Some musics rasikas in PA got together and arranged a concert by T. M. Krishna, Shriramkumar and Arun Prakash over the Memorial Day weekend. Eventhough it was the afternoon of May 26th (Monday, the day before going back to work), the concert was well attended. The auditorium at calvary Vision Center is really nice and comfortable.
T. M. Krishna (Vocal)
R. K. Shriramkumar (Violin)
K. Arun Prakash (Mridangam)
Calvary Vision Center, Blue Bell, PA
May 26, 2008
1 – Intha Chala – Varnam. Begada. Veenai Kuppaiyer
2 – Thyagaraja Palayashumam – Gowla. Dikshitar
3 – Bhakti Bicchamiyyave – Shankarabharanam. Thyagaraja [S]
4 – Dhalachina Varu – Dhanyasi. Subbaraya Sastri [R,S]
5 – Balakrishnam Bhavayami – Gopikavasantham. Dikshitar
6 – Kamakshi Ni Padayugamu (Swarajathi) – Yadhukulakamboji. Shyama Sastri [R]
7 – Chetasri Balakrishnam – Dwijavanthi. Dikshitar
8 – Bhairavi – Ragam and Tanam alternating. Followed by Swathi Thirunal’s Navarathri
Kriti – Janani Mamavameye Bharathi Jaya Sarasija. Neraval at Sharadhi Aandhu
Thani
9 – Entati Kuluke – Kalyani (Javali). Dharmapuri Subbaraya Iyer
10 – Malai Pozhudhinile – Ragamalika – Adi. Kalki Krishnamurthy
11 – Slokam “Kamapyaâ€
T. M. Krishna Concert, Blue Bell, PA - May 26, 2008
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Ramaprasad
- Posts: 94
- Joined: 12 Jun 2006, 08:43
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Ramaprasad
- Posts: 94
- Joined: 12 Jun 2006, 08:43
Hi Bilahari,
As you know, in the alapana phase, the raga is elaborated, the accompanist gets his/her turn, then the thanam phase is brought in. In this concert, a string of alapana merged into thanam, followed by Shriramkumar's turn. Then another thought in raga is followed by TMK to merge again into a stream of thanam singing. I stand corrected, but I believe he used the phrase that he is switching from ragam to thanam, in each foray into Bhairavi elaboration.
Ramaprasad
As you know, in the alapana phase, the raga is elaborated, the accompanist gets his/her turn, then the thanam phase is brought in. In this concert, a string of alapana merged into thanam, followed by Shriramkumar's turn. Then another thought in raga is followed by TMK to merge again into a stream of thanam singing. I stand corrected, but I believe he used the phrase that he is switching from ragam to thanam, in each foray into Bhairavi elaboration.
Ramaprasad
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mahesh3
- Posts: 584
- Joined: 06 Feb 2010, 21:32
Finally made it to TMK's last US concert this year. Given my intense schedule recently, I havent been able to follow him as much as I would have liked. TMK performed at a rich level...there was a lot of effort at each and every turn, the manodharma was of a high level at several points, he coaxed a lot out of RKS and Arun Prakash...Arun has never played mridangam for a thaanam as far as I can remember, and he was reluctant here also. Dont know what made him change his mind, but he chose to join TMK in the Taanam as TMK worked his voice up at the highest octave, and it really injected further excitement into an already power packed heavy affair. TMK has made a few adjustments..he is easily able to navigate 3 complete octaves...his swarams are no longer just dizzyingly high speed...he has a complete spectrum of speeds and octaves, and he is combining many elements of manodharma into his concerts. #12 was just surprising...a request for shlokam was followed by an intense O Rangasayi complete with neravall. After Yadukulakambodhi, came a request for Dwijavanthi. Dwijavanthi? After TMK had just sung Gowlai, Shankarabharana, Dhanyasi and Yadukulakambodhi - Dweijavanthi? No problem...and it was the best Chetashri I have heard in a live concert. Then came Bhairavi...and to close it with Kambodhi...All these krithis were performed at a high level of manodharma, intensity and quality..
In some recent posts on his concerts, much has been said about his seeming high-handedness, but any artist who is able to accept a keerthanai request after having sung for 3 hours and still put every ounce of effort into it...can not and should not be termed arrogant/high handed or any of the other snide comments that seem to come free along with the kutchery commentary. For me, arrogance is when an artist arrives to perform for a concert in a small town where tons of effort has been put in to make possible the concert, and they sing Endaro as the main piece followed by 2 bhajans, 3 abhangs some random rasam song and 1 thillana. On this day, TMK was TMK. He even showed up 20 minutes prior to the concert start, and made sure the system arrangements were per his liking - pitch perfect.
In some recent posts on his concerts, much has been said about his seeming high-handedness, but any artist who is able to accept a keerthanai request after having sung for 3 hours and still put every ounce of effort into it...can not and should not be termed arrogant/high handed or any of the other snide comments that seem to come free along with the kutchery commentary. For me, arrogance is when an artist arrives to perform for a concert in a small town where tons of effort has been put in to make possible the concert, and they sing Endaro as the main piece followed by 2 bhajans, 3 abhangs some random rasam song and 1 thillana. On this day, TMK was TMK. He even showed up 20 minutes prior to the concert start, and made sure the system arrangements were per his liking - pitch perfect.
Last edited by mahesh3 on 28 May 2008, 19:39, edited 1 time in total.