T.M.KRISHNA AT DAKSHINAMURTHY AUDITORIUM- 17/7/16

[CRama]

P.S.Institute of Music, Arts and Culture in association with Brahma Gana Sabha is conducting a week long series titled Nalli Aadi Isai Vizha. It was inaugurated on 17 July with the concert of T.M.Krishna. His co artistes for the day were Akkarai Subbalakshmi on the Violin, Manoj Siva on the Mridangam and Chandrasekhar Sarma on the Ganjira. List of songs.
• Nannu brochutaku- Thodi- Subbaraya Sastri (N,S)
• Bhogeendrasayinam-Kuntalavarali- ST (R,T,S)
• Ksheerasagarasayana-Devagandhari- T (R,S)
• Varali ragam only
• Sree Matrubhootam-Kannada-MD (S)
• Tani
• Slokam- Sringaram- Mohanam
• Mohanarama- T

In his Presidential Address, Dr. Nalli Kuppuswami Chetty lauded the initiative of P.S High School in launching the P.S.Institute of Music, Arts and Culture with a view to provide free coaching on music and dance to children who showed some promise. It seems the institute is going strong in that direction as could be observed from the prayer song sung by two students (I think Ananya and Sasi). They sang a Tiruvarutpa on Vinayakar in the ragam Charukesi, which I had never heard before. Their rendering was very melodious and that showed the dedication of the teachers and students in fulfilling the objectives of the P.S IMAC. Ex Chief Election Commissioner Sri. N.Gopalaswami was the Chief Guest.

Because of the inaugural function and speeches, the concert had a slight delay- of 10 minutes only. The concert started at 6.55 P.M. Without any lengthy alapana, TMK took up Nannu brochutaku in Thodi straight. This song is a favourite of DKP and DKJ. I have never heard this song from any other vidwan/vidushi. The song was rendered in a leisurely kalapramanam very suitable to the song. The song do have swara sahithyam – as all the Syama Sastri/Subbaraya Sastri compositions have. Elaborate neraval at Kumara janani provided a vast picture of the ragam Thodi with its beautiful sancharams replete with sowkhyam. Most of the swaras were at Mandra sthayi and Athi mandra sthayi, sometimes hitting the dead end and not able to proceed further. This unwanted exercise robbed the beauty of the ragam. The entire song took 30 minutes. After this he started Kuntalavarali and signalled Akkarai to continue. After she finished a wholesome picture of Kuntalavarali, TMK started Tanam. When he explored the deepest terrain in Thodi, here he embarked on the highest orbit in the sky. Most of his tanam sancharams were in the Ati tara sthayi with the falsetto voice which was in no way appreciable or aesthetic. The song was rendered well. Swarams were rendered in two places- Kalusha hara parisarojvala and Mahendra trikootavara. The entire song took 20 minutes.

Next TMK rendered a soulful alapana of Devagandhari for 5 minutes. He followed with Ksheerasagarasayana and decorated with elaborate swaras in Tyagararajarchita. (I think it should be Tyagarajanuta). The swaras were highly imaginative. Mostly in the upper registers- never once trespassing into Arabhi zone. I have heard earlier vidwans mentioning in interviews that if you sing swaras in Devagandhari, Arabhi is sure to intervene. But he very intelligently eschewed Arabhish phrases. This revealed the vidwat and imagination of TMK.

Now TMK signalled Akkarai – Vaasi. She promptly took up Varali- for she could read his mind. At least she could have taken a different ragam- like Abhogi for instance, which normally TMK do not take up. Later TMK joined and took up to greatest heights. Yes. Again he embarked on a sojourn into the Ati tara sthayi sancharams in false voice. These vocal gymnastics do not have any aesthetic beauty. TMK need not resort to such gimmicks to portray his calibre. But Alas! He left the ragam in the space itself. Did not sing any kriti in the ragam.

Then he started Sree Matrubhootam- one of his sure hits and rendered swaras at Dasajana santhoshakaranam and Sadasivam Paramasivam. This was followed by Tani for 12 minutes.

Now somebody in the audience requested for Kamalamba Navavaranam. TMK asked- Which Navavaranam. The person replied- any one. Neverthless, he started the slokam synonymous with his Guru SSI- Sringaram. The entire slokam he rendered exclusively in Mohanam. Here I observed that the bhavam which SSI gives in Sringaram, or Roudram or Bhayanakam was totally missing. Only Mohanam was there. He followed with Mohanarama. I left at that point.

Last month I heard an excellent concert of TMK and I wrote a review in this forum which even surprised my friends. But sad, this was not in that league. When I go to a TMK concert, I go to hear the alapanas of TMK. Any violinist, however great, cannot substitute that expectation. In this concert of two hours plus, TMK did only the alapana of Devagandhari for 5 minutes and a portion of Varali- that too in false voice. His acrobatics in Ati mandra sthayi and Ati tara sthayi are least musical. In every concert he sings an alapana of Varali or Mukhari. Then what so great in singing a stand alone alapana of Varali. Akkarai Subbalakshmi gave excellent support as usual reading the mind of TMK. Her mellinam, vallinam, alapanas, returns were commendable. She received thunderous applause for her alapanas of Kuntalavarali and Varali. Manoj Siva accompanied with the right muse. He had good nadam and his volume was perfect. His anticipation, filling of gaps were appreciable. The tani with Chandrasekhar Sarma was greatly appreciated by the audience. A lacklustre performance.

[kvchellappa]

TMK wondered why Sanjay did RTP in ragas like patdeep. Is Kuntalavarali suited for RTP?

[CRama]

Nowadays there is no concept of suitability. All ragas are taken up for RTPs.

[jodha]

I am eagerly awaiting to hear RTP in Navarasa Kanada.

[shankarank]

Why not in kannada as well? SrI mAtRbhUtam, was it a SSI version or Brindamma's version? Swarams at dAsajana makes me wonder?

[Sivaramakrishnan]

Interesting report, CRama, much helpful for absentees to form a vivid picture of the concert. It's nice that u have detailed the 'good' as well as 'not good' aspects of the recital. How did he render 'Taarakanaama' which permits abundant, legitimate Taarasthaayi prayogas? Swaraprastara for Pallavi is most suitable for Bhogeendrasaayinam. Any other point would be 'so-so' whatever be one's manodharmam.

Lone tusker has its own ways!!

[CRama]

sankaran, Sree Matrubhootam was of course, SSI version.
Sivaramakrishnan, Tarakanama was presented well with real tarasthayi prayogams.

[bhakthim dehi]

Did he sang Kannada with abundant kaisiki nishadam - ssp version?