CONCERT REVIEW OF TNSESHAGOPALAN

saroja ramanujam · Post by **saroja ramanujam** » 28 Apr 2006, 20:29

Concert review of TNSESHAGOPALANReview of the concerts of Madurai TNSeshagopalan

Asthika samajam -venus colony-16-4-2006

Rasikas of TNS come with certain expectations worthy of his creative genius and mastery over music. He also never dissappoints them and scales the heights never reached by others. People who cannot look up to his height fail to appreciate him owing to their own limitations. The only requisite to enjoy such an exquisite music is to keep an open mind and not to expect a set formula beyond which such aperson cannot comprehend. Simple truths are sometimes understood by simple and honest minds but elude those who profess to have superior knowledge.

The concert on 16th April at Astika samajam had all the specialities that rasikas admire in TNS. He started the concert with the Thyagaraja krti 'hechchariga' in Yadukula kamboji , aptly welcoming Lord Rama as it was Ramanavami concert. Next was 'dayajuchuta' in Ganavaridhi followed by 'Orajupuju' in Kannada goula , all rendered in his usual pleasing manner. Then came' Paramapavana ' in Poorvikalyanai when the natural buoyancy became explicit and it was followed by 'Marugelara' in Jayanthsri which is always a delight for the rasikas.

The main piece was 'Nidhisala sukhama' in Kalyani. The raga was portrayed by deft strokes of the master artiste(e) and what ensued was a beautiful portrait of Kalyani with all its splendour and grace. TNS sang niraval and svara not at 'mamatha bandhana ' or 'dhadhi nava ' but at 'dasarathi dhyanabajana ' which spoke volumes of his aesthetic sense.

Then the rasikas were treated to a lovely verse from Kambaramayana followed by 'ramaramarmarama ramaayenilo' in Lalat. The concert ended with 'Pahi kalyanarama ' and the rasikas were left with a contentment of having worshipped Lord Rama through music.

Concert at Ayodhya mandapam on 15-4-2006

The concert started with Sriraga varnam fllowed by 'salamelara' in Margahindolam. Next was ' apparamabhakthi' in Panthuvarali which is ever a thing of joy for his rasikas. After 'ela needhyaradhu' in Atana , 'Yarenru raghavanai' a Ramanataka kirtana in Yadukulakamboji and 'kalyanarama ' a Uthukkadu composition in Hamsanadham, all of which were delightful, came the main raga sankarabharanam which was beyond description with wonderful delineation of raga and exotic svaraprastara. The krti rendered was' enthuku peddhala.' The hall was packed and it was a 'good' crowd.

padren68 · Post by **padren68** » 29 Apr 2006, 20:48

Why the caveat, disclaimers etc etc as a prelude to the review 8)
No offence meant, just a sincere thought!

bala747 · Post by **bala747** » 02 May 2006, 11:06

One too many grand praises? I dunno I never liked TNS much.

While the man has amazing vidwat (Certainly a better allround musician than anyone else singing today), he does no favours to himself by being erratic in concert performance. I remember hearing a fantastic Dharmavathi by him (Ododivanden kanna) and then I Was all eager to hear his live concert in Chennai few years back. Words fail to describe my shock that a man who could sing so divinely could suddenly sound so bad. I thought maybe it was an off day so I bought the Dec 2000 cassette set, and that was just as bad, if not worse. For the life of me I still can't figure out that Bhairavi RTP of his.

After that I heard another brilliant concert from a set my granduncle possessed (with an elaborate Thodi, Kaddanuvarikki). Since then, all the concerts I heard were "mixed". Many were outright brilliant, others mediocre, and some, rank bad. Genius? Certainly (probably one of the last few geniuses left) but going to his concert is a bit of a gamble (like BMK or S Balachander).