An unconventional classic by Sanjay at NGS 20.12.2007

Svaapana · Post by **Svaapana** » 20 Dec 2007, 20:27

Sanjay Subrahmanyan sang to a full houe for Narada Gana Sabha. The following is the list (with incomplete details)

1. Varnam - Natakuranji - Adi

2. Sri Parrvathi - Sri - K Ata - ?

3. Eti janmam - Varali - M chapu - R - T

4. Narayana - Mohanam -Adi -RN - PS

In this the fourth item Sanjay juxtaposed viruttam (kulam tarum) between the mohana raga alapana and the krithi Narayana with neraval at marajanaka and with no swaras. The alapana had wonderful touches of the great MVI. The Sanjay trade marks like the sancharams in thara sthayi and holding on to a single swara with total allignment to the sruthi kept the audiance spell bound. Pure classism was so evident in Nagai Muralidharan's violin accompaniment.

5. Paramukham - Soolini (35th Meala ragam) RSThani.- KI

This was the main piece. Difficult raga that was deftly handled by Sanjay. I do not think this piece had the emotional appeal as all the other items of the concert, may be I am an exception. K Arun Prakash (Mrudangam) and Udipi Sridhar (Ghatam) combined very well in the thani that was brief.

6. Kappadhu - Anandha bhairavi - Rupakam, Tanjavur Sivanandham

Typically sung as a pre RTP item.

7. RTP - Brindavana Saranga - Nathanai dinam pani maname brindavana saranga ranga - Kanda Thruputa (?) - Pallavi elaboration was brilliant with thri kala sancharas repeated after another brief tani in a different tempo.

8. Engum niraindiruppan - Kuranji - ?
(The opening notes sounded similar to Bruhi mukunthethi)-

9.Mangalam - Sourashtram - adi - T

Some observationsl:

1. I think that this is one of the best halls in Chennai with excellent acoustics. The LCD panel on the two sides of the stage keeps displaying the days and the next days programs without any mention of the accompaniments. Why not display tham? and I will go one step further. It can be made real time, by giving the name of the raga, krithi, tala and composer of the piece being sung!

2. I was lucky to get a ticket, that only for the balcony. This gave a grand view of the audience below!. I thought over 70% of them were 50+.

s_hari · Post by **s_hari** » 20 Dec 2007, 21:27

Why is the thread names as "unconventional"? I can't follow

-hari

sbala · Post by **sbala** » 20 Dec 2007, 22:16

maybe because of soolini main

s_hari · Post by **s_hari** » 20 Dec 2007, 22:18

Sanjay is very well known for his skills of elaborating vivadi raagas. I am not surprised.

deepsands02 · Post by **deepsands02** » 20 Dec 2007, 23:32

The pallavi is in Thisra Jathi Triputa, Kanda Nadai

And the words are nadhanai dhinam ninai maname...

rbharath · Post by **rbharath** » 20 Dec 2007, 23:47

the same pallavi he sang at academy last year i think..

this sri ragam kriti is a composition of Kunnakudy Krishna Iyer, as told by Sanjay at his concert at Nada Inbam

vijay · Post by **vijay** » 21 Dec 2007, 00:15

The concert appears quite similar to his Academy concert last year. Mohanam was elaborated alongeith B Saranga in that one as well

meena · Post by **meena** » 21 Dec 2007, 04:22

Sri Parrvathi is Kunrakkudi Krishna Iyer's comp.

Was it Engum niraindirukkum en daivam of PSivan's?

grsastrigal · Post by **grsastrigal** » 21 Dec 2007, 10:35

I was thinking of a class concert in Nada Inbam, this comes as a complete opposite. His Eti Janma and varali has been rendered in his odukkattur mutt concert and couple of conerts. His Mohanam had been rendered by him just 2 months back for Papanasam sivan festival hosted by his dauguter Ms.Rukmani Ramani in the same hall. The same virutham,,, folowed by Naryana... and the SAME NERAVAL.. oh NO !!!!!! Come on !!!!

I think the only difference may be that soolini and RTP. No "maverick" here. Sorry.

prashant · Post by **prashant** » 21 Dec 2007, 11:01

This is really ridiculous. So, if he rendered the same song 2 months back, it is too soon to render it again? Come on!!!

vijay · Post by **vijay** » 21 Dec 2007, 12:32

I agree with Prashant. One may have issues with Sanjay's music - but he is certainly far ahead of the pack when it comes to diversity. I had only pointed out the Academy concert as a co-incidence (which it most certainly was).

Jigyaasa · Post by **Jigyaasa** » 21 Dec 2007, 17:20

vijay wrote:I agree with Prashant. One may have issues with Sanjay's music - but he is certainly far ahead of the pack when it comes to diversity. I had only pointed out the Academy concert as a co-incidence (which it most certainly was).

I second that... To my knowledge, if Sanjay handles 20 concerts in a season, EVERY single one of them has a different main rAga... I also like his adventurism while trying vivAdi rAgAs... His jyOtiswarUpiNI is grrrr8! But still, maybe a vivAdi for main isn't a good idea... At least as far as adherence to tradition is concerned... Guess that's where the maverick part comes in...

And his repertoire, colossal! I've heard him render rAgAs like mEsha bhowLi(gOvindarAjena, with swaram!!!) and lalitapanchamam(brihadIshvarIm) besides vivAdis like sucharitram and kOsalam...

sureshvv · Post by **sureshvv** » 21 Dec 2007, 19:29

c'mon sastrigale...

Please find me the last time soolini was sung in a concert, even without an alapana, leave alone as main.

kartik · Post by **kartik** » 21 Dec 2007, 22:03

Strange because when I listened to Paramukham the last time,I thought that it would serve as a good alternative as a filler for evergreen Nenarunchinanu or Bantureethi Kolu.

The composition is beautiful though, and Soolini by itself is a personal favourite.Good to see it treated as a main.

rbharath · Post by **rbharath** » 21 Dec 2007, 23:33

while there are vidwans who sing the same 40-50 odd compositions in all the concerts year after year, at 20 difffernt places in the city every year, it is surprising to me to find some ppl accusing ppl for repeating songs once in 2 months and all.
come on, somewhere down the line, one has to repeat the songs. if one song is sung only once for a life time, then any composition will be forgotten over a period of time. there is a limit to nit-picking...

grsastrigal · Post by **grsastrigal** » 22 Dec 2007, 11:00

Ok. I have time and again discussed the repeated kritis, not the Ragams. If you read my earlier posts, I have insisted only that. when Vijay siva and MB do this, why can't Sanjay ? A simple "repeated" Narayana in Mohanam and Anandha Bhairavi won't make "maverick" or a "soolini" could make the concert wholesome concert. Sorry Iam not for it. Sanjay has proved that he is innovative. This is the season he should show it. I will not take this liberty with TNS or TMK because they have been stamped singing a raga for 1 hour and take pleasure in that, but not Sanjay. A die hard Sanjay fan would find his repeated Eti Janmamu or Narayana disturbing. In his "sponsored" NGS concert also, I reiterated it.

Just to add, that day Satur sisters in Nada Inbam gave an elaborate Gowri Manohari and Hamsanadham before venturing it to Kalyani. I don't want to compare SS with Sanjay. If you see some raagas like Hindolam, narayana Gowla etc. they have become stale......

vasanthakokilam · Post by **vasanthakokilam** » 22 Dec 2007, 11:16

grsastrigal, Your points about your expectations of a great concert are well known by now. I am curious if you were able to enjoy the concert as is. What are your impressions of the concert itself including the quality of his singing?