SANJAY SUBRAHMANYAN AT ANDOVER (BOSTON) ON 4 MAY 2019

Review the latest concerts you have listened to.
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arasi
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Joined: 22 Jun 2006, 09:30

SANJAY SUBRAHMANYAN AT ANDOVER (BOSTON) ON 4 MAY 2019

Post by arasi »

The wetter than ever spring in New England let up, just for the day, to make room for another kind of downpour. Early blossoms of the season were shaking off the moisture, and the budding dogwoods, azeleas and rhododendrons promised us a grand display of colors in weeks to come.
Sanjay Subrahmanyan's concert day turned out to be a clear day, but music rained in the Chinmaya Center Hall--an intimate hall which for some reason reminds me of the Museum Theater of yore in Chennai. Strange, it was a huge hall, but having been in sabha halls and outdoor concerts, it came across to a child as something special and cozy, I suppose.
We like to be early for a concert, but it seemed as if we would reach there only minutes before the curtain. Just as we walked in, we heard the announcement : the concert will begin in five minutes! Sanjay's concerts start promptly as a rule, but this gave us time to settle down in our seats when the lights were already dimmed.
Sanjay came into view with his two trusted warriors of support on either side, and on the sideline, a children's brigade of music students seated in two rows, ready to absorb whatever they could from the master and the duo, all of them ready to keep tALa.
As is his wont, Sanjay started the concert without any delay. Ahiri varNam in kanTa jAti aTa tALa varNam of Tarangambadi Panchnada Iyer was the opener (this is a correction from someone with vidvat. Thanks! I was all flustered, arriving just on time, to pay proper attention :( ).
Bharathi's vandE mAtaram enbOm in kEdAram came as an invocation to bhArata mAtA with swarAs.
Before I could think, he was singing sAvEri. No rAgA :( but he started durusugA (quickly)! durusugA krupa jUci santatam. Were there some swarAs, neraval at parama pAvani? Please add to this report, those who were there.
Sri rAmachandrO rakshatumAm in Sriranjani of MD followed with rAgA. A new one for me.
evaritO nE delpudu rAmA with rAgA. Sanjay's mAnavathi was pleading, pleasing and set the scene for an excellent concert to unfold, not forgetting that the duo by his side were throwing in their share in the process. SwarAs at pallavi line, if I remember.
The main nATTaikuRinji was absorbing as usual. The choice this time was ST's JagadISa. An excellent exercise no doubt, but I have to say I have heard even better NATTaikuRinjis from him!
Venkatesh's tanis are tani (one of a kind). They appeal even to novices like me. We too can see his expertise, his versatality in evoking different rhythm instruments in the course of his playing a single instrument.
Varadu's notes are nectar drops. There is no me or why not a bit more of me among the three of them. Sanjay makes music, and other things recede to the background for him-also for his team and for his audience. Their appreciation for each other fires them up, and we benefit.
Then came a sweet huseini with that little song nETRandi nERathilE. Charming.
We then got ready for the big time mOhanakalyANi RTP. A leisurely journey through the twists and turns of this Gangi-Gowri (siamese twins, once famous in India) rAgA with the lilt of mOhana and the gait and depth of kalyANi. There, Sanjay perhaps pleased two fans in a go who asked for mOhanam and kalyANi! A lovely journey meandering at times but taking brisk turns as the rAgA demands. mOhana rangA vandaruL, varam tandaruL (jagan) was the pallavi line. The whole thing just did shine...
Then followed swaras and a cascade of rAgamAlikA swaras. An endless but enchanting garland of many flowers in rAgAs, ghana rAgAs and exotic ones--you name them if you wish, they were there! (need help again on recollecting them all). A glut of them, but cloying? Not at all!
Please explain the tALa part with all details, laya pulis(tigers) :)
CharanamulE nammiti was also sung so well. kApi, Bhadrachala Ramadas
There was a virutham-orumaiyuDan ninadu padam ninaikkinRa. Or, was dreaming?
A bit disappointed that a lyrical piece of tiruvAi mozhi or of bharathi wasn't sung. But how the guided tour of Udipi kshEtra by Purandara Dasa thrilled us! Taking us from the maTas, to the seaside and riverside, and finally to Krishna himself, his greeting us with the jingling of his pAda sara!
kaNDe na uDapiya krishnana. The rAga sounded like durgA to me. May be not. This is it. When you get absorbed in the lines and the bhAva, what little you know recedes to the background. I am too old to run and garner them in. Rajesh would be disappointed ('you should have noted them down pronto, asked around:(').
Tillana in Dwijavanti. How did the four hours go?

Now that the lights were on, missed a number of the regulars who travel from afar. One couple, organizers from another state had their own concert that day. Almost always there, folks from Canada and the west coast were missing. Surprise , a pair of friends from Canada appeared! They were also at Philadelphia, it seems. Kedhaaram obviously wasn't there, otherwise we would have had an immediate review, and how we all miss it! Any hope for the remaining two concerts? Keeping my fingers crossed...
Rajesh, you are a go-getter, and you got this. Now, be nice to me, beware :)
Last edited by arasi on 11 May 2019, 01:25, edited 3 times in total.

rajeshnat
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Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 08:04

Re: SANJAY SUBRAHMANYAN AT ANDOVER (BOSTON) ON 4 MAY 2019

Post by rajeshnat »

Arasi,
Thank you for showing your lovely charisma in writing . Wonderful and more future 4 hours power to you. I wish you also attended the previous or next day Raga sisters. But there is always a next time. Fyi shree ramachandro i heard from sanjay in academy it is a MLV urupidi just like the subsequent manavati. You have got bharathiyar at the front with kedharam , so stop cribbing for a tailender bharathi.

rajeshnat
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Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 08:04

Re: SANJAY SUBRAHMANYAN AT ANDOVER (BOSTON) ON 4 MAY 2019

Post by rajeshnat »

In general listing songs also gives a missed insight like spread of composers and languages. Kudos to sanjay-varadu-venkatesh in giving such a lovely spread of intense classicism.

Sanjay Subrahmanyan@Boston(Chinmaya center Andover) on May 04th,2019
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Vocal : Sanjay Subrahmanyan
Violin : S Varadarajan
Mrudangam : Neyveli Venkatesh

Concert Type : Nirvana - No concert to follow , Ticketed concet
Day/Duration : Saturday / 4 Hours inclusive of speech if any
sabha/Hall :Andover Chinmaya Center

1. ninnE kOriyunna nA pai(varnam) - kannada - Calcutta Krishnamuthy
2. vandE mAtaram enbom (S) - kedaram - Bharathiyar

3. durusuga(???) - sAveri - SS
4. Sri rAmachandrO rakshatumAm (R ????)- shriranjani - MD

5. evaritO nE delpudu rAmA(S) - MAnavati -T
6A. Jagadisa (R S T) - nattaikurinji - ST
Rajesh is assuming sanjay did not sing a neraval here for nattaikurinji as lot of times he skips main neraval to possibly give more power to Pallavi .Also This MDR popularized krithi does not usually have a neraval
6B. Tani

7. nEtrandi nErathilE (padam) - husEni - subbarama iyer
8. RTP In mohanakalyani with ragamaliga swaras (assuming there was no taanam ragamaliga)
mOhana rangA vandaruL, varam tandaru (jagan) was the pallavi line

9.CharanamulE nammiti - kApi - Bhadrachala Ramadas
10. virutham-orumaiyuDan ninadu padam ninaikkinRa- ????? - vallalAr

11. kaNDe na uDapiya krishnana - durga???? - PD
12. Thillana - dwijAvanti - Tanjore S kalyanaraman (Rajesh is assuming SKR)
13. nee nama roopamulaku - sowrashtram - T (Rajesh has some pshychic insight to tell this last song)

arasi
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Joined: 22 Jun 2006, 09:30

Re: SANJAY SUBRAHMANYAN AT ANDOVER (BOSTON) ON 4 MAY 2019

Post by arasi »

You missed kApi, charaNamulE nammiti,. He must have sung the virutham before that, then. A senior moment it was for me, not recalling that part, but nary a minute of napping, mind you...

rajeshnat
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Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 08:04

Re: SANJAY SUBRAHMANYAN AT ANDOVER (BOSTON) ON 4 MAY 2019

Post by rajeshnat »

arasi wrote: 10 May 2019, 07:31 You missed kApi, charaNamulE nammiti,. He must have sung the virutham before that, then. A senior moment it was for me, not recalling that part, but nary a minute of napping, mind you...
Arasi
Hmmm.... saveri submain ,nattaikurinji main and mohanakalyani pallavi.... all bit sedate and gloomy ragas .......You still did not take a nap, you could have atleast done for half an hour in those spots as it was a 4 hour concert , missed opportunity :lol:

arasi
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Joined: 22 Jun 2006, 09:30

Re: SANJAY SUBRAHMANYAN AT ANDOVER (BOSTON) ON 4 MAY 2019

Post by arasi »

"All sedate and gloomy rAgAs.."
Mmm...serene and reflective?, sAvEri can be grand too. kari kaLabha mukham, annai JAnaki vandALE...,
mOhan KalyANi isn't gloomy at all, as I see it.,

hnbhagavan
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Joined: 21 Jun 2008, 22:06

Re: SANJAY SUBRAHMANYAN AT ANDOVER (BOSTON) ON 4 MAY 2019

Post by hnbhagavan »

If there is any musician who attracts maximum number of reviews in recent times it is Sanjay and only Sanjay.
I appreciate his time sense and Mike sense.He starts on time and i have never seen him ask for any mike settings once he starts.
Kudos to sanjay.The song list has some rare pieces and Natakuranji as a main is usually not heard.
Thanks to Arasi and Rajesh for details.

shankarank
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Joined: 15 Jun 2009, 07:16

Re: SANJAY SUBRAHMANYAN AT ANDOVER (BOSTON) ON 4 MAY 2019

Post by shankarank »

arasi wrote: 10 May 2019, 01:42 Please explain the tALa part with all details, laya pulis(tigers)
Layam has gotten so sour (avvaLavu puLittuviTTadO?) or what?
hnbhagavan wrote: 10 May 2019, 09:45 maximum number of reviews in recent times it is Sanjay
If people get hooked on to laya more , then most musicians will get reviews I say. And I am being true to it!

rajeshnat
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Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 08:04

Re: SANJAY SUBRAHMANYAN AT ANDOVER (BOSTON) ON 4 MAY 2019

Post by rajeshnat »

arasi wrote: 10 May 2019, 09:36 "All sedate and gloomy rAgAs.."
Mmm...serene and reflective?, sAvEri can be grand too. kari kaLabha mukham, annai JAnaki vandALE...,
mOhan KalyANi isn't gloomy at all, as I see it.,
Konjam sedate and (un?)questionably gloomy SHADE gives a serene and reflective aftereffect . In the cluster of three i adore nattaikurinji. Having said that KambOdhi can never be serene and reflective but hey there is a O O O O and then only rangasayee where vagayekkara has shown kAmBodhi can be even more serene and reflective. My word gloomy is bit anavsiyam , I could have stopped with sedate. But it is not yet summer and only spring in Boston, so gloomy is still OK
,

arasi
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Joined: 22 Jun 2006, 09:30

Re: SANJAY SUBRAHMANYAN AT ANDOVER (BOSTON) ON 4 MAY 2019

Post by arasi »

Shankarank,
chi, chI, indap pazham puLikkum (these grapes are sour!) enRu solbavaL nAnillai (I'm not the one to say it :(
I am in awe of all the complex tALas and know my minimum, bare minimum capabilities in it. That's why I requested others to let us know. In fact, I did ask someone who would have been just the person for it, but she wrote back saying they had to leave soon after the tAnam! Au contraire to what you perhaps think, I have great respect for tALa. Wish it hadn't frightened me away when I was growing up (like Math :( My loss of course, but I do love all that tAla can do to sAhitya. It's the incensed noise-makers who put me off--not the 'play the rhythm in my soul too' fine percussionists. At Cleveland, hearing Karaikudi Mani, Tiruchi Sankaran and a few others made me so happy.

arasi
Posts: 16774
Joined: 22 Jun 2006, 09:30

Re: SANJAY SUBRAHMANYAN AT ANDOVER (BOSTON) ON 4 MAY 2019

Post by arasi »

Rajesh,
Yes, rAgAs have their own moods and nature. Yet, to stamp mukhAri as an azhugai (tear-jerking) rAgA is not acceptable to many of us. It has pathos, yes, yet it needn't be pathetic but can have gauravam (dignity)--kAru bAru sEyuvAru, and awe as in enta ninnE varNintunu. A rAgA's main role is to evoke emotions. To a composer like T, the rAgA and lyrics coming together in his inspired state gave the rAGA the power to say what he wanted to state, conveying what he intended to communicate. By doing so, he has let us know how a rAgA does not have a fixed emotional content. Then come the musicians--how they define the rAga more with their rAgA singing/playing and with the way they convey the nature of the rAgA with the help of the composer's words as well.

arasi
Posts: 16774
Joined: 22 Jun 2006, 09:30

Re: SANJAY SUBRAHMANYAN AT ANDOVER (BOSTON) ON 4 MAY 2019

Post by arasi »

I hope the violin star (Tara) of these regions posts reviews in Lokvani as before). A lay rasikA's impressions can then be reinforced with the strength of a vidushi of merit...

arasi
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Joined: 22 Jun 2006, 09:30

Re: SANJAY SUBRAHMANYAN AT ANDOVER (BOSTON) ON 4 MAY 2019

Post by arasi »

Rajesh, did you get my mail about the varNam?

arasi
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Joined: 22 Jun 2006, 09:30

Re: SANJAY SUBRAHMANYAN AT ANDOVER (BOSTON) ON 4 MAY 2019

Post by arasi »

shankarank,
TripuTa, I remembered. Added info: tisra tripuTa, same eDuppu. Now you can sing it and get an idea how it went.

rajeshnat
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Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 08:04

Re: SANJAY SUBRAHMANYAN AT ANDOVER (BOSTON) ON 4 MAY 2019

Post by rajeshnat »

Arasi,
I have just seen your mail now.

The varnam that sanjay sang was not kannada as reported and relayed by Arasi and Rajesh is incorect. Sanjay sang only the Ahiri varam.

I am also assuming kolkata krishnamurthy composed a varnam in malavi (which in one of the reviews that I wrote or some one else many years back as Kannada???), To the best of my knowledge calcutta krishnamurthy has not composed kannada varnam but only malavi varnam.

The ahiri varnam that was sung was

1. ninnE kOriyunnadirA rAma nIrajAkSi nIkainadirA- Ahiri (not kannada) - Tarangampadi Panchanatha Iyer (not Calcutta Krishnamuthy)

Sanjay was using his extraordinary musical intellect to warn that you would not get Food for next 4 Hours as He had began with Ahiri varnam. Ahiri pleases me no end . Kudos to song selection. I have lost my window editing period too- Arasi, that post time was already an AND OVER.

arasi
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Joined: 22 Jun 2006, 09:30

Re: SANJAY SUBRAHMANYAN AT ANDOVER (BOSTON) ON 4 MAY 2019

Post by arasi »

Say, five hours and more, considering the journey back home. By then, it' was too late to eat a meal! This was nothing compared to what we experienced in Chicago when my son was working there. We made our way to Sanjay's concert at the temple--Nagai and Guruvayur playing and a superb kapAli . We had no clue where the temple was-It was in spring 2006, I think. Well, we rushed in to listen to the music without eating anything, wanted to grab something when we came out, or buy packed food, but when the concert was over, there was no trace of even a grain of puLiyOdarai to be seen! No wonder, I saw people walking out in the middle of the concert and coming back--food break!
Well, most concerts in Bengaluru (with the traffic), turn out to be upavAsa days .But then, for the musicians, whether they sing or play Ahiri or not, concert evenings turn out to be upavAsagaLu until they eat a very late dinner! Life is tough for them, considering travel schedules and delays, let alone having any control over their meal times :(

Yes, Rajesh. ,ninnE kOriyunna is in mAlavi. I forgot. The other varNam of his guru is SaraNAgata vathsala in kadanakuthUhalam.

arasi
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Re: SANJAY SUBRAHMANYAN AT ANDOVER (BOSTON) ON 4 MAY 2019

Post by arasi »

Thanks to SIMA for a clip from Sanjay's concert today--the finale of the spring tour in LA at the Chinmaya Center in Tustin, CA. SAntamu lEka saukhyamu lEdu in SAmA by TyAgarAja , sung with nidAnam and ponderance. A search for peace in our existence. Thanks to Sanjay and team for making it a philosophical gift to the listeners--especially the mothers in the audience...
Hope we get a review from the other coast and a few more clips...

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