S. Varadarajan
Neyveli B. Venkatesh
maLavi – ninnekori, KSK
Kamas – sujana jeevana, T, S
Abhogi - Maneyolagado Govinda, R, PD
Varali – ETi janmamidi, N@ sATi lEni mArakOTi lAvaNyuni , T
Anandabhairavi – poomEl vaLarum annayE, mazhavai chidambara bharathi
Shankarabharanam – sundarEshwaraya namasthE
, MD, R, SThani
Begada – thandhadukkum neer vandadukkum, Papavinasa Mudali
RTP
Brindavanasaranga, kanda triputa
UNmai arindhavar unnai gaNipArO mAyayE mAyayE, Bharathi
mAnd – ramanai bhajithAl, PS
sri venugOpAla – Kurinji, MD
orumaiyudan ninadhu sung as virutham – karaharapriya, sindhu bhairavi, mand – Ramalinga swami
orumayudan - kapi
paninyin vinthuli - thirupugazh
Just have to share my thoughts
The concert was a magisterial study of varied composers, highlighting Sanjay’s diverse repertory.
NinnE kOri in malavi, a KSK rarity was the concert opener.
With his voice in total command of the raga’s notes, abhogi came with a musician’s insight reflecting it’s nocturnal hues and Varadarajan brought out filigree details in his assured reply. Then the outpourings of anguish came in the form of PD’s Maneyolagado Govinda interspersing pensive lyricism with cadence and conveying the composer’s idioms.
Then Sanjay explored the turbulent throes of longing in Thyagaraja’s ETi janmamidi, with neraval at 'sATi lEni mArakOTi lAvaNyuni' by bending and interpreting it with lyrical pliancy, with melody and pathos bleeding into each other in the refrain making the composer’s despondent plea authentic with Varadarajan and Venkatesh responding to every tug and pull of his phrases with nuanced expressivity.
After the wrenching varali, came the unnervingly bucolic piece of Mazhavai chidambara bharathi’s ‘poomEl vaLarUm annayE’ with a hardy gait with Sanjay reveling in it’s folksy idiom...
Sanjay shaped shankarabharanam with expressive depth and meditative dignity hooking listeners to every phrase and inflection and Varadarajan spun the melody with lucidity.
As I was dreading the usual suspects in shankarabharanam and fingers crossed for Anai Ayya’s mAnam vaitharuL, Sanjay embarked on the unjustly overlooked work, the MD marvel, the SK/Sanjay classic, kindling a sense of nostalgia. SundarEshwarAya namasthE - taken at a stately pace, emphasizing its reflective lyricism and the teeming rhythmic patterns revealing MD gravity making the most revered of works feel new all over again followed by swarams with swinging bursts of energy. And it was enhanced by the musicianship of Varadarajan and Venkatesh balancing individual virtuosity with an air of democratic spirit followed by Venkatesh’s thani with rhythmic precision and tonal subtlety eliciting cheers.
RTP –
With his voice filling out and allowing the music to build inexorably in sound and intensity as the magisterial elegance of brindavana saranga came through well matched by the intelligent craftsmanship of Varadarajan.
Then he organically built up the incisive thanam with premeditated care and careful accretions of intensity. It unfolded fading from an enigmatic whisper to bursts of soaring intensity and Varadarajan recreated his interpretive ideas in depth. Bharathi’s poignantly poetic outpouring, “UNmai arindhavar unnai gaNippArO mAyayE mAyayE” set in kanda triputa rolled exploring the potential lying within by hitting the technical buttons in teasing out the rhythmic undercurrents in the wordplay as the improvisations became conversations between them. Then he created an evocative tapestry by languidly unfolding sahana, huseni, sama and mand and Varadarajan and Venkatesh helped these contemplative characteristics to unfold with firm allegiance to rhythm ending the RTP on an exciting note. Followed by the ruminative account of ‘Orumaiyudan ninadhu’ by melding the mythic and pathos with an evangelical fervor. You have to have the Mylapore blood to sing this composition with such plangent vigor, I think.
The team reached the finish line with the thirupugazh bringing the concert to a close.
