Sanjay Subrahmanyan @ Swathi Sangeethothsavam, Jan 4th 2015

[kedharam]

Sanjay Subrahmanyan
Varadarajan
Venkatesh
Alathur Rajaganesh

kalyani – satura kamini deva tamyati
Sarasangi – Jaya jaya padmanabha, S
Durbar – Shaure vitara kushalamayi, R,
Saraswathi manohari – mamava jagadheeshwara, R,
Shanmukhapriya – mamava karunaya, R, N@ 'kAmita dAna lOla
kamanIya sushIla’, S
Nattakurinji – JagadhIsha sada mamava, R, S
Thani
Sisa ganga bhasma anga – dhanasrI
Kalaye srI kamala nayana charane – chenjuruti
Rina madanuta- behag
Bhujaga shayino - yadukulakambhoji

Let me share my musings on kalyani, shanmukhapriya and nattakurinji as they were a soothing expression of nostalgia for me …

The opening pada varnam summed up the concert: burnished, grandeur and commanding, making a persuasive case for the composer’s sensibilities and each piece found the team at its best and more… The audience that packed the quaint lamp lit palace ground cheered with delight before he had sung a note and Sanjay who has resuscitated many obscure works commenced the concert with ‘satura kamini’ a pada varnam in kalyani, playing with the rhythm and poetry of phrasing that runs through the text, highlighting the composer’s startling depiction of angst and pining of the nayika and offering musical delights and insights in all their bountiful exuberance - vibrant yet vulnerable delivery…

Shanmukhapriya –
With his probing spirit Sanjay unraveled shanmukhapriya milking it’s colors with fervor and Varadarajan wrenched the melody from its notes preparing the way for the staggering masterpiece, ‘mamava karunaaya’ that unfolded seguing between elegance and fiery intensity revealing its inner workings. As the composition unfolded, Sanjay fixated on the emotive phrase, ‘kAmita dAna lOla kamanIya sushIla’ for neraval interpreting the text with lyrical pliancy lending depth and nuance and highlighting the inner voice of the composer…

and then the telling moment of the concert, nattakurinji -

Summoning all his intellect Sanjay unraveled it with charismatic expressivity in a single grand expanse lingering over every iota of note with a beautiful sense of proportion, modesty and refinement, breaking free from the formal confines to reveal the ragam’s dramatic scope and letting the essence manifest itself followed by Varadarajan’s lithe, effortless playing…
Then he breathed fresh life into the monumental work, 'JagadhIsha sada mamava’ with a glow of pensiveness permeating the composition in a relaxed tempo, allowing room for phrases to breathe with wistful lyricism and strong enunciation of the lyrics, capturing everything the composer wanted to present and he absolutely nailed it in the swarams as Varadarajan, Venkatesh and Rajaganesh powered straight through the melody followed by the thani brilliantly dispatched by Venkatesh and Rajaganesh.

and the congregation rewarded the earnest performance with a rousing ovation…and I walked away thinking, ‘he has arrived indeed’…

[munirao2001]

Kedharam

I read with great interest your review. But at the very end you have expressed

I walked away thinking, ‘he has arrived indeed’…

' Why? Sanjay, a maestro, performing and has received the appreciation and acceptance of both pandita and discerning rasikas for well over two decades and continues to be one of the most popular vidwan also. Maestro is on the self actualization state and phase now.

munirao2001

[kedharam]

It is my personal opinion partly influenced by my mother's thoughts that he is at his peak. Ofcourse i have enjoyed some glorious music from him and look forward to journey with him for many many more years as he seeks his goals...

[rshankar]

look forward to journey with him for many many more years as he seeks his goals...

Knowing you, we understand that you mean it both figuratively as well as literally!

[kvchellappa]

from Sanjay's post in FB:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5YNLow ... e=youtu.be

[shripathi_g]

The varnam rendition reminds me of MDR's Ata Tala varnam renditions (Sarasijanabha, Kanakangi, Neranammiti, Vanajakshi, etc).

[sanjaysubfan]

Super varnam! Class!