TMK @ MA, 21/Dec/2011

sankark · Post by **sankark** » 21 Dec 2011, 23:28

TM Krishna - Vocal
R Hemalatha - Violin
Melakaveri Balaji - Mridangam
N Govindarajan - Ghatam

Sri Viswanatham - Chaturdasa Ragamalika - Adi - Dikshitar (Ragamalika Swarams) - 37 mins. A grand affair but towards the end seemed to get into excess mode.

Varali - Ragam & Violin vinyasam - ~12 mins. Yes there was no Varali song. He finished the raga alapana and when violin vinyasa was over, he launched the next song.

Chinna nadena - Kalanidhi - Adi - Thyagaraja (S) - ~8 mins

Bala vinave - Kambhoji - Tisra Triputa - Kshetragna (RNS@chinna natti, T) - 1 hour. Very slow and emotive rendering with his voice having a little bit of discomfort in upper reaches. Either people will love it or hate it, no in between. Balaji & Govindarajan have to be appreciated very much for their accompaniment. Just mostly chapus/non intrusive maintaining the tempo and mood of the song; their tani was in the same tempo and was good. IMO there was one downside to this song - there were pauses in raga/violin essay but those pauses seemed to be more of disjointed raga essay rather than a enjoyable pause to let the music sink in. Is Kambhoji itself more suited for continuous akara oriented singing rather?

RTP - Huseni (just heard till raga & violin return, together ~6 - 7 mins). Had to leave.

mahavishnu · Post by **mahavishnu** » 21 Dec 2011, 23:31

Varali - Ragam & Violin vinyasam - ~12 mins. Yes there was no Varali song. He finished the raga alapana and when violin vinyasa was over, he launched the next song.

wow, how did the audience react to this? I would have been scratching my head wondering what is going on...

squims · Post by **squims** » 21 Dec 2011, 23:37

^He's done this before as far as I recall. I remember reading something of the sort...

sankark · Post by **sankark** » 21 Dec 2011, 23:40

I was in the mini-hall where the dais was projected on a screen (balcony also sold out). People thought chinna nadena was in varali but since I knew that it was not so, I was kinda OK but still surprised. I was expecting aazhi mazhai from thiruppavai. Then some one looked into the souvenir and said, even there it is simply said Varali ragam. No idea how the audience in main hall reacted.

Many people walked out during N for Kambhoji though. He had chosen chowka kalam and the song itself was not that familiar either to me/many.

gardabha_gana · Post by **gardabha_gana** » 22 Dec 2011, 04:39

In Bangalore, once he sang a detailed Sahana alapana followed by a MMG krithi (Sri natahadi?)

tiruppugazh · Post by **tiruppugazh** » 22 Dec 2011, 07:30

Very soon TMK's song list will include items like

Mounam - Raga Alapana

Tharangam · Post by **Tharangam** » 22 Dec 2011, 07:55

How about just putting the thaalam to thambura accompaniment??:-) Innovations!!!! What can these people do when everything has been done by yesteryear masters!

If only they could do something new from the old, it would be good for Carnatic Music.

mahavishnu · Post by **mahavishnu** » 22 Dec 2011, 07:58

tiruppugazh: interesting that you mention mounam

A composer named John Cage once wrote a piece called 4:33 which is basically 4 minutes and 33 seconds of silence! It was very controversial in its day, but doesn't get much airplay any more

Back on topic, performing an alapanai without a song seems particularly pointless to me; I think it makes his other "innovations" look mature by comparison.

CommonMan · Post by **CommonMan** » 22 Dec 2011, 08:26

A stark difference between the present gen and the oldies. The yester year artists never let fame and accolades get into thier heads, and thus never indulged in such eccentricities, especially in front of the audience.......although this stand alone raga alapana may not have been intented to be disrespectful to the audience, it definitely came out that way.....just shows that if an artist is popular today, he or she can do anything (s)he wants.....for God's sake let us, rasikas not call it innovation... to me, it is a mere fool-hadry gimmick intended to demand attention - nevertheless fulfilling its objective.....

nri · Post by **nri** » 22 Dec 2011, 09:22

Perhaps a rasika sent him a chit - do NOT sing Eti janmamidi -

Sivaramakrishnan · Post by **Sivaramakrishnan** » 22 Dec 2011, 09:30

I would rather request TMK himself to apprise us on his innovation!

nri · Post by **nri** » 22 Dec 2011, 09:36

On FB, TMK said that a raga alapana can be a complete stand-alone presentation (essay) and no other particular intent.

sais72 · Post by **sais72** » 22 Dec 2011, 09:55

While there has been a fair amount of discussion on the structure of the concert, can we also talk about the substance. How good was the Varali Alapana , can some experts educate us on the quality of the alapana ignoring that fact that it was not followed by a kriti.

pvs · Post by **pvs** » 22 Dec 2011, 09:58

Though I am not a fan of all 'Krish no ovations', I agree raga alapana is a stand alone, as the basis of manodharmam. He could have added a word at the end to specify that no varaaaaaaaaaaaaaali kriti would follow, to save confusion.

tiruvarur · Post by **tiruvarur** » 22 Dec 2011, 10:17

Pathetic attention-seeking tactics. There is no limit on how low he can stoop! Every one of these tactics only serve to betray his insecurity at his more accomplished contemporaries like Sanjay and Abhishek. God save CM from such swollen heads!

mohan · Post by **mohan** » 22 Dec 2011, 10:39

mahavishnu wrote: A composer named John Cage once wrote a piece called 4:33 which is basically 4 minutes and 33 seconds of silence! It was very controversial in its day, but doesn't get much airplay any more.

I hear parts of this piece at condolence meetings, when they ask for two minutes silence.

mahavishnu · Post by **mahavishnu** » 22 Dec 2011, 10:41

Mohan

yes, alas no one plays the full piece anymore.
Hope you are enjoying your visit to Chennai!

anandasangeetham · Post by **anandasangeetham** » 22 Dec 2011, 10:52

Stand alone alapana is excellent provided it is done at home...or atleast amoungst close friends.....but not during a concert.....this may also lead to many other "innovations" like starting a concert with a mangalam following a just swara singing in bhimplas or yaman kalyani(without any lyrics)...a small fast paced thukkada...a long alapana of harikambodhi or keeravani.(without any keerthanai)...then a pillayar krithi...then a thanam and....most important part of the concert....tuning of the tambura and other instruments...checking voice for sruti disalignment.....before each "piece" a short thani will presented starting with a mohra korvai.....

while we talk about artists right on freedom of expression and right to IP rights and copyrights etc...does it not also follow as "paid" rasikas we also should expect some common minimum standard of performance?

ooh ok for a sober more toned down approach...innovations are part of life..what will stand the test of time and what will not be decided by ..at best TIME...before ARI there was more of big raga alapanai followed by krithi with long neraval, swarams etc..this was structurally challenged by ARI which might have met with huge opposition at that time..but has come to stay for almost a century. there was another innovation..rather a jugalbandhi ...between a carnatic vocalist and a painter (you read it right..painter)..this i remember was between the queen of carnatic Smt MSS and world renowned controversial artist MF Hussain......as MSS sang he drew a huge portrait of the artist on a large canvass....this jugalbandhi was not in the usual Carnatic-Hindustani mode where each alternates the singing..MSS was singing..MFH listened for 5-6 minutes then walked to the canvas...drew some lines..came back listened and then again went back ..sketched....listened...went back and did more sketching and painting...he finished the painting before MSS finished her recital..and it was a beautiful MSS holding as tambura with back drop of a sabha like structure...this was some 20 years back i think and it was telecast live....this ofcourse was a one of innovation and did not catch fancy....even the so called jugalbandhi is losing its appeal and people prefer to listen to pure carnatic or hindustani and not mix both.....You just cannot have aloo paratha with sambar sadham....both are independently excellent but together horrible....

grsastrigal · Post by **grsastrigal** » 22 Dec 2011, 11:28

Today morning, I went to MA at 9.30 to buy tickets for Sanjay. I met one of the MA Board members and discussed yesterday's programme. I told him, if I want to write a review on TMK's performance, what topic you would give... He said

"Messiah or massacre of Carnatic Music"

I am not bringing all my write ups in my blog here. Some excerpts

-At the beginning of the concert he started telling all the rasikas not to get up, even when the violing is being played, in the session !!!!
-In between first kriti, he asked hemalatha to stop the violin, and said "Achaa" and asked her continue (someone must have been talking in the audience)
-First kriti of almost 1 hour saw few of them walked out.
-varAli followed by kalAvathy is a shame for CM. This is a shame on those yesteryear stalwarts who nurtured Carnatic Music.
-kAmbodhi Alapana was excellant. Kriti was very slow. Irritating
-Worst thing is, after Tani, no one clapped. Not that Balaji did not do any justice, but the rasikas wanted to show their anger on TMK
-No one liked Huseni nor the upsurd pallavi line...

I may be harsh on the concert. But TMK really killed the concert. If I were the Murali, president of MA, I would ban him from giving any concert.

Rasikas were waiting from 5.30 AM at MA for buying ticket (yesterday and today too) for the tokens 1t 7.30 followed by tickets. I see old people with a shawl
on their head and waiting in the cold temperature. Defintely, they deserve more than this.

CommonMan · Post by **CommonMan** » 22 Dec 2011, 11:56

@GRS: nice summary...I was one of those oldies with the shawl - felt terrible, and now I sincerely feel that I could have attended one of the many other concerts (of youngsters, particualrly) who have a lot more professional-ethics.....totally irresponsible show.....
I had an opportunity to meet Semmangudi mama in late 90's, when he had a concert that evening..he was mentioning that he felt nervous about the concert...he had nothing to prove at that age - he had proved enough decades earlier.....and that "one" marriage concert - regardles of whether it was a total flop or success, would hardly matter....but that is the kind of respect he had for the art and the ethics he held for his profession.....what a contrast between the guru and the sishya....for a lot of reasons, its better that such great artists are not alive to witnes such nonsense.....

ragh_avan · Post by **ragh_avan** » 22 Dec 2011, 12:16

Such a shame. He is a very good singer; has an unique style but seems to want to finish his career by indulging in such stupid acrobatics.
Artists are not expected to give quality music every time; that is understandable because our entire music is based on "Manodharma". But TM Krishna has to understand what he is indulging in cannot be bracketed under "Manodharma".

ragh_avan · Post by **ragh_avan** » 22 Dec 2011, 12:22

pvs wrote:Though I am not a fan of all 'Krish no ovations', I agree raga alapana is a stand alone, as the basis of manodharmam. He could have added a word at the end to specify that no varaaaaaaaaaaaaaali kriti would follow, to save confusion.

I do not agree with this especially with the Ghana ragas. Different composers had different ideas on the raga while composing and it is the duty of the singer to do the alapana and swara singing depending on the usage of the raga. Example for this is MLV and Thodi. Her rendering of Thodi varies with the krithi she sings; especially the scale of the gandharam (comparing "thamsam yen swami" to "jesi nadella")

thathwamasi · Post by **thathwamasi** » 22 Dec 2011, 12:47

Before I can write my opinion about this, let me clarify that I feel T M Krishna is an excellent musician and his music is already good enough to get enough attention that he needs without resorting to "innovations".

Raaga alapanai being merely a piece of its own is not a TMK innovation. Nadaswaram players in temple functions have the history of playing various ragas for hours together without playing any kritis to follow up with it. So its not entirely absurd that TMK chose to do it. But I only question the intention of doing the same.

Like how its said by Elliot Carver in the movie "Tomorrow Never dies", "What, or When, or Who or Where doesnt make a great story. Its always the "WHY" thats makes a story great". The only intention I can sense is merely doing something in order to get noticed. (or sustain the notice that was achieved by some other "innovation").

Secondly, if TMK chooses to innovate, he has to be consistent with his innovations, and start innovating in concerts that are not ticketed. So that the people who choose to buy tickets, can expect such things. I know that buying a ticket doesnt gaurantee what the rasika expects always. But, as someone pointed out, rasikas might feel that they deserve better than this for the tickets they have got.

So overall, its not in good taste that someone of TMK's stature, chooses to do such "innovations" with no purpose and not sustaining them. Overall, I think TMK is the Carnatic music equivalent of the Indian Fast Bowler Sreesanth. Very Talented, can be the best while performing in full flow, but has the irresistable need to keep doing silly things in order to get noticed.

Thanks
T

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 22 Dec 2011, 12:54

grsastrigal wrote:-At the beginning of the concert he started telling all the rasikas not to get up, even when the violing is being played, in the session !!!!.

Very reasonable request. Unfortunately, it will be lost in the great heap of what people are calling un-reasonable stuff.

I have frequently mentioned that the bladder suffers from age, and that sometimes we have to leave a concert midway, but the fact that the violin return is seen as an opportunity to chat, walk, talk, and generally behave badly, is deplorable

I am not bringing all my write ups in my blog here

grsastrgal, can you post the link to your blog, please?

What we need, when we listen to a piece of music, is a beginning and a middle and an end. If a musician can craft an alapana in such a way that the audience is left with a feeling of completeness, a feeling of being satisfied, then I don't see a problem, other than 'departure from tradition.' The thing with departure from tradition is that it becomes the new tradition (with which, people sternly tell us, we must not tamper) if it works.

srikant1987 · Post by **srikant1987** » 22 Dec 2011, 12:56

Thank you, sankark, for your level-headed report of the concert. I am mildly curious about the kAmbhOji because of the "pauses" you mention. I find it hard to sympathize with people who torture themselves like this to attend an unpredictable concert, especially when there are so many sure bets for them to attend. (Bilahari emailed me asking whether to attend Hyderabad Brothers or TNK, and followed my suggestion

... I don't know who else was performing that evening in Chennai.) That he may not adhere to the concert format is known to pretty much everyone who knows the concert format in the first place. It is another thing if some people like the unpredictability, or are not particularly bothered by the concert format, etc.

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 22 Dec 2011, 12:59

That he may not adhere to the concert format is known to pretty much everyone who knows the concert format in the first place.

Very good point.

Guys, and guyesses... you got what you paid for! ]

fduddy · Post by **fduddy** » 22 Dec 2011, 13:00

TMK doe snot seem to be interested in knowing your feedbacks (all of you who have written here). It may not even matter to him. He thinks he is a maverick and can pull anything anywhere.
Why is it that you guys knowing fully well the eccentricities that he is upto, attend the concert and fume over it relentlessly. Once bitten stay away. But this is repeatedly happening. In this whole thread it is only bashing of the artist.
If you guys are serious music lovers, do not attend the concerts of OS Arun, Aruna Sairam, TMK, Sudha and the like and crib. They have a different fan following segment. PERIOD!!
Jaya TV margazhi Utsavam in particular attracts perhaps a different segment of the crowd. Poeple flock there thinking they may get a chance to appear before the camera and ask a stupid question followed by a stupid answer by the artist. The artists generally performing in this venue are the same.

priyashekar · Post by **priyashekar** » 22 Dec 2011, 13:04

I have written to MA to refund my ticket money.I regret having bought the ticket for this sham of a concert.Why dont they ban him for abusing the audience like they banned a footballplayer for racial abuse.I wish he dint sing in this season like last year.

varsha · Post by **varsha** » 22 Dec 2011, 13:09

is a beginning and a middle and an end.

a sense of completeness where one gets to the start , while being at an end is an indispensable part of artistic endeavour . The classic ending of the movie ankur where the scene is a random act of a boy breaking a window pane is a good example . Something that Hitchcock never grasped . And an unforgiving set of judges made it a point never to give him an Oscar . The act of the first part of the effort being diverging and the need to bring it to a converging point as a method of completing the activity was described beautifully by Schumaker in his book , Small is Beautiful .

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 22 Dec 2011, 13:11

Why is it that you guys knowing fully well the eccentricities that he is upto, attend the concert and fume over it relentlessly.

"Sociological research" --- ?

I think you and Srikant make very good points. Is there not an element of expecting the shock and the drama? Perhaps, in a few years, TMK's* shock effect will be a perfectly straight concert.

*Corrected my usual stupid typing mistake.

hema · Post by **hema** » 22 Dec 2011, 13:11

As somebody said at the beginning of this -- either you enjoy it or hate it.

Well, I loved the first kirthana -- I also really enjoyed the swarams in that. Hemalatha was equal to him in this.

When Varaali happened after which he sang Kalanidhi -- I felt uncomfortable. But I wonder why should a raaga
alaapana be followed by a song in the same raaga?

I really enjoyed the Kambodi -- including the slow song. I really felt the song by itself was complete. There was
no need for accompaniment.

The lightning RTP could have been excluded -- I would have preferred a good Thirupugazh.

I find this quite irritating -- why shd 2 and 2.5 hour concerts include lightning speed RTPs?

Finally, yes may be he appears crazy to a few -- but I go to a concert to look for new experiments -- otherwise
I might as well listen to recorded CDs.

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 22 Dec 2011, 13:19

I find this quite irritating -- why shd 2 and 2.5 hour concerts include lightning speed RTPs?

"+1," as the youngsters say! Entirely agree. An RTP should be something taken at full length, with full weight and development of each of its parts. I recall a concert in London (because I have the recording, rather than because of having a proper rasika's memory) in which the artist announced, "I am going to give a short rtp...," It went on 40 minutes.

jnanasoonyam · Post by **jnanasoonyam** » 22 Dec 2011, 14:03

grsastrigal wrote:Rasikas were waiting from 5.30 AM at MA for buying ticket (yesterday and today too) for the tokens 1t 7.30 followed by tickets. I see old people with a shawl on their head and waiting in the cold temperature. Defintely, they deserve more than this.

Yes they deserved more than this, but probably did not realize that their ticket entitled them to both evening concerts and they attended the WRONG one! Before all the tamasha starting at 7 pm, Sowmya gave her usual thoroughbred performance and it was also an object lesson in dedication... very few artistes could have pulled off what she did, with a similar throat condition. What a neraval in Atana, a pristine Navaroj from the Brinda-Mukta stable, outstanding Hamirkalyani and to top it all, a full-course 1hr RTP, in Todi no less!

I like to think of Sowmya, NSG and Vijay as the Rahul Dravids / VVS Laxmans of CM: dedicated people who go about their job diligently and keep the flag flying high, even when the conversation and hype is about others. NSG's morning concert today simply served to endorse this view even more... at barely 40+ we like to club these three amongst the 'current/younger' generation, but it might surprise many to know that they have been singing at MA for 25+ years...

srikant1987 · Post by **srikant1987** » 22 Dec 2011, 14:07

Perhaps, in a few years, TNK's shock effect will be a perfectly straight concert.

Please, Nick, don't confuse the M and the N again.

You can use "Krishna" if you like for TMK. I'd say you don't even need to add a Shri or Vid if you don't feel comfortable, since he's much younger than you.

squims · Post by **squims** » 22 Dec 2011, 14:28

Woah, a lot of extreme opinions on this thread! I just feel that I can't pass any judgement on the concert until I'd been there. I can understand the issues like the one ragh_avan has with regard to the aalaapana reflecting the mood and prayogams of the kriti to follow. But Like Nick H said, if the aalaapani were to leave the audience completely satisfied, then I don't see that much of a problem.

Hyderabad Brothers or TNK

Did you mean TMK? Because, between Hyd Bros and TNK sir it would be a really tough choice, though I'd mostly go to the TNK concert in the end.

annamalai · Post by **annamalai** » 22 Dec 2011, 14:43

oh boy, ... what can I say ...

I loved Sree Viswanatham and TMK's interpretation of the ragas - Some of them I like are Arabhi, Gowri, Devakriya, Bhairavam, ... That took a solid 45 minutes one of the best renditions of the ragamalika krithi I have heard. Hemalatha excellent support... I had to leave after that ...

iwannabe · Post by **iwannabe** » 22 Dec 2011, 15:00

A Google search on Padams led me to an article in The Hindu some years ago by Gorwi Ramnarayan in conversation with those who ought to know everything there is to know about this genre. (http://www.hindu.com/ms/2006/01/04/stor ... 040100.htm). This included Ms Rama Ravi who sang y'day morning at MA and the song list included a padam and javali.
Can some one comment on whether the following is aesthetic or innovation-
1. Is raga alapana in a padam the norm or even done?
2. is it ok to sing neraval in a padam? (To my mind this is relevant because padams depict (I think) sringara rasa and repetition of some words may be awkward. I found reference to meaning of "Bala vinave" in a forum discussion of some year(s) ago but only Pallavi and Anupallavi were translated. Was ommission to translate Charanam lines deliberate?)
3. Is it ok to sing swarams in a padam?

Padam, as experts would have it, requires breath control and high quality raga bhava both of which TMK possesses in abundance.
But, was it an overkill? Can't wait for an answer!

CommonMan · Post by **CommonMan** » 22 Dec 2011, 15:05

"But I wonder why should a raaga alaapana be followed by a song in the same raaga?
right..a few more questions in that genre that would bring variety and innovation in a concert (which we might not otherwise experience from "merely listening to a CD"):
1. Why can't accompanists sit in the center of the stage and vocalists on the side?
2. Why don't artists wear shoes or slippers while performing?
3. Why should artists be in a sitting position to perform a concert?
4. why can't artists eat on stage during a concert?
just a few.....many more to come...food for thought..
Soon to be innovations which will make a "perfectly straight concert", in a few years..

fduddy · Post by **fduddy** » 22 Dec 2011, 15:27

annamalai wrote:oh boy, ... what can I say ...

I loved Sree Viswanatham and TMK's interpretation of the ragas - Some of them I like are Arabhi, Gowri, Devakriya, Bhairavam, ... That took a solid 45 minutes one of the best renditions of the ragamalika krithi I have heard. Hemalatha excellent support... I had to leave after that ...

Oh my my. You are running a huge risk buddy. There are cameras planted all over the auditorium. ANy one from the audience leaving the hall is obviously captured. This will be reviewed and stored in the laptop used to ref to the kritis while singing. When you attend the next concert there is a 100% chance that you will be reprimanded!!

ramarama · Post by **ramarama** » 22 Dec 2011, 16:02

Incidentally, In Hindustani instrumental music, it is not uncommon for an artiste to play aalap, jod and jhala in one raga and then shift to another raga for the compositions. Sitar artistes even shift from surbahar to sitar sometimes in doing that transition. The late vocalist Ustad Amir Khan would also sometimes move (unexpectedly and midway through an exposition) from a vilambit (slow) composition in one raga to a Madhya laya (medium tempo) composition in a different raga. And often, in these raga changes, the two ragas would be chosen deliberately to bring out a contrast or a similarity between the two ragas.

But as always, it is ultimately a matter of rasa, yes? Whatever the artiste is doing has to be enjoyable for the audience – and it is impossible to predict upfront, what will be enjoyable and what will be not. In the hands of a master artiste, all expectations can be violated and yet the audience is transported into a different world and can come out enlightened that Carnatic music could be “this too.” (among the living greats, IMHO, Dr BMK comes to mind).

I would like to think that TMK’s experiments from year to year are well-intentioned (and not just about attention gathering, like the angered seem to think) – of experimenting with the paddhati to explore the numerous unexplored facets of Carnatic music. People keep repeating the cliché that carnatic music is an ocean, and yet most artistes seem to be sailing in the same small seas and along the touristy beaches. Ultimately, of course whatever one tries has to deliver to make an impact – perhaps some of these expectations (of guessing the composition and hearing it or some other after a lengthy alapana) are too ingrained – but I bet in the hands/voice of a truly great artiste, the audience would not really mind. Perhaps some day he will get that stature where he can just command the audience to enjoy whatever he thinks is interesting to him.

A tangential aside – in today’s kaccheri paddhati panel discussion at the Academy (in which all the artistes first broke Pappu V Rao’s suggested paddhati of restricting the intro remarks to just 3 minutes

), the venerable R K Srikantan said that as far as he knows, before the Ariyakudi generation, the paddhati was to sing some 4-5 ragas in a 4-5 hour concert. Orphaned aalapanas aside, TMK’s concert perhaps is harking back to that older paddhati? BTW, historian V Sriram from the audience argued that Ariyakudi never claimed to have set the current paddhati, and that it was not clear that the current paddhati should be attributed to Ariyakudi.

A really tangential aside, but easier to post here than start a new thread

sorry. At that same forum, V Sriram also shared a delectable snippet about Dwaram – apparently when asked why he had stopped accompanying artistes, he said about accompanying “if I don’t play well, the audience objects – if I play well, the main artiste objects.” From my vague memory of the past, all the greats of the earlier generation, MSG, Lalgudi, TNK used to have reasonable solo concert careers alongside their accompanying duties. With the odd exception (like the redoubtable Dr M Narmadha), most of the current accompanying greats seem to be focusing only on the accompanying business. I wonder why that is. Surely RKSK or NM or SV would command a big audience for a solo concert?

fduddy · Post by **fduddy** » 22 Dec 2011, 16:23

ramarama,
please do not compare Amir Khan and the likes to TMK. TMK has not attained yet their seniority or calibre!!

anonymityatlast · Post by **anonymityatlast** » 22 Dec 2011, 16:36

Surely RKSK or NM or SV would command a big audience for a solo concert?

Nice try. I will surely attend RKSK or SV though.

Rasika911 · Post by **Rasika911** » 22 Dec 2011, 17:02

TM Krishna certainly has a fair few followers around here that just wait for him to do something "new" so that they can jump all over it and hunt him down as a pack on this forum. It is also interesting to note that some of the people that post angry statements in these threads do so each and every time he does something "new" as if they did not know about his liking to challenge the boundaries of the concert structure that we have become used to.

Didn't he post a note on his website last time basically criticizing such keyboard warriors? Instead of posting off the cuff remarks maybe we should take a step back and try to understand what he artist has set out to try and achieve and analyse the pros and cons of such ventures. If we don't understand the thinking behind something maybe we should send him an email to clarify. He is generally a very approachable musician whether it be via facebook/email.

For those that have such strong views on this maybe you should send him an email to clarify why he chose to sing what he did. Alternatively if you have the nerve, go up to him and raise the issue with him in person, if he has the time I'm sure he'd be willing to have a conversation with you

anandasangeetham · Post by **anandasangeetham** » 22 Dec 2011, 17:08

Innovations and experiments should not have any boundaries rules or regulations..
however any such innovation or experiment should be presented only after a successful rehearsal than launch it during a major festival or “paid” audience. Carnatic music and cricket are inseparable and hence another analogy..5 day test match gave way to 1 day matches but this was not done straight away..it was put to acid test by Parker before it was accepted by the international cricketing community. Similarly the T20 also had a similar christening ( an extended version of the double wicket which was played more as a gully cricket)….day / night matches…etc…..in essence any innovation is more on the format and not on the content….the batsman does not hold his bat upside in the name of innovation… there have been and will be lot of improvisations and innovations in carnatic music too..sax,mandolin, violin, keyboard etc were innovations. Guitar is another one….table accompaniment was also to some extent accepted though not fully encouraged…a trio veena, violin, and flute ruled for some time in the 70-80s….all these are innovations….but the basic structure is not altered……every raga sung has a unique flavor when sung with a krithi in mind….the same raga for a different krithi will sound differently….hence even if a person wants to sing the raga alone without any song in mind will be very very difficult in my opinion…cause the basic manodharma for alapana stems for the numerous compositions only and not merely the understanding or mastering of the scale…..if that is the case why don’t we hear huge raga alapanas for lesser known ragas where there is just one or two songs (not just of one composer but all composers put together)…theme based concerts, time based concerts, etc are innovations…but not just singing swaras for half hour, or doing a thanam only….may be TMK did not intend to seek attention..but he has got that anyway..last year a “no concert” attention..this year a”alapana only” attention…what next?

ramarama · Post by **ramarama** » 22 Dec 2011, 17:12

anonymityatlast, who did you think NM was?

I meant Shri Nagai Muralidharan. And I'm sure I'm leaving out many other very worthy accompanists today who would all do great jobs with solos. RKSK said at that MA forum that accompanying a lot of different artistes was a huge advantage for a solo violin artiste - then, why don't all these great accompanists ever get chances for solos I wonder?

The Mysore brothers occasionally play as accompanists I think, other than their lightning-fast

duets so they might be the other exception other than Dr M Narmadha.

ganeshkant · Post by **ganeshkant** » 22 Dec 2011, 17:30

ramarama,
Do we have enough slots to cater to these artists if they take up only solo?Pl.don't simply write things without thinking.If you can support their families sufficiently probably you may advocate that.

ganeshkant · Post by **ganeshkant** » 22 Dec 2011, 17:37

TMK should have sung varanAradha in Vijayasri after the varali AlApanai if his intention was to follow the AlApanai with a non-varALi kriti.In that case a rasika who has been listening CM for 6 decades would have written,

" I have never ever heard any of the past masters doing an AlApanai of Vijayasri.(I have heard 100s of concerts of ARI,GNB,SSI,MMI,Etc.)It was an out of the world AlApanai.We all know Vijaysri is close to varALi but not this close.We are indeed blessed to have attended this concert."

Ragjay · Post by **Ragjay** » 22 Dec 2011, 17:54

RKSK and SV have together given a solo concert and it is available on the sangeethapriya site. An orphaned raga alapana according to me is an exercise in futility. Ragams and their expanse can be used in a virutham or slokams effectively,instead of such a farcical display of virtuosity.As rightly pointed out when we know what is in store and get it in abundance,it is pointless to attend such concerts. Academy have in their souvenir given the same list.It is time that he starts a concert with a tani so that our rasikas can walk out and be spared the torture of such an exercise in futility.

sridrect · Post by **sridrect** » 22 Dec 2011, 18:50

thathwamasi wrote: Overall, I think TMK is the Carnatic music equivalent of the Indian Fast Bowler Sreesanth. Very Talented, can be the best while performing in full flow, but has the irresistable need to keep doing silly things in order to get noticed.

Thanks
T

Can you please tell who is the Bhajji of Carnatic music, so that we can ask them to meet each other

srikant1987 · Post by **srikant1987** » 22 Dec 2011, 20:47

squims wrote:Did you mean TMK? Because, between Hyd Bros and TNK sir it would be a really tough choice, though I'd mostly go to the TNK concert in the end.

When I say TNK, I mean TNK.