Review of T. N. Seshagopalan's concert in Chicago

[sand...@my-deja.com]

Venue : Aurora temple, Chicago, 28th May
T. N. Seshagopalan - Vocal
Accompanists:
S. Varadarajan - Violin
J. Vaidyanathan - Mridangam
Neyveli Venkatesh - Kanjira

Compositions sung included:
Girirajasutha - Bangala (S)
Satguru Swami - Ritigowlai (S)
Gurulekha - Gowrimanohari (S)
Evarani - Nagachintamani (R)
Aparamabhakti - Pantuvarali (R,S)
Nadupai - Madyamavati (S)
Kanukontini - Bilahari (R,S)
Eti Janma - Varali
Manasunilpa - Abhogi
Kaddanuvariki - Todi (R,N,S)
Ragam Tanam Pallavi

The concert was part of the Thyagaraja Utsavam conducted in Chicago. All
the compositions sung were Thyagaraja's.

Seshagopalan did not make an impression on me until more than half the
concert was over.
The first three songs were very insipid. Especially "Gurulekha" which
has been rendered with such life and feeling by stalwarts like Somu and
semmangudi, was a let down.
The raga aalapanai in Nagachintamani was reasonably good. However I was
again disappointed by the rendition of the kriti which is touching when
rendered with bhava.
The raga aalapanai in Pantuvarali bore the stamp of Seshagopalan's
inimitable style. Breezy and avoiding the Panchamam, it was melodious
and unlike the standard version of the ragam one gets to hear so often.

"Manasunilpa" was the turning point of the
concert. It was rendered beautifully and I can still hear it in my mind.

My heart sank the moment Seshagopalan started on Todi. I have lost count
of the number of todis I have heard in recent concerts. I don't
understand it. Do musicians feel that Todi is a yardstick to measure
their competence? Why are other ragas not taken up for elaboration as
the main piece? The over exposure to Todi numbs me to the beauty
of the ragam because I can almost always predict the phrases and
nuances.
But Seshagopalan held my attention. Todi has always been his specialty
and this was not an exception. He beautifully executed swara bedam in
Mohana kalyani, and shankarabharanam which blended well into the whole
aalapanai. The neraval was particularly beautiful.

As soon as TNS finished Todi, some people in the audience asked for a
RTP. I was very impressed when he obliged them despite the late hour
(10:45pm or so) and the fact that he'd sung for a good 3 hours by then.
The RTP was interesting. The raga aalapanai and tanam were sung
alternatingly in Arabhi and Bindumalini. I was puzzled until I heard the
pallavi "Navamanihara Bindumalini" sung in Arabhi set to Jampa talam.

Varadarajan on the violin was not very impressive. I have heard him
accompany Sanjay Subramaniam in Dayton, and thought he was much better
then. However Vaidyanathan (who created a very bad impression on me when
I heard him accompany Seshagopalan in Cleveland) was a pleasant
surprise. Neyveli Venkatesh (who also doubles as a mridangist) and
Vaidyanathan did a very good job in the tani.

The venue itself was a let down. Around 400 people showed up for the
concert. The Aurora temple hall is very small
and was bursting at the seams. There was no place to eat dinner but in
the hall itself which resulted in delaying the start of the concert by
one hour. The audience also seemed very distracted and there was a
constant buzz of chattering in the background in contrast to the
audience in Cleveland in this year's Thyagaraja utsavam. I think the
audience in Cleveland is one of the best I have ever seen.

Sandhya

Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy.

[shya...@my-deja.com]

Would love to get my hands on a copy of this concert. I collect
Thyagarajaswami krithis by various artists and this would be a nice
addition.
Shyam

[savi...@my-deja.com]

Classical music retains a great charm by virtue of its strict adherence
to tradition and culture. Prof M Mohan's was a true example of this who
gave a concert under the auspices of the Indo-American Community center
in Santa Clara,CA recently.

Prof M Mohan hails from Sivagangai, Madurai and is a disciple of G.S.
Krishnaswamy Iyer in the shishya parampara of Harikesanallur Muthiah
Bhagavathar. He has performed widely in India, is an AIR artiste in
Madurai and has given several concerts in Doordarshan Madras.
Prof M Mohan recently visited the US.

Prof Mohan opened the concert with a bright and brisk execution of the
varnam, "Eranapai" (Todi) and revealed his enthusiasm to impart
liveliness to his concert. Seeking the blessings of Lord Ganesha, he
then rendered a Koteeswara Iyer kriti in "Varana Mukha" in Hamsadhwani
in an attractive musical form extended through a spell of agile swara
sequences. He quickly followed this up with "Balakanaka" in raga Atana.

The tidiness of his delineation, of the piece, "Kavava" of Papanasam
Sivan in Varali (prefaced with neat raga narrative) was praiseworthy.
The subtlety of Varali was brought out through a shiny elaboration
of it.

The raga alapana of Arabhi focussing on it's bhava was a convincing
essay followed by a Dishitar kriti "Sree Goureeshaya Namaste". The
sequence of swaras that followed maintained the raga identities well.
His execution of the piece "Rama Rama" of Purandaradasa was a good
projection of Telang. Prof Mohan then presented a less often sung
kriti of Tyagaraja in Ahiri which was very moving.

A comprehensive Kalyani alapana for Dikshitar's "Bhajare..." with
neraval and awaras was the highlight of the concert. A fully expressive
alapana was executed with proficiency as also in the enunciation of the
sahitya sung in praise of Balambika - the consort of the presiding
deity of Vaitheeswaran Koil. The neraval and swaraprayogas on "Devim
Shakti" were a delight for their interpretative variations. The singers
execution of exercises on swaras in conclusion of the piece evoked
delightful listening.

The post-thani included "Kanakashaila" of Shyama Shastry in
Punnagavaralai in praise of Kanchi Kamakshi and a popular kriti "Enna
Thavam" of Sivan in Kapi.He brought out the real flavour of th raga in
its traditional richness.

After a lilting Kandar Alankaram and song in Sindubhairavi, Sri Mohan
concluded the concernt with a moving Hamsanandi Tiruppugazh of
Arunagirinathar.

Shubha Narasimhan's portrayal of Arabhi and Kalyani were pleasant. She
also acquitted herself creditably during the kriti renditions. Sriram
Brahmanandam (son of Smt Lalgudi Brahmanandam) extended his well
qualified and competent support on the mridangam. His thani in Kalyani
enlivened the laya patterns and was metrically elegant.

Concert tapes are available. Interested people, please send me a note.

Thank you - Savitri

[Shashidar Diwana]

Hi,

When did this concert happen ?
I think there is not enogh publicity.

Thanks,
Shashidar Diwana

[Vadiraja Bhatt]

This concert was held under the banner of LOTUS an organization which
promotes local talents. I had posted concert info in this news group.

Vadi

[Y. Chandramouli]

sand...@my-deja.com wrote:

> Venue : Aurora temple, Chicago, 28th May
> T. N. Seshagopalan - Vocal
> Accompanists:
> S. Varadarajan - Violin
> J. Vaidyanathan - Mridangam
> Neyveli Venkatesh - Kanjira
>

> Satguru Swami - Ritigowlai (S)

Satguru Swamikku is a composition of Ramanathapuram
Poochi Srinivasa Iyengar. The compostion is in praise of
Saint Thyagaraja. A beautiful krithi.