O.S.Thiagarajan @ Nadasurabhi on 20.4.2014

[kssr]

Nadasurabhi Cultural Association, (Regd.)
662, 6th Cross, 17th Main , 3rd Block, Koramangala, Bangalore.560 034.
Phone: 25539368. Email:[email protected] Web: http://nadasurabhi.org
Cordially invites you for the Monthly Programme on
Sunday, 20th April 2014 at 4.15 PM

Venue: The Indian Heritage Academy Hall,
Near Police Station, 6th Block,
Koramangala, Bangalore. 560 095.

Grand Vocal Concert
by

Vidwan O.S.Thiagarajan - Vocal
Vidwan B.Raghuram - Violin
Vidwan B.C.Manjunath - Mridangam
Vidwan Raghavendra Prakash - Ghatam


Sri.O.S.Thiagarajan is a well known senior Carnatic vocalist. He had his earliest training in music under Tiger Varadachariar and Tanjore Ponniah Pillai. He is also a disciple of illustrious stalwarts like Sangeetha Booshanam O.V.Subramanian, Padmabushan Lalgudi C. Jayaraman and Sangeetha Kala Nidhi T.M. Thyagarajan. An ‘A’ grade artist of the All India Radio and of Doordarshan, he has been giving a large number of concerts all over India and several countries abroad. He is a recipient of very many prestigious awards and titles. He is being accompanied in this concert by highly talented artists.

ALL ARE WELCOME

[kssr]

The concert is tomorrow. Please do attend with family and also inform friends who may be interested. It is free.

[keerthi]

KSSR Sir,

Ponniah Pillai passed away in 1945 and Tiger Varadachariar passed away in 1950. I highly doubt if O.S.Thiagarajan could ever have learnt from them.

It is possible that his father O.V.Subrahmaniam studied the SangitaBhuSaNam course at Annamalai university, and studied under these maestros.

[mahavishnu]

Keerthi is right. OV Subramaniam was a Sangeetha Bhushanam from Annamalai University.

[kssr]

Sorry if the information is wrong. I just cut the invitation of nadasurabhi and pasted it here !!

After seeing what you have written, I checked some internet sites for the information. Most of them tell the identical story of his life! Here is one.

http://www.lakshmansruthi.com/chennaiyi ... arajan.asp

Either WEB VAZHHA or WEB THAAZHHA

Incidentally the concert yesterday was superb. I will try to put together a review if no one else writes, in the meantime. Main was Thodi RTP, which came after a string of brilliant thyagaraja kritis. His voice seems to be getting better and better. In this concert, it was really enjoyable - heavy majestic stuff.

[rajeshnat]

Main was Thodi RTP

OST has gone on record to say that he presents only krithis as he prefers those instead of RTP. Apart from Academy which mandates musicians to sing RTP,looks like it is one of the very very few and rare concerts where he has sung the rtp. I still donot know how he sings taanam and pallavi as i have not heard one.
Kssr - looking forward for your review- especially would like to know the pallavi line.

[hariniraghavan]

Yesterday Sri O.S. Thyagarajan presented a brilliant concert for Nadasurabhi, Bangalore. He was in top form and more over, in a very relaxed, jovial mood, which might have added to the success of the concert. Here is the list of songs:
1. Begada Varnam Inthachala followed by brisk swaras
2. Dhenuka Theliyaledu Rama (S)
3.Karaharapriya (R) Samanamevaru, Neraval at Paluku paluku, (S)
4.Atukara thani Manoranjani
5. Darbar (R) Ramabhi Rama (S) for Pallavi
6.Todi RTP in Chaturasra Triputa 2 Kale.
Pallavi line was Nigama sudhaVinodini Neerajadala lochani Paahi
7. Jonpuri Eppovaruvaro
8.Anadabhairavi Ramabhadra Ra ra
9.Brindavanasaranga Thillana Dheem tha dheem tha...Lalgudi Jaayaraman
10. Mangalam
It was a very refreshing concert. Karaharapriya raga and neraval at Paluku paluka in my opinion were super hit. Todi RTP was outstanding, particularly the Tanam part.

[kssr]

Few of my observations:

1. The venue has been spruced up with a fresh coat of paint, all walls and backstage covered by thich curtains which may help in improving the acoustics, and all the hundred pictures of seers, sages, gods and goddesses which were constantly staring at the audience from their elevated position in the past, removed. I felt a real improvement in ambience. Thanks Heritage Academy.

2. Sri.OST was in top form. Voice in best condition compared to many occasions when I have heard him in the past.

3. Stamped his authority as a senior vidwan with a sparkling swara for the begada varna which in itself is a lovable piece.

4. Karaharapriya raagam was very enjoyable. Selection of the relaxed Samaanamevaru as the kriti was absolutely fitting to the general mood and OST's style. Neraval at Paluku Paluku was brilliant. There are very few vidwans who can have their neravals overshadow even the ragam and swaram portions of manodharmam. OST is definitely one. Smt.MS and Sri.TNS are others in that class. The Paluku Paluku champion, Sri.Semmangudi would have been delighted to listen to this neraval.

5. There was a brief speech by OST here (very unusual from him). He shared his thoughts about how Thyagaraja was unique and head and shoulders above all other vaggeyakkaaraas before, during and after his time. He, quickly added that the others were also great composers-listed a few incl SS and MD- but repeated that no one can come close to thyagaraja. He gave examples of the adjectives that thyagaraja would use in his kritis which were unparallelled ( I will listen again to the crude recoring that I have made and list in a later post, the illustrations OST provided to prove the point). He pointed out the fact that he had sung almost all the songs from Thyagaraja that far and said that he himself doesn't know what he will sing for the rest of the concert!!

6. Then came Thodi ragam and the surprise thaanam. BC Manjunath who had tuned his mridangam after tha alapanai was himself taken by surprise. Just like I mentioned about neraval, same is true for thaanam. Very few can make thaanam the most impressive portion of an RTP. Definitely OST is one. Thaanam was remarkable.

7. The tambura artist joined in when Eppavaruvaaro was started. Sri.OST and others were obviously amused and irritated as well- he was gracious enough not to turn around to ask him to stop.

8. It is important to mention the role of Sri.Raghuram on violin. He was in good form as well. Following was perfect to the last word. Sri. OST was mightily impressed. Also BC manjunath has become a mature mridangam vidwan probably also due his increasing international exposure to different kinds of specialists in percussion. Sri.OST acknowledged and encouraged everytime he made a beautiful usage. Raghavendra Prakash also gave good support.

Memorable concert indeed. Good concerts are said to raise our spirits. This concert really did.

[kssr]

Some concert photos