Master Abhilash@BharathkalAchar on Jan 11th,2014

[rajeshnat]

Master Abhilash@BharathkalAchar on Jan 11th,2014
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Vocal : Master G Abhilash
Violin : Sriram Sridhar(disciple of Lalgudi GJR krishnan)
Mrudangam : Thirucherai Kaushik Rajagopal

Concert duration/Day : 1 hr and 45 mintues /Saturday
Concert Type : Non Nirvana (Boxed time)
Hall : Bharath kalachar,T Nagar

1. vasantha varnam - tAchur - missed the first one
2. ranganAyakam - nAyaki - MD

3.smaranEondE (R S) - malayamArutham - PD
2 mins each for alapana and violin return
5 mins swaras

4. sEshAchala nAyakam(R,N,S) - varAli- MD
5 mins alapana and 4 mins violin return
4 mins neraval in aravinda patra nayanam
and 5 mins swaras

5. rAman EzhuNdarilnAn (R)- Anandabhairavi - AK
2 mins alapana
6A. O rangasayee (R NS S T) - kAmbOdhi - T
9 mins alapana and 8 mins violin return
12 mins swaras
6B. tani for 7 mins

7.taruneenYan(ragam sketch) - dwijAvanthi - ST

8. Oruthi maganAi - behAg -AndAl thiruppavai
9. pavamAnA

Atleast from 1920 to 1990's there has been a significant generation of youngsters who were all capable vocalists but they had to sit with their guru for a considerable time. Sitting with the guru has definitely given them music yes and had also given a definite long term longevity.But they have certainly spent more time in passing the hot flask than getting the latent musical spark from gurus . To an extent they had to do it for the sheer lack of not knowing enough compositions and possibly most importantly being a bit naive in general in not searching for opportunities . One can say they wasted their stamina filled youth strumming the tampura and opening/closing eagle flask .

But in the last 15 years for sure mp3 and intenet information explosion has created an independence for all musicians to have their own planned musical concerts .Abhilash has indeed learned from AS Murali who is the student of PSN, certainly his guru has trained yes ,but definitely the information explosion has indeed supplemented .

If you look at the list where yesterday was a vaikunta ekadasi , one can see a near super senior artist maturity as he lashed a lovely spread of composers . The shyama sastri as a trinity was not included as SS did not compose one on Lord perumal.

I entered and missed the first varnam of vasantha ,sabhas are starting at 10 30 AM instead of 10 AM but still went bit late.Nayaki of Dikshitar flowed wonderfully , one can hear his vocal throw , every sangathi from his deep down nAbhi. The malayamArutham alapana was concise and the krithi and swaras were sung a tad faster pace and I surely enjoyed it with some exceptional follow through by both accompanist. The varAli as a submain was wonderful , his voice weight at times made me think the nyasa weight of varAli in general could have been more . ONe can hear and see his energy of a typical grand parama guru semmangudi mama in varAli , who is to me the greatest varAli singer.

[rajeshnat]

The maturity of KVN came in with a soul stirring Anandabhairavi alapana and a fine , rather finest ArunAchala kavirayar krithi rAman ezhundaralinAn . The main was KAmBodhi ,lot of anchors in madhyama kalam , he perhaps did not have time in taking a few tara sthAyi shoots, the krithi o rangasayee was lovely he began like a semmangudi mp3 not as O rangasayi , but just rangasayi.The neraval was just touch and go with a bounty of lovely creative swaras in kambOdhi where I could not map it to any mp3.

The musical maturity of KVN came back with a taruneenyan , a malayalam padam and it was excellent . Behag thirruppavai was lovely with the 20 to 25 in audience , i thought it was phenomenal finish. I was looking at his amma when he sang oruthi maganai pirandu - wow it was .

The violinist sriram sridhar , i am told is a disciple of Lalgudi krishnan . With a long overshoot return alapana overrun in kAmbodhi alapana , everything else was perfect his kalapramanam in violin return was really superb. He is really frail in shape , but Sriram is looking to play as much as a nagai sriram . Thirucherai kaushik rajagopal was very exuberant and kept up with the jolly good singing of abhilash. Tani was concise and he gave more time to the vocalist.

HOw much is pedigree important for any musician?
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Bit of loud thinking .I am in general watching musician with the count of sabhas in the last 7 years,also I did a bit of extrapolation for artists in 1990's too with the available data all in my mind. Abhilash as a musician is a real niagara falls . Having said that my general theory is if musicians donot have enough musical background in either having a contact or sabha patron and also a sound financial background, how much can a musician can break the glass ceiling is a question that pops up my mind . To an extent Abhilash is indeed getting opportunities but I am not sure if it is as much as what he had in 2010 to 2012. I hope it is just a small blip, it may get spread for many years . I wish Abhilash is bestowed with a niagra fall patience too, musically everything is right .

If there is a small crib , at times Abhilash tends to be little extra jarring , not talking about the kAmbOdhi experience which in general can get high on sound .Even the swaras in malayamArutham was at times for few sangathis was jarring , he at times needs a bit of silencer.

Overall an excellent concert for 1 hour and 45 minutes.