Double bill -- Papanasam Sivan 125th Anniversary

[hema]

Sanjay: Sept 27th and TMK Sept 28th

Sanjay+Varadarajan+Neyveli Venkatesh+Venkataramanan
Varnam: Dhanyasi -- Pada varnam
Begada: Ganarasamudan
Karaharapriya: Thuukathile
Saveri: Kapali irukka
Kalyani: Chidambaram
Harikamboji: Padamalar -- this was simply superb
bhairavi: ath tharunam
Behag: Karpagambigai
Khamaas: Tiruvalar mayilai
Kurinji (from bharathi): Enguniraindikkum
Madyamavati: Karpagame

The concert started (typical of Sanjay) about 5 mins early.

Most of the songs were relatively new? I have hardly heard more than 2 of them. Hats off! to Sanjay for mining these songs and making them
available to the listener. The Harikamboji was the hallmark of the concert. It was really a fantastic harikamboji. Needless to say Varadarajan
kept pace at every step mimicking while at the same time enhancing the phrases. The rendering of Tamil songs -- controlling the rough ending
consonantal words is indeed the Sanjay magic. Tani was well-supported by Neyveli and Venkataraman.

T M Krishna+Hemalatha+K V Prasad + BS Purushottam

The concert started about 10 mins late. TMK cannot be blamed as the previous concert went on until 6.55pm.
kunthalavarai: Tanam followed by Thamasamma
Petra thai (viruttam) -- Kedaragowla (from bharathi again), viruttam (TMK) + Hemalatha (alapana), ended with Mohanam -- Kapali
Devagandhari: Sarade veena vadhana
Natakuriji: pada varnam -- all the works including tani
kaapi: Enna tavam
sriranjani: kaana vendamo

I really enjoyed the way the tanam ended with tamasamma. Alapana by Hemalatha followed by viruttam by TMK was another interesting
new. The top on the list yesterday were Kapali and Natakurinji. TMK was in some other zone yesterday. He would have gone on, I guess.
Hemalatha was her usual self keeping pace at par with TMK thus earning her equal position on the stage. The soft strokes of KV Prasad and B S Purushottam, filled the many pauses with beautiful unobtrusive strokes that enhanced the music of the evening. TMK is truly a maverick, nevertheless one did feel "the Karnatik story" resplendent as ever.

Two contrasting styles. Thanks to all the artistes for giving us such a good fare.

[tiruppugazh]

Petra thai is by Ramalinga swamy right. I guess TMK will even allow himself to sing Vishnu sahasranamam at the Tyagaraja aradhana in Tiruvayyaaru

[hema]

Yes, but he did state that -- it fitted very well.

[rajeshnat]

Karaharapriya: Thuukathile

kAkka unakku irakkam – kharaharapriyA is the song sanjay sang.

[harimau]

Karaharapriya: Thuukathile

kAkka unakku irakkam – kharaharapriyA is the song sanjay sang.

The original poster may just have stated her mental/physical condition!

[hema]

The original poster may just have stated her mental/physical condition!

Okay, Okay! -- not fair since I got the rest of them right!

[hema]

Harimau
This is really not fair. He started thus. I have not heard this song before.

[hema]

Another first? was:

Swarna Rethas has his own mike and one could actually hear him.

[harimau]

Harimau
This is really not fair. He started thus. I have not heard this song before.

I did add two smiley emojis to indicate I was joking.

[grsastrigal]

I attended Sanjay's concert when he was ending Harikambodhi. It was a costly miss as It was the first concert in chennai after he was "announced" the SK award by MA.
As both the concerts were reviewed above, let me take few observations/comparisons.
After Sanjay's concert, myself and Yessel (good to see Yessel in healthy condition) were talking to Smt.Rukmini Ramani and discussed about Sanjay's concert. She told me most of the songs, only "notes" were given to Sanjay and he developed and presented in a grand way. As most of the songs were new, and for Sanjay's stature, there is no need for him to experiment. As Ramakrishna murthy's concert was repeated (as mentioned in this forum), it is a great attitude of Sanjay which has brought him to this level. Tiruvalluvar says= "mei varuthha kUli tarum"- (Even God cannot help, your efforts will pay you rich dividends). Sanjay is a typical example for this. All these new songs- not even one reference book.
As I attended TMK's-when he was half way in "tamasamA". I found a striking contrast in his approach- First he started with Tanam followed by a kriti, (Tanam was superb, anyway). He referred paper/book for the first song and even for kapAli, saranam, he referred the paper. Even after referring, he made mistake and sang- tiru soolamum, ......
All butterfly strokes, keeping his palm crossed, asking Doctor to move a bit for his "movement"....
TMK's mohanam ragam and nattakurinji neraval- oh Man....here is a genius.. once he plunged in to the kriti- Heaven is the limit for him. His Tayumanavar virutham (3 in a row)- in Papanasam sivan programme is a bit nasty.
Normally I don't like comparisons- But sometimes, I feel and look upon three "present generation greats" who deserve to be compared- Vijay siva, TMK and Sanjay-