2015 April 18 TMKrishna HKVenkatram KArunPrakash @ Bangalore Fort

[badari]

Was expecting a review of this from anyone else who could have attended this program. Not too many familiar faces were spotted in this venue.

Vocal: Vid. TMKrishna
Violin: Vi. HKVenkatram
Mridanga: Vid. KArunPrakash

Occasion: World Heritage Day celebrations @ Bangalore Fort

01 kAmAkshi bangAru kAmakshi varAli m.cApu shyAmA sAstri (O, N, S)
nereval @ shyAma krishna paripAlini

02 shankarAbharaNa tAna in violin

03 tillAna shaNkaraAbharaNa (N)
nereval @ nAdru dIm dIm tana dhIrana
This concert requires a special review (watch out for it) especially the creative part in presenting the nereval in this composition. It was not a surprise when he started off singing tillana as the 3rd song of the short concert... but the surprise part was the nereval and the way it was expanded to occupy a full 15 mins of pure bliss in shaNkarAbharaNa.

04 mukhAri AlApane .. presented as an individual piece

05 entha vEdukondu O rAghavA saraswathi manOhari Adhi thyAgarAja (N, S, T)
nereval @ chintadIrchuTa

06 mAte malaya daru varNa khamAs muttiah bhagavatar

07 kAnchIsham EkAmranAyakam noTTUswara shaNkarAbharaNa m.dIkshitar

08 shloka (mOULou ganga..)
At the beginning of this track, he wanted to finish with this.. but by the end he was in a mood to continue... and started off the next song..

09 vandE mAtaram ... jaya jaya vande mAtaram

10 mangaLam kOsalEndrAya

Pic @ http://arohanaavarohana.blogspot.in/201 ... atram.html

[pattamaa]

If abhishek can sing pallavi on tadikuta kiTa tataku din ta tOm, can TMK be far behind in singing neraval for tillana !! Really creative indeed..

[gardabha_gana]

Badari, what's O?
Well, it will be a while for me to attend TMK's music offering... I have (unfortunately) miles to go to appreciate his music in his format or the lack of it.

[Rsachi]

03 tillAna shaNkaraAbharaNa (N)
nereval @ nAdru dIm dIm tana dhIrana
This concert requires a special review (watch out for it) especially the creative part in presenting the nereval in this composition. It was not a surprise when he started off singing tillana as the 3rd song of the short concert... but the surprise part was the nereval and the way it was expanded to occupy a full 15 mins of pure bliss in shaNkarAbharaNa.

My kingdom and my horse for a recording of this!

[badari]

Unfortunately, TMK does not like his concerts to be bootlegged ! It was prestine music for lucky ones who were there.

[gardabha_gana]

Am thankful that Tyagaraja, Dikshitar, Syama Sastri didn't have the same opinion (in jest). I have a fundamental disagreement with TMK, VS et al. who hyperventilate when someone records a concert for non commercial purposes. Imagine if composers started having copyrights.....separate discussion though... Given the small market for carnatic music - I would say "come one come all, record and propagate".

[kvchellappa]

TMK quoted the same reason, small market for CM and professionals are affected by such recording and sharing. I feel we must respect the artists' wish.

[Rsachi]

Don't mind at all. I only hope I will catch the next creative variant. It's like if I didn't buy a Picasso or MF Hussein. Simply wait for the next one

[vasanthakokilam]

Well, it will be a while for me to attend TMK's music offering... I have (unfortunately) miles to go to appreciate his music in his format or the lack of it.

If it has been a year or two, I think you should try now. While the format may still be jarring in a place or two, I think he is also learning to live in this new environment he has set up for himself. I think the tipping point has reached where any such discomfort you may feel due to the format is significantly outweighed by the enjoyment you will get out of the music.

It is CM after all, a fairly deep one at that and without any frills.

[Purist]

...." I think the tipping point has reached where any such discomfort you may feel due to the format is significantly outweighed by the enjoyment you will get out of the music."

I agree and infact attend his concerts (oh sorry, rather musical sojourns) on this score.

[Purist]

03 tillAna shaNkaraAbharaNa (N)
nereval @ nAdru dIm dIm tana dhIrana
This concert requires a special review (watch out for it) especially the creative part in presenting the nereval in this composition. It was not a surprise when he started off singing tillana as the 3rd song of the short concert... but the surprise part was the nereval and the way it was expanded to occupy a full 15 mins of pure bliss in shaNkarAbharaNa.

My kingdom and my horse for a recording of this!

Rsachi -this is for you. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sACI3vSdVjA.
Looking forward your kingdom & horse

[Rsachi]

Dear Purist!
Thank you. But my side of the bargain is already taken by someone else who was quicker
But don't worry, my kingdom was rather a small one (I used to carry it in my pocket) and the horse...less said the better

But thank you for the video. It looks fabulous and I am going to watch it now!

[Rsachi]

What beautiful music, unforgettable! It is pure music at its best. A glowing tribute to a wonderful tillana in such a majestic raga. Krishna sings with a rare (not for him, for others! ) intensity. He reminds me of Garuda carrying the pot of Amrita!

The accompaniment of HKV and KAP (as well as the smiles of the young lady) are wonderful too! Must have been a delectable treat for those present.

Thanks a lot for all those involved in uploading this. For me, it is a must watch & listen piece of Carnatic music!

[hnbhagavan]

Thank u for uploading.Must have been a great treat for those present.Excellent music and accompaniments at their best.Music gives Sowkyam.

[mahavishnu]

The rendition of mAtE was breathtaking! HKV was very supportive and reassuring in his accompaniment.

Is the lady on the tampura a shishya of Krishna's? He seemed to let her sing (softly), which I have not seen many of his understudies do (G Ravikiran being an exception on a few occasions).

[Rsachi]

The young lady, Bhargavi, is the daughter of HK Venkatram and is a student of TM Krishna. She plays the tambura very often in his concerts here. She featured in the junior slot at Fort High School RSM in 2014 I think.

[mahavishnu]

Thank you, Sachi.
Best wishes to the young vidushi! I hope she can continue to get as much pleasure from performing. Look forward to seeing her on the concert circuit!

[Rsachi]

.
.
Garuda, carrying Amrita: National Museum, New Delhi

[rshankar]

The rendition of mAtE was breathtaking! HKV was very supportive and reassuring in his accompaniment.

Ramesh - thank you for the comment - becasue it made me go back and listen to it. I agree it was a beautiful rendition, and it is probably second best on my list for this daru varNam. But I still love the Smt. MSS-version has a zing to it, which was, IMO missing here - what I mean is, while Sri TMK's rendition was more reflective, Smt. MSS' version actually makes me 'see' the words....

[mahavishnu]

Ravi: I was constantly thinking of the MSS version too (holding that as the gold standard) as I listened to it.

However this version of TMK's is more reflective (as you aptly call it) and soulful than other instances of his own performance of this song. For some reason, I felt that he was really enjoying this performance, being thoroughly immersed in it. Here is the other one I am thinking of: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOEJjHPeXBA Didn't do it for me as much as the one in this concert.