Sangita Kalanidhi Shri.T.N.Krishnan, Mannarkoil J Balaji and Vaikom Gopalakrishnan
The concert was held on 18th April 2007 at the Mahaganapathi and Balasubramaniya Kshetram, Tali Calicut at a sylvan setting of the temple on one side and a Temple Tank and open air Stage on the other side. It was an excellent setting for the concert but unfortunately the constant Janda noise from the adjacent Temple speaker robbed the beauty of the violin of Shri.T.N.Krishnan.
Great Man that he is, didnt mind the noise, he continued to produce a sterling performance marked with sruti Shuddha and laya variety. Moreover the mike balancing was a constant distraction for all of us on the stage and not to mention about Sir.
Braving all this the audience sat thru the concert which included the following :
1) Mahaganapathim - Naata - Adi -Dikshitar
2) Vaataapi Ganapathim - Hamsadhwani - Adi - Dikshitar
3) Pattividuva Raadu - Manjari - Adi - Tyagaraja
4) Biraana Brova Ite - Kalyani - Adi Tisra Nadai - Tarangampadi Panchanada Iyer (?)
5) Siddhi Vinayakam Anisham - Shanmukhapriya - Rupakam - Dikshitar
6) Maadava Maamava Deva - Neelambari - Adi - Narayana Tirtar Tarangam
7) Padavini Sath Bhaktiyu - Saalaga Bhairavi - Adi - Tyagaraja
8) Tukkada
Starting the concert with Mahaganapathim with brisk swaras TNK Sir went on to explore the beauty of Hamsadhwani in all its splendour with his nimble and effective fingering technique. Then came the Manjari kriti Patti Viduva Raadu for which TNK sir himself has accompanied doyens Semmangudi Mama in many concerts with excellent kAla pramAna. In this concert also in many places i rememberd the Doyen Semmangudi Mama and TNK Sir's technique matched very well to reminisce that and made me very nostalgic of Semmangudi, TNK and Trichy Sankaran. The build up Sankaran Sir used to give during Anu Pallavi and Charanam is still vivid in my ears with excellent shadow support from TNK Sir filling up those gaps make it Etheral one. Kalyani came next with BirAna BrOva Ite with controlled elegance and artistry. Sidhi Vinayakam and Maadhava Maa Mava Deva in Neelambari came as fillers. But to my surprise SAlga Bhairavi was taken up for elaboration but not for too long. May be for 5 to 8 minutes of Raga Sketch and took up Padavini Sath Bhaktiyu of Tyagaraja. This kriti is a treat for mridangists since generally the kriti is played in what we call "In-between kAlapramaanam" for which doyens UKS, Trichy Sankaran of course PMI and PMS were really great in accompanying. Especially the specific kriti Padavini has been excellently explored on many occasions by Trichy Sankaran which is normally rendered in what is called in Tamil as "Rendungettan Kalapramanam" meaning neither fast neither normal neither slow. It is somewhere in between thus throwing a challenge for the mridangist to explore the laya varieties. One cannot play slow laya syllables neither play faster syllables. It is quite a task for the accompanists to play for such kritis. Krishnan Sirs mastery over his instrument and his Paripoorna Gnana made him excel in this kriti. I alongwith Vaikom Gopalakrishnan played a Tani avartanam in that song providing tisra nadai alone and a short koraippu. Tukkadas had an excellent sindhubhairavi and Khamas before winding off the concert after about 2 1/2 hours. His violin tone and the 4" sruti creates a mystic atmosphere in the minds of the rasikas and artistes alike.
Special mention though should be given about Vaikom Gopalakrishnan who played very well for the songs and had excellent anticipation for swaras and also for Tani Avartanam.
I am uploading a song from the concert for your pleasure.
http://rapidshare.com/files/26831700/01 ... Khamas.mp3
J.Balaji