TVS @ NGS For Karthik Fine arts 06/12/2013

[semmu86]

TVS- Vocal
Mahadevan S- Vocal Support
Nagai Muralidharan- Violin
Mannargudi Easwaran- Mrudangam
Anirudh Athreya- Kanjira

1. vignESwara Subha kAraka - Arabhi- rUpakam- S
2. kA vA vA- varALi- Adhi- S
3. enta vEDukondu O rAghava- saraswathi ManOhari- Adi- R,N,S
4. kamalAmbAm bhajarE - kalyANi- Adhi- R,N,S,T

If anyone stayed for the full concert, Pls do fill this up.

First TVS concert for me this season. A brilliant one, as is the case with any TVS concert. Going to a TVS concert always makes me realize that, for all the complications that we bring up in CM on one hand, it is also possible to deliver such high quality stuff sans any unwanted fuss or complications. So simple & uncomplicated is his music.

Nagai Muralidharan for sure was the stand-out performer for me in the concert. He had done away with the contact mike that he was using when I heard him last about a month back with OST for Charsur. The tone sounded so regal & natural. It was as if the bow was dipped in honey prior to the concert. So sad when we realize that he is one of the most underrated Violinists amongst the over glorified ones whom we have today. Everything about his playing was so beautiful.

Percussion department was top class. With ME being in charge, one cant expect less. Anirudh played very well too.

[arasi]

Semmu,
Good to get a review from you

A 'JAmbavAns all' concert. Wish you had stayed longer and had given us the complete song list.

[rapper]

This concert has been videoarchived for a few days at www.cmana.org for people who want to catch the action and can be accessed for a fee

[kssr]

Typical stamp of Sri.TVS's authority. Two major numbers one after the other without a filler. He is confident that his rasikas come for heavy duty CM and can definitely enjoy it. I am missing all the action

[srikant1987]

Going to a TVS concert always makes me realize that, for all the complications that we bring up in CM on one hand, it is also possible to deliver such high quality stuff sans any unwanted fuss or complications. So simple & uncomplicated is his music.

EXACTLY!

Amen! =)

[tanapp]

Going to a TVS concert always makes me realize that, for all the complications that we bring up in CM on one hand, it is also possible to deliver such high quality stuff sans any unwanted fuss or complications. So deceptively simple & uncomplicated is his music.

Semmu86, please allow my small mindedness to nitpick and add the word 'deceptively' before the word simple in your wonderful review. Great group of accompanying vidwaans in this concert. Must have been an amazing one.

[srikant1987]

Tanapp, Semmu might, but I won't!

Why is simplicity looked down on? Why do things have to be DECEPTIVELY simple to be regarded highly?

In this regard, I recollect Varsha's post #7 here: http://rasikas.org/forums/viewtopic.php? ... le#p230766

[tanapp]

Srikanth1987,

What an apt and beautiful reference to simplicity and it's high regard. "Deceptively" was just my addition..which I found sort of resonated with the example in Varshas post.

[HarishankarK]

What about TVS's repertoire? I feel it is very limited and also the songs in his concerts are fairly predictable (mostly MMI popularized songs).
Post tani section will have - English Note, Eppo Varuvaro
If it is a Muthiah Bhagawathar song then it will be either Sarasamukhi or Bhuvaneshwariya or that Vachaspathi song - nothing else
Opening song will be Thulasivanam's krithi
I don't think he sings Swathi Thirunal, Annamacharya, Purandara Dasa, Bhadrachala Ramadass, Sadasiva Brahmendra, Narayana Teerthar songs &c &c
No bhajans - So typical and predictable his concerts are sadly !
If main is Mohanam or Kamboji or Kalyani or Keeravani then the song to follow can also be predicted !

[sureshvv]

He plays to the lowest common denominator in the audience almost to a fault. On one occasion, he had just finished singing a thukkada piece in jonpuri and someone from the audience shouted "eppo varuvaro" and he grinned somewhat sheepishly for a few seconds and then proceeded to sing it.

[kssr]

Predictable- yes, to an extent. We can also predict reliability in the standard. No concert will be sub-standard. Being a long term fan of Sri.TVS, I have heard things of unparallelled brilliance. His relaxed Bhairavi alapana in a concert in chennai with Mys. nagaraj was one such experience. Perfection - no mistakes - no apaswaram - ever is a very important plus. His voice is unique when it comes to effortless reach upto higher panchamam. No tension for the audience when he goes to that octave, as it happens to us while listening to many other vidwans.

Having said that I seriously feel that he must chuck eppavaruvaaro and notes for the next couple of years. Making the rasikas fed up with these numbers, is not a fitting tribute to his genius uncle.