Madurai G S Mani: Nayaki, 28 Feb 2011

[Nick H]

I am posting this on request from our friend Sri Nageswaran, simply because he requested me to mention the concert on the forum, as he will be too busy to do so. I very much hope that he does find time, in the coming days, to contribute the song list and his informed comments. It was on his recommendation that I attended the performance. Its major limitation is that is just one of my subjective-concert-experience posts. Subject to that, here goes...

Vocal: Madurai G S Mani
Violin: Shertalai R Sivakumar
Mridangam: Umayalpuram Mali
Sabha: Nayaki*. Venue: Abhirami Chidambaram Community Hall, Kotturpuram.

This is probably one of Chennai's best concert venues, and deserves to be better known. On a lane (well, it seems to have been widened since I last visited: I hope this does not presage more traffic!) alongside the river on the Kotturpuram side, there is no external noise to be noticed, and the hall has been structured to have pretty good acoustics.

I arrived about 15 minutes late. Must have missed one or two songs. Sri Mani gave explanations for most of the ragas, and most of the songs, and demonstrated the ragas before embarking on them. Although I enjoyed this (it was in English too) I'm afraid I didn't take any notes or recordings. If more artists would do this, the novices amongst us would certainly learn faster, but many might feel the flow of the concert to be interrupted, let alone missing the challenge to their detection skills.

His voice is amazing. It has a clarity that is just stunning. Sri Nageswaran told me that his diction and pronunciation is excellent. The diction, I could appreciate, and had actually realised, during the concert, that I was able to hear the words much more clearly than usual, and that if I had attempted a phonetic song list, it would [perhaps] have made a lot more sense than if I attempted one in most concerts.

The clarity of voice, and obvious precision of delivery, and the fact that some alapana seemed to be as much note-focussed as phrase-focussed, put me in mind of Hindustani music. Further, in fact, although lacking the great swara swoops, it put me in mind of drupad.

The only thing I would have preferred might have been fewer but longer songs, with more neraval and kalpana swaras ...and I would have loved an RTP, as I really want to hear him sing tanum.

The accompanists played remarkably well. Sivakumar caught the feeling of Sri Mani's alapanas, and answered very harmoniously and beautifully. There were a number of short asides from Sri Mani, and, although not understanding, I got the feeling that Sivakumar delivered or adjusted exactly as was requested. Sri Mani is one of those artists who listens and watches attentively, and expresses enjoyment for, the violin turns, which is a habit I appreciate.

Sri Mali gave us everything from what I call "wall of sound" playing (like fast farans) to the most delicate of sarvalagu, including some delightful thiermanams, playing with the necessary strength to match Sri mani, but adjusting completely for the requirements of each and every song. His thani was delightful, and just the right length.


*Nayaki's February "season" goes on until 4th March, I think, so several more opportunities for those who do not know it to experience this hall

[rajeshnat]

Nick
Great start in reviewing a concert in a brand new thread. Madurai GS mani is a very sincere musician who falls at the feet of Art. I am glad you liked it. I presume you can go to Deekshita's concert in sri parvathi in alwarpet where exclusive compositions of GSM are sung .
I have heard GSM singing for 4 to 5 concerts and he is yet to take an RTP in the concerts that I attended . If you have time talk with GSM sir , he is a wonderful communicator, even Liam Neeson (that is you) will be impressed. GSM has a booming male voice.

[arasi]

Nick,
You have to write more reviews and carry a bound notebook like Rajesh does!
G.S Mani is one of my favorites.
His knowledge, creativity, bhAvam. He draws us into his music and his love for it is infectious. A composer of note,who commands respect and admiration. A composed person and a compere of pleasant manners.

[srikant1987]

Nick, this is a very informative review, especially your observations on the diction and pronounciation (though this was helped by Sri Nageswaran), the clarity of his voice, and on his focus on notes.

That you wanted a tanum from him also shows your intuition for music: tanums tend to be more note-focussed than alapanas and neravals -- possibly even swaras (?).

[Nick H]

Thank you for your kind remarks. Actually, I posted quite a few concert "reviews" over the years, but, lacking the technical knowledge they are always purely subjective. Given that I tended only to post about the concerts I liked, and, unless there was some particular gripe, leave aside the ones I did not, I felt I was becoming a little repetitive.

[Nick H]

If you have time talk with GSM sir , he is a wonderful communicator...

This was very much apparent in the concert. His passion for music very much extends into a passion for communicating about music.

It really was a very, very good concert.

I think he is one of the several wonderful artists for which I have to thank Cool and Co for my original contact.

In bursts (like one week on, two weeks off!) I attend so many concerts, and most of them are great. I should, at least, mention them in the rolling concert attendance thread. Recently,I have even seen several Hindustani musicians (yes! "Foreign music," as a South Indian friend of mine in London, once put it ). Pandit Jasraj's alap for his opening piece was hypnotic and deeply meditative as only such a Hindustani alap can be. It is listening to music, but (as they used to say on star trek) not as we know it, Jim!

[S.NAGESWARAN]

Dear Rasikas,

I have attended the concerts of the Mysore Bros on 26.02.2011, Lec Dem about MMI by the Musialogist Mrs.SAK Durga on 27.02.2011 at Sri Cleveland Sundaram’s house
and Sri G.S.Mani’s concert at Nayaki on 28.02.2011.

Since I was too busy, I have requested Mr.Nick to post his views about Sri G.S.Mani’s concert.

Mr.Nick has conveyed his views about the concert in an excellent way.

I will be giving a detailed report about the concerts once I reach Bangalore.

S.NAGESWARAN.
02.03.2011.

[S.NAGESWARAN]

Dear Rasikas,

The download links of the concert of Sri Madurai G.S.MANI held at Nayaki, Kotturpuram on 28.02.2011 is given below.
NAYAKI - 28TH FEBRUARY, 2011 AT 6-15 PM
HELD AT COMMUNITY HALL, KOTTURPURAM, CHENNAI.
MADURAI SRI G.S.MANI-VOCAL
SHERTHALAI SRI R.SIVAKUMAR-VIOLIN
UMAYALPURAM SRI MALI-MRUDANGAM

1. http://www.mediafire.com/file/27gccmqv9 ... S_maNi.mp3

1B. http://www.mediafire.com/file/7ap5mp6e2 ... S_maNi.mp3

2. http://www.mediafire.com/file/0n81bqylx ... AbhOgi.mp3

3. http://www.mediafire.com/file/dzxr2ovze ... garAja.mp3

4. http://www.mediafire.com/file/eke7wcf48 ... S_maNi.mp3

5. http://www.mediafire.com/file/vb59hr2ng ... apriyA.mp3

6. http://www.mediafire.com/file/cxsytu1c3 ... a_iyer.mp3

7. http://www.mediafire.com/file/8p5f2ktkx ... garAja.mp3

8. http://www.mediafire.com/file/qnge5usyd ... garAja.mp3

9. http://www.mediafire.com/file/w2okwuaas ... airavi.mp3

10. http://www.mediafire.com/file/17ogm9b09 ... thanam.mp3

11. http://www.mediafire.com/file/gc12shkap ... a_Iyer.mp3

12. http://www.mediafire.com/file/x6dlnbkti ... abhang.mp3

13. http://www.mediafire.com/file/1c2caz2qm ... _priyE.mp3

14. http://www.mediafire.com/file/xkmyfgcka ... apriyA.mp3

15. http://www.mediafire.com/file/gy5gsabyf ... enakku.mp3

16. http://www.mediafire.com/file/0isr7gt1l ... ngalam.mp3

Since I was busy in completing the editing works of the Interactive session with Sri Trichy Sankaran held on 06.02.2011, there is a delay in uploading the concert.

The redeeming feature of this concert [Nowadays Sri G.S.MANI always provides some important aspects of the kriti, or the nuances of the raga structure, differant notes of the ragas and how the raga is changed by the change of a single note and their effects etc which is very educative.

P.S. 1B MAY BE MONO.

S.NAGESWARAN.

19.03.2011.