Sri. TM Krishna @Fort High School, Bangalore, on, 06/04/2011

[squims]

Vocal: Sri. T M Krishna
Violin: Sri. R K Sriramkumar
Mridangam: Sri. Arun Prakash
Kanjari: Sri. Anirudh Athreya

1. Raamachandrena samrakshitoham [S] - Maanji - Rupakam - Muthuswamy Dikshitar
Swarams @kAmakOTi sundarENa kamanIya kandarENa
2. Sujana jeevana [N S] - Khamas - Rupakam - Tyagaraja
Neraval and swarams @ cAru nEtra shrI kaLAtra
3. Sriraama paadama [R S] - Amritavaahini - Adi - Tyagaraja
4. Raaraa raajeevalochana - Mohanam - Adi - Mysore Vasudevachar
5. Akshayalinga vibho [R N T] - Shankarabharanam - Mishra chapu - Muthuswamy Dikshitar
Neraval @akhilAnda kOTi prabhO
6. RTP - Megharanjani - Khanda Jhampa - Ragamalika swarams in Mayamalavagowla, Darbaari Kaanada
Pallavi line: mEghaSyamam SreerAmam bhajE, bhUmijA ranjita
7. Yamuna kinaare - Kaapi - Adi
8. Paahi Krishna Vasudeva - Behag - Rupakam - Mysore Vasudevachar
9. Govardhana Giridhaara - Darbaari Kaanada - Adi - Narayana Theertha
10. Thillana - Behag - Adi(tisram)
11. Mangalam - Sourashtram - Adi - Tyagaraja

The Maanji opener was lovely. The swarams were brisk, but at no loss to the bhaavam in Maanji.
The Khamas piece featured the usual Krishna style super-fast neraval, followed by some super-fast swarams. The swarams were exclusively sarvalaghu as far as I can recollect. I did enjoy them immensely nonetheless.
The Amritavaahini aalaapanai was soulful. The swarams were, in stark contrast, all in the lower speed. It served the piece very well.
The Mysore Vasudevhachar piece in Mohanam is a personal favourite of mine, and was a welcome filler.
A soothing Shankarabharanam followed. The aalaapanai was well sung, bringing out the flavour of the raagam very well. The phrases ending in the taara sthaayi notes were really good. Only neraval and no swarams in the piece. It felt sufficient. No complaints.
RTP in Megharanjani. I just did not take a liking to this raagam. It was performed well, but I do not prefer the raagam itself. Nonetheless, I enjoyed the pallavi. He composed it on the spot, and he took three or four trials to sing it to himself to get the eduppu, karvai etc. perfectly, but it was a good pallavi in the end. Not much raagamalika swarams. The Darbari Kaanada swarams saw the emergence of TMK's atitaarasthaayi phrases (which had made scanty appearance in the rest of the concert).
The tukkudas were all routine. I was surprised by the Darbari Kaanada and Behag repetitions, but I loved the Behag tillana. It's one of my favourites and I've never heard it being sung at a concert. So I enjoyed it.

About the accompanists:
It had been a while since I'd listened to the team of TMK, RKSK and AP. The three of them together have undeniable charm.
Sriram Kumar sir was excellent on the violin as always. I distinctly remember being pleased with his swarakalpana in Khamas.
Arun Prakash was sensitive in his playing throughout, subtle and bombastic in the right amounts.
The same goes for Anirudh Athreya. He too gave a wonderful performance.
The thani was really enjoyable.

Overall, it wasn't a mind blowing concert, but still quite a good one.

[mahavishnu]

RTP in mEgharanjani. very interesting. The only introduction I have to this ragam is from Tanjavur Sankara Iyer's Ranjanimala, which has beautiful chittaswarams featuring wonderful NiMa phrases.

The behag tillana in tisra nadai is Lalgudi sir's composition. It is a brilliant tillana, brings out every shade of behag there is. The gait in tisram is just perfect. I heard TMK sing it once before at the Harishankar admirer's circle concert last year. His version has some sangatis very characteristic of the Lalgudi school. I wonder if he learned it from Bombay Jayashree...

Opening with Manji is a bit unusual. But then again, not so for TMK.

[Lakshman]

pAhi krSNa vAsudEva is by Mysore Vasudevachar.

[gardabha_gana]

Good to see TMK end with a thillana - longing for him to (re)start with a varnam Still remember a varnam starter by TMK in SIFA 25 where he sang kanada varnam starter with Sahana, Saveri and Sankarabharanam RTP as the major pieces...
This list does provide some hope that it may not be unreasonable to expect a traditional fare in the future Nice to see akshya linga vibho - not so often heard. At least there was no alapana in one and krithi in another!

[squims]

Opening with Manji is a bit unusual. But then again, not so for TMK.

Haha, I didn't really mind actually!

Thanks for the info Lakshman sir.

At least there was no alapana in one and krithi in another!

LOL my thoughts exactly. I still don't know what TMK was thinking when he sang the Sahana-MMG combination at Odakathur!

[srikant1987]

This is a crazy list. Wish I was there -- for the accompanists: I haven't seen RKSK or KAP in ages!

Ideally, I would have left after the tani.

I think RKSK and S Varadarajan play khamAs with hardly, if any, N3s, and I like that very much! I am sure TMK-RKSK wouldn't have used it for sujana jIvana?

[squims]

Here's where I plead guilty of not really noticing if there was much usage of N3s. On the other hand, I think I'd have noticed if it HAD been used. So yeah, I guess that answers the question. Don't think it was used much. Hehe

[kartik]

One question, while it is nice to hear that an RTP of Megharanjani was attempted, how long roughly was the raga alapana (vocal)?
Hmm, swaras in mayamalavagowla following swaras in megharanjani?

[mri_fan]

"He composed it on the spot, and he took three or four trials to sing it to himself to get the eduppu, karvai etc. perfectly, but it was a good pallavi in the end."

I wish we got to see this more often!

[sureshvv]

Hmm, swaras in mayamalavagowla following swaras in megharanjani?

It seems Bombay Jayashree also likes doing this. In a concert I was at during the season, she sang ragamalika swaras in Valachi followed by Malayamarutham in succession including her unique style of retracing the ragas.

[squims]

while it is nice to hear that an RTP of Megharanjani was attempted, how long roughly was the raga alapana (vocal)?

TMK and RKSK kept singing and playing in turns, so it's hard to tell. Also, the taanam was started when the raaga aalaapanai reached the taara sthaayi. The whole raagam and taanam lasted around 8 minutes.

Hmm, swaras in mayamalavagowla following swaras in megharanjani?

He announced that Megharanjani is the janyam of MMG, and then sang swarams in it.

[Sivaramakrishnan]

Megharanjani for RTP?
But Thanjavur Sankara Iyer used it beautifully in a 'thematic' ragamalika.
I have nothing more to say.

[kartik]

A genius at work while composing this
http://www.mediafire.com/?vpa6413pvmx0zi1

Kartik

[ragaranjani]

Really enjoyed the concert. Glad to hear akshayalinga vibho after a long time. Dont see folks singing this much. There was a brief power interruption when TMK was singing Sujana Jeevana (i think), but it was nice to hear for a couple of min without any mic support. liked it. RTP was good though i am hearing megharanjani for the first time.

[squims]

There was a brief power interruption when TMK was singing Sujana Jeevana (i think), but it was nice to hear for a couple of min without any mic support.

Ah I was going to mention this, but I totally forgot.
Yes, even without mic support, TMK's voice had amazing reach actually. I was sitting near the middle of the Fort High School grounds, a fair distance from the artistes, but I could still hear his voice clearly. Was wondering how it would be to listen to a mic-less concert from him!

[KSJaishankar]

Had the pleasure of a forced micless concert from TMK a couple of years back at the Nadasurabhi festival in Bangalore, when the power went off for an extended period. He sang an elaborate Kedaragaula ragam and tanam during that time ... I guess it was more to avoid having the mridangam play a role when the power was off. IIRC, the RTP was as early as the 5th item in the concert, so it was an impromptu adjustment to the lack of power.

Was a great experience, particularly because the audience wholly complied with TMK's request to maintain silence in that period. Not sure if that level of cooperation can be achieved over the course of a full concert, and also not sure how the mix would have sounded with the mridangam also playing. A few of our percussionsists can and do play very sensitively, so it may be fine, but some believe in extracting the maximum volume from a poor dead cow's skin!

[srikant1987]

He sang an elaborate Kedaragaula ragam and tanam during that time ... I guess it was more to avoid having the mridangam play a role when the power was off. IIRC, the RTP was as early as the 5th item in the concert, so it was an impromptu adjustment to the lack of power.

TMK undoubtedly has a powerful voice, pretty much the ideal one! Carries well, is clear, is obedient, suits both brigas and gamakas adequately ... and he has, with practice, given it good range! Few people have had such gifts! MSS, maybe KVN & MMI.

Still, I think Krishna needn't fear mridangam accompaniment even without amplification.

I always recall what Semmangudi says [url=http://rniyer_72.tripod.com/semm1.html]here[/url].

Before the 1930s, musicians performed before small groups of 200 to 300 listeners. The microphone brought a revolution. The singer did not have to develop a voice of full-throated resonance any more. Thousands could hear his murmurs and croons. But amplification has been at the cost of tonal clarity, as also of depth, weight and vocal power. The mridangam is a victim too. Restraint robs it of natural force and lucidity. This new style of music may please the ear, but cannot haunt the mind.

Observe that 200 to 300 listeners has been said to be a "small" group. Mics have become necessary because of some vocalists and violinists using thavil accompaniment and other such fusions. It seems earlier there used to be ONLY ghatam accompaniment for veena concerts!

[thenpaanan]

I always recall what Semmangudi says [url=http://rniyer_72.tripod.com/semm1.html]here[/url].

"The microphone brought a revolution. The singer did not have to develop a voice of full-throated resonance any more. Thousands could hear his murmurs and croons. But amplification has been at the cost of tonal clarity, as also of depth, weight and vocal power."

I have always wondered about this claim that amplification is at the cost of tonal clarity. It is usually the other way around -- you can get arbitrarily subtle tonal variations if you are allowed to sing softly but you would not be able to hear them unless amplified. So before microphonal amplification was available I would have thought there would have been less tonal clarity. Perhaps I am unclear on terminology. Can someone explain?

Thanks
Thenpaanan

[cacm]

Dear Sri. Thenpannan,
I have taught several one week courses on the technical aspects that need understanding on this subject as well as done research in this area.. If you are referring to INDIA I can categorically state that MOST of the chain- Microphones, Amplifiers, Accoustics of the halls, Loud Speakers are UNIVERSALLY TERRIBLE to say the least. PMI was ABSOLUTELY RIGHT in refusing, trying to avoid any of these systems. As one who was privileged to here MSS, MMI, PMI& PALANI without any amplification help thru' such devices in India I can only state that what we hear of these great ones is a very PALE comparison to what they delivered.....VKV

[thenpaanan]

Dear Sri. Thenpannan,
I have taught several one week courses on the technical aspects that need understanding on this subject as well as done research in this area.. If you are referring to INDIA I can categorically state that MOST of the chain- Microphones, Amplifiers, Accoustics of the halls, Loud Speakers are UNIVERSALLY TERRIBLE to say the least. PMI was ABSOLUTELY RIGHT in refusing, trying to avoid any of these systems. As one who was privileged to here MSS, MMI, PMI& PALANI without any amplification help thru' such devices in India I can only state that what we hear of these great ones is a very PALE comparison to what they delivered.....VKV

Ah! SSI's comment is more about the quality (or lack thereof) of microphone amplification rather than the physics of voice (volume vs tonal clarity). I was barking up the wrong tree then. Thanks for the clarification.

On a related note, does any one have any opinions on tonal clarity of singers in CM? MSS and GNB are too easy. They were blessed with voices that were both "pointed" (you could easily tell what note they are singing at any moment) and rich (full of good harmonic overtones that makes a voice pleasing to listen to). But we have extremes too such as MDR (very rich voice but hard to tell the tonal center many times) or a Voleti (very pointed voice but not overly rich in harmonics). What about the others? I think CM tradition has generally shown a marked preference for tonal clarity (pointedness) over richness than, say HM. Similar comparisons may be made in HM between Bhimsen Joshi (mostly rich) vs Mallikarjun Mansur or Kumar Gandharva (more pointed than rich). Lata Mangeshkar had an extremely pointed voice when she was young.

-Then Paanan

[cacm]

Dear Sri.Thenpannan,
The subject you have raised is indeed complex. The simple but concrete approach is to peg the voice to the Thambura. If you do this only MSS& MMI pass the test in terms of BOTH sruti suddam & swarasthana suddhama well as swarsthana accuracy in terms of the 22 notes between octaves.. MDR was also great within the RANGE he adopted. As our music is quite complicated the rest have also appeal because of what can only be described as Timbre in general- tho' it is usually ascribed to easily differentiate between various sources of sound production- as the sub& super harmonics make that voice appealing.
Am I making any sense to you? VKV

[thenpaanan]

Dear Sri.Thenpannan,
The subject you have raised is indeed complex. The simple but concrete approach is to peg the voice to the Thambura. If you do this only MSS& MMI pass the test in terms of BOTH sruti suddam & swarasthana suddhama well as swarsthana accuracy in terms of the 22 notes between octaves.. MDR was also great within the RANGE he adopted. As our music is quite complicated the rest have also appeal because of what can only be described as Timbre in general- tho' it is usually ascribed to easily differentiate between various sources of sound production- as the sub& super harmonics make that voice appealing.
Am I making any sense to you? VKV

Actually, no. But it may be a defect of my understanding more than anything else.

I think that the tonal quality of voice is usually something you are born with. You can only improve it within some small range with some effort. You can ruin it with bad habits and bad singing technique. I am not talking about accuracy -- I am talking about a voice property that is related to how easy it is to tell (by listening, not with instruments) what sruthi a person is singing at. It is relatively easy to tell what sruthi MSS or GNB or (young) KVN or Voleti or (young) SKR is singing at. I have found that this varies for MMI from one recording to another. As a rule younger folks have much higher clarity of pitch -- a kid may be singing the wrong pitch but you can tell easily that the pitch is right or wrong. Female voices tend to have better clarity than male ones in my experience. With age the voice "thickens" as it gathers more harmonics and other unwanted notes. The harmonics make the voice more pleasant. One has more control over harmonics than over tonal clarity because you can get a "good" voice with the right technique and sound practice. At some point some golden mean is reached with the right amount of richness and adequate tonal clarity. Singers experience it at some point in their singing career and lose it too. Some of them seem to be aware of it and others not. GNB and MSS were extraordinary in that they managed to hold on to it for a very long period of time though both began to lose ground considerably at some point. I do not believe MMI is in this category. His voice did not have high tonal clarity for long (in my listening) but his harmonics were really excellent for a long time. He probably knew the magic of right technique better than any one else in the business. MDR was an extreme in that he seemed to have extraordinarily broad voice (perhaps deliberately -- his speaking voice does not sound all that broad at all).

-Then Paanan

[matterwaves]

MDR was an extreme in that he seemed to have extraordinarily broad voice (perhaps deliberately -- his speaking voice does not sound all that broad at all).

-Then Paanan

This indeed seems the case. I recall reading PMI make a comment about MDR deliberately adopting taggu sruthi.
Reference http://www.palghatmaniiyer.org/1_30_N-M-Narayanan.html