T.V.SANKARANARAYANAN IN KGS- 15/9/18

[CRama]

Accompanists
H.N.Bhaskar- Mridangam
Mannargudi Easwaran- Mridangam
Alathur Rajaganesh- Ganjira
List of songs.
• Jaya jaya Padmanabhamurare- Sarasangi- ST (S)
• Sogasujoodatarama- Kannadagowla- T (S)
• Nambikettavar illavo-Kalyani- PD (R,N,S)
• Marugelara- Jayanthasree-T
• Lambodharam bhavaye-Kambodi- Tulasivanam (R,S)
• Thani
• RTP_ Shanmugapriya- Chatusra Triputa
• Pallavi- Saravanabhava Guruguha Shanmuga Swaminathane

An excellent concert which you can always expect from the veteran vidwan. His sruti sudham, amazing timbre of the voice defying his age, artistry, long experience all pave way for excellence in delivery of the keerthanam and manodharmam elements. Only the keerthanams are getting repeated over the years. The alapanas of Kalyani, Kambodi and Shanmugapriya were quite elaborate revealing the characteristic pidis of the ragam and are joyful to hear even any number of times. The swaram in Kalyani revealing the vadi samvadi approach and the shaadja panchama varja swaras were virtual treat.

Lambodharam is a composition of Tulasivanam which TVS used to render in TVM in the 80s in the festival organized by Tulasivanam Rmachandran nair. Any how it is appropriate for the Vinayaka Chaturthi festival. The volley of swaras resting in mel gandharam- ga ma paa ma gaa riga saa ri gaa is greatly relished by the sangeeta rasikas- never mind repeatedly hearing the same swara combinations.

RTP came as a bonus. It is the pallavi popularized by his Guru MMI. It was rendered with the gauravam it deserves. The RM swaras were Behag, Ranjani and Sindubhairavi. It consumed 40 minutes. I left after the RTP.

H.N.Bhaskar played excellently. His alapanas and swara returns followed TVS but his own manodharmam got revealed in adequate measure. He got repeated applause from the rasikas. Mannargudi Easwaran was great in his vadyam which had the right volume and his anticipation was good and the strokes had richness, clarity and variety. Alathur Rajaganesh was a good support, to the entire team.

A riveting concert for more than two hours forty five minutes. There was very good attendance for this concert.

[ganeshkant]

Happy to read your review of this concert and more happy about the attendance despite a ticketed one.a nice list of songs.should have been a great concert.

Recently in you tube I heard a 1982 recording of TVS - RTP in Rishabhapriya.my respect & love for TVS grew multifold.

[rajeshnat]

Crama
U told few things which i was not aware when we attended chitraavina crt . Let me share that to others. This concert was held in kamakoti hall and more importantly the ticket minimum was,fixed at 50 rupees and not 100 rs which is main hall ticket.


Also when i cribbed during ost thread as to why the concert was for just 2 hours. Now there is a change shri tvs got atleast 2 hour and 45 mins. I was told by crama that at the end of main krithi the organizers or some one gave,a chit to extend. There is no waY we can get spriya pallavi if crt is just 2 hours. So all are reading forum inclusive of organizers continue to fight for good wholesome music.

I hope today even mambalam sisters at skgs get that non 2 hours concert. Let us see.if they are not asked to vacate at exact 8 30 pm.

Crama this pallavi is mmi popularized pallavi. Glad that shri tvs,sang this and u heard. I am sure bhaskar ,rajaganesh and easwaran sir would have raised to the occassion.

[Sivaramakrishnan]

TVS belongs to the 'senior generation musicians' who are fondly welcomed by rasikas for their time tested uruppadis and presentation skills.

I have listened to TVS in temple festivals of villages as remote as 'Kadammanitta' - a hilly terrain in Pathanamthitta District of Kerala during the ninetees. He used to include a couple of kritis of Swati Tirunal like 'Mamava sadaa varade' (Natakurinji) / Kripayaapaalaya sourey (Charukesi) besides a staple menu. But he could carry the listeners with his sheer wholesome, full throated rendition laced with attractive raga delineation and highly entertaining swaraprastaaras.

Young Vidwans may not succeed with the same formula because the expectations from them are different.

[bilahari]

Young Vidwans may not succeed with the same formula because the expectations from them are different.

Well observed. I sometimes pity contemporary younger musicians because far more is expected of them, and by more I do not mean better.

Thank you for this review about a fantastic vidwan whose music I often find steeped in nostalgia of his guru yet with always vivid with his own imagination. That shanmugapriya pallavi I can hear over and over without tiring.

I have to say, though, that I'm not particularly a fan of the GMPMG-RGSRG crescendo in kAmbOji; it always sounds more natural to me in shankarAbharaNam, but seems to be a distraction in kAmbOji. That may not be rooted in a grammatical distinction because the phrase is certainly allowed in both ragas.

[CRama]

Young Vidwans may not succeed with the same formula because the expectations from them are different.

I have to say, though, that I'm not particularly a fan of the GMPMG-RGSRG crescendo in kAmbOji; it always sounds more natural to me in shankarAbharaNam,

MS has sung it in Sankarabharanam in a few concerts- IIRC, in the UN concert. but not in Kambodi.