V Shankaranarayanan@LS Mani Memorial on Oct 02nd,2012

[rajeshnat]

V Shankaranarayanan@LS Mani Memorial NGS (Mini)on Oct 02nd,2012
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Vocal : V Shankaranarayanan
Violin : V Sanjeev
Mrudangam : poongulam subramaniam
Ghatam : Trichy Murali

Concert duration/Day : 2 hrs and 15 mins /Tuesday/GandhiJayanthi
Concert Type : Nirvana (no concert to follow)
Occassion : LS Mani Memorial concert (our bilahari's maternal granfather)
Hall : ragasudha hall


1A. slokham -vakrathunta mahAkaya
1B. vanajAkshA ninnE - reetigowlai - veenai kuppaiyer
2. seethamma mAyamma(RS, N , S) - vasanthA - T
neraval in "dharaija bhAgavatA-grEsaru" for 3 mins and 4 mins swaras

3. shree rAmam - nArayanagowlai - MD
4. shreepathE jaya(R N) - vAchaspathi - Thulasivanam (not ST)
5 mins each in alapana and violin return
8 mins neraval in "padmanabha murAre kesava"

5. marukElarA - jayanthashree - T
6A. ninnE nammi nAnu (R N S T) - tOdi - SS
14 mins alApana and 8 mins violin return
8 mins neraval in kamAkshi kancha dAlaya Dakshi
9 mins swaras
6B. tani for 13 mins

7.shanthi nilava vEndum - thilang - sethumadhava rao
8. thillana - shivaranjani(misra?? shivaranjani) - LGJ (Lji is the thillana mishrashivaranjani or shivaranjani)
thana theem ta dheem ... mAlai thEdi vaNdu thEnai... mayiLvAganA
9. Yeru mayilEri - rAgamAliga (bhAgeshri?? + ?? + atAnA+ shurutti) - thirrupuggzh - AGN
10. pavamAna

It is atleast 2 years since I heard V shankar. This must be my 4th concert . V shankar having learnt from Vaigal gnanaskandan in early years is also fine tuning presently with Prof TRS . However the influence /style of his music is with his manaseega guru Shri TNS.

After a benediction in vakrathunda mahakaya , he launched with his usual strong voice in alapana distilling the essence of reetigowlai. The varnam was good one , there were few hiccups with percussion gelling but overall well presented.

The next #2 in vasanta was really well presented , particularly liked the neraval and fast exchange of swaras . There was always his paramaguru semmangudi touch - the touch where "speed not at the cost of losing any bhavam" was omnipresent.

I am personally very acclimitized with narayanagowlai of SSI. A tricky raga indeed at times it indeed confuses a rasika with kedaragowlai. His rendition was slightly slower than SSI, I found it overall well presented.

The submain vachaspathi had quite a sparkle of brigas , while alapana was not that exciting the neraval was indeed wonderful. The fast filler jayanthashree was just good ,a sparkle of swaras would have kept it more exciting. The influence of TNS was highest in todi ,good voice strength, at times few and exciting longer karvais in todi alapana did keep me glued. The krithi rendition with neraval was a standard fare and was neat, certainly nothing much to rave about. Swaras in todi were quite measured , I felt he could have gone more.

Being Gandhi jayanthi the thilang was kind of expected and he sang it very well. But for me the pick of the concert was indeed the last shivaranjani (mishra??),I cannnot recollect hearing this apart from maybe once when SP Ramh sang it. IT is a simply stunning thillana in shivaranjani by lalgudi, the emote of shivaranjani with Shankar's voice was near perfect. Thirruppugazh just passed .

The violinist was good to start with , but he peaked well in todi. Poongulam was bit over aggressive , at times sparseness in his play would have given better polish to the concert . I was thinking should even shanthi nilava vendum have this much of over play in percussion? Also felt the mrudangam shruthi could have been better . Trichy Murali was lovely and did pep always.

Shankar can work more on his modulation:
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V shankar has to bring in little more vocal modulation .The good news is he certainly has the voice power and throw but if there is more modulation brought in , his music will be more arresting to rasikas. The nasal effect in his voice has certainly improved in this concert, compared to the last few that I heard.

Overall a very good concert for 2 hours and 15 mins.

[rajeshnat]

Bilahari and family
Thank you for sponsoring the concert.It is always nice to spot Prof TRS who came in from vachaspathi and stayed till the end of the concert. I also spotted Nagai sriram . Certainly the T20 cricket cannibalized the count of rasikas ,the crowd could have better

[Lakshman]

shrIpatE jaya is by Tulasivanam. Lalgudi's tillAnA is in mishrashivaranjani.

[arasi]

Rajesh,
Was waiting for a review. Thanks!

Bilahari,
I hope at least a few members of the family were present at both concerts. Hope you and your sister have listened to the concerts by now.

Rajesh,
How true! Speed, without sacrificing the bhAvam is ideal. Every time I hear Shankar sing, I realize how much he's progressing in his music. Gurukulam is still vital, but how these young pursuers of music who are busy in their own professional fields seem to be working on their music without undergoing gurukua vAsam as in the old days! This is where the hope for CM in the future lies (don't have to heed what Obama and Romney have to say about it hope you saw VKailasam's post with the link for their doctored debate on CM!).

[bilahari]

Rajesh, thanks for attending and for putting up a review! What are the chances of having two vAcaspatis in a row?!

As expected, this concert was far better attended than Sri Kothandaraman's, and I am yet to receive any recordings. I am especially glad nArAyANagowLai found a place in this concert! As arasi says, Shankar has made rapid strides due to his sheer dedication to the art, and there is much to be said about someone who delicately balances such a profound passion with a demanding career!

Arasi, a couple of family members (my chittappa thatha [thatha's youngest surviving brother] and chitthi paatti) did attend both concerts as well as a mama from my father's side, so we did have family representation. From next year, we would like to have at least a few of these concerts at a time when members of our immediate family are in Chennai, though.

By the way, I welcome suggestions on artistes to feature next year (we intend to have more concerts next year).

Again, thank you to all rasikas who attended these events. I live vicariously through you!

Photos of Shankar's concert:
http://www.sabhash.com/music/events/855 ... inbam.html

[arasi]

Bilahari,
Good to hear that every year there will be concerts to celebrate your Thatha's love for music.

[csuresh]

good to see Ms.Shobana.Ramesh(shankar's sishya) on tambura.