TM Krishna's Vichara - concert video archive at IIC DELHI

[Rsachi]

Video archive link
I am listening to TMK singing Shyama Shastri's Amba Kamakshi in Varali, after a fine AlApanA with some great accompaniment by Shriram Kumar. This is the second item after an elaborate Heccarikaga rara in Yadukula Kambhoji.

TMK prefaced the concert with a speech in which he spoke about his musical journey thus far and his quest for 1) presenting ragas and compositions against the popular grain and in line with SSP's notations and Dikshitar school, 2) exploring Carnatic music shorn of its deep lyrical entrenchment in devotional and religious sentiments, 3) presenting music as an experience and not as a predictable entertainment since he is not a "service-provider' to audiences.

I cannot help liking the man and his music. He comes across as authentic. And his music has many very beautiful moments so far in the concert (73 min into a 125 min concert).

I hope other Rasikas will enjoy this as much as I am doing.

PS: Very sensitive mridangam accompaniment by Arun Prakash! Great audio quality.

[Rsachi]

After an excellent tani following the Varali, he sings a ragamalika romantic poem of Bharati, and then the famous SSI shloka Maulau Ganga-Shashankau...Lovely ragas.. Including Begada, Athana, Behag..
Follows with Irakkam Varamal...some brilliant minimalistic mridangam by Arun Prakash...

[mahavishnu]

thanks, RSachi. I will listen to it now!
Btw, I think you meant the varALi kriti Kamakshi (bangAru)?

[Rsachi]

TM Krishna concludes with Muthuswami Dikshitar's Nottuswaram Vande Meenakshi...Nirvana! Excellent presentation with some fantastic mridangam by Arun Prakash...
Bravo! Bravo!

[Rsachi]

Mahavishnu,
He sings 'amba kAmakshi nannu brOvavE'...but the Anupallavi goes 'tAmasamEla rAvE sAmagAnalOlE sushIlE'

[mahavishnu]

Great. We are talking about the same kriti then...
http://www.sangeetasudha.org/othercompo ... stry2.html

I am very impressed with the IIC's webcasts. The quality is most excellent.

[squims]

Thanks for the link Rsachi. Listening now. Beautiful Varali aalaapanai.

[squims]

That was a treat! Has been a while since I've enjoyed one of his concerts so much.

[mahavishnu]

Just finished listening to the whole concert.

And his music has many very beautiful moments so far in the concert (73 min into a 125 min concert).
I hope other Rasikas will enjoy this as much as I am doing.

Thanks, RSachi. I would have totally missed this one if it weren't for your post.
I fully concur. This was a terrific concert by Krishna. The varALi was superb to say the least! RKSK was magnificent.

RE: Arun Prakash's playing. I do enjoy his nAdham and sensitivity, but I must confess that sometimes that I find the minimalism is a bit too sparse for my tastes. I wish he would take a more activist role in generating continuous rhythms that is characteristic of the pudukOttai school he comes from. I also found his tonal modulation and vallinam-mellinam exposition (especially during heccarika) wanting on many levels. Again, tastes differ. His style (at least what he displayed here) is not my cup of tea.

[Rsachi]

Mahavishnu,
Likewise. Arun Prakash's style of play always reminds me of an independent member of the Lok Sabha who eternally sits on the fence and adds no value. But in this concert, I feel he has fully aligned himself with TMK's manodharma and embellished the mood.
I don't want to compare him to the recent UKS and Mannargudi Eashwaran accompaniments we all enjoyed in BSU, MMI cent.

I have heard many musicians say they prefer the minimalist to the pugilist.

PS: In fact, the young bearded chappie named Vetrivel put up such a sorry display in the BVB Delhi livecast some days back that BMK told him just to keep the 'teka'. He knew almost no song, and nobody could figure out when he ended the tani! Even his mridangam sounded illtuned.
Ask Vittal Ramamurthy who shared the stage, for more details.

[mahavishnu]

Likewise. Arun Prakash's style of play always reminds me of an independent member of the Lok Sabha who eternally sits on the fence and adds no value. But in this concert, I feel he has fully aligned himself with TMK's manodharma and embellished the mood.

I do agree with you that when the manodharma clicks with the main artiste, Arun Prakash can be quite wonderful. The problem is when the minimalism borders on nihilism.