T. M. Krishna - Boston May 22, 2011

[psitaram]

T. M. Krishna - Vocal
R. K. Shriramkumar - Violin
K. Arun Prakash - Mridangam
Kirsch Auditorium, Cambridge, MA May 22, 2011

1. Aananda Natana - Kedaram - Muthuswami Dikshitar (N,S)
2. Dalachinavaru - Dhanyasi - Subbaraya Sastri (N,S)
3. Dinamani Vamsa - Harikamboji - Thyagaraja
4. Sada Shivam Upasmahe - Sankarabharanam - Muthuswami Dikshitar (R,N, Thani)
5. Javali (Marubari) - Kamas
6. RTP - Kamavardhini (Pallavi composed by K. Arun Prakash); Ragam - TMK; Thanam - RKSK
Adi - 2 Kalai (1/2 Eduppu) Ragamalika swarams - Atana, Devamanohari, Sahana, Kamboji, Mukhari, Shyama, Neelambari, Nalinakanthi, Kapi, Sindhu Bhairavi
7. Viruttam - "Shanthakaram Bhujagashayanam" - Mayamalavagowlam, Kalyani, Kanada
8. Ninyako - Ragamaalika - Purandaradasa
9. Aaduvome - Subramania Bharathi
10. Vandemeenakshi - Dikshitar Nottuswaram - Sankarabharanam???
11. Ramachandrayaka - Mangalam

Please pardon and correct any spelling errors.
One of the best I have heard of TMK in a long time. It was an experience. RKSK was brilliant - the man is amazing. He knows every song in almost every pathantharam. Arun Prakash was superb. His sense of timing and anticipation are just amazing. Four hours of fantastic music.

Pravin Sitaram

[poincare]

An outstanding concert .. four hours of high class music..
Interesting (romantic pallavi)

"Parthadhum manam mayangineen paavayin paarvaiyai"

In the kalpana swarams Sriram switched from Kamavardini to Atana, Krishna started with Atana and switched to Devamnohari and so on.. each of them would start in the the raga the other ended and switch in between....

[srikant1987]

6. RTP - Kamavardhini (Pallavi composed by K. Arun Prakash); Ragam - TMK; Thanam - RKSK

How cruel of TMK!

[rshankar]

"Parthadhum maanam mayangineen paavayin paarvaiyai"

I think it was probably 'manam mayanginEn', although, it could be mAnam/maanam depending on the pAvai, I suppose... (tongue-in-cheek)
All nOTTusvarams of dIkshitar are in SankarAbharaNam, right?

[poincare]

Ooops ... yes thanks rshankar...it is now corrected

[mahavishnu]

I heard Pt Jasraj was in attendance?

[bilahari]

Thanks for the review, psitaram. My sister attended the concert and enjoyed it tremendously, citing (a) TMK's excellent voice, (b) the brilliant conversation between TMK and RKSK throughout the concert, and (c) the RTP with a beautifully composed and sung pallavi.

[Dhanavendra]

TMK is shaping out to be one of the best in the field. I wish beacons like him attract more people towards RTP. The first step is by varying the ragas and allowing rasikas to guess ragas. At present almost all the popular folks are resorting to this trend. With over 5 or 6 years of more of this experience, presently, all longtime rasikas do get the ragas in the pallavis right as can be seen while attending concerts. I think now it is time to attract more rasikas towards the complexities of laya patterns which is the core of RTP by focusing on one raga alone. Of course it a difficult take because lesser number of rasikas enjoy a fare veering around laya alone. Any attempt towards that could be at the cost of popularity.
However TMK is a self made person and someone who cares a damn for popularity. Maybe he is the right beacon to shed "laya" light on us instead of "raga" light. So it would be a learning experience for many rasikas on the laya trip. In due course, all long term rasikas can understand intricacies of laya better and become a wholesome rasika of RTP.
no mal intent I think. It is only an attempt towards better "rasippu tanmai" because rasikas and performers are the foundation for sustenance of classical music in particular.

[psitaram]

I heard Pt Jasraj was in attendance?

Yes, Panditji was in attendance. He came in during the swaram exchange in the pallavi. This was great for the audience as Krishna decided to sing a few more songs in his honor (this is purely my interpretation). The most interesting thing in the pallavi apart from the composition and the words, was the ragamalika exchange. RKSK's transitions from Kamavardhini to Atana and from Kamboji to Mukhari were electrifying to say the least. The entire ragamalika exchange was done in sama kalam so there was a sense of unhurriedness through the entire exercise.

[mahavishnu]

Thanks, Pravin. Sounds like a wonderful concert.
If anyone can sandwich Sankarabharanam between Harikamboji and Khamas, and pull it off successfully, it is TMK.

I think this has been a fantastic North American tour for Krishna. It is a pity that we have to wait for a couple of years before he returns to this continent (so I heard). I hope he performs this December season in Chennai (in December)

[srikant1987]

If anyone can sandwich Sankarabharanam between Harikamboji and Khamas, and pull it off successfully, it is TMK.

Surely an exaggeration?