Nada Inbam - 18th Dec - Sri Vignesh Ishwar

[raviraj]

Artistes :

Vignesh Ishwar - Vocal ; Ananthakrishnan - Violin
Akshay Ananthapadmanabhan- Mrudangam; KV Gopalakrishna - Kanjeera

List:

Inta modi - Saranga - varnam - Tiruvottriyur Tyagayyar
Upacaramu jEsEvA - Bhairavi - Tyagaraja - A & Svaras at vAkitanE padilamuga
nA jIva dhAra- Bilahari- tyAgarAja - ANS @ rAja rAja sirOmanI
kalAvatI kamalAsanayuvatI - kalAvati - Muthusvami Dikshitar
durusugA - sAvEri - Syama Sastri- ANS @ nArAyanI syAmakrishna vinuta
dhirasamIrE - Darbari Kanada - Jayadeva


A true '20 somethings' concert with speed and verve being infused in the presentation. The alapana of the three of our prime time ragas showed him to be in good stead. His Bilahari kriti was not accelerated and was ideal in its treatment. The treatment of Saveri was also sumptuous with delectable pancama varja prayogas in his neraval. Full marks to the artiste for his succinct delineation of ragas and for his technical virtuosity. The accompanists gave him the needed company.

Two key observations stood out for me :
1. The kalapramanam or the base speed of the concert was getting accelerated. For example while the Bhairavi start and the pallavi/anupallavi was sedate, during the the svara vinyasa on the carana line the entire tempo got speeded up for the kriti thereafter. For the adrenaline rush to be moderated, the varnam rendering in three speeds could ideally help one to baseline the vilamba laya which could form the core to which one should time and again revert. One does not need to look far. The Youtube link of Smt Seetha Narayanan's 2016 Nada Inbam concert where she so opens with the Durbar varnam to baseline speed is a demonstration. To avoid getting it hijacked either by one self or the accompanists can also use apps which are today available to moderate the laya.

2. The Dikshitar kriti though rendered in the correct SSP patham, was needlessly accelerated. In fact the madhyamakala portion 'surArcita padAm' was rendered breathlessly. If madhyama/dhruta kala exposition is needed , the services of a Dikshitar kriti need not be requisitioned, IMO. I was also reminded of his Maye 'express' in Tarangini from his MA concert of 2015. With TMK as his guru not sure how this has crept in which needs correction and this is irrespective of the point 1. Dikshitar's compositions are only in vilamba kala with the madhyama kala sahitya alone being in double the speed. This is not just hearsay but also recorded by Dr U Ve Svaminatha Iyer who based on hearing them being rendered in the late 19th and early 20th century, states that Dikshitar's compositions are all in cauka kala only.
Aesthetics should never be sacrificed at the alter of speed. I recall Prof SRJ's telling statement in his MA lec dem in the last decade, for this very composition when he admonishes those who attempt to 'Tyagarjify' Dikshitar's creations. Also one does see that very many misconceptions abound with reference to tempo of Dikshitar kritis in the so called capu tala kritis. All of them are either in misra eka/tisra triputa/misra jhampa, retrofitted to the capu talas inflicting irreversible damage to the innate laya of his compositions. Even very many of Tyagaraja's compositions have been accelerated by a few popular sisya paramaparas. Doubting Thomases and those seeking to argue these may hear it from the horse's mouth - Dr Rita Rajan deals with that in her MA Lec dem on Dec 20th 2016.
I rest my case.

-R

[pperumal]

I missed this as I wanted to attend the other TMK disciple G Ravi Kiran at NGS mini hall - that concert was a very meditative affair with a stellar main piece in slow tempo.
Anyway, Vignesh is blessed with a brilliant voice - hope he touches the emotional aspects as he progresses.

- PP.

[shankarank]

Artistes :
A true '20 somethings' concert with speed and verve being infused in the presentation.

Verve does not have to come from speed. But if it is too slow beyond perception of intervals - then it is 4 somethings concert - kinder garten stuff. Or very old people stuff ( Old people same as children!!).

avargalE avargalukkE vAsittu koLLa vEnDiyatutAn ( they can play it in chamber in a vINA for themselves!)

Diskshitar kritis how much they struggled to get on stage - whole world knows.

What we seek is balance - tyAgarAja kritis slowed down a bit - Dikshitar kritis adjusted slightly for verve.

To set something to various sUlAdi tAlAs - lot of structure is required and many Dikshitar kritis themselves show that - it cannot be just an artificial fit!!

[bharathi]

Overall a very good concert.

I would like to mention that the violin play was simply superb..

VERY MELLIFLUOUS