TNS at Cleveland Aradhana April 17, 2009

mahavishnu · Post by **mahavishnu** » 18 Apr 2009, 08:45

TN Seshagopalan - vocal
Jayshankar Balan - violin
Guruvayoor Dorai - mridangam
Ravi Balasubramaniam - Ghatam

This review is not going to make me popular with the TNS die-hards. So here are a few caveats at the outset. I think TNS is a genius. There are things he knows and does that most of us lesser mortals cannot even imagine. There are few like him; I have very fond memories of listening to him in the late 70s/early 80s in Chennai accompanied by the Lalgudis and PMIs of the world. I still think the talent he has displayed over the years is unparalleled. And then, I went to today's concert hoping this would be my lucky day. Read on......

1. Vanajakshiro - Kalyani varnam - followed by swarams
2. Evarikai - Devamanohari
3. Seshachala nayakam - Varali
4. Mayamma - Ahiri
5. Ekane Tala - Guharanjani (Muthiah Bhagavathar composition)
6. RTP - Todi (Ganalola Karunalavala Adi 2 kalai)
Grahabedham to mohanakalyani and kurinji
Ragamalika swarams in Reethigowla, hamsanandi followed by tani.
7. Hey Dayaluva - Abhang (Mand).

Although it is a very worthy song-list, I was deeply let down by the concert. I am disappointed because, I could see through the fog and spot the genius, but the fog was overwhelming. There were intermittent displays of sheer genius, but in the middle were these melodies trapped with no home. The shruti alignment was so off sometimes, that the brighas tended to hurt my ears. I could not place the music in any tonal frame of reference.

TNS would begin a raga alapana but even after his first run through, the raga swaroopam was nowhere to be seen. Mostly because I just couldn't get over the discordant shruti alignment to find the right shadjam (between his shadjam that was varying constantly and the tampura's). His alapanais lacked a certain grammar. There are some unwritten rules of how you let a ragam unfurl. It is true that people like Mali (and the occasional GNB) did break these rules sometimes. But there is still some benefit in present the aesthetics methodlically, so you can get the listeners into your flights of imagination in baby steps. Hindustani vocalists work on this skill very carefully. TNS did not pull this off very successfully today.

TNS would like to have the brigha explosions of a hindustani vocalist, but being woefully out of form today most of his attempts at weaving gossamer akara patterns ended up being merely suggestive. The ideas were great, but the execution and performance were shockingly insufficient.

Jayshankar Balan was just ok. (I think he replaced RK Sriram Kumar who was originally scheduled to play for TNS). I think the music (faults notwithstanding) and rhythmic complexities were quite challenging for him to say the least. TNS was very stoic through the whole concert (no bales and sabashes till the tani). He cut short JB's guharanjani alapanai by singing over him; perhaps his raga sketch was not to his satisfaction? I thought it was a bit rude.

This was also not Dorai mama's best performance. Again, I have nothing against this titan. He is a great artiste. I admire his unique style of performance, that I have written about how much I admire his playing in an earlier review. Maybe it was because his instrument was not behaving well today due to the stage lights. None of the resonant chappus came out clearly today, they were all just loud clappish sounds that came from his valanthalai. He played with much sensitivity and anticipation of Seshagopalan's rhythmic patterns which were as capricious as the Cleveland weather. It would take a musician of his calibre to pull off a good performance despite all the . The tani did not have his usual gumkis and soft sarvalaghu patterns.

Ravi Balasubramaniam on the ghatam was reasonable overall.

Although many praised TNS after the concert, somebody has to call the emperor on his new clothes. As the bard would say, when Caesar fell, what a fall it was!

bilahari · Post by **bilahari** » 18 Apr 2009, 09:02

Nice review, mahavishnu! Tempered but honest. From all the Cleveland reviews, it seems all the mrudangam vidwans have been having trouble tuning and adjusting their instruments.

appu · Post by **appu** » 18 Apr 2009, 09:20

Bilahari, I believe one of the major problems is the temperature. Outside the high was about 37 to 40 degrees F and the lows were at 30 to 32 deg F. Now inside the auditorium the A/C was not on and was hot and humid. Such climate changes do take a tall on percussion instruments. That could very well be the reason for such extreme tuning techniques.

mahavishnu · Post by **mahavishnu** » 18 Apr 2009, 09:25

thanks, Bilahari.

Appu, it was 69 (around 20Deg celsius) today! and the forecast is for 70s tomorrow. I'm not complaining....
But you are right, the auditorium is really warm.

cacm · Post by **cacm** » 21 Apr 2009, 10:49

bilahari wrote:Nice review, mahavishnu! Tempered but honest. From all the Cleveland reviews, it seems all the mrudangam vidwans have been having trouble tuning and adjusting their instruments.

I just wish to point out that Madirimangalam Swaminathan & Tiruchi Sankaran DID NOT appear to have any problems. Also overhead lights as well as Heating, Airconditioning etc all these years all over the U.S.A. have NOT created the problems being speculated upon....Just an observation on my part. No criticism intended. VKV

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 21 Apr 2009, 20:53

vkv,
You are right. It is not as if Cleveland's weather in ArAdhana season suddenly got whimsical this year! Yes, it is also true that mrudangam vidvAns have to deal with their instrument's finickiness when it comes to weather changes.

Mahavishnu,
What an objective review--recognizing and praising a great vocalist of our times, and yet suspending your admiration for a moment in reviewing this particular concert! I doubt if even SR would have anything vehement to say about it! This has something to do with how with age voice and Sruti alignment can become elusive for many vocalists. You take us through the concert responsibly without throwing critical remarks left and right, and your descriptive, and yet to the point statements bring home to us the nature of this particular concert. Some of your lines speak for the performances of several senior--nevertheless eminent CM vidvAns: 'I could see through the fog and spot the genius but the fog was overwhelming' was one among several observations which very well describe great vidvAns like TNS who have their age-related shortcomings to deal with.
How I wish we get to read objective reviews like this where personal prejudices against an artiste find no place at all.
Your imagery is rich and conveys your thoughts clearly in lines like: "his attempts in weaving gossamer akara patterns ended up being merely suggestive." Hope we get more reviews from you from Cleveland...

mahavishnu · Post by **mahavishnu** » 22 Apr 2009, 07:39

Arasi, thanks for your kind words.

VKV-sir. you are right. Trichy Sankaran and Madirimangalam's instruments sounded as good as ever.
It was very nice to sit next to you on saturday for two concerts and get your unique historical insights and wisdom. Hope you had a good trip back to NM!

mridangamkid · Post by **mridangamkid** » 22 Apr 2009, 08:22

Just a quick note on Dorai sir's Mridangam,

Originally it was to be played in 1 (C) sruthi ( He used it for the Carnatica Brothrrs concert), however sir had to change the mridangam to I believe an A sharp or B, not positive which. It is because of this changing (along with the weather), that the mridangam slowly kept creeping to a higher sruthi, hence he had to keep loosening it constantly. Both Sankaran sir and Swaminathan sir only had to use 1 sruthi, which therefor made them not need change as much. I'm not looking for excuses or anything, but just an observation.

cacm · Post by **cacm** » 22 Apr 2009, 08:27

mahavishnu wrote:Arasi, thanks for your kind words.

VKV-sir. you are right. Trichy Sankaran and Madirimangalam's instruments sounded as good as ever.
It was very nice to sit next to you on saturday for two concerts and get your unique historical insights and wisdom. Hope you had a good trip back to NM!

Same here! Finally got to see you in person; Wish we had spent more time discussing music...I like your HONEST reviews. Regs, VKV

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 22 Apr 2009, 09:22

mridangamkid,
Thanks for the information about the circumstances. Of course, the master had to deal with an unforeseen problem as well.

appu · Post by **appu** » 22 Apr 2009, 10:06

mahavishnu wrote: It was very nice to sit next to you on saturday for two concerts and get your unique historical insights and wisdom. Hope you had a good trip back to NM!

VKV Sir, So disappointed I missed to make your acquaintance. I was there through Tuesday April 14th. May be I will have the pleasure next year.

visaalam · Post by **visaalam** » 22 Apr 2009, 13:31

mahavishnu wrote: TNS was very stoic through the whole concert (no bales and sabashes till the tani). He cut short JB's guharanjani alapanai by singing over him; perhaps his raga sketch was not to his satisfaction? I thought it was a bit rude.

I have not seen TNS appreciating any accompanying artist wholeheartedly. Rarely he nods his head and there it ends.

Doesn't show him well as a team player. He and TVS are poles apart in this regard. Fortunately Neyveli Santhanagopalan has not imbibed these shortcomings from his guru TNS

rajaglan · Post by **rajaglan** » 22 Apr 2009, 15:29

>>>....I could see through the fog and spot the genius, but the fog was overwhelming. .....

Mahavishnu, what a nice pharse to explain the performance.
Very good review.

cacm · Post by **cacm** » 22 Apr 2009, 21:24

appu wrote:
mahavishnu wrote: It was very nice to sit next to you on saturday for two concerts and get your unique historical insights and wisdom. Hope you had a good trip back to NM!
VKV Sir, So disappointed I missed to make your acquaintance. I was there through Tuesday April 14th. May be I will have the pleasure next year.

Dear Sri Appu,
I am flattered & hope to meet next year. Where do you live? I live in Los Alamos, NM & VISIT chennai every year for at least two months starting mid-december. You can see me & locate me easily & just wave me down. Regs, VKV

doyoucare · Post by **doyoucare** » 22 Apr 2009, 23:48

visaalam wrote:
I have not seen TNS appreciating any accompanying artist wholeheartedly. Rarely he nods his head and there it ends.

Doesn't show him well as a team player. He and TVS are poles apart in this regard. Fortunately Neyveli Santhanagopalan has not imbibed these shortcomings from his guru TNS

Doesn't mean you need to go totally over board!!!

sankirnam · Post by **sankirnam** » 23 Apr 2009, 01:51

visaalam wrote:
I have not seen TNS appreciating any accompanying artist wholeheartedly. Rarely he nods his head and there it ends.

I beg to differ... I have seen him appreciating artists... and if you listen to any of his old concerts from the 1992 US tour, there are times when he gets very excited during the thani, exclaiming "sabaash" or "bale" to my guru

harimau · Post by **harimau** » 23 Apr 2009, 04:34

mahavishnu wrote:TN Seshagopalan - vocal

This review is not going to make me popular with the TNS die-hards. So here are a few caveats at the outset. I think TNS is a genius. There are things he knows and does that most of us lesser mortals cannot even imagine. There are few like him; I have very fond memories of listening to him in the late 70s/early 80s in Chennai accompanied by the Lalgudis and PMIs of the world. I still think the talent he has displayed over the years is unparalleled. And then, I went to today's concert hoping this would be my lucky day. Read on......

7. Hey Dayaluva - Abhang (Mand).

What? One more abhangist? Can we send these guys off to Pandaripur so that we can rest in peace?

At least, it was in a Carnatic version of a North Indian raga as opposed to being in some obscure Hindusthani raga nobody knows anything about but folks are willing to "ooh" and "aah" over.

=Text Removed by moderator on complaints received from members=

saveri · Post by **saveri** » 23 Apr 2009, 18:18

Singing abhangs, is no recent phenomenon, and have been a part of the concert circuits, in the tukkada section, for a very long time, though it has been made out to be so in recent times.

The legendary, genius, Dr. M L Vasanthakumari used to sing many an abhang in her concerts and she has handed down quite a few to her disciples. Both Charumati and Sudha have been singing abhangs for a long time on concert platforms. Commercial recordings are available of these.

TNS , who is also well versed in the traditional namasankeertanam paddhatti, is well trained in innumerable abhangs and he has been singing them for ages now.

It is just that in recent times, abhangs have become the 'most talked about' subject, as though it is a preserve or discovery of a few., spinning off terminologies like "abhangists".

Always_Evolving · Post by **Always_Evolving** » 23 Apr 2009, 18:40

DNFTT :rolleyes:

sunayanaa · Post by **sunayanaa** » 23 Apr 2009, 19:20

sankirnam wrote:
visaalam wrote:
I have not seen TNS appreciating any accompanying artist wholeheartedly. Rarely he nods his head and there it ends.
I beg to differ... I have seen him appreciating artists... and if you listen to any of his old concerts from the 1992 US tour, there are times when he gets very excited during the thani, exclaiming "sabaash" or "bale" to my guru

Perhps true to some extent with mrudanists. But he sees violonists as shatrus. He usually brings a below-par ****** and flogs him like flogging a dead horse.

endaroo · Post by **endaroo** » 25 Apr 2009, 08:40

My dear harimau & Saveri
The abhangs in our South Indian Classical Music is not allowed. Some of our vidwans are spoiling the tradition. What a dirty thing that Smt Aruna Sairam is a very good Classical Singer changed her way to sing only Abhangs Concert. O.K. but other vidwans, just to attract the audience, they are singing.

endaroo · Post by **endaroo** » 25 Apr 2009, 08:49

no values. kali kaalam. people they are doing all nasty things.

sarojaRamanujam · Post by **sarojaRamanujam** » 25 Apr 2009, 11:32

" I doubt if even SR would have anything vehement to say about it!"-Arasi

I have stopped posting to the forum and as I already told everyone in one of my posts in an earlier thread on TNS I shall be grateful if the members refrain from referring to me or my reviews in future and leave me alone. I have withdrawn from the field of battle as a wounded soldier.

srinivasrgvn · Post by **srinivasrgvn** » 25 Apr 2009, 11:54

Amruthavarshini · Post by **Amruthavarshini** » 25 Apr 2009, 13:26

Moderator, Please close this thread too! I think it has started taking the turn.

gobilalitha · Post by **gobilalitha** » 25 Apr 2009, 14:45

why so much fuss about abhang singing.? were artists not singing meera bhajans and tulsidas bhajans in hindi ?why oppose marati abhangs, as if obama is singing obhangs. gobilalitha
look, how a review about TNS PERFORMANCE , suddenly changed to Aruna and then Obama. gobilalitha

bilahari · Post by **bilahari** » 25 Apr 2009, 16:22

DNFTT.
Posts cannot contain only capital letters.

gobilalitha · Post by **gobilalitha** » 25 Apr 2009, 17:28

bilahari, pl explain. After reading your various reviews, I feel as if I have gained some knowledge of cm. best wishes. gobilalitha.

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 25 Apr 2009, 20:29

SR,
It was not meant to be a personal statement. I do apologize for wording it so. I should have said: even his die-hard fans.

ForCarnaticMusic · Post by **ForCarnaticMusic** » 25 Apr 2009, 21:50

srinivasrgvn wrote:
endaroo wrote:My dear harimau & Saveri
The abhangs in our South Indian Classical Music is not allowed. Some of our vidwans are spoiling the tradition. What a dirty thing that Smt Aruna Sairam is a very good Classical Singer changed her way to sing only Abhangs Concert. O.K. but other vidwans, just to attract the audience, they are singing.
Aruna Sairam isn't doing a job that is as dirty as yours Endaroo. So, shut up. :p
Kali kaalam it seems. :p

Hope you didn't use this word. Moderators please close this thread before all types of curse words come.

suswara · Post by **suswara** » 26 Apr 2009, 19:10

My dear harimau & Saveri

>The abhangs in our South Indian Classical Music is not allowed. Some of our vidwans are spoiling the tradition. What a dirty thing that Smt Aruna Sairam is a very good Classical Singer changed her >way to sing only Abhangs Concert. O.K. but other vidwans, just to attract the audience, they are singing.

O.K. Srinivasrgvn. But please don't say shut up.
The endaroo opinion is being a Classical Singer, she unnecessarily changed her way i.e., Abhangs concert, that'a all. Of course to get concerts and popularity and to receive a very good remuneration, she might have been changed her way.
The subject is TNS Sir unnecessary sang Abhang in his concert, the above was just an example.

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 26 Apr 2009, 20:51

Words like 'dirty' need'nt be used--particularly about performers whom you recognize as those with vidwat. How they like to present a concert is up to them. We have discussed this over and over again. Those who prefer a classical mode might feel that the concert is catered mainly to listeners of popular songs. If she were to give a concert in a purely classical style as she used to, they will be disappointed.
We can choose the concerts we want to go to. By the same token, the performers can give the kind of concerts they prefer to give. They have the freedom of expression and we have the freedom of choice. We do not come under the scrutiny of hundreds of people at every turn as thet do. They have to give their best every time they are on the stage, their voices should cooperate--and the rest...

srinivasrgvn · Post by **srinivasrgvn** » 26 Apr 2009, 20:55

HeyNarayana · Post by **HeyNarayana** » 27 Apr 2009, 01:33

srinivasrgvn wrote:Thank you arasi. We must show some people that we are not afraid to express our opinions. We do not need multiple user names to echo the same trumpet again and again.

I agree with arasi and we should respect artists and their freedom of expression. However confused with your statement 'not to afraid to express our opinions'. Hope you didn't mean 'shut up' as expressing opinion, that's immature and feels we are in high school.

Arasi,
I wish you included 'shut up' to your list of words that need'nt be used.

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 27 Apr 2009, 05:58

Hey Narayana! I had left it out.
But you have said it

Always_Evolving · Post by **Always_Evolving** » 27 Apr 2009, 07:36

bilahari wrote:DNFTT.
Posts cannot contain only capital letters.

Why?! I am not using caps to "shout". It's an abbreviation and links to a wikipedia page which has an explanation.

bilahari · Post by **bilahari** » 27 Apr 2009, 07:48

A_E- ???
I was merely reminding people of your reminder to not feed trolls like endaroo!
Just copied and pasted the forum rule that posts cannot contain just capitals because I had nothing more to say than DNFTT!

vasanthakokilam · Post by **vasanthakokilam** » 27 Apr 2009, 08:07

@ A_E & Bilahari

It is fun for others to see the slight misunderstanding play out between you two who absolutely agree with each other.

BTW Bilahari, what A_E has done is the following. It shows up as all caps but the content itself is not all caps.

Code: Select all

[url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troll_(Internet)]DNFTT[/url]

Always_Evolving · Post by **Always_Evolving** » 27 Apr 2009, 08:12

Oh. never mind. I didn't even know there was a forum rule like that! Can gladly change it to lowercase if that'll help get the message across!

bilahari · Post by **bilahari** » 27 Apr 2009, 09:47

Thanks, VK! Hyperlinking DNFTT to the Wiki site is a good idea especially for people who're not sure what it means.
A_E--My posts aren't even accepted for submission if they're all in caps (like simply LOL or DNFTT), so I just copy and paste the rule out of laziness, rather than continue to type anything else.