TM KRISHNA AT BHARATIYA VIDYA BHAVAN- 15/4/16

[CRama]

T.M.Krishna accompanied by B.U.Ganesh Prasad on the violin, Manoj Siva on the mridangam and Sunil Kumar on the Ganjira enthralled the huge galaxy of listeners with his slow, meditative and very sincere expression of his musical thoughts which was actually a musical conversation on stage between the artistes on the stage. As we all are familiar by now, it is not a regular music concert. His music is a unique experience. The audience also very happily became a part of the musical experience and enjoyed each minute. It is nearly an year that I have heard his concert. Hence my decision to attend this concert on an auspicious Ramanavami day.The songs rendered.

1. Slokam- Kara charana khritham vaa- Appayya Deekshitar- Natakurinji
Ekkalathilum Maravene- Natakurinji- Ramaswami Sivan (A,N,S)
(30 minutes)
2. Amritavarshini (A,T)
(Ragam 7 minutes, tanam 10 minutes) No song
3. Chakkaniraja- Kharaharapriya T- (A,S)
(Alapana and tanam by violin for 12 minutes
Total duration of the song incl violin alapana 25 minutes)
4. Thyagarajaya Namaste- Begada- MD
(13 minutes)
5. E thavunera-Kalyani T
6. Tani (15 minutes)
7. Pachai ma malai pol meni- Virutham- Kambodi
(10 minutes)
8. Hey Govind hey Gopal- Surdas Bhajan- KAMBODI. YES. KAMBODI
9. Ramakathasudha-Madhyamavathy

TMK started the slokam on a very solemn note- mostly meandering in the mandhra sthayi seamlessly morphed into the alapana of Natakurinji- staying for long duration of time on key notes and weaving phrases around the key notes and covering the whole gamut of ragam as a super skilled craftsman. The song Ekkalathilum maravene is a personal favourite of mine, having greatly moved by the soulful rendering of the same by many masters of the earlier generation. Krishna’s rendering of the song also followed suit and this song heavily suited his style of vilamba kala singing savouring each and every phrase in a leisurely manner. Neraval was done very intelligently at Tillai eesanai Natarajanai naan ekkalathilum maravene- Elaborate swaras in two kalams- mel kala swaras at maravene in upper sthayi. A very scholarly presentation for 30 minutes.

Ragam Amritavarshini was taken up for a detailed exploration hopefully to get a respite from the scorching heat in Chennai. But TMK may not a believer of the theory that Amritavarshini will bring drizzle. But his alapana was an experience in itself, a revelation where the sojourn though each swara revealing its inner layers in most profound manner. The swaras may have fixed placement in the scale, but the hues and colours TMK created with the swaras in this journey were spellbound. There was absolute poise and beauty in the long alapana and the same mood continued in the tanam. But he decided to call it shots without singing any kriti. It is his choice and I had to accept it.

Then he told the violinist to play something. Good sensed prevailed and Ganesh Prasad played a beautiful Kharaharapriya for 8 minutes and stopped. Then TMK said- Innum venumanal vasi. Then BUG continued with Tanam for 5 minutes. Now TMK happily took up Chakkaniraja and I sighed a hue of relief. The song was presented well with the cascade of sangathis. There was no neraval but had elaborate two kala swaras at the pallavi. He sang a few bouts of swaras landing at the last sangathi of the pallavi- Chakkaniraja in the higher octave. Not content with that, a few rounds of second kalam swaras ending at the Ra aa aa aa ja in the higher octave. Simply superb. TMK is blessed with a voce having a range from lower Sa to higher Pa (2.5+ octaves) and he can sing anything he wishes. That is a feast for us too.

Next Begada was taken up for alapana and the kriti chosen was Tyagarajaya Namaste. Here also, swaras were sung at an unusual place- Sakala nishkala swaroopa. E thavunera was the next song. It came without any paraphernalia of ragam or tanam. At the place Siva Madhava Brahma, TMK signalled Manoj Siva to carry on.

After the tani, TMK started the slokam Pachhai maa malai pol peni in pristine Kambodi. It was a grand Kambodi indeed, revealing quite a few different facets of Kambodi which will be the best bet for a O Rangasayee to follow. Alas! What followed was the Surdas Bhajan Hey Govind Hey Gopal, immortalised by MSS- Krishna now singing it in pristine Carnatic Kambodi. I felt like I have fallen from a mountain in to the sea. Whatever Krishna’s supporters may argue, this is not palatable for me- may be for many others too. Hindi bhajans have a different flavour. You cannot relish that in Kambodi. Singing them in Carnatic ragam is like mixing Ambalapuzha paal payasam with Sabarimala aravana payasam. I was expecting a grand Padam in Kambodi. Krishna excels in that genre also. But this came as a Drishti pariharam. Those 5 minutes are best to be forgotten. Krishna concluded the programme with Ramakatha. There was no other Mangalam. Normally Krishna never skips Mangalam though.

BUGanesh Prasad seated near TMK in an angular position, partially facing TMK, shared an equal wave length with TMK. His alapanas and returns were great. His exclusive alapana of Kharaharapriya had appropriate thick and thin shades, meditative as well as engaging phrases which TMK greatly appreciated and enjoyed. The Mridangam by Manoj Siva was very smooth and added value to the concert. He played with great anticipation and understanding. His stokes were very smooth matching with the music of TMK, but not as sooooft as Arun Prakash. He embellished the concert significantly. The thani by Manoj Siva and Sunil Kumar for 15 minutes was quite engaging and received continuous applause.

Krishna has proved in many concerts that he is unimaginably brilliant, his musical genius is unquestionable and he has got individual views on matters relating to music and concert, all of which may not be to our liking, like the Bhajan he sang in this concert. Yet his concerts do give a highly exhilarating experience for the listeners, so intense, so peaceful and very much majestic. An excellent musical experience for little less than two and half hours without any minute of sag.

[Sivaramakrishnan]

I read with interest and curiosity CRama's review.
It has been a typical TMK concert.

[Rsachi]

CRama, the following shloka is attributed to Adi Shankara:

karacharaNakRutaM vaakkaayajaM karmajaM vaa
shravaNanayanajaM vaa maanasaM vaaparaaadham |
vihitamavihitaM vaa sarvametatkShamasva
jaya jaya karuNaabdhe shrImahaadeva shaMbho ||


Your expression Drishti pariharam is a good one. It could also be called Srushti pariharam, given how much you have enjoyed the rest of the concert!
I agree with you that Carnatic musical idiom and south Indian pronunciation are at best laughable in the context of Hindi bhajans and songs.

[CRama]

RSachi, I attributed the slokam to Appayya Deekshitar because of an AIR announcement in an old concert of MS, when she sang this slokam as a prelude to Sambho Mahadeva. May be one of the many AIR goof ups. I stand corrected. Thanks.

[pattamaa]

Well written review, so detailedly penned.

[rshankar]

Sri CRama - a well written review! Thank you.

[rajeshnat]

RSachi, I attributed the slokam to Appayya Deekshitar because of an AIR announcement in an old concert of MS, when she sang this slokam as a prelude to Sambho Mahadeva. May be one of the many AIR goof ups. I stand corrected. Thanks.

Crama
May be you got crisscrossed with another ragamaliga slokham moulav gangA which is by appaya deekshitar that gets usually followed by siva siva bho in nadanAmakriya . Thanks for your lovely review

[Rsachi]

OK! Maulau Ganga is by Appaiah Dikshitar. I learnt something. Thanks

[CRama]

Re Kara charanam khritam sloka, I remembered the MS concert where the announcement came and I could lay my hands on it. Yes. The AIR announcement says as Appaya Deekshitar only. But, as I told earlier, AIR is famous for making goof ups.

[Sivaramakrishnan]

I think the song 'Sambho mahadeva' is by Neelakanta Sivan. A very good composition in Tamil, it is rarely sung in concerts.