TM Krishna at Columbia, Missouri

[shibi]

TM Krishna
RK Shriramkumar
K Arun Prakash

Song List

1. Shobillu Saptaswara , Jaganmohini (Swarams)
2. Mari Vere, Anandha Bhairavi ( Ragam, Neraval @ Apara Kripanidhi, Swarams)
3. Manasa Sancharare, Sama (Swarams)
4. Inta Soukhya , Kapi ( Ragam, Neraval @ Swara Raga laya, Swarams @ Shankaruniki )
5. Arumo Aval Theerumo , Maand
6. Virutham (starting line was Naveena Neeraja Shyamam ) Nadanamakriya, Kurinji, Punnaga Varali, Yamuna Kalyani followed by
7. Krishna Nee Begane , Yamuna Kalyani
8. Jaya Jaya Shankara Jaya Abhayankara, Durbari Kaanada
9. Rama Janardhana , (seemed like Muthuswamy Dikshitar's english notes type song)
10. Ramachandraya Janaka Mangalam


Some notes: Anandha Bhairavi was very slow and very nice; Swarams for Manasa Sancharare were also nice; Inta Soukhya was very well done; There was a period when he was singing swaras centered on Rishabam and it looked like he was continuously switiching between the two Gandharams which was nice; he also went to the anumandara sthayi Ni during the same swara pattern; Overall a nice short concert. Too many "sweet" ragams though.

[Sindhuja]

The list looks lovely for the most part. I would've loved to hear so many "sweet" ragas. I bet even sobhillu would have been very slow compared to how it's usually sung? I can imagine clearly how inta sowkhya would have been rendered Surprised there was no RTP!

[shibi]

Shobillu was pretty slow and the swarams were very nice. Inta Sowkhya, IMHO, was very nice although I like KVN's version the best for "Sowkhyam". It was a very small kutcheri with an audience of hardly 50 or so. Most of us were seated cross legged on the floor and there were a few chairs at the end. I think he probably started of thinking about an RTP ( the way he started with Shobillu and Mari vere ) but maybe he looked at us and decided to "go easy" . Also, most of Arun Prakash's "experiments" on the Thoppi side was lost on us . Also, did you really mean it when you said you liked "sweet" ragams one after another without a break. It seems to me similar to eating a dinner consisting solely of payasam and chocolate cake

[mahavishnu]

It must be wonderful to listen to TMK in such an intimate setting. Perhaps he didn't feel like a four-hour concert like he has been giving in the big cities. It is also the middle of a work-week.

Glad to hear that there is a nascent carnatic music scene in Columbia, MO. Was it at the University?
@Shibi, Just curious. What kind of thoppi experiments was Arun Prakash doing?

[shibi]

It was very nice to listen to TMK in an intimate setting. The only problem was that for some reason, they decided to have a microphone set up and it was extremely loud, as though it the auditorium was the size of Narada Gana Sabha or something when in reality it was only the size of a large living room It wasn't at the University but organized by Ragas of Columbia, a small Indian group. There really isn't a Carnatic music scene or anything in Columbia although I wish there was . I am sorry for carelessly bandying the statement about Thoppi experiments, I have a zero understanding/ knowledge of layam . It is interesting that you ask about Columbia. Where are you based at?

[ganeshkant]

In a Chennai concert couple of months back,TMK sang 'intha sowkhyamaninE ' ; a major portion of the song was sung in mandhra sthAyi and at the end switched to madhyama sthayi and I should say he really put me in a contemplative mood.

[mahavishnu]

@Shibi. I was just asking out of general interest, since Columbia, MO is a relatively small town, with much of the diversity coming from the University. I am impressed that you have an active Indian music society and that you were able to attract an artiste like Krishna to come there. Look forward to hearing more from you all.