudi was evident in the beginning with three successive kritis uptil Evarani and after that a small break in Thodi which had a not so elaborate alapana but stuffed with merit and character. Khanda Chapu always thrills the accompaniments especially Mridangam artistes ...Thanigai Valar brought such thrills both in niravals and swaras. Elsewhere also i have mentioned in one of my threads about different accompaniments doing their best for Hecharikagara in Khandachaapu for TNS sir, and also for Neyveli Santanagopalan. Sanjay's Tanigai Valar is always a special one and i look forward to it with excitement as each time it brings a different colour. Shankaranarayanan's Tanigai valar never had a lax moment. He took a very nice kalapramanam which was neither too slow nor too fast. It gave a very nice platform for creative accompaniment. His neraval and swaras for this kriti is worth mentioning. The Ranganayakam and Marukelara came as fillers before the Hemavati. Hemavati Raga was brought out in all splendour which was followed up brilliantly by Dr.Narmada with her bright accompaniment. Sri Kantimatim was rendered neatly and the swaras that flowed showed the real laya handiwork of Shankaranarayanan. He chose the creative path for his swaraprastaras which had exploration and on-the-spot variations. Post thani items were few in number as the concert needed to be ended by 9 pm. Karpagavallinin and Thedi Unnai Sharanadainden were rendered nicely and the concert came to an end with the traditional mangalam.

Dr.Narmada played very well and her solo versions were rendered nicely.

The audience turnout was thin but those who came thouroughly enjoyed the renditions.

On the whole it was a nice sunday evening.

An artiste to watch for .....

Mannarkoil J Balaji

[rajeshnat]

8 ) Karpaga Valli Nin-Ragamalika

Well lots of us must have heard this melodious number of the vaggeyakkara yAzhpAnam veeramani sung beautifully by TMS, kind of a likely 'first five numbers for any one who got initiated into CM few decades back' .IIRC,I have one old recording of madurai GS mani taking this in one of his concerts, if at all there are any takers for this number maybe they are the nadaswara vidwans who generally play this.

Nice to know that shankaranarayanan has bought this number back to carnatic circuit, a number that will serve as a gateway to the ocean of carnatic music. A number not too classical , but definitely very enticing with a superb sequence of 4 rAgas

[mridhangam]

Rajesh thanks for your retrospection. actually shankar packed a lot of bhava in that kriti and he rendered it very melodiously. I was also reminded of TMS but listening to shankar on stage was a good experience as i have not heard it in concert circuits. May be as u said some of the nicer lighter numbers are brought to light by such youngsters.

J.Balaji