Season Summary - 2017 - best of best

[rajeshnat]

Season Summary - 2017 - best of best
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It is very late to do that ,but it is still before season 2018 .Here is a take representing the best of best concert in margazhi season 2017-2018. I just thought just like The Hindu coming up on a saturday with the fixed date with all schedules , I was thinking from this year why cannot i post this best of best season of last year just before the start of the next season(Dec 2018) . The start of the season is november 3rd week of 2018 and I am publishing best of best of last year(dec 2017)

Season starts from November 3rd week,2017 to Jan 12th 2018:
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I attended 24 concerts , 6 less than the previous season of 2016. I think i attended 19 or 20 artists .I reviewed all the 24. Incidentally barring one morning and one afternoon all of them i attended only evening concerts. Certain sabhas like BVB start in November and certain sabhas like nadasudha ,astika samajam -tiruvanmiyur await till Jan to start with.

Let me move on for Season Summary - 2017 - best of best

Best Varnam:
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TNS Krishna@parivAdhini on Dec 03rd,2017
1. maatE malayAthwaja - kamAs- HMB

AND

Charumathi Raghuraman@nadasudha On Jan 02nd,2018
1.sarasijanAbha - ata tAla varnam - kAmbOdhi - ST/Vaidvelu

The best is maatE malayathwaja by TNS Krishna@parivAdhini on Dec 03rd,2017

best #1 or #2 (non submain) :
--------------------------------
Trichur Brothers@NGS on Dec 21st,2017
1.deva deva kalayamithE (?,N,S)- mAyamAlavagowlai - ST
6 mins neraval in jAtarUpa nibhacEla janmArcitam mamAkhila
swaras for 5 mins

AND

Kanyakumari@MusicAcademy On Dec 28th,2017
2.vAthApi ganapathim (R,S) - hamsadhwani - MD
2 mins alapana and 8 mins swaras

The best is devadeva kalayAmithE(?,N,S)- mAyamAlavagowlai - ST by Trichur Brothers@NGS on Dec 21st,2017

Best Submain
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Abhishek Raghuram@Narada Gana Sabha on Dec 27th,2017
2. ninnE nammiti nayya (R N S)- simmhendra madhyamam - MV
4 mins alapana
7 mins nerval in pannagendra sayanA
10 mins swaras

AND

Kunnakudi Balamuralikrishna@Mudhra On Jan 07th,2018
04. pariyAchakamA(R N S) - vanaspathi - T
12 mins alapana and 6 mins violin return
9 mins neraval in sharanAgatha rakshaka
11 mins swaras


AND

Suryaprakash@Global Arts Festival on Dec 24th,2017

3. aDAmOdi galadE (R N S) - chArukesi - T
12 mins alapana and 6 mins violin return
6 mins neraval in caduvulanni telisi SankarAmSuDai
7 mins swaras

The best is Abhishek Singing ninnE nammiti nayya (R N S)- simmhendra madhyamam

[rajeshnat]

best no between submain and main- Slow Filler:
---------------------------------------------
May be this time I will segment as two .If you consider a slow filler with either Raga or Neraval or swaras or just plain krithi

Lalgudi Krishnan Vijayalakshmi@Karthik Fine Arts on Dec 19th,2017
3. sujana jeevanA (R) - kamAs - T
4 mins alapana

AND

Jayanthi Kumaresh@Chennai Fine Arts on Dec 23rd,2017
3. santhana gopalakrishnam (R ,S) - kamAs - MD
6 mins alapana and 6 mins swaras

AND

Nisha Rajagopal@nadasudha On Jan 12th,2018
4. brOvavammA bangAru - neelAmabari -SS

AND

Suryaprakash@Nanganallur NSTSS On Dec 31st,2017
4. neerajAkshi kAmAkshi (R,CS ,CS) - hindOlam - MD
9 mins alapana and 3 mins violin return

The best is santhana gopalakrishnam by Jayanthikumaresh@Chennai Fine Arts on Dec 23rd,2017


best no between submain and main- Fast Filler:
---------------------------------------------

If you consider the fast filler with only swaras
Trichur Brothers@NGS on Dec 21st,2017
3.manavyalakincharA (S)- nalinakAnthi -T
8 mins swaras

Rest did not qualify that much so only one nominee and one winner Trichur Brothers


Best main number:
--------------------
Palakkad Ramprasad@nadasudha On Dec 29th,2017
7A. akhilAndeshwari (R N S) - jujAvanti - MD
11 mins alapana and 7 mins violin return
neraval in lambOdhara guruguha pujithE for 6 mins
swaras for 16 mins

AND
Ramakrishnan Murthy@MusicAcademy On Dec 28th,2017
5A. chakkani rAja (R N S T)- kharaharapriya - T
11 mins alapana and 6 mins violin retun
neraval in kantiki sundara taramagu rupavE for 8 mins
swaras for 8 mins
Between the three I will go for TNS krishna todi as the best one

AND
Suryaprakash@Nanganallur NSTSS On Dec 31st,2017
6A. chakkani rAjA ( R N S T) - kharaharapriya - T
16 mins alapana and 5 mins violin return
14 mins neraval in kantiki sundara taramagu rupave
13 mins swaras


AND

TNS Krishna@parivAdhini on Dec 03rd,2017
8A. mohanam alapanai for 16 mins with 8 mins return
*8B. vandArkuzhali .... thanjamAi vandadhaindhOm - mohanam - may I know whose verse is this???
8C. jagadeeshwari kripai (R N S T)- mohanam - tiruvarur ramaswamy pillai
neraval in gathi enru nambinOrai kAppathu uN vairAgyam for 9 mins
17 mins swaras

AND

OS Thiagarajan@Madhuradhwani on Nov 25th,2017
06A.Kaddanuvariki(R N S T) - Thodi - T
18 mins alapana and 8 mins violin return
6 mins neraval in paddu tappaka bhajiyincu bhakta pAlanamu sEyu
10 mins swaras

The best of the above 5 is the ChakkaniRaja (R N S T)Suryaprakash@Nanganallur NSTSS On Dec 31st,2017

[rajeshnat]

Best Single Raga RTP
--------------------
None - I did not hear even one

Best Multiple Raga RTP
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Swathi Srikrishna@nAgeswaran house(rasikas.org concert) on Nov 26th,2017
08A. RTP in brindavana saranga for 41 mins
Pallavi line --->>> Chetashri rAmam chintayE ravikOla sObham sathatham
alapana for 14 mins with intermediate violin return
taanam for 6 mins
pallavi and swararagamaliga for the rest of 41 mins
swara ragamaliga in brindavana saranga + hameerkalyani + Durga + ShuruTTi


AND

Lalgudi Krishnan Vijayalakshmi@Karthik Fine Arts on Dec 19th,2017
4. RTP Ranjani for 37 mins
rAga alapanai 16 mins and taanam for 4 mins
Pallavi was Ranjani bayaRanjani pankaja LOchani lokha janani mAMpAhi
swara ragamaliga in ranjani + janaranjani + dhanyAsi + dwijAvanthi + ???

AND

Raji Gopalakrishnan@MusicAcademy On Dec 28th,2017
8. RTP - suddhadhanyasi(main raga) for 40 mins
4 ragas in Taanam and swaras)-suddhadhanyasi + mohanakalyani + reetigowlai + Mahathi
13 mins alapan and 12 mins taanam
pallavi talam mishra jAthi triputa
Pallavi --kannanai manivannanai madhura kuzhalisai mAyanai nee ninai kuraitheerkum

AND

TNS Krishna@parivAdhini on Dec 03rd,2017
9. RTP for 1 hour 20 mins. RTP in dwiragas - shanmughapriya and AbhOgi
pallavi line was krishna krishnA mahAyOgin mahAbhOgIndra sAyin Agatam suswAgAtam saranAgatam
tAlam was misra triputa - 11 counts
swara ragamaliga in shanmughapriya + ABhogi + lalitA+ poorvikalyani+ niroshta +shanmughapriya + ABhogi

AND

Suryaprakash@Karthik Fine Arts on Dec 25th,2017
5. RTP in srothaswini for 38 mins
11 mins alapana and 9 mins taanam and rest in pallavi and swaras
Pallavi line was mahakavi line -- veenai yadi nee enakku mEvum viral nAn unakku
swaras in srothaswini + vijayanagari + kApi + darbari kAnaDA


The winner is TNSKrisha@Paraivadhini for his extraordinary pallavi in dwiragas shanmughapriya and Abhogi

[rajeshnat]

Best viruththam:
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TNS Krishna@parivAdhini on Dec 03rd,2017
*10A. viruththam AAnirai - kApi + kApagam ellAm - shyamA + pAnaiyil pAlai sorindu - vasantA
+ pAnaiyil pAlai sorindu - neelAMbari + pEniyiL inaiyapirAnE - shuruTTi - periazhvAr pasuram (divyaprabhandham)
10B. kannA vA manni vannA vA - ragamaliga (kApi + vasanta+ shyamA + neelambari + shuruTTi) - ambujam krishna

AND

Kunnakudi Balamuralikrishna@Mudhra On Jan 07th,2018
8A. viruththam - pachai mA malai pOl meni - nAdanamakriya + Ayartam kozhundE - punnagavarali + pachai mA malai pOl meni - shenjurutti - divyaprabhandam
8B. kaNNaniDam eDutthuchollaDi - shenjurutti + punnagavarali+ nAdanamakriya

AND

Saketharaman@NGS on Dec 21st,2017
6A. viruththam - ninnarulAm gathi endru - dhanyAsi +
unnAralukku inidhAna - sahAnA + mann irula vinra vinai - sindhubhairavi + innarulAi - brindavani???
6B. ezhil thirumEni - brindavani - Ambujam krishna

AND

Aishwarya Shankar@MusicAcademy On Dec 28th,2017
6A. viruththam kuzhalOsai kEtka manam - hamsAnandi + thazaithONgum - yamunAkalyani +
??? + igabaram tharum - kamas
6B. nAn enna thavam seidhEnO - kamas - ovk

The winner is TNSKrishna@parivAdhini on Dec 03rd,2017 for his divyaprabhandam


Best Ugabhooga:
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None - did not hear any one

Best Slokham:
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Ramakrishnan Murthy@MusicAcademy On Dec 28th,2017

8A. slOkham - shringAram kshiti nandini - kApi + kAnadA + mukhAri + mohanakalyani + navarasakannada???+ Ahiri + revati + hamsanandi+ shyamA - rAmakaraNamrtam
8B. janaki ramana - kApi - vanamalai jeeyar

AND

TNS Krishna@parivAdhini on Dec 03rd,2017
*7A. slokham - krishnAya vasudevAya - hindolam - may I know whose verse is this?? - Srimad Bhagavatam
7B. bhajarE gopAlam mAnasa - hindOlam - sadAshiva brahmendra

AND
Suryaprakash@Karthik Fine Arts on Dec 25th,2017
6A. slokham vaNdE mAtaram ambikAm - sindhubhairavi + shree raja rajeshwari - Savaeri
6B. en annaiyin parivum anbum inRaRindEnE - saaveri - Rajalakshmi krishnan


The winner is Ramakrishnan Murthy@MusicAcademy On Dec 28th,2017 for Shringaram


Best tukkada(non viruththam/slokham )
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No ranking just listing a list of great numbers as it is difficult to rank them

Lalgudi Krishnan Vijayalakshmi@Karthik Fine Arts on Dec 19th,2017
7. Thillana - hamsAnandhi - LGJ

AND

Jayanthi Kumaresh@Chennai Fine Arts on Dec 23rd,2017
8. kanda naal mudhalAi - madhuvanti - NS Chidambaram

AND
Palakkad Ramprasad@nadasudha On Dec 29th,2017
10 . rAma nAma methuthi - desh - Tanjore Sankara Iyer

AND
Suryaprakash@Nanganallur NSTSS On Dec 31st,2017
7. MEgaragamaliga composition - devargal arul seidharAgangalE - hamsanadam + nattai + kalyani+ bhairavi + ranjani + Simm madhyamam + tOdi + darbar + shyamA + dhanyasi + bilahari+ kharaharapriya + rasikapriya+ shanmughapriya +atana + saramathi + kApi + Abhogi + pooornashadjam + kAMbodhi + sindhubhairavi + mohanam + sooryakantham + madhyamavati - Suryaprakash

AND

Charumathi Raghuraman@nadasudha On Jan 02nd,2018
7. ashtapadi - yA ramitA (raga sketch) - suddhasArang - jayadeva

AND
Ramakrishnan Murthy@MusicAcademy On Dec 28th,2017
9. varugalAmO - mAnji - GKB

AND

Saketharaman@NGS on Dec 21st,2017
8. thillAna .. thaka dheem ta dheem ... manam kollai konda kannA - madhuvanti - LGJ

[rajeshnat]

Best Accompanist Pair support:
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Suryaprakash@Global Arts Festival on Dec 24th,2017

Mrudangam : Trivandrum Balaji
Claypot : Ghatam Karthick

Best Mrudangist for Tani:
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Abhishek Raghuram@Narada Gana Sabha on Dec 27th,2017
Mrudangam : Anantha R Krishan
3A. kambodhi main
3B. tani for 19 mins

Best Mrudangist for song :
--------------------------
Mrudangam : N C Bharadwaj In Ramakrishnan Murthy@MusicAcademy On Dec 28th,2017
AND
Mrudangam : Trichur Mohan In Trichur Brothers@NGS on Dec 21st,2017
AND
Mrudangam :R Sankaranarayanan in Jayanthi Kumaresh@Chennai Fine Arts on Dec 23rd,2017
AND
Mrudangam :Arjun Ganesh in Suryaprakash@Karthik Fine Arts on Dec 25th,2017
AND
Mrudangam :Anantha Krishnan in Charumathi Raghuraman@nadasudha On Jan 02nd,2018

Difficult to choose one, i will skip this

Best Violin support:
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BU GaneshPrasad@TNS Krishna@parivAdini on Dec 3rd,2017
AND
Charumathi Raghuraman@Ramakrishnan Murthy@MusicAcademy On Dec 28th,2017
AND
Nagai Sriram@Palakkad Ramprasad@nadasudha On Dec 29th,2017

NagaiSriram is the winner

Best Upapakkavadhyam artist:
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Ghatam Karthick In Suryaprakash@Global Arts Festival on Dec 24th,2017
Ghatam Suresh In OS Thiagarajan@Madhuradhwani on Nov 25th,2017
BS Sundarkumar@Kunnakudi Balamuralikrishna@Mudhra On Jan 07th,2018

The winner is Ghatam Suresh

[rajeshnat]

Best Vocalist:
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Difficult to do this , will skip this

Special Mention of any brand new novelty
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THere was two novelty which was unique that i heard for the first time ever .First was RTP in srotaswani
Suryaprakash@Karthik Fine Arts on Dec 25th,2017
5. RTP in srothaswini for 38 mins
11 mins alapana and 9 mins taanam and rest in pallavi and swaras
Pallavi line was mahakavi line -- veenai yadi nee enakku mEvum viral nAn unakku
swaras in srothaswini + vijayanagari + kApi + darbari kAnaDA

AND
second was
Hearing R N S submain in Vanaspathi raga
Kunnakudi Balamuralikrishna@Mudhra On Jan 07th,2018
04. pariyAchakamA(R N S) - vanaspathi - T

Concert of the season:
----------------------
There were 5 excellent concerts

Trichur Brothers@NGS on Dec 21st,2017
Jayanthi Kumaresh@Chennai Fine Arts on Dec 23rd,2017
Ramakrishnan Murthy@MusicAcademy On Dec 28th,2017
Suryaprakash@Nanganallur NSTSS On Dec 31st,2017
Kunnakudi Balamuralikrishna@Mudhra On Jan 07th,2018

The winner as a team was none of the above but it was TNS Krishna@parivadhini on Dec 03rd,2017

* TNS Krishna@parivAdhini on Dec 03rd,2017
--------------------------------------------
Vocal : TNS Krishna
Violin : BU GaneshPrasad
Mrudangam : Vijay Natesan
Kanjira : S Venkataramanan

Concert Type : Nirvana - No concert to follow , Free concet
Day/Duration : Sunday / 4 hours and 45 minutes (advertised as 4 hour concert)
sabha/Hall : Parivadhini ,Ragasudha hall
Time : 5 to 9:45pm

* Just because TNSK singing 4 hours does not mean that he got it . infact for the last 10 years year on year i am attending atleast one or two 4 hour concert season and i did not give the best just because it was 4 hours, but this TNS Krishna is one of a kind.


This TNS Krishna was rated by me as excellent to outstanding concert. Check the url for more details
viewtopic.php?f=13&t=30233#p325635

[rajeshnat]

Non trivia - Canteen:
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forgot now

Best sabha
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Mudhra , unquestionably for their preperation and keeping intensely focussed and Parivadhini for giving the best concert of the season. Special mention for Mudhra and Radha bhaskar- systemically making it better and better year on year.

Conclusively
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# All said and done , Season 2017 is overall great, more choices is always a positive thing to me. I attended 24 concerts in the roughly 2 month period . On one day I attended 4 concerts which I have never done before.Few artists like Aishwarya Shankar,Swathi Srikrishna i attended for the first time.

Thank you all musicians- lovely vidwans and vidushis , They say "Better late than Never". best wishes for your futuristic Season 2018. The season of 2018 has just started , with as usual BVB - Mylapore kickstarted season 2018.