Abhishek's Behag..does it get any better than this ever?

[Rsachi]

Click the picture above to access to the You Tube clip...
Abhishek simply freaks out. The mridangam accompaniment is superb.
At 5:10, for the next 15 seconds, he goes on a major trip.

[mahesh3]

Simply an ultimate concert. Unforgettable.

[harimau]

Ithu thano Karnataka sangeetham?
Itthanai Naalum Ariyene!

:ymsigh:

[Rsachi]

[arasi]

Sachi's Harimau sings further, when he stops a second from prancing:

meduvAip pADum sangItham-Evu
kaNaiyAip pOnadaRiyEnE!

Evu kaNai=rocket

Please, no racket on this #:-s

[Enna_Solven]

In his defense, I have listened to GNB's and SSI's early (1940 ish) recordings. They are so fast. Was not SSI known as Electric Cheenu?

Going to listen to him for the very first time in person tomorrow. Should be good, I expect.

[hamsadhwani]

Isn't this a first for Abhishek in Austin? Too bad I never got the opportunity to listen to him in all the years I lived there!

[varsha]

Well it looks like he knew where that sthalam was , all along .
And he does not care about the fuss after reaching it .
It is one thing for GKB to appear just before the mangalam . Another to feel trampled upon because someone is running to catch the bus called mangalam.
If it was a song like ganamurthe we could condition our ears to make it sound like talamurthe and get over .
Thank God , S Ramanathan could prise out one dozen emotions out of the first line ...and leave it for posterity .
But then as the saying goes
Some object to the presence of the fan dancer .
Some to the fan

[devan]

it is just horrible.he is just gorgling.

[Rsachi]

Depending on my mood, I can enjoy a ride on the Swiss scenic railway. Or the ride on TGV across France. All up to me.

[varsha]

Depending on my mood,

hope it is not one of anger now . With the likes of me ...
Yes CM can mean different things at the same time . We all know where you come from .Your incredible work at Parvathi .It is certainly creditable for someone who has heard it all , to back a youngster to the hilt . No offense was meant .

[Rsachi]

To the hilt: an idiom based on the way a sword is thrust all the way into the victim, right up to its handle( =hilt)

No offense at all, sir. Don't embarass me. I am NOTHING compared to many here including you. And I am not being facetious.

[Rsachi]

Talking of which I remember a Tamil (?) movie in which Sowcar Janaki essays a character who often reminds others, "there is a time and a place for everything".

[CommonMan]

Way too much excessive kodaisal, and at one point it becomes disturbing and uncomfortable. True it feeds the mind, but hardly touches the heart. What I feared is unfortunately coming true: his vocal prowess is getting unchecked and interfering much with the melodic aspect. Someone (his Guru or God) please direct and channelize his capabilities towards melody and harmony.....It would devastating to see a very talented kid falling prey to gimmics....

[Rsachi]

Almost as if to reassure those of us wishing AR focusses more on bhava, he has released a CD called Ecstasy in Annamayya.
It is very well done, all melody....

[vasanthakokilam]

The bhava aspect is quite understandable. My first reaction was also like that. When sung slowly and in the traditional manner, it is quite a bliss. Personally for me, a female voice does better than a male voice.

But then I thought, putting on my liberal hat, when there are so many such versions available and guaranteed to be available in the future, why not a different version? If not Abhishek, who will? It is not that Abhishek does not know the usual version, so this mode of rendering should have been deliberate. Given the tremendous weight of expectations on how this composition has to be rendered, no one will dare do it any other way. In that sense, one can say Abhishek is taking a risk by not playing to the gallery. Since we all like musicians who does not play to the gallery, this had to be looked upon in a commendable light. I do realize this view may not be palatable to many.

Anyway, I could enjoy this version if I put the youtube tab in the background, put aside any preconceived expectations for this song and think of this, say, a Behag RTP with those starting lines. Though the rendition came across as a lighter version of Behag than what I am used to, things did fall into place. It was just fine and that 15 seconds starting at 5:10 is quite enjoyable.

[sureshvv]

True it feeds the mind, but hardly touches the heart.

How about giving your heart an occasional break it richly deserves?

[mahesh3]

If you prefer an introspective version of Abhishek in the same song - as opposed to his freewheeling interpretation in the youtube video above- I'd recall his Maris 2010 concert where a hall full of luminaries were hapless cuckoos swooning to the piper. In 2011 with Vittal anna - Richmond, Va - Abhishek sang a bhaava soaked muruganin marupeyar that I personally can never forget - not only for Abhishk's lovely singing but also Vittal anna's mesmerizing understanding of the importance of tone in violin raga performance. If u want an even more wide-ranging interpretation of Abhishek's musical positions on raga behag - you really missed out on his multi-kalai pallavi in Ganapathy temple kumbabhishekam with Akkarai & Anand, August 2012.

Abhishek's musical performance of singular songs/ragams found on youtube need context and continual understanding of his concerts from a long term perspective - which is really out of scope for a discussion on a forum such as this. Abhishek in each of the years from 2006 thru 2013 now has formulated multiple + dynamic nuances on the ragas he performs - and the sounds he wants to explore. It is obvious we are conditioned to listen to what we like - I love this Bihag as did plenty others judging by the record number of shares videos from this concert get even after a year - including some by mamas and mamis who are indeed veteran connoiseurs of carnatic music even by the exalting standards of madras.

On a separate note - this year's youtube uploads of Abhishek - parvathi parameshwarou and Appalam ittu paaru are just serene. Happy listening .

[Rsachi]

Mahesh
I don't mind being called a mama (I have been called worse), but I agree with your views on Abhishek's versatility. But as his well-wishers, we have to recognize that he has developed a strong bias for laya-driven improvisations and often some items like his RTP extend to excessive lengths.

On the other hand, I have heard and also have on hand his renderings which are very evocative, and show less of laya-gymnastics. Maybe this is a type of acid test for his fans: in fact I reached out to him with a request that he sing Vaa Muruga, after he sang a great Kadai Kann in Unnati.

I started this topic because I really enjoyed this rendering. And I have heard the other classic versions too.

[CommonMan]

How about giving your heart an occasional break it richly deserves?

How about keeping your unsolicited advice to yourself, and sticking to the objective of participating in this forum i.e. reviewing and commenting on music? I sure have sensible people (who disbelieve in heartlessness) to advice me on what kind of rest I require!

[sureshvv]

@Commonman: No offense intended.

What I meant to say was that if you listen to this clip and you are not taken by the sheer creativity and originality, and instead find yourself worrying about the future of music or how this artiste is going to evolve, you may be over thinking (but wait, it was your heart not your head that was protesting) or rather over feeling it. Hence the prescribed rest

For me, it felt as if this composition was created for this rendition!

@VK: Those 15 seconds being enjoyable is a under statement. It was jaw droppingly out of the world.

@Rsachi: Thanks for the quintessential Shek experience!

[arasi]

How about 5-40 to 5-50?
Those ten seconds spoke to me. Hope to others too...

[sureshvv]

Wish I could watch the "Ramanai Bhajithaal" that he sang at the Chembai festival at KGS again. It was something else!

[harimau]

I have decided to throw restraint and reticence to the winds and join the Mylapore mamas and mamis by writing a krithi. I have great hopes of being entered into Sri Lakshman Ragde's list of songs (hint, hint) and thus becoming immortal.

Krithi: IdutAno Ragam: BehAg Talam: KhanDa ChApu

Pallavi

idutAno Karnataka sangItam
ettanaiyo kEttum arindilEnE

Anupallavi

Madurai maNi semmanguDi enRalainda pEdaikku
mei vazhi kAttiya abhishEka nAtanE*

Charanam

kASip paNDitarum madikkum sangItam**
kASip paNDitarum sammadikkum sangItam
kASip paNDitarum madikkum sangItamenap
pEsik kETTatunDu pATTaik kETTatillai


*Addressed to Lord Siva, abhishekapriyan

**Respected by even Pandits of the Benaras gharana, supposedly the pinnacle of Hindusthani music. This is a reference to the inane statement made by someone that this singer and his style of singing may bring respect to Carnatic music from North Indians.

[vasanthakokilam]

. you even have dviaksharaprasa in the Charanam!

[arasi]

paNDidar kiDakkiRAr--kavi
pANDityamum uNDE puli
enap pEr paDaitha rasikarukkumE!

avar...

'pEsi' kETTadunDAm,
OsiyilE isaikkum youtube
kAsi sangItham kETTadillaiyO?

(Let the pundits be, our tiger of a rasikA, hasn't he heard any of the free for all youtube kASi sangItham?).

Now, the MAmis and MAmas can take a deep breath and say: we are not alone in this...

[girish_a]

I have decided to throw restraint and reticence to the winds and join the Mylapore mamas and mamis by writing a krithi. I have great hopes of being entered into Sri Lakshman Ragde's list of songs (hint, hint) and thus becoming immortal.

Krithi: IdutAno Ragam: BehAg Talam: KhanDa ChApu

Pallavi

idutAno Karnataka sangItam
ettanaiyo kEttum arindilEnE

Anupallavi

Madurai maNi semmanguDi enRalainda pEdaikku
mei vazhi kAttiya abhishEka nAtanE*

Charanam

kASip paNDitarum madikkum sangItam**
kASip paNDitarum sammadikkum sangItam
kASip paNDitarum madikkum sangItamenap
pEsik kETTatunDu pATTaik kETTatillai


*Addressed to Lord Siva, abhishekapriyan

**Respected by even Pandits of the Benaras gharana, supposedly the pinnacle of Hindusthani music. This is a reference to the inane statement made by someone that this singer and his style of singing may bring respect to Carnatic music from North Indians.

Translation please!

[sankark]

Here you go girish_a, a very loose translation

oh is this karnataka music
haven't been acquainted inspite of so much labor (listening to music)

to the unlettered, plodding along MMI SSI paths
you showed the true path oh lord-of-abhishekams*

what a music, valued by HM scholars
what a music, accepted by HM scholars
have heard of stories, of music valued by HM scholars
haven't listened to it so far

*isn't sivA a abhishEkapriyan, rather than abhiskhEka nAthan?

[Pasupathy]

sabAsh!