Unni Krishnan at Unnati, Bangalore on 14.08.2010

[squims]

Vocal: Sri P. Unni Krishnan
Violin: Sri M A Sundareswaran
Mridangam: Sri K V Prasad

I missed the first 10 minutes or so of the concert, because I had the venue wrong and then had to travel an extra half an hour before I reached the right place. So, here's the list from where I attended it.

1. Sitaapate [R, N] - Khamas - Adi - Tyaagaraaja
2. Parama Purusha Jagadeeshwara[R, S] - Vasantha - Adi- Swathi Tirunal
3. Sri Krishnam Bhaja Maanasa [R, N, S, T] - Todi - Adi - Mutthuswamy Dikshitar
[Neraval at 'Shanka Chakra Gadaa Padma Vanamaalam]
4. RTP - Purvikalyani - Tisra Jaati Triputa, Khanda nadai
Pallavi line: Paramadaya kripanidhe Hare Ramachandra [Raagamaalika in Neelaambari, Madhu Kauns, Desh]
5. Bhantanaagi baagila kaayuve [R] - Shubhapantuvarali - Adi - Kanakadaasa
6. Koluve - Dwijavanti(?) - Adi - Malayalam composition
7. Suttrum Vizhi - Misra Khamas, Hamsaanandi, Shivaranjani - Adi(Tisra nadai)
8. Brahmamokkate [R]- Bowli - Adi - Annamaachaarya
9. Thillana(Thadinginatom dheem dheem dheem) - Chandrajyothi - Adi
10. Pavamaana - Sourashtram - Adi - Tyaagaraaja

Let me start off by saying that it was a beautiful concert. The best I've heard from Unni in the recent past. The supporting artists were in great form as well. It was a solid 3 hour concert and Unni didn't waste a minute of it. Raagam after Raagam, it kept flowing. The Todi aalaapanai was well structured. Neraval and Swarams were excellent, with Sundareswaran giving marvellous support. I must admit that I had never heard of K V Prasad before. This was the first time I heard him, and what an artist he turns out to be! He's a wonderful mridangam player. The thani had some really interesting kanakku. Will watch out for him from now.
After this was a brief speech from the organisers. The tukkuda section was expected to follow, and then comes a Raagam Taanam Pallavi in Purvikalyani! It was a treat! Special mention to Sundareswaran for the taanam playing. Brilliant. The taanam was ended with a brief bit of it sung in Adi talam with the percussion. The pallavi was obviously not as detailed as it would have been if it were the main piece of the concert. Not much nadai bedham was done. Doesn't mean to say it wasn't a great pallavi rendition anyway. Raagamalika in Neelambari, Madhu Kauns and Desh was a great way to conclude it.
Even most of the 'tukkuda's were preceded with Raagam elaborations. The thillana in Chandrajyothi was a compostition I'd never heard before. Very good piece. Of course, ended with the standard mangalam.

This was the opening day of gokulashtami celebrations of SGBS trust. This will go on till the 29th, everyday. Will be attending as many as possible. Will try to post a report of the others as well.

P.S. No mass exodus during thani! The whole audience stayed till the very end of the concert!

[ragam-talam]

Wow, Chandrajyothi thillana! Wonder whose composition it is.

[arasi]

Very nice song list.
7.SuTTum vizhic cuDar--Subramanya bhArati's song (not SuTRum vizhi which makes it roving eyes!)

[mahakavi]

Very nice song list.
7.SuTTum vizhic cuDar--Subramanya bhArati's song (not SuTRum vizhi which makes it roving eyes!)

Perhaps he sang as "suTrum vizhi", knowing his proclivity for mispronouncing words.

[squims]

Wow, Chandrajyothi thillana! Wonder whose composition it is.

I wish I could find out too. It was an excellent thillana.

7.SuTTum vizhic cuDar--Subramanya bhArati's song (not SuTRum vizhi which makes it roving eyes!)

Of course! Haha, can't believe I made that mistake, being a Tamilian myself!

Perhaps he sang as "suTrum vizhi", knowing his proclivity for mispronouncing words.

While he didn't sing it as 'Sutrum', his lack of sahitya clarity really annoys me. We can hardly ever make out what he is singing. He call be singing 'blah blah' for all we can make out. I wish he corrects that about his performances.

[saianamika]

Chandrajyothi thillana - composed by HMV Sri Raghu

[squims]

Thank you!

[CRama]

Dear squim. Thanks for a beautiful review of the concert of Unnikrishnan. I am happy that he had sung some of my favourites like Sitapate, Sree Krishnan Bhaja manasa etc.
You have given lot of appreciation in your review. like the best of Unni I have heard recently, Thodi raga was well structured. not a single minute wasted etc. But in your latest post you have criticised very harshly about his pronounciation to the extent of blah blah. Is it not contradicting your review.?

[squims]

The thing is, I've come to accept the fact that Unni's sahityam singing is always bad. So, when I attend his concert, I look purely for the musical content, in which respect he completely delivered. But yes, the 'blah blah' was a bit exaggerated!

[rajeshnat]

Chandrajyothi thillana - composed by HMV Sri Raghu

KS raghunathan is also known as HMV raghu .Few popular numbers like "raghavendra raghavendra" in mishra shivaranjani , popularized by maharajapuram santhanam is also composed by him.