T.N.S. Krishna - Vocal Support
M. Chandrasekaran - Violin
Umayalpuram K. Sivaraman - Mrudangam
B. Sreesundarkumar - Khanjira
[Sri Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer Golden Jubilee Foundation on 29-7-07 at Raga Sudha Hall ]
I wanted to be there in the hall well in advance, but happened to be a bit late, not for the concert but, for the stage
. Seeing the crowd outside the hall, I could imagine how many were standing inside… I always like a hall overflowing with rasikas, so that you can have a natural “standing ovation!”
But, it seemed there might be a little change today…
an “OUTSTANDING OVATION” too.
Rasikas always prove their quest for good music when this kind of a combination of legendary musicians performs. It’s a gathering of rasikas, learners and performers…
When shri tns sang kAnadA, we were looking for ‘nera nammithi’ and what came was ‘swAmi gaja mukha vibhO’ of 'kavi kunjara bhArathi'[grand father of kOtIswara iyer] with an interesting kuraippu in the swara prasthAram,. When shri tns ended every Avardham in rishabam, he showed how all roads of kAnadA leads to rI.
The panthuvarALi AlapanA and the krithi “siva siva” of thyAgarAja swami was rendered in an energizing manner. All the three Sangeetha Kalanidhis explored and gave a feast in the very second piece itself and that was followed by a ‘peace’ pAlyamAm. Too many days have passed without hearing such a rendition of nAyaki. Fitting decorations were made by maestro shri uks sir who is unique in expres‘sing’ music from sound and silence as well.
Shri kAntha nI, was a tribute to semmangudi mama and uks sir took everybody to the days of shri SSI by his enthusiastic accompaniment.
Bhairavi , the rAga for main, was sung with vivid sangathis and vision for aesthetics, satisfying listeners who go by lakshyA and also lakshaNa. Every sanchAram had a balance. If the travel in ArOhaNam spread as a rapid fire, it had nidhAnam on the way back in avarOhaNam, reminding the gaja rAja gathi towards a mountain peak and its reaching the landscape on the other side. The breath control in brigAs, nAdhaswara bhANi sangathis, gamaka varieties along with kArvais in appropriate places were present with precise proportion, explaining the colours and flavours of the rAga by the sanchArAs.
He also demonstrated how one should reach the thAra stAyi panchamam without a light classical finish or without aiming at mere applause. It was reached in a natural way, with the passion for singing the rAgam alone, without any motive of establishing the range and voice culture.
The manthra sthAyi rendition at the end of AlApanA, made us think of the bhairavi swara jathi. Chandhru sir not only reflected shri tns but also the mind of rasikas and began his turn with the lines of kAmAkshi the swaras “rI ga rig a sA”. He also gave a flash of chEthulArA later.
Yesssssssss…. It was syAmA sAsthri’s swara jathi kAmAkshi on his ishta – vara dhEvatha. The slow pace of that song, the bhAvam that shri tns and chandhru sir and the soft pecking on the thoppi that uks sir vibrated along with dhin and chApu coated with density filled settled all the minds at the feet of dhEvi.
The niraval at ‘shyAma krishNa sahOdhari’ and its swara ‘sA ga rI’ kept on reminding she is karuNa sAgari. The swaram was followed by an enthralling thani by uks sir and shree sundharakumar. Sir played the chathusra – thisra mOrA. His fillings during the niraval with sharp and defined pharans lifted the level of the concert to greater heights.Sundharakumar provided good following.
It was a prAchIna bhairavi.
shri tns rendered virutham with a slOkam “sAyankAlE” from “shri Krishna karNamrutham” in rAgamAlika. He made it interesting too. Since the slOkam starts sAyankAlE… [evening rAgAs?] he included nIlAmbari [sleep], bhUpALam[wake up], kApi [coffee] and suruti [ fold the bed!]. The one line – one rAga exchange [sAveri, behag, bAgEshri, kEdhAra gowLa...] between shri tns and chandhru sir was great.
After a smooth sailing for more than two hours, the majestic ship of musicianship arrived at the port of ‘vanga kadal’ and mangaLam [sowrAshtram].
shri tns sang ‘shrInivAsAya mangaLam’ [that reminded shri SSI].