Lalgudi Krishnan Vijayalakshmi@Madhuradhwani on Nov 28th,2014
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Violin : Lalgudi Krishnan and Lalgudi Vijayalakshmi
Mrudangam : Mannargudi Easwaran
Ghatam : Prasanna
Concert Type : Nirvana - No concert to follow
Day/Duration : Thursday/ 2 hours and 15 minutes
Concert Type/Crowd : Free concert - around 80 to 90
Hall : Arkay convention hall , Luz, mylapore
1. varnam - kalyani - LGJ
2. sadhananda tAndavam (ragasketch) - bahudAri - achutadAsar
3. nAdalOludai (R) - kalyAnavasantham - T
4 mins alapana
4. shree balasubramanyam (R) - bilahari - MD
3 mins alapana
5. shamkari shankuru (R N S) - sAveri - SS
10 mins alapana and 13 mins neraval and swaras
6. kA guhA shanmugha (R) - kosalam - KI
7A. sukhi evarAO(R S T) - kAnadA - T
17 mins alapana and 8 mins swaras
7B. 10 mins tani
8. idadu padam thooki - ,,,, - psivan
9. thillAnA - yamunAkalyAni - LGJ
10. mangalam
Lalgudi Krishnan Vijayalakshmi@Madhuradhwani on Nov28th,2014
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rajeshnat
- Posts: 10123
- Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 08:04
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rajeshnat
- Posts: 10123
- Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 08:04
Lalgudi Krishnan Vijayalakshmi@Madhuradhwani on Nov28th,2014
This concert is the first occassion for me to hear the Lalgudi siblings in such close proximity in this lovely arkays hall which is turning out to be a superb hall for a near chamber like experience.In the violin duo's bowing,there were generally straight movements and at times not straight movements that I could see, but there was always the same melodic richness of tone . I could not spot any jumps and jerks , all along one feels like that you can occassionally hum the song with the siblings . O gosh I have just described pristine Lalgudi baani.
The siblings started with their gurus kalyani varnam .To the best of my knowledge i have never heard this varnam in vocal rendition at all . While kalyani started on a usual path of its key jiva pidis i like it more when there is a litttle extra thrust that comes out after its usual gloomy doze. Lalgudi sir indeed has crafted a lovely varnam . The next sadananda thandavam in bahudari was a clean play giving the right thrust of excitement that a usual kalaikattufied concert gives.
Kalyanavasanatham is such an aurally pleasing raga - extremely rich in emote . I usually think this raga can appeal even if is rendered/played by not good musician. But what i particularly liked is their little elevated aesthetics in kalyanavasantham.When i say elevated i mean both at the beginning of the krithi with their extra bowing to give more jeeva pidis . Few sangathis in anupallavi just bought a serene stillness and of course the end after the krithi with Krishnan bowing to give little extra alanakaram to nAdaloludai was just superb. After all Lalgudi school owns this T krithi and this lovely raga, certainly a great presentation.
Bilahari was bit of letdown , little more cohesion would have been better . They did not hit that sweet spot . Viji played the alapana of saveri it was emotively well done . This raga can get bit boring with a certain repetition ,but that did not happen. The neraval and swaras were well done in saveri krithi of ss .
Lalgudi school have a liking for vivadi melas and when one of them played the alapana of kosalam , my mind latched to prathi 66+ and above , the kosalam krithi would have been better if there was bit more dwelling . KAnadA as a main was exceptional for most part . In alapana when krishnan started that too with razor thin touch in bowing , the kanadA muse was excellent . SOme where at the mid point of alapana i noticed quite a bit of repetition and overall i felt that the duo could not finish the alapana in second half that well . The krithi muse was excellent with nice jiva pidis of kanadA that reminded siblings appa's play with ganakaladhara - short and successive burst in kanada swaras. I think little more conscious choice to cut a bit of alapana and apportioning that to swaras would have made kanada more special . The kamas was very sweet with lovely synchronization in the idadu padam thooki.
Long time back i have heard once lalgudi jayaraman sir sharing his insight about kalyani . LgJ words were prophetic. He said kalyani is like eating ripe mangoes , you have to find that right spot to get that sweetness in kalyani. Personally I felt the same logic in me with a bit more extension , I did not get that much of right spot in kalyani varnam of LGJ , but i got it most of the time in LGJ yamuna kalyani thillana . The yamuna kalyani thillana was really topnotch so many ripe spots of sweetness.
The accompanist mannargudi easwaran showed his intense sensitivity for the concert .At times there was little more aggression when both are playing , many a times when krishnan plays with light bowing , he kept up the ragabhavam intact with gentle strokes . All along zero intrusion. Closely seated i also observed lot of visual toppi sowkhyam . The ghatam artist prasanna gave nice support without robbing the restrained muse in the concert . Their tani was just a continuation of sukhi evarO , and to me i personally liked as it was my 2nd back to back concert.
Something unrelated to this concert:
----------------------------------
Yesterday it was not an excess overdose day of concert that you typically end up in Nov/Dec. THere was one sriranjani santhanagopalan in ragasudha , shashank in BVB and one more upcoming artist elsewhere. But however the crowd was just 80 to 90 , a prime evening free nirvana concert should draw more. There can be many reasons but one thing that vidwan Krishnan can do is to play more as an accompanist atleast to few extraordinary vocalist crowd pullers . That way he can have more brand and face recognition , he has to do that to pull more * new faces / starters of CM * who are just taking baby steps . They wouldnot know much about LGJ. This point is Just food for thought for Krishnan . Lalgudi viji indeed plays as an accompaniment so that is not applicable to her. This point can have lots of debates but just a sincere viewpoint for them to have more rasikas share . They are just wonderful and they are indeed keeping up the lalgudi flag high .In the usual high dose of sound that too with season , their violin is a sure soothing balm.
Overall a very good to excellent concert for 2 hours and 15 minutes
The siblings started with their gurus kalyani varnam .To the best of my knowledge i have never heard this varnam in vocal rendition at all . While kalyani started on a usual path of its key jiva pidis i like it more when there is a litttle extra thrust that comes out after its usual gloomy doze. Lalgudi sir indeed has crafted a lovely varnam . The next sadananda thandavam in bahudari was a clean play giving the right thrust of excitement that a usual kalaikattufied concert gives.
Kalyanavasanatham is such an aurally pleasing raga - extremely rich in emote . I usually think this raga can appeal even if is rendered/played by not good musician. But what i particularly liked is their little elevated aesthetics in kalyanavasantham.When i say elevated i mean both at the beginning of the krithi with their extra bowing to give more jeeva pidis . Few sangathis in anupallavi just bought a serene stillness and of course the end after the krithi with Krishnan bowing to give little extra alanakaram to nAdaloludai was just superb. After all Lalgudi school owns this T krithi and this lovely raga, certainly a great presentation.
Bilahari was bit of letdown , little more cohesion would have been better . They did not hit that sweet spot . Viji played the alapana of saveri it was emotively well done . This raga can get bit boring with a certain repetition ,but that did not happen. The neraval and swaras were well done in saveri krithi of ss .
Lalgudi school have a liking for vivadi melas and when one of them played the alapana of kosalam , my mind latched to prathi 66+ and above , the kosalam krithi would have been better if there was bit more dwelling . KAnadA as a main was exceptional for most part . In alapana when krishnan started that too with razor thin touch in bowing , the kanadA muse was excellent . SOme where at the mid point of alapana i noticed quite a bit of repetition and overall i felt that the duo could not finish the alapana in second half that well . The krithi muse was excellent with nice jiva pidis of kanadA that reminded siblings appa's play with ganakaladhara - short and successive burst in kanada swaras. I think little more conscious choice to cut a bit of alapana and apportioning that to swaras would have made kanada more special . The kamas was very sweet with lovely synchronization in the idadu padam thooki.
Long time back i have heard once lalgudi jayaraman sir sharing his insight about kalyani . LgJ words were prophetic. He said kalyani is like eating ripe mangoes , you have to find that right spot to get that sweetness in kalyani. Personally I felt the same logic in me with a bit more extension , I did not get that much of right spot in kalyani varnam of LGJ , but i got it most of the time in LGJ yamuna kalyani thillana . The yamuna kalyani thillana was really topnotch so many ripe spots of sweetness.
The accompanist mannargudi easwaran showed his intense sensitivity for the concert .At times there was little more aggression when both are playing , many a times when krishnan plays with light bowing , he kept up the ragabhavam intact with gentle strokes . All along zero intrusion. Closely seated i also observed lot of visual toppi sowkhyam . The ghatam artist prasanna gave nice support without robbing the restrained muse in the concert . Their tani was just a continuation of sukhi evarO , and to me i personally liked as it was my 2nd back to back concert.
Something unrelated to this concert:
----------------------------------
Yesterday it was not an excess overdose day of concert that you typically end up in Nov/Dec. THere was one sriranjani santhanagopalan in ragasudha , shashank in BVB and one more upcoming artist elsewhere. But however the crowd was just 80 to 90 , a prime evening free nirvana concert should draw more. There can be many reasons but one thing that vidwan Krishnan can do is to play more as an accompanist atleast to few extraordinary vocalist crowd pullers . That way he can have more brand and face recognition , he has to do that to pull more * new faces / starters of CM * who are just taking baby steps . They wouldnot know much about LGJ. This point is Just food for thought for Krishnan . Lalgudi viji indeed plays as an accompaniment so that is not applicable to her. This point can have lots of debates but just a sincere viewpoint for them to have more rasikas share . They are just wonderful and they are indeed keeping up the lalgudi flag high .In the usual high dose of sound that too with season , their violin is a sure soothing balm.
Overall a very good to excellent concert for 2 hours and 15 minutes
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hnbhagavan
- Posts: 1664
- Joined: 21 Jun 2008, 22:06
Re: Lalgudi Krishnan Vijayalakshmi@Madhuradhwani on Nov28th,
Dear Rajeshnath,
Thank you for posting a detailed review. I agree with your posting that Vidwan Lalgudi Krishnan must play the role of accompanist to the present day stars.In this way his talent as a great violinist will be established and he will be draw larger crowds.This feeling I shared with Sri M K R sometime last year.Each time I hear him in Bangalore to rather thin crowds,I get the same feeling as you have nicely put in writing.Exposure to great singers of the present generation will help Sri Krishnan in getting better recognition.For reasons unknown Lalgudi sir withdrew Krishnan from the accompaniment slot at a very early stage.
Thank you for posting a detailed review. I agree with your posting that Vidwan Lalgudi Krishnan must play the role of accompanist to the present day stars.In this way his talent as a great violinist will be established and he will be draw larger crowds.This feeling I shared with Sri M K R sometime last year.Each time I hear him in Bangalore to rather thin crowds,I get the same feeling as you have nicely put in writing.Exposure to great singers of the present generation will help Sri Krishnan in getting better recognition.For reasons unknown Lalgudi sir withdrew Krishnan from the accompaniment slot at a very early stage.