Sanjay at KAPALI Temple - 6th APRIL 2013

[sridrect]

Sanjay or CSK match ??? The choice was a no-brainer. Landed up at Kapali temple and felt blessed by Mylai Kapali for having attended the concert.

Karaharapriya was immortal and beyond description. More details later.

[mahavishnu]

I heard that this was a terrific concert. Wasn't it kAkka unakkiRakkam illayA that he sang in khpriya?
Could you please post the song list?

[gardabha_gana]

Hmmm.. Sanjay an avid CSK/cricket fan had a concert when CSK was playing?

[Rajani]

I was lucky to attend this wonderful concert. Song list:

1. varNam - kalyAni - Adi - (S)
2. sAmagItapriyan - gaulai - Adi - rAmalinga aDigalAr - (S)
3. rAmanAtham bhajEham - pantuvarAli (kAsirAmakriya)- dIkshitar - rUpakam - (R,N,S)
4. telisi rAma - pUrnachandrika - Adi - tyAgarAja
5. kaDai kaN nOkki - tODi - Adi - pApanAsam sivan - (R)
6. kAlait tUkki ninRADum - yadukulakAmbhoji - mArimutta piLLai - Adi
7. kAkka unakkirakkam illaiyA? - kharaharapriya - Adi - pApanAsam sivan(R,N,S,tani)
8. oorilen etc (viruttam)followed by nArAyaNanait tudippAi - (do not remember raga )
9. pettra taai tanai(viruttam) followed by ArAr AsaippaDAr - muttut tANDavar
10. engum niRaindirukkum en deivam - kuRinji - pApanAsam sivan
11. kaRpagAmbikai nI allavO? - pApanAsam sivan
12. pavamAna - saurAshtram - tyAgarAja

[mahavishnu]

thanks for the songlist, Rajani. This was an amazing concert. Sanjay at his absolute best!

nArAyaNanait tudippAi is in kOmaLAngi, tuned by Dhandapani desigar (more interesting info here: http://sanjaysub.blogspot.ca/2008/12/mm ... sigar.html). I think the preceding viruttam was in hamsanandi, nattaikurinji, begada, ahiri and then Komalangi, leading up to the song.

[annamalai]

For a remote rasika, How can I draw inference from a concert list ?

[mahavishnu]

There is no such thing as a remote Rasika anymore

[vasanthakokilam]

>There is no such thing as a remote Rasika anymore

Yes, there are only Remote Links, Ubiquitous Remote Links (URL) and in some cases Unknown Remote Links

Talking of a related trend, I once remarked to my boss, who does not know anything about CM, that I may take off during December to Chennai so I can listen to live classical music concerts. His response: "there is no such thing as 'live' anymore". When I read Mahavishnu's statement, I am reminded of that. This was 3-4 years back.
He was trying to be clever while commenting on a trend that turned out to be quite prophetic. Not that there is no charm in live concerts, there definitely is, but the days of 'missing something because you did not synchronize your schedule to the 'live' schedule' are not there anymore for the most part. That has stopped being the case for me for TV shows and Radio shows. I can always catch it later.
Mostly, everything is recorded and made available on line, publicly or privately, you only need to know that URL

There is of course a lot of charm and value in watching something with a lots of others, either in person or remotely. If what we are watching is also happening live, there is extra charm. I am beginning to think that extra charm for remote viewing/listening is not necessarily because the source is live, but because there are others you care about are viewing/listening along with you concurrently, rather than you alone watching in isolation. The source 'live'ness, in the remote listener case, basically serves the role of organizing the disconnected people to watch it at the same time. That is a good purpose indeed.

[annamalai]

I would not want to watch the superbowl recorded version the next day. I would prefer to watch the superbowl live with friends pizza; snacks and all the expert comments for the ads. The same goes true for IPL matches here; watching the match in the stadium live it is a lot more fun.

While this is all true for sports, However, I must admit the fallacy in my argument, I prefer the old concert recordings of the masters and I can not ever get tired of those. Dunno why

My wife chides me that I should get a life, when I am watching the replay of Rahul Dravid century at Lords in 1996.

[vasanthakokilam]

True, those are some good examples where 'live' still very much exists. Election results is still that way and any currently happening things that are significant enough to attract our attention. I guess the distinction is, previously there were certain things that need not be consumed live, were only available to be consumed live. They are the ones that give way to a 'non live' alternative. Just like we talk about this era being a post-PC era, it does not mean PCs are going away, but previously due to lack of better alternatives, we were hiring PCs to do a lot of jobs for which PCs were too big a hammer. Now we can hire a tablet or a phone for very many of those tasks. If we go with that analogy, we are now living in a post-live world

To bring this back to some semblance of relevance to CM, if we go a century or more back, only option for people was to listen to music live. They had to be there at the same place and time. Time and space shifting were made possible with Radio and recordings. Internet, device and storage technologies are continuing that trend of time and space shifting.

[arasi]

A brave (perhaps not) new world?

And when kapAli is out of the temple on special days, not only is he seen by his devotees, but is photographed and video taped, and the hands which used to go up in worshiping Him are aiming at Him with their cell phones (what else?) to capture Him for posterity

[vasanthakokilam]

They are helping Him out on His Omnipresence! A modern Prahladha will have to include Google in addition to thooN and thurumbu. Hmm... may be not, just Google is probably enough. ( I know there is a joke somewhere there with Googlashtami! )

[mahavishnu]

VK: excellent points.

Isn't this forum (particularly this section) itself an example of vicarious, remote viewing? We wait for song lists, reviews from various parts of the world and then we are transported there. Getting audio recordings (commercially or through public/private sources) just adds to the level of virtual presence.

[arasi]

Going back to the concert where kapAli and his consort were celebrated in song, I heard from a friend that the concert was a crowd puller and to find there a place to sit was almost impossible. Those of us who rue the rush at the box office during the season in Chennai, may not fare well at all in a temple concert either!

Still, it's a good sign that a concert with plenty of tamizh songs draws a crowd in tamizhnADu! Takes us back to the old, really old concerts of the flourishing kingdoms of tamizh rulers!

What we can draw from this is: yes, the trinity, though they did not compose in the language of the nADu they lived in, belong to tamizh nADu and its musical history. Yet, musicians need to include the hymns and songs of the saints and composers in tamizh in their concerts which take place wherever tamizh is spoken.

Take Bengaluru for instance. Sanjay and a few others sing tamizh songs there because their audience comprises of tamizh-speaking rasikAs also. Not only that. The songs are worthy of being presented in a concert because of their musical quality.
Of course, we enjoy a concert even more if Purandara DAsa or other kannaDa composers are included in the song list, and that's how it should be.

VK,
Google, a blessing no doubt, a celebration too like gOkulAshTami, can become 'ashTamathilE Sani' (an astrological 'no no' in a horoscope--whatever it portends!). I mean, Google can become, if over-used, to exclude the many other important pursuits of our lives.

Who were the accompanists in the kapAli temple concert?

[arasi]

Mahavishnu,
Our posts crossed.
Yes, even for someone like me, an ancient member of Rasikas.org, it's necessary that I include a hymn on technology and its glory each day in my prayers. Otherwise, I would have been listening to old tapes over and over again, isolated from the vibrant music scene of today, and from music-loving friends like you that are part of my life now!

[mahavishnu]

Arasi, The Accompanists were Varadarajan and Neyveli Venkatesh.

I also heard that the entire Kapali temple series this year drew amazing crowds. A number of transients who come to the temple and linger for the music, but a good number of hardcore rasikas too. My extended family who attended most of the concerts in the series said that the crowds still don't match the MMI crowds from the 40s/50s. But some of that might just be their memories!

I have heard Sanjay in a temple (as opposed to Sabha) concert a few occasions. This brings out a unique dimension in his music that you don't hear at MMA or ragasudha.

[arasi]

Yes, old memories perhaps come gilt-edged at times, though MMI was a magnet in drawing the choosy rasikAs and simple temple goers alike.

I have heard a few temple concerts of Sanjay, the most recent one being at the Bengaluru RAgi GuDDa Hanumantha temple. A moving concert which has been reviewed here at Rasikas.org by Badari.

I miss most of them. Sanjay's rAma navami concert is forthcoming.

[annamalai]

I agree with all the remote participation - webcast, or recordings sent over mediafire (overnight) . I attended a few concerts at Kapaleeswarar temple (in the sweltering heat). I saw so many MP3 reorders placed near the audio speakers. My question is only the focus on the list. If someone had remarked what a thodi, TNResque thodi .... I understand, instead of the list. I am not a fan of Kakka .... I prefer the big raja margam , that too the chakkani raja margam undaga ...

[arasi]

Annamalai,
tyAgarAjuDu mArgamE mArgam aNTunnArA? (is TyagarAjA's mArgam the only mArgam? !)

I'm the problem here, perhaps. Even the rAja mArgam (a mighty song, no doubt)--like the pancha ratnAs (mightier), when sung in a concert make me wonder--aren't there other good ones to sing also in the same rAgAs in a concert? The pancha ratnAs and other 'rAja mArga' (royal) songs get showcased and are listened to by a multitude during ArAdhanAs.
In a concert, that's why Sanjay scores I think, with his vast repertoire. Others may know hundreds of songs too, but how many of them bring some old gems as he does to the stage? I'm afraid predictable lists abound on the concert platform.

Innovations don't necessarily mean brand new things. Things like a fresh look at rAgAs or an old forgotten gem of a song polished and presented, can also add to the weight of a concert and bring something new into the picture (innovation?).

Though I'm very keen on RTPs, the shorter concerts that I've heard of Sanjay have not lacked ghAthram (weight). Even those who are not big Sanjay fans will agree that they walk out of his concerts with a sense of having listened to a solid concert.

uzhaippu (laboring over the art with commitment) used to be a key word in the old CM world. Talent and a sweet voice alone were not enough. They did not talk about creativity (kaRpanai) much in the old days, but we have to give it its due place today!

When one experiments, it's done with commitment, not worrying about failing in some instances--not sticking only to the tried and proven safe path--but in finding and sharing new insights in the art one practices. While not perfect (who is?), it looks as though Sanjay is a serious musician who keeps at it with a lot of dedication.

So, kOri sEvimpa rArE appeals to me just as much!

[mahavishnu]

Annamalai, I am not basing my opinion of this concert on the list of songs and that should be obvious to anyone reading this by this point!

Even those who are not big Sanjay fans will agree that they walk out of his concerts with a sense of having listened to a solid concert.

Couldn't agree more, Arasi.

I have seldom been moved by music the way Sanjay's kAkka unakkiRakkam moves me (Sethalapathy's bhakti viruttams and MSS being notable exceptions). There was this one time when I was on a flight from Austin TX going back home after a conference and I was listening to Sanjay's version of this song on my iPod (from a P.Sivan special concert w/Nagai,Guruvayoor Dorai commercial release circa 2009). I was so bowled over by this song that I was literally sobbing at the end of the anupallavi as the pallavi refrain begins. So much so that the people next to me on the plane wanted to know if I was ok!

Now on a completely different note... Have Sanjay and Charsur parted ways? I do not see him featured in their Dec Season 2012 list. They had exclusive recording rights with him for several years, but Sanjay has been reselling a lot of his concerts on his own through sanjaysub.com. Here is Charsur's catalog from the most recent margazhi music season: http://www.charsur.com/index.php/kutche ... html?all=1

[arasi]

Mahavishnu,
Look at all the names of his SishyAs, though!

[mahavishnu]

Arasi, that is true. It is nice to see Sandeep N, Prasanna V and Raghavendra on that list.
But I am still puzzled by Sanjay's conspicuous absence on it. Sanjay and Charsur are/were such an item!

[sridrect]

Arasi, that is true. It is nice to see Sandeep N, Prasanna V and Raghavendra on that list.
But I am still puzzled by Sanjay's conspicuous absence on it. Sanjay and Charsur are/were such an item!

All of Sanjay's albums are available only at Sanjaysub.com. I don't think there is any release of Charsur CD of Sanjay concerts. I am waiting for the Kalarasana 2012 album of Sanjay to be brought online. The Manirangu and Kamboji RTP are more than worth their weight in gold. Just want to download the album and relive the magic of having listened to that concert LIVE.

[carnatricks]

Here is Charsur's catalog from the most recent margazhi music season

maybe charsur are coming out with a mega sanjay pack of 5 concerts like last year because i remember seeing charsur rec one of sanjaysubs concerts. raghavendras list looks interesting. i think ive heard him sing the suruti keerthanam on youtube sometime ago.

[harimau]

Going back to the concert where kapAli and his consort were celebrated in song, I heard from a friend that the concert was a crowd puller and to find there a place to sit was almost impossible. Those of us who rue the rush at the box office during the season in Chennai, may not fare well at all in a temple concert either!

The crowd might have been the usual temple-goers who decided to rest their poor legs by sitting down where the concert was being held.

Once the sheeple have left for their usual habitats, concerts are practically empty. A Sanjay concert at Asthika Samajam, Alwarpet had plenty of seats even in the first few rows. In fact, there are seats arranged in the wings and those seats were almost completely empty. There was no need for crowd control either. I went in and left my sandals in the stand and as I was passing by the ticket seller's desk, an elderly gentleman asked me (he wasn't there when I entered and came running as he saw me) if I would mind buying a ticket (at a measly Rs. 50). I handed over the money to him. The narrower chairs in the wings and in the rear cost only Rs. 20 and even they had no takers.

It would be better for the sanity of concert-goers in India if folks like Sanjay tour the US for 8 months a year so the sheeple can have their fill and we would not be fighting Black Friday crowds, though crowds are necessary for sociological observations. |(

I need to surveill the Warren Road Pillayar Koil during Sanjay's concerts there to see if the pedestrians even bother to stop by.

[harimau]

Arasi, that is true. It is nice to see Sandeep N, Prasanna V and Raghavendra on that list.
But I am still puzzled by Sanjay's conspicuous absence on it. Sanjay and Charsur are/were such an item!

Charsur is in a business that is disappearing fast from under thir feet.

Producing a CD requires very few steps. Somebody needs to record the program. The various tracks (voice, violin, mridangam, etc.) are balanced and combined. The program is then edited to remove delays due to tuning of violin or mridangam between songs and cut into individual tracks for the songs. After this, companies such as Charsur and Carnatica burn CDs and put printed labels on the CDs and stock them in their shelves and a few locations such as the Karnatic Book Store.

This last step is entirely superfluous as people find that CDs merely occupy shelf space and can be replaced by a couple of gigabytes on a hard disk. Also, the music can be shipped across using telecommunication lines much more cheaply than packaging and shipping CDs.

Savvy musicians such as Sanjay have decided that any number of competent recording technicians exist in Chennai who can record the concerts and bring out a finished product. Charsur is then left with upcoming artistes, the really old stuff for which copyright may have expired or copyright may be purchased at reasonable cost (such as their CD of MS singing at Bhavani near Erode), etc.

Thus we have the nursery rhyme updated for the year 2013:

Sanjay Subramaniam has a website, E-I-E-I-O
And on that website he has his music for sale, E-I-E-I-O
With a tup-tup here, a tup-tup there,
Here a tup, there a tup. everywhere a tup-tup
Sanjay Subramaniam has a website, E-I-E-I-O.

[arasi]

Our AsthAna Sociologist on the prowl again!

Harimau,
If only you can make all the mad rush for the box office in December go away with your magic wand!

Another way to do it perhaps is for me to shadow our sociologist and as he finds his way into the hall, I can too, tailing him

If musicians perform at thEngAi mUDi concerts, good for them (they get the residing deity's blessings). They can also happily sing to a weak in number week day gathering--if they are not bothered about head count but focus their attention on their singing.Temple concerts also draw in folks who primarily come in for darshan. That's another special feature about them. It's not like a hall where many 'professional' rasikAs are present!

Good to hear from you after a spell. I see the abhangists are spared this time

Since you have addressed your next post to Mahavishnu, I will not comment on it for now

[Nick H]

Offtopic...

Inspired by harimau's research to do some student level research of my own, I discovered that an entire concert could be made to consist of tukkadas. There, arasi, the abhangist[s] not spared! ]

Arasi, I did fulfil my long-held intention to catch up with hearing Mr Krishna at Kapali Temple. Had also hoped for first exposure to Mr Sanjay for seven years at the same venue, but my bones felt otherwise.