T.M.Krishna at Kamarajar Arangam, 12-1-'14

[sureshvv]

TMK presented a wholesome satisfactory post season concert.

Accompanists
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Akkarai Subbalakshmi
Poonkulam Subramanian
Guruprasad (G)

Song List
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1. Vatapi ganapathim, Hamsadvani, adi, D, ns @ murari pramukhadi
2. Nattaikurinji, Ekkalithilum, rupaka, Ramaswamy Sivan, n @ eesanai prakasanai
3. Tanam - Todi
4. Karthikeya gangeya, Todi, Adi, Sivan,
5. Slokam - shanthaakaram in Shanmugapriya, Madhyamavathi, Mohanam, Kapi
6. Enna thavam seidanai, Kapi, Sivan
7. Tillana, Sankarabharanam

Observations
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1. Almost the entire concert was in vilamba kaalam. He teased 2nd speed a couple of times but stopped shot of pulling the trigger. One among a few artistes who can present an entire concert at this pace. Used to be very good at stepping the pace up but seems to have given up on the habit

2. Vocal range was awesome esp. as he dwelt on notes in ati mandhira sthayee.

3. Showed some of his nakhras as usual but did not interfere much with the performance.

4. Percussion was ubiquitous and excellent. Would like to hear this combination more often.

[kvchellappa]

A special feature is it is close to the Kaccheri Paddhati that he has been fighting shy of.

[sathguru]

But for the focussed vilamba kaala rendering, as kvchellapa mentioned, this is close to the padhdhathi he is currently trying to abstain from.
In a way it is sad that an artiste of his calibre is experimenting with the rasikas that has coughed up a lot of money to listen to him. To that extent, TM Krishna must be conscious of it - he is what he is today because of the rasikas.
Let TM Krishna organize a koil cutcheri and experiment with it - rasikas will throng there and gladly offer him feedback and advice.

[puru00047]

Ati mandara sthyayi is like two octaves lower right? did he touch two Nis lower? or was it Mandhara styayi,

[sureshvv]

It was the ni below the mandhra sa.

[sureshvv]

Would have been great if he had chosen to sing the Todi swarajathi instead

[sureshvv]

Loved the way he said "nataraasanai" (a la vijay siva) in the neraval line. I have heard "nataraajanai" from more than one artiste and it simply deflates all life in the line instantaneously

[mahavishnu]

In a way it is sad that an artiste of his calibre is experimenting with the rasikas that has coughed up a lot of money to listen to him. To that extent, TM Krishna must be conscious of it - he is what he is today because of the rasikas.
Let TM Krishna organize a koil cutcheri and experiment with it - rasikas will throng there and gladly offer him feedback and advice.

Sathguru, Not sure about this one, but all his concerts this season were free. and he wanted them that way! And from what I saw, there was no shortage of rasikas in any of these occasions.

[grsastrigal]

I agree with sathguru for kamarajar arangam concert.

I had been to the counter on that day and the minimum ticket price was Rs. 200. I felt this is too much (not for the artists but for the programme as a whole) and highest "minimum" for any concert. I returned without attending. With so many sponsors coughing up money for this series, they could have reduced the price. Even if they reduce "pillow size" ticket, they can save lot of money and thus, reduce the price of the ticket !!!!.

mahavishnu- you are correct. All his december concerts were free. This concert, at kamarajar arangam, though priced, might have been full too. Even TMK might have recieved good amount for this concert !!!. So, he could have considered the poor (after paid the ticket) rasikas to have a "pleasure" of good concert.

[barrakooka]

How does TMK afford free concerts? Maybe he made money with the ticket sales the sabhas had, othwerise without making any money, sabhas would have kicked him out (harsh term to use, but yes!), no doubts! (ofcourse, i'm carrying on with my profession as usual and following carnatic music (and hence, rasikas.org), only as a light hobby, just to make sure i'm not a professional by any means!).

I listened to TMK in Jaya TV. Let me present my views (though its only limited to the jaya tv concert, not sure if there's a dedicated thread for that),

1. TMK was just saying 'aha' and 'sabash' to the jeeva sangathis that we were listening to for ages!
2. He said something in the lines of 'I appreciate music in general, not my own own music, there's a big difference (something like that)', everyone (like madurai mani or GNB or even malladi or sanjay of today) sing for music's cause, it's coz they love music, they present their music like the way they love it, not because they want audience to love their music (not sure how i can explain this anymore).

Finally, I think TMK is sort of right about not adhering to concert format, it was created to please audience of a particular time frame (modern times, as ARI and poochi may have thought, its his freedom to experiment, but then my final opinion is that he's sort of confused as to what he really thinks.
May be a year or two from now, he'll rellay come out with out mature thoughts. Till then, lets enjoy his music and his random acts, and be on the lookout for a promising musicisan! (I still hold the likes of Vijay Siva higher than TMK, FYI!).

[sathguru]

I understand TMK saying that many mediocre artistes hide their mediocrity behind the format structure as such - alapanas arent deep enough, sangatis are very superficial, gimmicry substituting vidwath and so on.
With regard to these views on not adhering to the format of Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar, I think it is fine. But being different for the sake being different is an attention deficit syndrome. TMK probably needs to introspect and ensure that isnt the case with him.
I too hope not.