Carnatica bros for TNK Foundation on 7th Jan 07

kalyani · Post by **kalyani** » 08 Jan 2007, 19:55

Raga Sudha Hall, 4:25 pm

Accompanied by - Karaikkal Venkatasubramaniam (Violin) and Trichur Narendran (Mridangam)

List of Songs:

1. karuNimpa (varnam) - sahAna
2. karuNa Ela gaNTe - varALi (R, S)
3. dayalEni - nAyaki
4. sarasa sAma dAna - kApinArAyaNi (S)
5. kaligiyuNTe - kIravANi (R,N,S,T)
6. samayamide (javali) - behAg
7. rAmacandra nI daya - suruTTi

I'm afraid my writing 'skills' fall miserably short in describing exactly what kind of emotions one went through during the concert. For most of those two hours, I was in an entirely different world, of bliss and ecstacy. There was perfect shruthi shuddham (and here, I mean 'shuddham', not just 'shruthi alignment'; I see a difference between the two). This is something I lamented about in another thread and I was so happy yesterday to listen to music devoid of unnecessary frills, gimmicks and endless kalpana swarams. Both the alapanas were beautiful, Varali by Ganesh and Kiravani by Sashikiran. Kalpana swarams were also intelligently patterned. If I had to pick one word to describe the concert, I'd probably pick 'haunting'! Karaikkal Venkatasubramaniam was good. Trichur Narendran's playing was full of sowkhyam. I wish I could listen to such music more often, but work plays spoil-sport at times, with the exception of Sundays! Oh well, I realise I'm beginning to ramble so I'll stop with this! If any one else attended this concert, I'd love to hear your views too.

rajaglan · Post by **rajaglan** » 08 Jan 2007, 20:38

Hi,

My feeling after seeing one of their concert is about their hand and body movement. ganesh has very artificial hand movement. It is almost like he has no natural movement but he is doing it for the sake of it. Shashikiran has always the same movement , one of the hands going above and behind.

I found TMK hand movements are very syncronised to the bhava during keerthana and progrssion of swaras during neraval. It looks very nice. Sanjay also shows very similar.
I am not saying this is important but can be improved.

I attended their concert in karthik fine arts and their surruti, hemavathi rtp were very good.

kalyani · Post by **kalyani** » 09 Jan 2007, 18:41

I think TMK and Sanjay do far more 'seshtai' than Sashikiran or Ganesh. But I generally don't mind seshtai so it makes no difference to me as a rasika. The only artiste whose actions I find totally obnoxious is O.S. Arun. He twists and turns, waves his hands and even claps on stage! Of course, I don't think he claims to sing classical music, so I always keep a safe distance from his concerts!

Jigyaasa · Post by **Jigyaasa** » 09 Jan 2007, 19:34

You're so right regarding O.S.Arun... My parents who aren't exactly CM freaks attended one of his programs cuz my Dad was invited by a friend. And when they came back, they said they might as well have gone to a dance program which in any case they assured me, would've been less noisy! As for Shri TMK, with no intention of hurting anyone's sentiments I'd say it's HIS 'abhinaya' that really goes overboard! He's making cascades out of thin air, building temples and what not. I dare say I've actually found it a distraction at times. I prefer listening to him with my eyes closed, if ever. Shri Sanjay Subramanyam CAN get a little TOO expressive at tmes too... But I guess finding someone's gestures obnoxious is rather subjective.

ramakriya · Post by **ramakriya** » 09 Jan 2007, 22:33

Oh boy! You haven't seen Bheemasena Joshi singing

-Ramakriya

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 09 Jan 2007, 23:06

ramakriya,
I have, but TMK takes the cake when it comes to abhinayA and recently he did what I was always afraid of--he knocked the mike down!

anandabhairavi · Post by **anandabhairavi** » 11 Jan 2007, 00:09

dont forget TMK'S jaangri puziyara sheshtai which is fun to watch as many maamis commented

clueless · Post by **clueless** » 11 Jan 2007, 00:30

Needamangalam Krishnamurthy Bagavathar used to sing a folk song (in Kummi tune) regarding the mannerisms of various artists, which goes like

Musiri kaivittadhai (apparently, Musiri's action was to open the fist while singing the alapanai)
Mudikondan pidippadhum ( The reverse of Musiri for Mudikondan)
.....
......
Semmangudi pinnuvadhum (Especially, during swarams, the feeling being that if you hang a Sowri on the mike, it would be competely braided by the end of the swaraprastharam)
..........

....

If anyone can fill in the rest of the words, it would be great.

Clueless

padren68 · Post by **padren68** » 11 Jan 2007, 09:27

coolkarni · Post by **coolkarni** » 11 Jan 2007, 10:05

padren,
I always knew that silence from you was Golden ,(when you keep straining to get more of the pinakapani stuff for us-)

but
- ?:)

padren68 · Post by **padren68** » 11 Jan 2007, 10:47

Dint get u:) I am actually working on u/l some lovely music of Dr. Pani 2morrow...

vijay · Post by **vijay** » 11 Jan 2007, 11:10

Pity myself for having missed such great masters "in action"!

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 11 Jan 2007, 11:25

The one I wish you had seen--Ariyakkudi nonchalantly tying his little kuDumi (tuft) while singing, every time it got undone! A deft act that I looked forward to as a child. A subtle act which added drama to his 'taran nanA'...

Jigyaasa · Post by **Jigyaasa** » 12 Jan 2007, 17:53

@ramakriya, arasi, anandabhairavi, clueless... Thanx for all the insights into those musicians' 'non-vocal assets' :rolleyes:
Esp anandabhairavi's comment! Really took the cake... Hilarious

jayaram · Post by **jayaram** » 12 Jan 2007, 18:01

How come MDR didn't get a mention in this context. I am told he would do 'abhinaya' for several pieces in his concerts. The one video of his that I have watched does confirm this!

In fact, I read somewhere that a true Carnatic singer should include abhinaya to deliver the complete bhava.

kalyani · Post by **kalyani** » 13 Jan 2007, 10:57

SVK's review of this concert in The Hindu -

Appealing rendition

`Karuna Elagante' (Varali), `Dayaleni Bratukemi' (Nayaki), `Sarasa Saamadana' (Kapi Narayani) and `Kaligiyunte Gada' (Keeravani) â€” what more is necessary to make a kutcheri wholesome? The youngsters, Carnatica Brothers, Sashikiran and P. Ganesh, by the selection of these songs showed where their heart lay in framing a performance.

The solid voice of Sashikiran and the pliable tone of Ganesh complemented each other to make the rendering of the kirtanas solicitously appealing. Varali raga alapana of Ganesh touched the salient morchanas to stress the gentle shades of the raga. Sashikiran's Keeravani elaboration was animated by sensitive sentiments. The kirtana bhava was well brought out.

Similarly, the Varali song was sung in such a way as to convey its message of the way to gain Sri Rama's grace.

Karaikal Venkatasubramanian's violin was pertinently supportive with crispness. Thrichur Narendran on the mridangam was dexterous and distinctive.

chalanata · Post by **chalanata** » 13 Jan 2007, 17:15

neethidevathai,
please note. probably this is as a consequence of your threat. reviews about others than TMK are also appearing in the hindu!

rshankar · Post by **rshankar** » 13 Jan 2007, 21:15

Somehow, I do not think that the needidevadai was referring to artists like the Carnatica Bros when he/she decided to take up cudgels in their defence - I think the artists being defended were IIRC, good musicians who have not crossed Guduvanchery. By that yard stick the brothers are excluded because they have made several rounds of the US...TMK and Sanjay were just representative for the needidevadai to single out to show how some get all the attention while others equally or more deserving (in the needidevadai's opinion, of course) don't.
BTW, this is just my observation. I am not in anyway bostering the needidevadai!

sjm · Post by **sjm** » 13 Jan 2007, 22:07

My feeling after seeing one of their concert is about their hand and body movement. ganesh has very artificial hand movement. It is almost like he has no natural movement but he is doing it for the sake of it.

Rajaglan,
How in the world can you figure out whose body movements are artificial and whose are natural?I totally disagree with your comment.
Infact Sri Chitravina Ganesh is much more composed and less demonstrative than most vocalists.He looks extremely
focussed and totally absorbed in his music rendition.In short I very much like his style.Sri Shashikiran is more demonstrative than Sri Ganesh.Anyways,their actions seem to be well syncronized with their rendition.

Shashikiran has always the same movement , one of the hands going above and behind.

You mean to say Sri Shashikiran should demonstrate a variety of actions depending on the songs he sings?Maybe you should just listen to audio CDs rather than attend live concerts.That way you won't get distracted by the artists' body movements.
I enjoy watching them as much as I enjoy listening to their voices.
I also disagree with those who have commented on O.S Arun's body language.O.S Arun's music is very emotive & soulful.

rajaglan · Post by **rajaglan** » 16 Jan 2007, 12:56

sjm,

Music is a feeling and Appreciation of music is another feeling and it varies as each rasika and his/her expectations are different. In that sense I greatly appreciate your defense to the artists. In fact I mentioned in my posting that their (carnatika brothers) surutti and hemavathi were good.

But your advisies need to be kept to yourselves and to your people. I cannot appreciate you on that.

sjm · Post by **sjm** » 16 Jan 2007, 21:55

Rajaglan,
I have just stated my opinion about the artists.If mine are defensive statements yours are offensive.Thanks for your appreciation but I dont need it.
Sorry if you felt offended.
Like you've stated yourself expectations & opinions vary from one rasika to another.