Sashank - Concerts Review

[grsastrigal]

Not all the rasikas like flute as not all like MMI’s music.

I was fortunate to attend three of his concerts during this season, MFAC, MA and Parthasarathy sabhA. I have attended only one concert in previous seasons, in NGS, where he played Simmendhra madhyamam RTP. As “instruments listening” is a real patience testing. But, this time I was particular to spend some time with Sashank synonymous to flute.
When the whole music fraternity was moving towards MA for Sanjay subramanyan and Ranjani Gayathri in MFAC (beautiful Lalitha RTP, I came to know), (27th Dec) I walked into PSS for Sashank with Patri & Nagai srirAm. I was gifted with beautiful Shanmugapriya.

Normally, Music Academy gives January 1st morning slot to him but this time allotted one of the days in season. Sashank announced before the concert in MA that this was his 25th year of performance in MA followed by loud applause. The youngest musician who appeared in MA senior slot and this record has not been beaten yet. I don’t know whether mAli precedes Sashank in vidwat (who started playing first?). Since I have not seen the former, I could feel the mind set of SSI & GNB’s conversation (after listening to young mAli’s concert.)

SapthaswarA musicals, a musical shop near Luz, was speechless when one small boy took each and every flute in the shop and played different rAgAs at the age of 5 or 6. Those, who were present assured that there was a genius in making.. Here he is.

Sashank’s concert review cannot be confined to one paragraph or limited with superlative words. It is an experience. Amazing to see (listen), even if he inhales while playing, inhaling sound comes as music. This genius plays only once in a year that to in December season in chennai. (to my knowledge) and disappears. Performing all around the world. Still very humble and “vinayAdhAdhi pAtratAm”

I always wonder why Lord Krishna chose Flute as an instrument to woo the gOpikAs. You listen to Sashank (or any great artist-sanjeeva rAo, mali etc). During rAsa kreetA, which rAgA, Loard would have played to bring the gOpikAs, you have the answer, had you listened to his ShamnugapriyA in PSS, nAsikAbhooshani in MA or mOhanam in MFAC. We see a person in front of us, who creates a sheer magic of brilliance from his bamboo. Well-.. appreciate and bow before him.
God, while producing”human beings”- keep some extra fittings which is overlooked by God’s QC Department. Result, we have Mandolin srinivAs, Ravikiran, SashAnk. Abhishek, Rajarathnam pillai.

My experience could be summed up from Kudhambai chittar’s verse – “vetta veLi tannil mei enRu iRuppoRku pattayam edhukkadi”-

List in Mylapore Fine arts

Patri sathish kumar-mridhangam
Akkarai Subbulakshmi-violin
Missed couple of kritis
ninnAda-kannada-Thyagajar- (soulful rAga rendering)
varAli-Eti janma-Thyagarajar
Nee kElana-dEva manO hari-T
mOhanam-RTP- “sabhapathi sadhAshivA, samAnamE ulagukku” –bhAgeshree, kuntala varali.

Music Academy -25th Dec 2015

B U Ganesh Prasad-Violin
Ramamurthy-Mridhangam
G Guruprasad-Ganjira

Era nA pai-Todi-vaRnam
nenarunjirA-Simha vAhini-Thyagarajar
nAsikAbhooshani-rAgam-mAravairi-Thyagarajar
nenarunchi nAnu-mAlavi-ThyAgarajar
sAvEri-Sri rajagopAla-MD
Tani
behAg-RTP- khanta chApur- dha dha dhami dhimiyena sadhA natamAdum kanakasabEsan
(Subha pantuvarali, malayamarutham, sriranjani, mohanam
eppO varuvAro-jOnpuri-GKB

Partha sArathy sabhA

Nagai sriram, Patri Satishkumar

chalamEla-Shankarabharanam-ata tAla
sObillu-JaganmOhini-T
tArini telusu-Sudha sAvEri-T
Shanmugapriya-marivErE-T
SAvEri-RTP- nEE magima tuniyAda taramA- Tisra nadai-VaRali, Ranjani. Sashank
murali dharA gOpAla- mAnd- periya sAmy tooran
Bhajan of Sri.BrahmAnandA-Sindu bairavi.

[Nick H]

I love Shashank's music. I'm sorry that my limited concert going this December has not included any.

As well as his carnatic compositions, I enjoy his North/South Jugalbandis, which are real, creative, musical collaborations rather than the boring ego competitions that are so often served up under the name jugalbandi.