Abhishek Raghuram on 23/3/13 for NZCMS, Auckland

[MV]

Vocal - Abhishek Raghuram
Violin - Vittal Ramamoorthy
Mridangam - Neyvelli Narayanan

1) Saranga Adhi Tala Varnam - Intha Modi
2) Karuna jooda (SS) - Sri
3) Sheshachala Nayakam - Varali (Raga sketch, N @ Aravinda , brief KS)
4) Sujana Jeevana - Khamas (R,N @ Charu netra, KS)
5) Adamodi - Charukesi (R, KS)
6) Panturithi - Hamsanadam (KS @ Ramanama)
7) RTP in Natakurinji & Shanmukhapriya - plain old Misra Chapu
Sama gana lolane Shiva Shankarane Ennai Kaatharulvay
8 ) Sompaina - Ahiri
9) Porumaiyai Izhanden - Simhendra Madhyamam
10) Chandra Chooda - Darbari Kanada
11) Pavamana

[MV]

It was an electrifying concert on a pleasant March evening. By the time the 3 hit the small Syama Shastri piece in Sri Ragam, they were in groove. Neraval in Varali already had sparks flying. There was a strong 'Lalgudi' presence on stage that evening. Then to take the 2 kritis which are owned by the Lalgudi family Sujana Jeevana and Adamodi and give it the Abhishek/Vittal/Naryanan touch was masterly. Has the Gold standard shifted, I wonder?
Inspite of all the fireworks, the crown jewels were yet to come. The RTP was scintillating to say the least. Enough has been written everywhere -including this forum- of how someone weaved seamlessly in and out of the ragas. Well, there was a new meaning to seamslessly that day. Even the fleeting grahabedam in the ragam was gone before you blinked. The pallavi vinyasam in the 2 ragams happened in all kinds of swarashtanams. I stopped taking notes and haven't written down the ragamalika swarams here.
Yet, the piece de resistance for me was Sompaina. AR has an amazing brigha-laden voice and can sing with astonishing clarity in 'super' melkalam. But, I hold his best music is in his chowka kala presentations.
With somebody like AR, the problem is always going to be 'how to turn the tap off' or even slow it down once it starts. But isn't that a glorious position for a musician to be in. We, in NZ are certainly not complaining. Boy, was the tap on full

[MV]

I haven't said anything about the accompanists. Needless to say, they were top-notch. Plus they were so much 'in sync' it was as if they were one!

I also heard that his Melbourne concert was a cracker. Apparama Bhakti in Pantuvarali was sub-main, Arabhi Pancharatnam and I think Thodi was main. Will try and confirm. I hope Mohan from Sydney will put up a review of yesterday's concert.

[mahavishnu]

MV, thanks for your lovely review.
Sounds like a great concert!

[rajeshnat]

7) RTP in Natakurinji & Shanmukhapriya - plain old Misra Chapu
Sama gana lolane Shiva Shankarane Ennai Kaatharulvay

The two ragas which is more known of pallavis must have been a WOW.Tx MV for your review

[MV]

WOW, it was.

[sreecons]

AR took us on a superfast non-stop rollercoaster ride for sure . . and MV, yes, Sompaina changed the momentum and was rendered well. . and then he was off again with the Simhendramadhyamam piece! . . am still in that daze only an AR concert could possibly create.

[MV]

I thought the tempo for the full concert was quite good with speedbreakers in Karunajooda, Sujana jeevana and Sompaina. Chandra Chooda was also madhyama kalam. banTu rIti was the super-fast one

[rshankar]

Panturithi

banTu rIti.....

[MV]

Thanks Ravi, too late to edit now I think

(Edit applied by Moderator)