SANKARAN NAMBOODIRI- FOUR HOUR CONCERT OF MUDHRA

[CRama]

Mudhra is famous for bringing many innovations in the concert format over the last twenty plus years. One of their flagship programme is the Four Hour concert. Of late, some other organisations are taking a leaf out of their format and doing Four Hour concert- though very sporadically. Mudhra is conducting one Four Hour concert every year on the conclusion of their annual music and dance festival. It has been the experience that many vidwans do welcome this format and give a concert exceeding four hours with enthusiasm and zeal. They feel their manodharmam can be exhibited without any threat of time over run and always the pallavi is a virtual treat being, not contrived for lack of time. This year Sankaran Namboothiri presented the concert for four hour and twenty minutes- 5.00 P.M to 9.20 P.M. on 1 January 2017. What a better way of starting the new year. The accompanists.
Avaneeswaran S.R Vinu-Violin
Mannargudi Easwaran-Mridangam
S.Karthik- Ghatam.
List of songs.
• Kalyani adi tala varnam
• Vathapi- Hamsadhwani_MD (S)
• Mariveredik evarayya rama-Shanmugapriya-PSI (R,N,S)
• Maa ramanan-Hindolam-PS (R,S)
• Ninuvina namadendu-Navarasakannada-T
• Maajanaki-Kambodi-T (R,N,S)
• Tani
• Four raga RTP- Ranjani,Mohanam,Poorvikalyani,Saranga
Pallavi-Ranjani Niranjani Mohana taragatri Karunapuritanaye Sarangapani Devi
Khanda Triputa talam 2 kalai
• Tani

Hailed as a child prodiogy in the ninetees, he had a very busy concert schedule for many years. I have heard him those days and people thronged him in all venues. In fact his popularity was more in Chennai than in Kerala those days. His voice has got the timbre of Yesudas. That is the great advantage for him. He got trained under TVG. Hence a masculine and pleasant voice that has good range, throw and good patantharam plus manodharmam – no wonder he was a preferred musician among the Madras crowd of those days. The on slaught of many young musicians during the last decade had sidelined him and he gets very few opportunities nowadays. Last year also, Mudhra gave him an opportunity and he presented a very good concert. But he has got many engagements in Kerala and continues to draw good crowds in Kerala- I heard from my Kerala friends.

SN presented seven ragams- all very elaborate. Shanmugapriya, Hindolam, Kambodi and the four ragams for the RTP. Kambodi- His voice felicity helped him to unravel the various contours of the ragam in the three octaves through judicious application of long akara phrases, brighas and jaru and kampita gamakams. His approach in alapana is a systematic exploration through the key notes and weaving imaginative phrases with his abundant manodharmam and the alapanas were received with loud cheer. I was happy for his selection of Majanaki- for even though I heard many Kambodis in this season, nobody sang Majanaki- and there was an over dose of Tiruvadi saranam. He did neravals at Sannutanga for Mariveredik evarayya rama, Vani Matalaku Kopa ginchi kanta for Majanaki. This was the place for neraval for many yester year greats like SSI and SN followed their path- oblivious of the present day thinking that this line is not suitable for neraval. The swaras were really cracker stuff- very elaborate, energetic, imaginative- but sarvalaghu for the most part. There were many phrases culminating in thara sthayi gandharam which included the ever famous gamapamaga rigasariga. It was a four hour concert and when he sang the swaras for Kambodi, we could not help appreciating his sincerity, energetic expressions-for he was least bothered about conservation of his energy for another two hours. But at the end of the concert, he was still energetic to go further two hours.

Ninnuvina namadendu- he sang all the sangathis which are normally played on the flute and nadaswaram with much ease and polish. He has abundant breath control.

The pallavi- with elaborate alapana, tanam, neraval and swarams in all the four ragams was a real treat. All the alapanas were detailed- only Saranga was slightly lesser duration. The alapana itself took 30 minutes. Tanam was supported by Mridangam. The entire pallavi excluding tani took one hour and ten minutes. Swaras were rendered at various eduppus and the final korvai included all the four ragams. One disturbing thing was that he used to close one of his ears for most part of the concert. This should be avoided. The audience sat through the full pallavi and enjoyed every phrase of it and there was loud applause at various junctures during the pallavi. SN appeared to be a very simple and sincere person- for each time, there was loud applause, he acknowledged with thanks.

ACCOMPANISTS
Avaneeswaran S.R.Vinu provided fine accompaniment on the violin. He is the son and disciple of Avaneeswaram Ramachandran, a very famous singer in Kerala in seventees and eightees and had advanced training under Mysore Nagaraj. His alapanas were very sweet and imaginative. He has developed appreciable thick and thin shades which produce a very sweet melody on the violin. The alapanas and returns reflect his imagination and his total support to the main vocalist. Mannargudi Easwaran, was excellent in his support. That nadam, nidanam, anticipation, clarity of strokes, no banging, and a musician who really supports and appreciates the main vocalist. He is one of the few vidwans who really plays for the kritis and embellishes the kritis. He gives ample space for the Ghatam vidwan also to exhibit his skill. The first Tani took 20 minutes and not a single person left. Karthik, another excellent vidwan who very much supports and encourages the main performer. Their tani brought fire works, but the decibel was not harmful to the ears. Even when SN was going on singing swarams in highly energetic mode, ME signalled him to take rest and signalled Vinu to play. It was a concert where each artist wholly enjoyed and supported the other artiste. I left during the second tani for I had to attend a dinner. Hence I missed the tukkadas portion. A much memorable concert.

Watch out for the webcast of this concert which will be around April 14.

[rajeshnat]

Parama santhosham crama and sankaran namboodiri. On Sunday had some work at home and had to be with kid and relatives during early evening time. Best wishes to sankaran namboodhiri.

[Sivaramakrishnan]

rajeshnat, infact CRama and me literally looked around for you at the venue!

Well, SN demonstrated his total dedication to the 4 hour package with an excellent planning and rendition with astounding energy levels with required modulation and bhaava. For example the song in Navarasakannada-Ninnuvina- was not merely a display of sangatis but loaded with emotional appeal especially in the charana passage addressing Lord Rama.

It's also a matter of relief that SN is not imitating Yesudas but has imbibed the positive qualities of the maestro's voice modulation technique. Congrats to Mudra for giving him the prime & prestigious slot during the season. He should maintain the tempo.

[rajeshnat]

rajeshnat, infact CRama and me literally looked around for you at the venue!

SRK,
I was also looking for you at least in skgs when I attended thoppur sairam . His guru Trichy Ganesan and I am assuming his student thoppur sairam must have given a lot of concerts in and around trivandrum. I would have especially loved to hear the 4 raga rtp that too with mrudangam during taanam with easwaran rather the best mrudangam artist of this year .

[CRama]

Rajesh. Trichy Ganesan- we never heard anything about him or about his concerts or reviews after he left TVM. He got settled in Madurai and he used to give concerts in Palghat. His wife is from Palghat and had developed some connections there.(This I learned after his demise). Recently I got a video concert of him held in Palghat.

Thopur Sairam. His name came into notice only during the last five six years. I remember once I heard him in Mudhra's monthly concert and now I dont remember any thing about that concert. I remember once he had sung in Navarathri Mandapam. But I did not hear that nor got any opinion from my friends. So as it is, he is totally unfamiliar to me. Next time whenever any chance comes, I will hear him.

[Sivaramakrishnan]

rajeshnat, it's news to me that Sairam is Ganesan's sishya! Shall note to attend his concert.
I could listen to Trichy Ganesan just once in concert at the Mummoorthy Vizha at Tiruvarur in 2012.
Did you attend Namboodiri elsewhere during the season?

[Ravi009]

Sir
Can u send me the notations of ninnuvina
Namadendu