TMKRISHNA AT VANI MAHAL-10/12/14

[CRama]

TMKrishna was accompanied by Akkarai Subbalakshmi on the violin, Poongulam Subramaniam (not sure) on the Mridangam and Anirudh Athreya on the Kanjira. When the curtain went up, I could see Akkarai seated on the left side of TMK in a corner along with the tambura artistes and Anirudh Athreya seated on the place of the violinist. List of songs.

Meenalochanabrova- Dhanyasi-SS (Neraval at Kamapalini Bhavani Chandrakaladhari and swaras in first kalam for Meenalochana brova)
Pogadiralo Ranga-Sankarabharanam-PD (Only song)
Thanam-Kharaharapriya- TMK
Ragam and thanam- Varali- Violin
Nenarunchara-Simhavahini –T (Neraval at Thyagarajapala Sugunaseela- Swaram only on violin)
Amba Neelayathakshi-Neelambari-MD
Harikambodi brief alapana by TMK and violin
Entharaneedana-Harikambodi-T (Neraval at Bhoosura Lakshmana and first kala swaras)
Thani

The concert was a free concert- a compensation for the concert ended by TMK midway during the last season. The organizer while making the announcement mentioned this and also announced Anirudh Athreya as playing Ghatam.

I attended a TMK concert after a gap of four years. I have expressed my opinions about his idiosyncracies many times in this forum. Still why I went was – one, because it was free concert. two- there was no better concert in my vicinity). After the concert, I got my conviction reinforced that I should stay after from his concert for some years.

Meenalochana was rendered well and also the neraval and swarams. AS per his present norm, he skipped second kala swaras whch would have added considerable beauty to his presentation. A three minute thanam in Kharaharapriya and Varali do not serve any purpose. After each thanam he announced intha ragam mudinchachu. Not necessary. We have stopped expecting further. Nenarunchara song and neraval was well done. I would have been satisfied if he has sung the swaras. Akkarai played excellently is another point. Amba Neelayathakshi he sang in a slooooow tempo and in a very soft tone with the Mridangam alone playing very gentle strokes. The violin and Ganjira assuming the role of audience for this song. For the song Entharaneedana, neraval was done at Bhoosura Lakshmana- I think the correct word is Bhoosudu. He sang two long rounds of swaras starting from upper ga and reaching upto upper pa in falsetto voice. Thani started thereafter.

Even permitting his shuffling of the order in a concert, the concert did not have any elaborate raga alapana. There was little takeaway from the concert. Enough is enough. I did not want to wait for Vathapi at the end. I left mid way during the thani.

[Rajagopalan_V]

CRama - the mrudangam vidwan was Melakkaveri Balaji.

The following are my notes from the concert - not a review though. Posted it on my Facebook page, am reproducing below.

It was a 'template' TMK concert yesterday. Sings ragam and tanam in Karaharapriya and asks Akkarai Subbulakshmi to play another raga of her choice. She plays RT in Varali.

Followed by a kriti in Simhavahini. 'Amba Neelaayadakshi' in Neelambari with only the Mrudangam on.

Main kriti in Harikhambhoji. Azhwar paasuram 'Pachai maamalaipOl' in Khamas, Vasanta, Ahiri and Mohanam. Then the Thodi varnam 'Yera Naapai'.

Wrapped up with the Hindi bhajan 'Vaishnava Jana To' in Surati and Behag.

The house full audience lapped up with glee the announcements from TMK about him 'having done with the raga' ("mudinjuduthu") and moving onto the next item.

It is now well known that his outings are not 'kutcheris' but his 'musical offerings'. We are expected to appreciate the 'art form and the aesthetics' of Carnatic Music and not necessarily look for a 'kutcheri performance' in a clichéd template.

Back in the 2011 Season while he was actively engaging in 'debates' with rasikas in Facebook, he had clarified that his attempts were to "give a sincere expression of his music and share his experience with the rasikas. It is not to be taken as showmanship or such."

While some of us were arguing then that such attempts would wean away his avowed fan base. To the contrary, the surging crowds at every venue he performs -- be it his recent US tour or at the just started Season concerts here -- is testimony to the 'trust' the audience seem to repose in him.

And so the TMK bandwagon marches on yet another Season!

[arasi]

CRama,
You make me feel that my 'may be I should go to a TMK's concert' thought need not be carried out after all.

Rajagopalan,
Your 'template' reference to TMK's concert was amusing (when a 'suprise!" becomes a sure thing every time, it does become a template (however lopsided it is)!
Ironic because TMK wants to get away from another template!

As for his fans, one kind likes his celebrity status and the ripples he makes and that determines their presence in his concerts. The other kind are his steadfast fans, and no matter what he does with his music, they are his faithful followers. They are similar to those who like to hear their favorites even after they have lost their resounding voices and sing in old shaky voices...

[bombal]

CRama...kudos to you for the way you write...you actually write what you feel!

keep writing sir...

:namaste:

[Rajagopalan_V]

Yes arasi, hasn't this been his 'template' of late?! He was also seen telling Akkarai not to play Karaharapriya but choose another raga of her liking. So, it wasn't a natural flow of musical ideas which they wanted to express but a forced attempt to move away from a set 'template', it looked to me.

Towards the end, when he took up the Thodi varnam for elaboration, there was lot of ooohs and aaahs in the audience but all in a welcoming and 'we-like-it-this-way' demeanor.

Thus, with this kind of staunch support from overflowing audiences wherever he goes, doesn't it give him the strength to carry on with his 'aesthetic experiments' ?! :-BD

[arasi]

If you are interested, you may go to General Discussions and to the thread about TMK's ONE film and read the versification of this

[Rajagopalan_V]

//I'll take you on a journey of
what my soul seeks--wait,
I haven't a clue--let the
violin play, will figure it out
No, figuring out means, my
Soul will be short changed
Ari music it will become, no!

TAnam makes me meditate
So tAnam after violin play...
No use, still beckoning my
soul, so mridangam, you play!//

Ho ho ho Arasi-ji!! :ymapplause: :ymapplause: :ymapplause: )

[jodha]

TMK thinks differently and his music is for soul and not just for ears.There are plenty of musicians giving the routine stuff.Normally a rasika who boasts of decades of hearing but whose knowledge is not deep but a little bit wide and who is solely bent on listening to music to satisfy his ego (how great a rasika I am !see how people are going ga ga about my reviews) may not like TMK.TMK will not appeal to him,because he doesn't feed any one's ego like many other musicians.I have seen support as well as opposition for TMK.recently a rasika who wanted a pay back from MA,his concert fee because TMK sang a varnam as main a few years back is showering encomiums on him.such rasikas have less ego iMO and will really support any musician not just TMK when offered soulful music since they are little realized.Its really overwhelming to see the increasing support for TMK.I only wish TMK doesn't get caught into any template,rather keep changing with newer value based reforms on stage.

[Rsachi]

Jodha,
Did you know that Jodha is actually from Yodha or warrior!?

While you can definitely put down the egoistic rasikas, i also feel you should counsel TM Krishna about the dangers of being sketchy, randomised, tentative, experimental in a careless manner, lacking musical depth in any particular piece because of a preoccupation with breaking the mould etc. Also, when someone sings Vatapi in the end and begins with Mangalam etc., he or she will have to contend with the reaction of people who are used to more predictable musical experiences.

I do believe TMK understands that there are limits for everything (and that gives me hope)..for example he doesn't mix up raga scales (I mean singing a mishrashankarabharanam which sounds also like Sindhubhairavi on and off), sing a song in a tala or tune different from what he has been taught, or convert a Tamil or Bollywood hit song into an RTP.


There is a line from Jodhaa Akbar which actually makes sense for an RTP:
Inn lamho ke daaman mein, pakija se riste hain
Koyi kalma mohabbat ka dohrate farishtein hain

Translation:
In the folds of these moments, is a relationship so pure
Like a prayer to love that the angels recite

[kvchellappa]

Rsachi, I am sure your prediction of his singing bollywood lines for RTP would be proved right. I would suggest you write the Jodha Akbar song in Tamizh, he will gladly make a pallavi of it. As Ragam, Tanam and Pallavi can be in different ragas, he may choose to sing the pallavi in the original filmy tune itself, as it will be another aesthetic novelty.

[PUNARVASU]

Some funny scenario I visualised:
1) A rasika, on entering, hears the Mangalam and beats a hasty retreat ( normally the exodus starts when the Mangalam is begun)
2) Another rasika, enters as vAtApi is started, goes in front and finds himself a comfortable seat, settling down to hear a 3 hour concert.
3)with the change in seating arrangements of the artists, probably a rasika may find the singer with his back turned and goes to the other side of the dais to look for a chair!

All in jest!

[pattamaa]

man, we are giving out too many ideas... already 'vatapi' in the end came true......

I would like TMK to focus more on sangeetham rather than mere experiments... singing unheard thyagaraja/dikshitar compositions, elaborating ragam / RTP for 1-1/2 hours, alapana of challenging raagams (but not obscure, and those don't have scope), singing in complex talams etc... This would create good USP for him, and he can get to the standards of sanjay etc..

I am cusious to know concert structure of hindustani concerts.... i am sure they have defined structures. They don't just sing standalone alaaps, or let accompanist choose the raga... will those in north accept such experiments if it happens in hindustani ? I doubt..

[Rsachi]

Sir, the much publicised and poorly run Bangalore Sangeet Utsav gave Pandit Venkatesh Kumar 90 min for a recital. Being true to his music, he sang a bada khayal for 70 min. There were chits from restless rasikas for devaranamas. He said he would sing another raga first - he sang a fine Malkauns chota khayal. Then came two devaranamas to close the concert.
In Hindustani Music, structure is both important and predictable.

[arasi]

In HM concerts, you can hear the vilambit (TMK"s preference and specialty). However, they don't stick with it all through the concert. There is an order in the music--the same as in CM. The music also has tempo, the same as in CM concerts.

Coherence is another factor. Experiments are fine--ringing in changes too.
ATTaith thUkki mATTil pODuvadu (just jumbling the order up) isn't worth it.

[arasi]

Punarvasu,
You are in the Hilarity mood

[PUNARVASU]

arasi, the scenario flashed I front of my eyes when I read through the thread. Yes, I wrote in 'jest'!

[CommonMan]

It would be nice to have TMK review his own concert... bcos he would change the format of reviewing and start the review from the last song he sang to the first and that will get us the conventional songs order in a concert. Will at least not be off-putting to read.

[arasi]

We surely can expect it to be a 're' view?