Sanjay Subrahmanyan@IIT Madras on Aug 09th,2010

rajeshnat · Post by **rajeshnat** » 10 Aug 2010, 14:50

Sanjay Subrahmanyan@IIT Madras on Aug 09th,2010
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Vocal : Sanjay Subrahmanyan
Violin : S VaradarAjan
Mrudangam : Neyveli Venkatesh
ghatam : Trichy Murali
Concert duration : 2 hours and 40 minutes

1. varnam "uNdan pAdam??... nAda vEda geethanE" - shankarAbharanam - madurai subrahmanya iyer
2. dayA payO nidhE mAmpAhi(S) - jaganmOhini - meesu krishna iyer
swaras for 3 mins
3. kanugonu sowkhyamu (R)- nayaki - T
7 mins alApanai and 4 mins violin return

4. bhaja rE rE citta(R N S) - kalyAni - MD
10 mins alApanai and 7 mins violin return
neraval in "devIM shaktibIjodbhava mAtrkArNa sharIriNIM" for 8 mins
and swaras for 6 mins
5. kalangaadE manamE (raga sketch)- rAgavardhini - KI
6. niravathi sukhadA(S) - ravichandrikA - T

7A. RTP in kEdaragowlai
11 mins Ragam and 7 mins violin return
TAnam for 10 mins
pallavi + swaras for 4 and 10 mins respectively
Pallavi line "parimala rangapathE mAmpAhi"
7B. tani for 11 mins

8. pAyum Oli nee enakku - ??(shades of dEsh and kamAs) - bharathiyAr
9A. viruththam "kaNNduga maga karigai???" - sAveri + bEgaDa + hamsAnandi + behAg + shenjuruTTi - ??
9B. angai kodumalar - shenjuruTTi + nAdanAmakriyA - AGN (thirruppugazh)
10. thillAnA - sindhubhairavi - MDR
11. nee nAma (mangalam)

Sanjay's concert started with a rare varnam , I did not catch any line till he started with the second half which had nAda vEda geethanE. The shankarAbharanam varnam did not ooze with that much perfection. His number 2 in jaganMohini was in a very expressive style like a typical no #2 with a dash of quick swaras , felt may be he could have gone litttle more there but certainly well done.

It was a straight nAyaki to my ears when he started the alApanai , certainly I did not have any doubts of darbAr there ,the krithi was not that very impressive . kalYani alApana was a preponed main indicative that RTP is there to follow, kalyAni alApanai was well done and the krithi was impressive with really very good swaras(bit short though). THe neraval was good in parts.

The rAgavardhini kOteeshwara iyer was superb with a brief rAga sketch , I enjoyed immensely his rendition. The ravichandikA and the defining krithi of T , sanjay handled it well till he began the swaras after the usual round of cittaswaras , I found there was little too much of vocal somersault there and the percussion did not gel well there.

The pallavi made my day, what a superb one it was . He brought very lovely shades of different questioning bhAvam in kEdaragowlai and sanjay continued beautifully with a very imaginative tAnam.tAnam was non metered and sanjay gave so many sangathis it was so grand and I enjoyed it immensely. GanakalAdhara mmi has sung this pallavi in kAmbOdhi and he taking the same lines in kEdaragowlai gave atleast a new aural treat to me. The pallavi and swaras were well done just towards the second half there was slight offkey swaras in the pallavi. But certainly pallavi was superb and the concert was worth just for RTP.

In the tukkadas the first bharathi filler pAyum Oli had a lot of folkish touch to it , i was not sure what rAga he sang was that kamAs or was it Desh or may be some rAgA that just slipped me(other forumites will help me there??) . The viruththam words I could not get it (especially first half)but sanjay's vocal stamina and exuberance was in full swing there i liked every rAga there and ended up with a rare angai kodumalar. MDR's thillAna was quite good .

Few shortcomings:
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1. Sanjay at times does not give a wholesome purity of sangathi and swarasthAna suddham, at times for most numbers atleast for few sangathis there is a bit off key notes , a touch of his self styled gimmicks is quite distracting . In kalyani neraval and the ravi chandrikA swaras I could hear a little too freewheeling style where he losing a bit of shruthi was less aesthetic and bit of a jolt to the sustaining experience of a carnatic concert.

2. Despite clear enunciation of lyrics for most songs for the first varnam and the viruththam (more in the first half), I could not get the lyrics , may be it is a case of lyrics getting lost with a little over exuberance of his creativity, a little restraint would help there.This point is bit minor when compared to first.

Accompanists:
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VaradarAjan played very well in the second half , his melody was bit off in the first half, his pallavi returns were well crafted. Both the acccompanist gave able support matching sanjay's exuberance , I found mrudangist tani bit too aggressive .

Overall an excellent concert for 2 hours and 40 minutes.

csuresh · Post by **csuresh** » 10 Aug 2010, 15:30

Rajesh,
It should be "Payum Oli Nee Ennaku" not "Pazhum Oil Nee Enakku"

rajeshnat · Post by **rajeshnat** » 10 Aug 2010, 16:08

csuresh wrote:Rajesh,
It should be "Payum Oli Nee Ennaku" not "Pazhum Oil Nee Enakku"

Corrected ,thanks .

sridhar_ranga · Post by **sridhar_ranga** » 10 Aug 2010, 20:46

The viruttam Sanjay sang went "kanduga madakkariyai vasamAi naDattalAm" and the words were clear enough to my ears.

behag · Post by **behag** » 10 Aug 2010, 21:37

rajeshnat wrote:Sanjay Subrahmanyan@IIT Madras on Aug 09th,2010
a touch of his self styled gimmicks is quite distracting .

what are his self styled gimmicks?

and what is self styled about them? as opposed to styled by someone else??

Lakshman · Post by **Lakshman** » 10 Aug 2010, 23:40

The pallavi line of the varNA by M.S.Subramania Iyer:

undan pAda pankayam panindEn uyarnda nandaNikara shandaNiyura gOvindA

fuddyduddy · Post by **fuddyduddy** » 11 Aug 2010, 11:20

this was one awesome concert! kedaragowlai was fabulous!

one petty suggestion to the organisers : please differentiate the seats for Rs 100 and Rs 50. maybe someone could stand there and point where it begins or ends. i bought 5 tickets for 100 but was sitting way back.. personally, the amount or seat doesnt matter to me but just a thought for the future...

rbharath · Post by **rbharath** » 11 Aug 2010, 11:58

sridhar_rang wrote:The viruttam Sanjay sang went "kanduga madakkariyai vasamAi naDattalAm" and the words were clear enough to my ears.

Indeed, i could make out the words even sitting in the back-stage green room.

There were no kalpana svarams in ravichandrikA. Sri Sanjay Subrahmanyan just sang 3 different versions of cittai svarams that are known for the kriti niravati sukadA.

The pallavi 'parimaLa rangapatE mAm pAhi' was, i think, first sung as an RTP by ARI in kAmbhOji. It is also the starting line of some kriti, i have heard Smt. Prema Rengarajan sing that song somewhere.

fuddyduddy, your point is noted. Being the inaugural concert of the year and with new office bearers in place, it was indeed a little here-and-there. It will be taken care off.

rajeshnat · Post by **rajeshnat** » 11 Aug 2010, 12:24

rbharath wrote: The pallavi 'parimaLa rangapatE mAm pAhi' was, i think, first sung as an RTP by ARI in kAmbhOji. It is also the starting line of some kriti, i have heard Smt. Prema Rengarajan sing that song somewhere.

Maybe you are referring parimalaraNganAtham bhajEham , a hameerkalyAni krithi of Dikshitar(based on the diety in tiruindalur near mayavaram) . I am not sure if the pallavi line is taken from there. May be ARI sang before MMI too, I do know for sure that mmi used to sing this pallavi in kAmbOdhi when he was in mayavaram.

rajeshnat · Post by **rajeshnat** » 11 Aug 2010, 12:31

bharath
May I know in which rAgA sanjay sang the pAyumOli nee enakku?

rbharath · Post by **rbharath** » 11 Aug 2010, 12:38

rajesh,
there is a kriti that starts as 'parimaLa rangapatE' that is totally different from both the 'parimaLa ranganAtham's of MD. Smt. Prema Rengarajan indeed sang the 'parimaLa rangapatE'. I thought i was clear in telling that in my previous post.

the pAyum Oli nI enaku was khamAs, as i heard it.

rajeshnat · Post by **rajeshnat** » 11 Aug 2010, 12:47

rbharath wrote:rajesh,
Smt. Prema Rengarajan indeed sang the 'parimaLa rangapatE'.

Ok now it is clear.Can you tell me the composer and rAga of the krithi that Smt prema sang ?

rbharath · Post by **rbharath** » 11 Aug 2010, 13:13

rajeshnat wrote: Ok now it is clear.Can you tell me the composer and rAga of the krithi that Smt prema sang ?

dont remember right now
will try finding

sureshvv · Post by **sureshvv** » 11 Aug 2010, 14:54

sridhar_rang wrote:The viruttam Sanjay sang went "kanduga madakkariyai vasamAi naDattalAm" and the words were clear enough to my ears.

Anyone can share any information on who composed these lines and also the full lyrics?

Thanks.

Pratyaksham Bala · Post by **Pratyaksham Bala** » 11 Aug 2010, 15:31

sureshvv wrote:Anyone can share any information on who composed these lines and also the full lyrics?

The song, composed by Sri tAyumAnavar:-

kanduga madakkariyai vasamAi naDattalAm
karaDi vem puli vAyaiyum kaTTalAm
oru singam muduginmeR koLLalam
kaTsevi eduttATTalAm

ventazhalin iradam vaitu ulOgattaiyum
vEdittu viTRuNNalAm
vERoruvar kANAmal ulagattu ulAvalAm
viNNavarai Eval koLalam

santatamum iLamaiyODu irukkalAm
maTRoRu sarIrattinum pugudalAm
salamEl naTakkalAm kanalmEl irukkalAm
tannikaril siddhi peRalAm

cindaiyai aDakkiyE summA irukkinDRa
tiRamaridu sattAgi en
cittamisai kuDikonDa aRivAna deivamE
dEsOmaya AnandamE

Lakshman · Post by **Lakshman** » 11 Aug 2010, 16:37

There is a varNa in jannaDagauLa by R.Venugopal and a kriti in kadanakutUhala by Chitravina Ravikiran that have parimaLa rangapatE as the starting words.

sureshvv · Post by **sureshvv** » 11 Aug 2010, 18:03

Pratyaksham Bala ji.. Thank you. Much appreciated!

poincare · Post by **poincare** » 11 Aug 2010, 18:19

it is nice to see the virutam "kanduga madhakari" it was immortalised by T.Viswa....a deep virutham

rajeshnat · Post by **rajeshnat** » 11 Aug 2010, 18:38

I just googled to find that chembai bhagavathar has rendered this "kanduga madakkariyai vasamAi naDattalAm" of thAyumAnavar(Tx Pratyaksham Bala)

sureshvv · Post by **sureshvv** » 12 Aug 2010, 00:03

I find Neyveli Venkatesh to have the "fastest fingers" among contemporary mridangists. He makes a tremendous impact in even fairly short thanis.

mahakavi · Post by **mahakavi** » 12 Aug 2010, 02:55

csuresh wrote:Rajesh,
It should be "Payum Oli Nee Ennaku" not "Pazhum Oil Nee Enakku"

It is not "oli" but "oLi"-- oli is sound, oLi is light (the eye does not receive the sound)
The actual first line is "pAyumoLi nI enakku, pArkkum vizhi nAnunakku"

"pAyumoLi" is dashing light. That is the active element. Now Bharathi matches it with the passive element which is "pArkkum vizhi" the eye that receives it. Bharathi calls KaNNammA as the dashing light and himself as the receiving terminus of that light (eye)

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 12 Aug 2010, 21:39

That 'superb kEdAragowLai' as Rajesh noted and others did too, is captured in pictures in Sriam Guruswamy's picture blog.
Sanjay's blog has a link too.
Also saw our Prashant's (?? it says of Mumbai) beautiful botanical picture there.

hariniraghavan · Post by **hariniraghavan** » 12 Aug 2010, 22:05

There are 2 parimala ranganatham in Hamirkalyani by MD. Both have the same pallavi, but anupallavi and charanams are different. Both are on the same diety and at same kshetra.

Harini.

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 12 Aug 2010, 22:25

Harini,
This can happen! A few times, I have had songs, even three (!) in the same rAgam in the course of a day. Odd, but true. I suppose it was a case of the rAgam not leaving MD alone for a whole day with its haunting quality and the two compositions are a result of this!

csuresh · Post by **csuresh** » 14 Aug 2010, 08:52

Few years ago,i read a short story by Mrs.Seetha Ravi(Kalki magazine editor,and grand daughter of Kalki) in kalki magazine about this "parimala ranganatham "keerthanais.A moving imagination.

ubari · Post by **ubari** » 15 Aug 2010, 14:14

@ rajeshnat : i want to listen to a WHOLE concert performance by you.. Im amazed by your reviews and im sure u can be PERFECT with what all IMPERFECTIONS you state

mankuthimma · Post by **mankuthimma** » 15 Aug 2010, 14:58

one fine day, long ago rajesh discovered in one of the meetings I had convened, that vijay ( marriage has made him silent these days) and rajesh lived on the same street . Had never spoken to each other , though being pals here.
and then ,.... both were students of the same music teacher too
.. to that day they were not sure if that teacher had got fed up with them and declined to teach further.
good luck ubari

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 16 Aug 2010, 00:50

Rajesh is a first-class reviewer, and an encyclopaedia of carnatic knowledge. There is no requirement for a rasika or a reviewer to be a performer. Indeed, there is not even a requirement for a teacher to be a performer.

If he chooses to give a concert some day, I'll be there to hear it. Until then, I am very happy with Rajesh as informer

mahakavi · Post by **mahakavi** » 16 Aug 2010, 01:05

>>Rajesh as informer <<

Ah, the FBI would love such people.

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 16 Aug 2010, 03:02

When you see him, in a dark part of the street, nearby a concert hall, looking like he is talking into his sleeve --- he is reporting a shruti lapse!

If it was really bad, his team, the nearby guys in dark glasses trying to look inconspicuous, might be having a word with the artist directly after the performance. Direct action is authorised in exceptional cases.

8) 8) 8)

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 16 Aug 2010, 06:36

And his serious scowl as he scribbles in his notebook, gives no clue to the performer until the next day. Surprise! Rajesh was pleased after all! Look at his review! The mother of the performer needn't have worried, looking at this critic scribbling with a scowl and shaking his head!

Some secret agent you surely are, Rajesh

grsastrigal · Post by **grsastrigal** » 20 Aug 2010, 15:59

"Angai kodu malar" is also the verse by Tayumanavar. It is on Trichirappallai "Tayumanavar" aka matrubootheshwar. It has got "siragiri viLanga varum dakshinamoorthy". Trichy was called Siragiri....

Sanjay actually rendered this before also. Actually, there was a discussion abouth the meaning of each and every line (Kanduga..) here in this forum.

ubari · Post by **ubari** » 25 Aug 2010, 13:01

When one knows something is wrong. Then he must really know whats right too

. Obvious. And if he can not do whats right he can not comment on others too. A review in short has to just REPORT or INFORM what was sung. And if it has the HOW factor. Then the reviewer must be a MUSICIAN or a TEACHER. Else Competent enough to challenge that he/she can do whats RIGHT !!. which is again subjective..

In short.. There s nothing CLASS in whats being reviewed.. Mistakes do happen in a concert and there are better persons to tell the artistes than some random X,Y or Z

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 25 Aug 2010, 14:48

ubari, are you qualified to review the reviewers?

mahakavi · Post by **mahakavi** » 25 Aug 2010, 18:15

A reviewer/critic can say both positive and negative things about a performance. That does not mean the reviewer should go and demonstrate the right way to do it when he pointed out what is wrong. It is like telling what is wrong with a mysoorpak (sweet)---"it is so hard and it requires a hammer to break it". If you made a mysoorpAk like that you deserve to be told so. That does not mean the reviewer has to produce a mysoorpAk which is perfect. He is the one who eats it--so he can say what is wrong with it. When he wants a perfect mysoorpAk he knows where to go and get it.

narayan · Post by **narayan** » 25 Aug 2010, 21:18

One of those P.G.Wodehouse characters has said it. You need not be a hen to criticize an omelette!

arunk · Post by **arunk** » 25 Aug 2010, 21:56

i think if you stay in the subjective realm (that piece wasnt heavy, didn't like that rendition, this didn't seem classical, that raga after this raga could have been avoided etc.) then it is quite valid. The reader should add the implicit "IMO" to every sentence. Of course some may feel like asking: If it is to you, who asked you:? Why "shout" it out? -

. But if there is an audience/market for it (i.e. review from a reviewer), it is all part of the grand scheme of things. That there is an audience/marker for reviewers is in no doubt.

If you get into purely objective (that particular sangathi with abcdxyz swara pattern wasn't right for that raga) - then you ought to know enough to defend it.

But then there are some which can go either way and can be "he said" "she said". Some examples
"Sruthi was off in places" could be one of those things.
"This raga seemed like that raga in places which could have been avoided."

Yes this is supposed to be objective, and would be to us from our angle only but ...

Arun

rshankar · Post by **rshankar** » 25 Aug 2010, 22:00

arunk wrote: The reader should add the implicit "IMO" to every sentence.

If you get into purely objective (that particular sangathi with abcdxyz swara pattern wasn't right for that raga) - then you ought to know enough to defend it.

Yes this is supposed to be objective, and would be to us from our angle only but ... Arun

One of the reasons, why, I always explicitly state that it is my rasAnubhava!

rbharath · Post by **rbharath** » 26 Aug 2010, 12:07

my views about this concert:

A wonderful concert it was to begin the 40th anniversary series of the music club.

The beginning with a rare varNam in shankarAbaraNam was very appropriate and rendered well. The jaganmOhini quickie was a perfect prelude to the leisurely nAyaki that followed. The kalyANi was very well developed and portrayed very classically. rAgavardhani was sublime and quick ravicandrikA kriti, with 3 different cittai svarams led to the main piece of the evening.

kEdAragauLa was elaborated with a lot of vigour and presented very well. The AlApanai and tAnam were both beautifully done. The pallavi simple and sweet and sang wonderfully.

The viruttams and thiruppugazh were all very nice too.

The accompanists were very good and gave fitting replies.

It was a wonderful concert to begin the series at iitm

ubari · Post by **ubari** » 27 Aug 2010, 13:44

@ NICK : obviously else i wouldn write on this forum