TN Krishnan@NGS on Oct 02nd,2013

[rajeshnat]

TN Krishnan@NGS on Oct 02nd,2013
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Violin : Prof TN Krishnan
Mrudangam : tiruvArur bhakthavatsalam

Concert duration/Day : 45 minutes /Wednesday
Concert Type : Nirvana (no concert to follow)
Hall : NGS Main Hall
Occasion : World Melody day

Oct 02nd being Gandhi Jayanthi , always gives a public holiday for all those in india . Looked at the paper (page 4) of the hindu . there was not that much count of concerts on Gandhi Jayanthi.Most notably there was one Prof TN Krishnan in the morning at 10:30 AM with a mention that it was held by bharat veenAlayA trust of Delhi held in NGS. I was thinking with all my conditioning at chennai that Prof TNK will play - may be for 2 hours to 2 and 1/2 hours atleast as the hall is NGS , as incidentally all artists when performing at major halls considerably give more musical output.

As i entered at 10:20 AM , the parking was free , my car was just 4th or 5th. But as i peeped in ,I could see 4 chairs in dias and a crowd of less than 15 in a hall of 1200+ . I was unaware when three speakers (shri N Ram , NGS Shri Krishnaswamy and Prof TNK) told today is a world melody day . The speeches were considerably short (no complaints only for half an hour) - CM listening has developed a bit of forbearance in me, but shri Krishnaswamy said Prof TNK will play for one hour.

There is a post by thatvamasi who said Palakkad mani iyer used to say (His exact words were "Avaa enna time'ku mudikkanum'nu sollaralo adhukku 5 nimisham munnadiye mudichudanum"). Prof TNK who has been under the protege of shri Palakkad mani iyer exceeded the expectation as he finished 15 minutes before the 1 hour stated by NGS patron .

1. gajAnanayutham - chakravAkham - MD
2. vara nArada (S) - vijayashri - T
3 mins swaras
3. brOchEvA revarurA (R S T) - khamAs - MV
R S T each were for three minutes

4. mAnasa sanchararE - shyamA - SB
5. raghupathi rAghava rAjArAm - ??? - ?????
6. vanga kaDal(R) - shuruTTi - andAl thirruppavai

6. was that a thirruppuggazh ?? in madhyamAvati
7. nee nAma roopamulaku - sowrAshtram -T


Few words about the concert :
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The start of chakravakham and the next vijayashri had a bit of considerable shruthi problem from the usually impeccable bow of Prof TNK. Also shri bhakthavatsalam's beats were not that much synchronous in shruthi with Prof TNK bowing.

Prof TNK and Khamas rAga have a distinct excellence . He started with anupallavi "O caturananAdi vandita " and then played a sprinkle of swaras , there was a distinct bass centered play for swaras and I liked it . shyamA came well and there was a quick full stop and he played raghupathi raghava bhajan as an anjali to the mahathmA. Usually like the shuruTTi of TNK but this was not that immensely likable. The percussionist could have been bit more in line , possibly the AC played a bit of spoilsport.

Few General Comments:
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In general, the sabha organizers and artists (in this case NGS head and Prof TNK are the leading luminaries who represent the sabha and artists of today) crib about lack of patronage for instruments (especially for veenA) . Prof TNK also thanked the meager crowd which swelled to a peak strength of may be 60. But when concerts are just played with 7 numbers for about 45 minutes , it is just a big disincentive for those who come regularly to concerts . It is not my opinion alone but there was atleast two others who felt the same whom I briefly spoke .

Also what is this World Melody day. One of the speakers mentioned that in 57 countries it is celebrated . Will all celebrate in the same way as this?? .My pre emptive calculation that the hall being colossal NGS main hall will give me more musical concert oomph was smashed. I just looked at the paper , i never knew about the speech, never knew about that the concert timings etc.

On a positive note ,Prof TNK had his creative spark especially in kamAs and to an extent in shyamA . He certainly has the finesse to give a real solid carnatic concert , but I have to hear next time to get that , it did not happen this time.

Overall a good concert for 45 minutes

[rupavathi]

Sir, I wonder if you and I heard the same concert! If music is about quality and not quantity, yesterday's 45 minutes was sheer melodic bliss. It was the distilled essence of 7 decades of unalloyed concert experience and an unmatched grasp over raga swaroopam. You perceived a lack of sruthi-shuddham in TNK mama of all people?? At the first touch of the bow, even before the mike was switched on, I heard the unmistakable spot-on notes of Chakravakam and nothing else. For Vijayasri, tell me which other artiste today can so accurately capture that unique Ga? Khamas, Sama, Suruti... there is no one in the scene today that can capture the soul of these melodies like TNK, period. As for Shri. Bhaktavatsalam, his accompaniment to TNK is always a revelation... that a man who is derided as 'bang-the-vessel-um' can be such a sensitive and perceptive supporting act. It all depends on what one wants from a concert. If you go looking only for negatives, that is all you will get.

"He certainly has the finesse to give a real solid carnatic concert..." Oh yeah? Thanks for the heads-up 8-|

[arasi]

Rupavathy,

I read Rajesh's review again. He can come down strongly at times--all in his immense passion for CM

I know for a fact that he adores TNK' s music. So, the tone of the review was conditioned by his being sorely disappointed by the extremely short duration of the concert.

What you say cannot be disputed either. Even a few starting notes from the master can fill you with a sense of listening to the essence of music. You treasure away the mellow notes in memory. Talk about being seasoned!

What surprises me is that no one seems to have stood up and said, "please play a little bit more! We were expecting to hear more from you!" Others could have echoed this, and TNK would have been a sport and would have continued, is my guess. Unless he was ailing. I hope not.

Yes, Bhakthavatsalam whose playing I like, but am wary of when the volume is up, can play ever so soothingly when he plays for TNK.

Rajesh, treasure the khamAs. Had he continued, he would have played Santhi nilava vENDum too.