T N Seshagopalan - T N S Krishna - V V Ravi - T K Murthy - Venkatesh (kanjira)
1. intha chaala - Begada
2. meru samana - M M Gowlai - T
3. soundarrajam - brindavana saranga - MD ( R, N S)
4. na nine dhayana - kanada - Purandaradasar
5. raju vedala - todi - T
6. ranganayakam - nayaki - MD
7. vinaradana - devaghandhari - T
8. o rangasayee - kambodhi - T ( R , N, S , T)
9. Bhajan - ?? - Kabirdas
10.Thillana - ??
11.kanden kanden kanden seethaiyai - vasantha - Arunachala kavi
12. Mangalam
what happens when performer / entertainer decides to sing for himself and for Him. What happens when a musician decides to put music before every thing else. What will it be like when some like TNS decides to become a nadhayogi. I found to my delight that it could be a heavenly experience .What better day (being vaikunta ekadasi) and what better venue could be there for TNS to do that.
TNS had no worries about his voice , which was in a fine fettle.The concert started with a regulation varnam and TNS followed up with a melodius meru samana with a small round swara to round up. Then came brindavana saranga. The detailed (almost 15 mins) alapana was a treat to listen. TNS built up the raga step by step. There were no hurried phrases. Sowkyam & raga bhavam were watch words. The kriti was sung in manner befiitng the mood in a lovely slow tempo. The flambouyant muscian in TNS did surface briefly in swara but for very short period & TNS returned to soulful mood quickly.
Next came a quick succession of 4 songs & what a choice of songs. TNS seemed to have no pre plan on the songs & was choosing songs as the mood developed . The kriti of purandara dasar in kanada was followed by raju vedala ,the Srirangam panchratnam in todi. No alapana, neraval or swarms but just the way Thyagaraja would have rendered on that day at Sriranaga seeing the procession of the Lord. Then came the majestic ranganayakkam. Again no frills just the beauty of the raga & song simply ported one to the that majestic temple on this holy day.
Next was vinaradana another Srirangam pancharatna. TNS was so deeply engrossed that even in devagandhari he didin't attempt any acrobatics , even with his voice at its best , but allowing the soulful music to continue.
I could almost sense the kambodhi & O rangasayee waiting in wings and when it came it was a alapana par excellence. TNS sang in such a slow pace, exploring every nook and corner of the raga, brining out the full grandeour of the raga. It was like kambodhi mocking at me for my post on too much of kambodhi, asking me who are you to comment that you have listned too much to understand me. Through TNS the raga showed me the hiherto unexplored facets. the mood continued with the slow rendering of the kriti,the neravals & swaras. TKM & Venkatesh played a rasping thani.
After a bhajan of Kabir & a thillana (again on Sri Ranganathar) TNS decided to sing the Vasantha (or is it lailtha) song showing a photo of Anajaneya presented to him & gesturing that he wanted to sing that song.
V V Ravi decided to take a back seat & his alapanas in brindavana saranga & kambodhi were brief. May be it was a blessing in disguise, since a MSG or MC would have replied in a way that would have pulled out TNS in to the performing mode.
It was sight to watch TNS enjoying himself. There was so much joy in his face & that rubbed on to everyone on tha stage. Infact TNS Krishna stopped singing & became the rasika enjoying the pure music that flowed.
Veteran TKM & Venkatesh played brilliantly duringnthe krirtis without affecting the mood of the singer.
TNS has reached a stage where there is nothing left to conquer , nothing left to prove in the performing arena & I wish he could sing like this more often