Jayalakshmi Santanam, Vidwan A Sundaresan Memorial Concert

[rbharath]

Jayalakshmi Santanam, Ahalya - R K Shriram Kumar - Thanjavur Ramadass - N Guruprasad

Vidwan A Sundaresan Memorial Concert
Raga Sudha Hall.
7 July 2010. 6:15 pm

gnAnanda myam dEvam - slOkam in kEdAragauLa
sAmi daya juDa - kEdAragauLa - Adi - TT
manasA eTulOrtunE - malayamArutam - rUpakam - T (S)
budamAshrayAmi - nATTaikuranji - misra jhampa - MD
Azhi mazhai kaNNA - varALi - Adi - ANDAL (NS)
brahma kaDigina - mukhAri - Adi - A
mAmava karuNayA - shanmukhapriyA - misra cApu - ST (RNS)
srI vENugOpAla dEvA - darbAr - kaNDa cApu - KI (R)
amba vANi nannu - kIravANi - Adi - HMB (RNS)
tani
valapu tALa vasamA - aTANA - misra cApu - ST
entaDi kulugE - kalyANi - rUpakam - DS
jagattinai kAttiDum janArdhana - yamunA kalyANi - Adi - Ambujam Krishna
jagadOddhArNA - kApi - Adi - PD
shAnti nilava - tilang - Adi - Sethu Madhava Rao
nI nama rUpamulaku - saurAshTram - Adi - T
madhyamAvati short sketch

It was a very good concert. As usual with Smt. Santanam, the choice of rAgams and kritis were pretty different and interesting. All of them were rendered very well. The AlApanais of shanmukhapriyA and kIravANi were both very elaborate and grand. However, one would have prefered a heavier kriti for main. The darbAr was crisp and punchy. The neraval and svarams were all measured and absolutely classical. The post main pieces were all wonderfully rendered too. The violinist was playing like a shadow and gave very good replies. The mridangist played with very good anticipation and in tandem with the music. He was ably assisted by the Ghatam vidwan. The tani they shared was pretty different and soothing on the ear with the soft and hard strokes and the gumukkis that came in a good measure. A very well spent evening at a very classical concert.

bharath

[ganeshkant]

Bharath,

It seems U have some sort of aversion towards HMB.Ambavani has been sung by TNS many times as main and also by many other artists.I remember U making a similar comment when Vijaysiva sang a main in Kambhoji- a krithi of HMB in Dec'09 @ MGR-JANAKI college.

Your comment will in no way bring disrespect to the great Vaggeyakara but ......

[sureshvv]

To each his own, but I have had it with the "heavy" kritis that are rehashed endlessly!

[satyabalu]

* @ 76(I guess) she was comfortable till the end. Starting @ 6.15 it was almost close to 8.45 when she signed off with mangalam.
*Kotiswara Iyer kriti on Venugopala in Durbar was nice &rare.
* To me the format looked similiar to what AS sir would plan esp. vara kriti, ST&DS.
*Except for two nos.in ST, no Vaggeyakara was repeated.
*Vocal support of her dedicated student was really fitting .

[arasi]

bharath,
Thanks for the review. What accompanists too!
SrI vENugOpAla dEVA nI vA was recorded by her brother VVSadagopan in the forties.
I was hoping to hear about young Ahalya too. I have heard her sing once and thought she was really good.

[satyabalu]

Her energy level &fitness to be inspired by all.
I recall when she was the only lady artist to arrive first to participate in one of the regular features of Pancharatnams conducted in Kanchipuram- When she remarked "Vera yarum (lady artist) innum varaliya? Nan oruthithane irikken? Pat came the reply( in the form of tribute) from SKA Chingleput Ranganathan "Neenga oru aazl ava ellarukkum equal( You are equal to the sum total of all of them).Great &True!

[rbharath]

Bharath,

It seems U have some sort of aversion towards HMB.Ambavani has been sung by TNS many times as main and also by many other artists.I remember U making a similar comment when Vijaysiva sang a main in Kambhoji- a krithi of HMB in Dec'09 @ MGR-JANAKI college.

Your comment will in no way bring disrespect to the great Vaggeyakara but ......

I have nothing against HMB and defly nothing at all, against Smt. Jayalakshmi or Sri Vijay Siva. I have enjoyed thoroughly and taken home a lot of musical knowledge from concerts of both these musicians.

I have also enjoyed HMB songs like ratna kanchuka dhAriNi or sArasa daLa nayanE etc as main pieces in concerts in the past, some of which might have even been posted here and elsewhere.

I just merely said that, it was my feeling that Jayalakshmi mami could have chosen a heavier kriti for the AlApanai that she sang. and i think i have all freedom to express what i felt.

[rbharath]

I was hoping to hear about young Ahalya too.

She sang well, but then, there wasnt any solo part of Ms. Ahalya. She only sang the kritis and hence, i couldnt make much opinion or comment.