Sanjay Subrahmanyan @LA

[kedharam]

Sanjay Subrahmanyan
Varadarajan – Violin
Venkatesh - Mridangam

Balahamsa – nenaruleni, PS
Gowlai - Samageethapriyan, S, Ramalinga swamigal
Kedaram – thyagaraja gurum Ashraye, MDR, R
Kambhoji – thiruvadi sharanam, N@ aduttu vanda ennai taLLalAgAdu araharAvenru shonnAlum pOdAdO, Gopala Krishna bharathi
Manirangu – jaya jaya padmanabha, ST
Thodi – endu daginado, T, R, N@ ala nadu kanaka kasipu nindaru, S
Thani
Brindavana saranga – Soundararajam, MD
Kalavathi – ennadu juthano, T
RTP – Bahudari
Pallavi: kandanadi avar enakku sondhamadi, vaLLi manALanadi, adhi
Mannu pugazh kosalai – kulasekhara azhvar
Rageshri – Dasara nindisa beda, PD
Sindhu bhairavi – vizhikku thunai followed by vava vel muruga, Mayuram viswanatha sastri
Sanjay set the mood by opening the program with the austerely beautiful varnam in Balahamsa.
Kedaram was elaborated revealing its different facets, dwelling in the middle octave and tempering it’s strains as Sri. Varadarajan played with engrossing spontaneity. MDR’s immortal work, ‘thyagaraja gurum Ashraye’ unrolled with nobility with MDRish/sanjayish:) expressive dynamics and tempo, making the music sway forward with rustic jolility …
The weighty and anguished Thiruvadi sharanam unfolded like a theological discourse with passionate tonal strength in conveying its narrative sway. Then Sanjay embarked on exploiting every element of potential for aesthetics at the most musically involved part of GKB’s work, ‘aDuttu vanda ennai taLLalAgAdu araharAvenru shonnAlum podAdo’, with a husky ache turning it into a work of yearning by ingeniously folding lyrical strands into the melodic fabric of kambhoji conveying the sublime underpinning of the composer’s ache with the support of Varadarajan and Venkatesh nudging the music into its own world…
The most affecting demonstration of mastery, thodi:
The unfolding, caressing and lingering over each note of thodi with his earthy vocal lines was a creative exercise in stretching the boundaries - With his voice gaining a steely, determined edge, it was conceptually bold, musically wondrous working within the aesthetic confines of the raga’s structure and his interpretations were matched by some nuanced playing of Sri. Varadarajan paving the way for Thyagaraja’s seldom-heard intricate work ‘endu daginado’ suffused with a sense of the sacred tapping into the dramatic depths of the text, at ‘ala nadu kanaka kasipu nindaru’ moving regally between fluid phrasings by teasing out the rhythm and cresting with Sri. Venkatesh’s eerily pitched rhythmic explosions to a heartening ovation.
Then came the heart-tugging contemplative melody Soundararajam with affecting restraint and seductive lyricism at an ambling gait with the melodic phrases sailing over the rhythm pounding one to submission…
Shifting gears quickly as a counterweight to the poignant interlude, Sanjay took off with ‘ennadu jutuno ‘ with the accompanying artists attuned to his every impulse with scrupulous integrity.
RTP:
Sanjay stretched bahudari through precise note-to-note articulation in bringing out its primordial elements. Thanam, emerged here hushed and the tension between his meditative trance and the pensive syllables unfolded to melody evolving into long spans of shifting elements with sovereign control in the transitions as he cajoled the pallavi text, ‘kandanadi avar enakku sondhamadi vaLLi manALanadi’ reveling in the elegant wordplay with rhythmic integrity that gradually grew richer with the swara ragamalika in ananda bhairavi, hamsanandhi, jog, ranjani, and surutti with fresh rhythmic riffs during the 40-minute work as he exchanged phrasings with a conversational urgency with Sri.Varadarajan and Sri.Venkatesh, bringing out the best in each other.
The folk-tinged vava vel muruga with a light-footed bounce provided a lively conclusion rewarded with an ardent ovation.

At the end of the therapeutic journey, I remembered my mom’s thoughts after a sanjay concert: “idhudhAn Ozhachu pAdara pAttu” meaning his music is possible because of pure work ethic (intellect is given). This was so true in thodi. Though it exuded uncanny authority in the execution, the fact that every note that emanated was lived in was palpable, with the inflections of the lyrics intact and capturing it all in one organic sweep with an unflagging stamina …

[kvchellappa]

The review reminded me of Shakespeare: holding mirror up to nature.
One is left pining for a recording of the concert.

[cienu]

What a wonderful review Kedharam..

[rshankar]

WOW! all of the reviewers of Sri Sanjay's concerts seem to have be transported to another world, and the reports seem to rival the beauty of Sri Sanjay's concert...
Another gem from Kedaram
Arasi - this looks like another 'aDi' pallavi - a variant on the 'gOvindanaDi, mukundanaDi...' one!

[arasi]

Ravi,
Yes indeed! When some years ago I heard Sanjay start on this pallavi line at IFA, I was apprehensive: aDi repeating aggressively, how many times? Also giving the percussionists the chance to 'aDi'chufy!

However, to my surprise, every time Sanjay returned to the aDi bit, he landed gently on it, and was I relieved! The sum of it spoke endearingly about the 'sondam', rather than blare about it possessively

[rajeshnat]

kedharam
Few years back , you had put 3 or 4 consecutive reviews of sanjay where you travelled to few midwestern states , this year a review from chicago and LA - Nice of you to share your passion.

[arasi]

Rajesh,
When we have friends and relatives all over the country (and we are young), we can plan our visits to coincide with concerts we wish to attend. I suppose that's what Kedharam did, after being at a concert near home. I would have done the same, if I were a spring chicken!

[mahavishnu]

I remembered my mom’s thoughts after a sanjay concert: “idhudhAn ozhachu pAdara pAttu” meaning his music is possible because of pure work ethic(intellect is given)

Well said! Sounds like your trip out west was well worth the effort.

[kedharam]

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