TM Krishna @ Mumbai on 23 Feb 2008

hariharans · Post by **hariharans** » 24 Feb 2008, 15:20

Concert at Gana Kala Vidya Nilayam
Goregaon, Mumbai

Date : Feb 23, 2008

Sri T M Krishna - Vocal
Sri T H Subramanian - Violin
Sri K V Prasad - Mridangam
Sri B S Purushotham - Kanjira

01 nEnendhu veda kudhurA - karnAtaka behAg - Adi (S)
02 sri nArada nAdA - kAnadA - Rupakam (R S)
03 intha chAlamu - begadA varnam - Adi (N S)
04 sri mAthru bootham - kannada - misra chApu (R)
05 sevikka vendum - Andholika - Adi
06 sri venkatesam varam - thodi - rupakam 2 kalai (R N S)
07 thani Avarthanam
08 sanAdhana - balamanjari - Adi
09 RTP in Saraswathi - chatusra rupakam
sive ramA saraswathi sevitha siva yuvathi
pallavi ragamalika - kedAragowlai, hamsadhwani
10 krishnA nee begane - yamunAkalyani - misra chApu
11 itu sAhasamu - saindhavi - Adi
12 thillAna - hamirkalyAni - Adi (Muthiah Bhagavathar)
13 bhujaga sayinO

A great concert with a delayed start (45 minutes). The sound system gave a lot of problems to the artists and the audience for the first two songs.

The third piece was a good surprise. It was a brilliant rendering of neraval at pagavari.

KV Prasad joked that becos of the audio issues, TMK restarted the concert with a varnam

Three hours of great music.

rajaglan · Post by **rajaglan** » 26 Feb 2008, 11:12

Hi,

I have seen an album of TMK (2006) where he sings a varnam as the fourth song (sumasayaka-KK-swati tirunal). He was supposed to be a master of lots of varnams.

vasanthakokilam · Post by **vasanthakokilam** » 26 Feb 2008, 13:42

I have not been to a live concert where the varnam is sung in the middle, so I can not relate to how well it fits in the format. But it always bothered me that a varnam, which contains the essences of a raga in such distilled form, is used as a warm up piece and that too in such a hurried fashion as it is usually done. I would personally welcome a good 15-20 minute treatment of a heavy varnam in the middle of a concert, may be before the main or in place of the sub-main.

bilahari · Post by **bilahari** » 26 Feb 2008, 15:37

Deleted.

bilahari · Post by **bilahari** » 26 Feb 2008, 15:40

In several concerts, KVN has sung Sumasayaka in the middle as well. It is true, though, that many varnams are given short shrift in concerts. MDR, in my opinion, used to sing varnams generally quite well. In one concert, he sings the Mohana varnam for about 10 minutes, while most artistes would've breezeed through it in 3 or 4.

grsastrigal · Post by **grsastrigal** » 26 Feb 2008, 15:42

Good he rendered Thillana at last.

Another innovative idea as told by Tiruvarur Bhaktavatsalam to have Tani after the sub-main so that rasikas will stay till the concert ends or atleast most part of the concert.

iS IT A VARNAM OR TARU VARNAM ? TARU COULD BE RENDERED IN THE MIDDLE OF A CONCERT.. Example is Mate Malayadwaja (HKB) is Taru. Looks like Varnam but it is Taru....

Vocalist · Post by **Vocalist** » 26 Feb 2008, 16:38

It is a Dharu Varnam as far as I know. Other artists that have sung this varnam (not as the first item, but in between the beginning and middle) are Aruna Sairam, Sowmya (?) and Bombay Sisters.

Vocalist · Post by **Vocalist** » 26 Feb 2008, 16:40

hariharans wrote:13 bhujaga sayinO

...is a Yadukulakambhoji Mangalam of Swathi Thirunal, set to Rupakam.

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 26 Feb 2008, 17:30

VK,
I agree with you that a varNam at the start makes a lot of sense musically. It announces the seriousness of the concert. After all, a varNAm is the essence of a rAgA. Still, if it is sung mechanically or at a great speed, the purpose is lost. On the other hand, when it comes to lyrics, since most of the varNams have a romantic slant as opposed to an invocative one, it makes sense not to start the concert with it. Then again, it has been done for ages, and honestly, we don't pay much attention to the words. We are focussed on its musical merits. Otherwise, they are as awkward as javaLis if you look at the content!
It is a tough call.