Kunnakkudi Balamurali & Team @ Notre Dame, Indiana

[rasaali]

Location: Hesburgh Library auditorium @ University of Notre Dame, South Bend, IN

Kunnakkudi Balamurali (KBMK) - HN Bhaskar (HNB) - Tanjore Murugabhoopati (TMB) - B Sree Sundar kumar (SSK)

List:

1. Pagavari Bodhana - Hamsadhwani - Adi - Patnam Subramania Iyer - Detailed swarams @ charanam

2. Manasa Mana Samartyamemi - Vardhini - Roopakam - Thyagaraja

3. Sri Sathyanarayanam - Subhapantuvarali - 2 Kalai Roopakam - Dikshitar - Niraval and swaram at Matsya Koorma Varahadi...

4. Ragam Tanam Pallavi - Dwijavanthi - Adi Talam Khanda Nadai (Main with Tani Avartanam)

Lyric: Rama Sri Rama Sita Rama Yena Bhajittal / Mun Vinai Teerume, Jaya (Rama). Words provided by Usha Chari and set to meter and tune by KBMK (he announced this).

Structure: Eduppu was one beat before samam. Karvai was six. I will post structure later if possible
Ragamalika: In the tanam only- Hamsanandi, Behag

5. Krishna Nee Begane Baro - Yamuna Kalyani - Vyasaraaya - Misra Chapu

6. Tillana - Dhanasri - Adi - Swathi Tirunal


Continuing on their great form through this tour, the artistes took the the South Bend music community on an wonderful journey. Short as the list seems, the concert lasted almost 3 hours. I was too engrossed to keep exact time.

The energy and chemistry of the team is a treat to watch and experience through the music they deliver. It is a team in every sense of the word.

KBMK has carved a great niche in balancing the very complex aspects of and a sukha bhavam in a concert. It is a golden mean he has made his own. HNB, TMB and SSK are great artistes who added to the lustre of the music through their sublime and uplifting accompaniment.

I had heard the team a couple of weeks back in Milwaukee and in contrast Notre Dame was a more meditative concert. But much like Milwaukee there was much that thrilled and moved the listeners, sometimes at the same time.

As someone in Milwaukee said, this team's music is a bit like a great math teacher who has learned to simplify calculus and let the student and layman see it's beauty. You see it is complex but you feel it's beauty at the same time and hence it is not daunting as a listener. In fact you are drawn to journey with the artistes through the elements of the concert.

DETAILED OBSERVATIONS WILL FOLLOW. TIME CONSTRAINTS RIGHT NOW.

[arasi]

Rasaali,
Good to hear from you, that too with a review of a concert (s) you enjoyed listening to:)

Young BMK has everything going for him, and when he adds that sukha bhAvam to his impressive singing, he's bound to win even more. His voice which had issues in the past sounds very good now. Throw in a strong group of fellow artistes, and what do you have? A winning team of musicians.

You have noted (between the two concerts) that this emotive concert was even more appealing. He already has feeling in his voice. If virtuosity moves away a bit and gives room to his bhAVa sense, his music is excellent.

Waiting for the famed local photographer's pictures, of course...

[rajeshnat]

DETAILED OBSERVATIONS WILL FOLLOW. TIME CONSTRAINTS RIGHT NOW.

rasaali (KNS Vinay -grand son of vidwan TK jayarama iyer , )
I have talked with you few times and you are a big fan of having the big 6 as main . In this concert no big 6. It loooks like rasaali has graduated from carnatic patterns to carnatic antipatterns. Expecting ur detailed observations .

[sankark]

DETAILED OBSERVATIONS WILL FOLLOW. TIME CONSTRAINTS RIGHT NOW.

(xxxxxxxx -grand son of vidwan TK jayarama iyer , )

Does this pertain to the discussion? Would be good to not let slip personal connects & other insider/personal info. Applies to the other thread on Suryaprakash in Nadasurabhi.

[arasi]

Mmm...I'm somewhat puzzled. Are we then supposed to don lab coats and wear gloves when we say anything about the concerts? Even mere rasikAs--and not experts among us, musicologists and others, who rank high in the knowledge of music? Even they, surely exchange peripheral things like family and personal things after listening to a concert, however clinically, don't they?

Besides, we have plenty of cerebral exchanges in the fora where some 'analyze' concerts too. All exciting stuff, and even humbler rasikAs peek in to try and get to understand a tiny bit of all that they discuss.

We are also a friendly site, as many of us have been acquainted with each other for years. In music, we come together and also shoot the breeze like old cronies. I'm afraid I'm guilty too, if it's not kosher. Our culture is yet another thing to add to this. Every social occasion (yes, a concert too) is not bereft of personal exchanges.

Unless, the trend indicates that Rasikas.org is a voice for music of solely expert listeners who consider listening to music a very solemn thing.

Hope you understand what I am trying to say...

[rajeshnat]

sankark
I dont think rasaali ever minds to be mentioned as KNS Vinay(he was a professional violinist who moved to USA from Delhi). Many years before he himself declared in his first few posts .I am not exposing any kind of cover here , just in case if you think that way? . Over to rasaali

[meenaakshi]

Here are some shots :

https://goo.gl/photos/CcEg4zhkzJccLdf47

[rshankar]

Meenakshi, beautiful pictures! Vibrant....

[arasi]

Meenaakshi (fish-like eyes),
Your single eye (lens) too is special...Thanks...