TK gOvinda rao@SKGS on April 26th,2008

rajeshnat · Post by **rajeshnat** » 27 Apr 2008, 20:14

The concert series was titled veteran's series and Shri TK Govinda Rao (TKG) choosed the theme "Gems of Muttuswami Dikshitar".TKG was accompanied by Smt T.Rukmini in violin , mannArgudi easwaran in mridangam and TV Vasan in Ghatam.

1. mahaa gaNapatim(R,S) - naaTTai
2. rAmachandraM bhAvayAmi(S) - vasantA
3. rAmanAtham bhajEham (R N S) - kAsirAmakriya
neraval in "kAmita phala pradadevam KOti theertha prabhAvam"

4. shree mAthrubUtham (R,S)- kannaDa
5. neerajAkshi kAmAkshi (S) - hindOlam
6A. jambupathE (R,S,T) - yamunA kalyAni
6B. tani

7. akhilAndEshwari(S) - jujAvanti
8. shri vishwanAtham bhajeham - caturdasa rAgamAligA
9. mAmava pattAbhi rAmA - maniraNgu
10.mangalam kOsalendrAya - madhyamavati? + shuruTTi

Heard only once Shri TKG before,though attended quite a few of his lecdems. Shri TKG is perhaps one of the most respected artists for his vidwat ,he certainly showed his class there. Shri TKG does have a husky and somewhat hoarse voice most of the time , felt more during alApanai but his swara prasthAnam was really top class through out.

TKG Started with the famous nAttai with a nice round of swarams . Diction was perfect with the rare vasantA with gripping round of swarams . The rendition of rAmanAtham bhajEham was just mediocre , certainly his voice did not cooperate much here with neraval just being ok.A detailed alApana of kannaDa was presented very well by TKG with the follow up of shree mathrubUtham where he sprinkled more kanakku swarams .

To me if there was one revelation and an experience of first time that I would cherish for ever, it was TKG's rendition of neerajAkshi in hindOlam. Having heard very less this masterpiece I spotted only yesterday the genius MD has given a complete in and out profile of hindOlam in this beautiful krithi.

Shri TKG sang the first half of neerajAkshi in a chowka kAlam , just reminding of still hindOlam specialist Shri MDR . What I also discovered was from the lines in charanam "gowri hindOla?? ", he went in mEl kAlam . Just not that there was 2 rounds of cittaswarams(not all musicians sing both rounds of cittaswarams). The excellence just did not end there , it just became outstanding where he sang kalpana swaras more resembling gushing hindOlam specialist mmi's yAdhava kula murali with distinct swaras of hindOlam "dA ni da ma ga " and certainly immortal piDis like mel kAlam "sa ma ga". TKG's hindOlam was manOdharmam and delivery at his best.(BTW does anyone know if TKG's guru musiri sings hindOlam, if yes please point out any links?)

The main was certainly rare as it was yamunA kalyAni . The jambu pathE was a long krithi , with him singing a long yamuna kalyAni alAPanai, I personally found it difficult to stay connected . The swaras were excellent and the concert was at this stage a more hindustani concert with a mridangam accompanist. The jujAvanti was rendered perfectly absolutely no overdoing of sangathis, noticed very distinct swara piDis in jujAvanti.

The caturdasa rAgamliga was very good till first half with Shri TKG forgetting lines from lalita rAgam and with the vocal accompanist vidushi reading from a book and relaying the lines to Shri TKG , the charm of the rAgamAligA was lost . A very good rendition of mAmava patAbhi rAmA was perfect .

The violinist Smt T Rukmini played excellently , always was a shadow with the right proportion in returns .Mannargudi easwaran's play was brilliant , he just seemed to enjoy so much and he anticipated lot of swara patterns and lifted the concert .TV vAsan gave able support more from the middle of the concert , Tani was very good to excellent.

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 27 Apr 2008, 20:31

Thank you, Rajesh!
Always good to see senior vidvAns and vidushis reviewed. Of late, they are more visible, thank goodness. Wish I had heard that hindOLam.
It is always ' good to excellent

to read your reviews...

rbharath · Post by **rbharath** » 28 Apr 2008, 10:30

what a miss.. gosh..

(

i have heard TKG sing yamunakalyani for a sub main sometime back. but a jambUpatE main.. and rAmanAtam bhajEham and nIrajAkshi and srI mAtrubhItam, all personal favourites... i should have attended...

i only hope somebody recorded it and will be willing to share...

arunsri · Post by **arunsri** » 28 Apr 2008, 11:02

If I recall right, nIrajAkshi kAmAkshi is a pet kriti of the Musiri school. Vidushis Suguna Purushottaman, Suguna Varadachari render it quite often.
I remember the 'haunting' rendition of the same by Smt. Purushottaman - 2003 Cleveland Aradhana.

vijay · Post by **vijay** » 28 Apr 2008, 18:14

Neerajakshi in Chowka Kaalam is a delightful kriti...thanks for the review Rajesh!

srinivasrgvn · Post by **srinivasrgvn** » 03 May 2009, 10:25

Can somebody please provide a recording of this concert? Please? Especially the Yamuna Kalyani main piece. I really want to hear it!!