Sanjay at Nayaki on 4th March

[bharathi]

Sanjay Subrahmanyan Vocal : S. Varadarajan: Violin, Tanjore Murugabhoopathy: Mrudangam; Tiruchi Murali Ghatam : Venue Nayaki, Koturpuram


Yesterday I had been to yet another of Sanjay Subrahmanyan’s concerts. I enjoyed the concert immensely and here is the song list.

1. Vanajakshi : Kalyani Varnam: Ata Thalam
2. Ini oru kaNam : Sriranjani
3. Kamlambikaayam: Sahana: misra triputa
4. ManavyaLakim: Nalinakanthi: Tyagaraja
5. Saarasa sama mridu: Gowri Manohari: Swati Tirunal
6. Tiruvadi Charanam : Kambhoji: Gopala Krishna Bharathi
7. Sudda Dhayasi: RTP: varali, bhairavi, mukhari, saveri, hameer alyani, begada, ?, surutti
8. Thirusila giriyai darisithal – chensutti
9. vetta veLi thannil : Kudambai
10. Appane ayyappane: Nadanamakriya
11. Mangalam

Sanjay started off with this beautiful Varnam but his voice sounded sleepy. The second piece was a bit too loud to statr with, but became very enjoyable in the swara session. The sahana alapana started with utterances of plain notes and became transparent soon, this was rendered very beautifully, truly Sanjay style. I was hoping for OHO Kalame but was rewarded instead with kamalabikaayam, the elegant navarna kriti of Dishithar. A fast paced Manavyalakim followed. I adore swara prasthara by Sanjay in this ragam. I was reminded of the wonderful piece Palaya Sada of Swati tirunal tuned by Sanjay, that I’ve heard in the Charsur CD ‘Padmanabha’. It is the most delectable version of Nalinakanthi that I have heard and the swara Kalpana that he renders in it are simply exhilarating. The Gowri Manohara raga alapana that came next, was oozing with unusual phrases. In this rendition Sanjay was in a state of trance, which I believe fuels the fountain of his beautiful imagination. It was simply superb…who cares what the name of the raga was, just following the flow of the notes, left one mesmerized and transported to another world. The piece by Swati Tirunal was weighty and shorn like a jewel, by the hard work of Sanjay. Tiruvadi chararam in Kambhoji was sung beautifully, starting the piece at the anupallavi “marupaDiyum karuvaDaiyum kuzhiyil taLLi” ; the word taLLi was beautifully rendered, literally “pushing it”. The neraval at “aDuttu vanda ennai taLLalAgAdu ara-harAvenru shonnAlum pOdAdO” was absolutely emotive and satisfying. Suddha Danyasi was the raga of the RTP: a short raga alapana and thanam was followed by an interesting pallavi line which had only jatis in it, no words at all.. I did not write it down, for I was thoroughly engrossed watching how, the mrudangam and the vocals blended seamlessly in this part. There was the usual round of raga malika swarams. This was followed by Thirusila Giriyai darisithal in chensurutti, which was a lovely piece and new to me. I enjoyed the concert thoroughly and to me it was no different from the fair presented during the December music season. Thank you Sanjay for making my ‘day’..
bharathi

[mahavishnu]

Bharathi, thanks for your report. I really love Sanjay's rendition of thirvadi charanam; I can imagine his detailed neraval being delightful.

#8 should be "thirisila giriyAr dharisanam oru nAL".
See more here:--> http://rasikas.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=8109 ... aning.html

Do you remember anything more about the pallavi lines?

[bharathi]

Thanks mahavishnu, I got the lyrics and they are beautiful.. would like to listen to the song once more.. do you know of some one singing it ..
I missed out a very important aspect of the concert.. and that was the lovely collaboration from the co-artists..
I am compelled to mention Varadarajan's immaculate repartees throughout the concert..
His repartees tend to re-iterate the sanchara in the focus by the vocalist .. adding to the substance of the concert always..

[mahavishnu]

Bharathi: There is a version available on Sanjay's December Season 2005 commercial release with Charsur.

[Ragjay]

The RTP was actually Ragam,Tanam and Mallari in ragam Gambeeranattai and not RTP in ragam Sudha Dhanyasi as indicated Bye Ragjay

[bharathi]

Thanks Ragjay for pointing out the mistake in the raga and indicating that instead of the pallavi it was a mallari,
which I learnt just now, is generally played in "Gambheeranata, the other Ghana Pancha ragas, namely, Nata, Gowla, Arabhi, Varali and Sriragam"

[mahavishnu]

The RTP was actually Ragam,Tanam and Mallari in ragam Gambeeranattai and not RTP in ragam Sudha Dhanyasi as indicated Bye Ragjay

Ok, that makes sense now. I was wondering what kind of pallavi line would just have jatiswarams.

[rshankar]

And should we hold our breath for brick-bats to rain for the RTM (rAgam tAnam mallAri) format instead of the tried-and-tested RTP?

[mohan]

Ok, that makes sense now. I was wondering what kind of pallavi line would just have jatiswarams.

After the tanam, it would have made sense for Sanjay to announce to the audience that he was going to sing a mallari!