Ariyakudi-KVN Trust concert of MSG

[visaalam]

Yesterday I attended the concert of Sri MSG and Dr M Narmadha at Bharathiya Vidhya bhavan.

This was orgnaised by Sri Ariyakudi K.V. Narayanaswamy Memorial Trust in connection with their 7th anniversary

They were accompanied by Sri Ganapathi Raman and Vaikom Sri Gopalakrishnan

The concert was preceded by a function in which Mrs. YGP, S. Mohan, V.R. Lakshmi Narayanan spoke of Sri KVN. MSG also spoke a few words but curtailed his speech to avoid any delays in start of the concert as MSG , Narmadha and Suresh were travelling to the USA yesterday late night

It was a great concert with less than 50% attendence. There was not even a board outside the Bhavan about this concert. Not sure how well this concert was advertised. Some known faces in the audience were Manoj Siva (Mrudangam artist) and Guruprasad (Ghatam artist)

The concert started with Gana naayakam in Rudrapriya. Other notable items were Dunmarga chara (Ranjani) and Ninne Nammi (Thodi).

With age catching up and with difficulties in sitting on a chair and playing, MSG appeared constrained. However with decades of experience and the amaanushya practice behind him, his playing was as crisp as ever, no deterioaration in tonal qualities or sruthi alignment etc.

Though taking the main stage (sitting at the center) , MSG allowed Narmadha to take the lead in terms of deciding which sangathis to be repeated , which sangathi next etc.

Narmadha was in great form. Her Ranjani alapana was amazing and extraordinary. She effortlessly traversed 3 octaves swiftly during the alapana. During thodi Nereval, she sang a portion of Neravel so that audience can appreciate which part of the kriti was being elaborated. Her voice and rendering was also very good. It is a pity that she is not the most sought after accompaniment today. It is perhaps due to the fear of main artists of today that their rendering will fall flat in front of such an accompaniment.

Ganapatii Raman's accompaniment was soft and appealing to the ears. His style was (and always is) such that it never hijacks the main artist. At the same time, whenever he got a chance he demonstrated some powerful and brisk arudis and patterns.

With the world turning towards power yoga and power mrudangam, mrudangam accompaniment has become synonymous with nonstop playing (or non stop nonsense ?? ) and high decibel stroke play . Listening to mrudangists like Ganapathi Raman and Arun Prakash is like seeing an oasis in a desert.

Vaikom's gave adequate accompaniment to the other artists.

[ganeshkant]

It is a pity that she is not the most sought after accompaniment today. It is perhaps due to the fear of main artists of today that their rendering will fall flat in front of such an accompaniment.


Visalam,I don't think so.She may not be accepting all offers coming to her due to someother preoccupation.

[srikant1987]

It is a pity that she is not the most sought after accompaniment today. It is perhaps due to the fear of main artists of today that their rendering will fall flat in front of such an accompaniment.

His style was (and always is) such that it never hijacks the main artist.