T M Krishna @ Kanchi Mutt, M'waram, B'lore. Oct 24, 2012

[prahalad_rag]

Vocal: T.M. Krishna
Violin: Charulatha Ramanujam
Mridamgam and Ghata: Sincere apologies. I could not hear your names when announced.

Song list:
1. Sharade veena vadana visharade - Devagandhari (I could not guess this raaga. As always, Google came to the rescue).
2. shree nadadi guruguho - Mayamalavagowla
3. Chinnanadena - Kalanidhi
4. Brovavamma - Manji
5. Manavi aala kinchara - Nalinakanthi
6. Tamil ragamalika shloka in Thodi, Bilahari, Karaharapriya, Kannada followed by...
6. Shree matrubutham - Kannada
7. Baro Krishnayya - Maand
8. Bhaja govindam - Raagamalika

Ever had the feeling, after watching a much hyped movie, you like it but feel that there was something missing? It was that kind of a concert. I really cannot pinpoint what exactly was lacking. Was it the fact that there was not a single "detailed" alaapana? Or soulful neraval? Or was it the lack of sparkling swaras with mind blowing calculations? All these were there, yet they were missing. Contradictory, isn't it? The usual TMK energy was missing.
Given the occasion and the venue, TMK aptly started off with a kirthi on Sharade. Never heard of this krithi before. Krithi was followed by a round of swaras in 2 speeds. Dikshitar's first ever composition, in MMG came next with alaapana and neraval but no swaras.
A brisk alaapana of Kalaanidhi followed with a lot of comedy. TMK sang a sketch and turned to his disciple (?) to check the name of the raaga. The violinist also was not very well versed in this raaga and TMK provided a quick lesson on stage, an "on the job training" for the violinist. Smt. Charulatha, for her part, picked up the raaga really well and played a brief alaapana. The krithi was sung well and at the end TMK checking with the violinst if she was up for playing swaras. When she replied in the affirmative, a brisk round of swaras followed.
Next came a slooooowwww alapana of Manji. The raga, if not handled correctly, can very easily sound like Bhairavi. TMK did very well here. Although I have not heard much of this raaga, I could very clearly make out that this was not Bhairavi. Even I! So, definitely a compliment. Krithi again, was very slow without swaras. Thani followed after this krithi and I thought both the percussionists did well, given the tempo and the mood of the song.

Changing tempo, TMK sang a superb alaapana of Nalinakanthi, touching the rishabha of the upper octave and started off the krithi from anupallavi. Smt. Charulatha hardly had any chance to showcase her talent up until this point when TMK asked her to play the swaras and finish the krithi. She did superbly here.

A soulful shloka in ragamalika followed by Shree Matrubhutam in Kannada and swaras followed. Very nice indeed. Then the fillers came in with the concert ending in a request by a rasika (Bhaja Govindam).

So there, an almost 3hr concert. But no RTP. Disappointing. Too much time was spent in the beginning tuning the tambura. TMK can certainly do better and he has done in the past. Looking forward to his concert at Gayana Samaja later this month.

P.S. For those interested, I left my footwear in my car this time. Take that, you chappal thief!

[squims]

Ever had the feeling, after watching a much hyped movie, you like it but feel that there was something missing? It was that kind of a concert.

Touché! There was just something missing over all. Adored the Mayamalavagowlai though. Just sublime. Maanji aalaapanai was excellent as well. The tani was awesome. They did a great job of continuing the mood of the piece in the tani as well. Everything was played in a slow tempo, with much of the kanakku, even in different nadais, all in the first speed only. Even the mohra and muktayas were played that way. Charulatha ma'am could have been given a bit more of a chance to shine. The Nalinakanti swarams were definitely beautiful.

[rohithc911]

Sounds like a wonderful concerts - 3 hours yet so few songs and no ghana ragas to delve into as well. Wish I could've heard it, or there was a recording. Out of curiosity, which line in Shri Nathadi did he do neraval in?

[squims]

Neraval was done at 'mAyASabalita brahmarUpo mAra kOTi sundaraswarUpo'. It was a slow, meditative neraval.

[Purist]

I would rank the 'thani' as topclass. The mridangist ( sorry I do not know who it was, will appreciate
if anyone can let know) did a great job in fully understanding the nuances of each kriti and played
so well to embellish what TMK offered in a very sedate and offbeat concert. The thani played after the Manji
krithi sounded like an extension of the song. That was a nice departure from mridangam banging
we come across too often these days. I am not competent to make a technical evaluation of what he played,
but suffice to say he made it so interesting and pleasing even to a lay person. For instance the beat he used
for the 'take off' in' Krishna Nee Begane' krithi was very special (that even drew an appreciative nod from Ravikiran
-disciple of TMK seated behind him).

[squims]

From what I could make out when the names of the artistes were announced, the mridangam artiste was Sri. Melakaveri Balaji and the ghatam artiste was Sri. Chandrashekar Sharma.