Was a little surprised not to see an entry for Padma Bhushan, Sangita Kalinidhi and maha Vidwan T.V. Shankaranarayanan, here.
(moderators, we may have made a colossal skip out here, so please thread this where it has to go or advise us .
We welcome you all to a brilliant concert held in "Parvathi", Mysore 1986 featuring T. V. Sankaranarayanan - Vocal
Lalgudi G. Jayaraman - Violin; Vellore Ramabhadran - Mridangam and Bangalore K. Venkataram - Ghatam.
Additionally we have an audio from that day of Sri Lalgudi Jayaraman's speech in Tamil.
I like the clarity and saukhyam in his singing, and he almost always creates a very delightful mood in his concerts. It is merry and fun-filled and at the same time classical and chaste too. There are seldom any marked "AhA" and heart-melting moments, yet the concerts are very engaging and enjoyable throughout.
His music is honest and open. No gimmicks in the name of variety or vidwat. His vidwat is also not in your face. It is silent and strong. One grouse a lot of rasikas have is that he doesnt include new compositions (ones that he has not sung, not modern). He is reputed to have a very big repertoire both from his uncle and his father. His swaraprastara is of a lovely gait, like a horse now cantering, now trotting, suddenly galloping!! A gentle and humble musician...of the very hard to find kind!
I think he must be one of those musicians that I encountered early in my carnatic life, and have continued to like throughout. No gimmicks, but a good solid (I hesitate to use the word 'meaty' in this forum!) performer that will hold the attention from beginning to end.
I am afraid to point out and notice in this post that there are
not much comments given on Vidwan T.V.Sankaranarayanan. Only 4 Posts.
Please dont take this otherwise.
Why are these Great Masters like Vidwan T.V.Sankaranarayanan not given due importance in these open forums.
I would like somebody to come forward and write a few on this great Maestro.
Once i had an opportunity to call him to my house in Trichur after a wonderful concert.
He could'nt make it since he was rushing to the Station to catch a train to Chennai.
Vocal : T.V.Sankaranarayanan
Violin : M.S.Gopalakrishnan
Mridangam : Vellore Ramabhadran
Venue : A Temple in Trichur Poonkunam.
He rendered an excellant Kambodhi. Kriti was Kanna Kankodi Vendum.
Somebody please come forward to add a few points on the same.
Regards
Krishna
Last edited by krishna32 on 27 Jul 2011, 11:28, edited 1 time in total.
Krishna, I have to point out that there is no set pattern to the topics discussed here. People discuss what they like/are familiar with etc. If you want a discussion on Sri TVS, feel free to start one and keep it going. I do not think it is appropriate to make a judgement call that 'so-and-so is' OR 'so-and-so-isn't' given importance.
The same goes for reviews as well. People review the concerts they go to. If anyone feels that a certain artist's concerts are not being reviewed, I would ask that they take the lead and write reviews of those concerts. Rasikas not in a position to attend and review concerts are free to request reviews of specific concerts, but should not wonder 'why some artists are not reviewed'.
Your response on the above was quite disturbing.
To be frank I personally feel very sad to see the count of reviews on Vidwan T.V.Sankaranarayanan compared to other artistes.
So i thought why not i stand up and address openly to the forum asking people to atleast comeforward and
say something about the Maestro.
My talk here is not only on reviews of the Concerts but on the technical aspects of the Music rendered by TVS Sir if known by anyone from this forum.
krishna - what rshankar said was quite reasonable. If you notice here the discussions that involve particular artistes are usually about past legends (eg GNB or MDR) or revolve around concerts of current artistes which are attended by forum rasikas.
The quantity of posts about a certain artiste says nothing about his/her vidwat. I am sure most will agree that Sri TVS is a highly talented and well-respected senior musician and true representative of the Madurai Mani bani.
TVS is a musician who will impress you with his music in the first concert you hear of him. I heard him in the early eightees in Trivandrum. One such concert was in the august company of TNK and Vellore Ramabhadran. We were amazed by his singing of Kambodi- you guess it right, only Kana kann kodi vendum and RTP in Shanmugapriya among many other favourite songs of MMI. I was surprised when I got the recording of this concert in Mumbai from some source after 20 years. His neraval and swaras in the typical MMI pattern- the swarams, which we were thinking that nobody is capable of singing like that- floored every one. Many concerts I heard at that point of time. But over the years, if you hear him continuously, you will know that the same Kambodi alapana, kana kann koti , same swaras with same muthaippu can be heard in many concerts. Then your ahaa boils down. After some concerts no excitement is left. But there are thousands of admirers of MMI who always will like to hear their Master's music in the voice of TVS – will like to hear the same Kana kan koti, Brovabharama, with the same swaras concluded with Eppo varuvaro and English Note.But the sowkhyam of MMI is absent in the music of TVS.
Secondly, I am not a favourite of his RTPs – of 2 minute alapana, 2 minute thanam and 5 minute pallavi in unsung ragas like Surya or Sindubhairavi or Behag.
The admirable thing in his concerts- his instant rapport with the audience and comradiere with the accompanists.
Krishna, I have given a start to the discussion. I am sure this will elicit lot of discussion from the members.
First of all i would like to thank you for atleast hearing my discussion and giving a start to this forum for people to share.
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TVS is an artist par excellence but he is not using his vidhvat to full use.His laid back attitude is one of the reasons I think.I am a great fan of him and even spoke to him a couple of times over phone to request new items from him.Once he obliged by singing Nattakurinji ragam and the kriti mAmavasadhavaradE.Even now if TVS can slightly change his attitude and improve his repertoire he will be much talked about.He has really bored even his ardent fans by just repeating a handful of kritis.
When I went to hear him in a sabha in Dec last, there were hardly 20 people.TVS must take cognizance of these facts.Of late he is not even giving the little variety he used to give in the 80s.Really sad.To some one to whom titles like Sangita Kalanidhi has been given,should he not live up to it.?
His neraval "Nee oru chiayoo.....yen kurai ketka ilayo?" of "Indaparamukam yedu" in Poorvi kalkani of PS perhaps is more appropriate to summarise this thread -as to what rasikas expect of him!
As a fan and follower of Shri TVS's music (apart from shri TNS, DKJ and MVS) since early 1980s, I would like share my observations and listening experiences of the master. The very first item that I listened from the maestro was a mind blowing Charukesi with Aadamodi galadhe and a grand neraval swaras in Chaduvulanni thelisi followed by an explosive thani avarthanam of shri Bhaktavatsalam (i remember it was in 1983 in a ramanavami concert at Srinivasa Murthy Mandram, West Mambalam). Old mamas and mami's behind me were commenting that he was none other than Madurai Mani Iyer's marumaan.... and singing like that was no surprise!
The next occassion was at KG sabha with Nagai Murali and Trichy Shankaran, what an alapana in Hamsanaadam! To me TVS and MMI were too different entities. TVS is vibrant till the end! and MMI was full of sublities and solfa passages.
Their voices were contrasting. TVS's voice was in the timbre of his father Shri Vembu Iyer's. TVS was distinct in raga alapana approach also. He introduced lots of brikas and Jharus that were innovative against the older style of MMI which had many contentions. The kalapramanam (tempo) of TVS is little faster than that of MMI.
The other main difference is Dikshithar Krithis. Though TVS has got a vast reportoire he refrains from Singing Dikshithar krithis as main items (but for one or two) where as MMI has sung Akshayalinga, Shri Subramanyaya, Kamalamba (Kambhoji, shankarabharanam, Kalyani, Bhairavi) as main items in many concerts, this is basically because of the voice culture. MMI Possessed a voice which also suited for Madhyama kala krithis of Dikshithar.
TVS must have been a big fan of Pandit Bhimsen Joshi, over the years I have observed his tendency to sing like him especially the ragas which had hindustani base. Ofcourse, it is been ages since someone listened to his Sahana, Atana, Saveri, Mukhari, Ananda Bhairavi, Surutti (which MMI has sung several times), Sama and many such beautiful ragas.
The repetition in his swara patterns is something again contrasting to that of MMI as i have got several recordings of MMI of the same krithi where we can see how creative he was, while improvising the swara patterns with many subtler phrases while he sings swaras for the same krithi. The Muthaipu or the final phrases of swaras sung by TVS is his own style. I have heard MMI ending ubruptly many times without big finale swaras, MMI was more spontaneous and subtler than TVS.
TVS's strengths are his free flowing upper octave voice, Virutham singing ability, innovation in raga improvisation, instant rapport with the Mridangam accompanists (MMI seeks for better rapport with Violin accompanists than Mridanga Vidwans, in his case Mridanga Vidwans had to follow him closely to get his rapport), Krithis of contemporary composers like Thulasivanam, Periasami Thooran, Sunderraja and many unheard composers including that of his own compositions!!!
VRP
That was a good post . I am conjecturing that Shri TVS was the first to open a concert with a mini slokham or mini viruththam and then proceed with a krithi(I did not see any musicians before his era doing that regularly, if I am wrong I would like to be corrected). His biggest strength is to package numbers with a high janaranjakam quotient and avoid too much of meandering alApanas, certainly in that era of late 80's when I was in school, I liked his presentation immensely.
rshankar wrote:I was going to ask the same...I thought MSS was the one to start with a slOkam, say 'Om namah praNavArthAya'
Good point forgot about Smt MSS. I was making a point about regularity of TVS starting a concert generally with mini viruththam or mini slokham .I think it is do with the style of TVS in general to avoid starting with varnams which brings this aspect more prominent.
Atleast an era before TVS (barring MSS), almost all musicians did not start with Slokham or viruththam, even in occassions when they did not start concerts with varnams is my POV.
We are privileged to present the concluding text to the 2011 K.Puttu Rao Memorial concerts in Mysore (Aug 31 ~ Sept 4).
There are quite a few photographs of the great masters in "Parvathi", Mysore over the years, and a video of
Sangeetha Kalanidhi Vidwan T.V Sankaranarayanan, performing twenty five years ago.
This video is vintage stuff - TVS at his best - What a verve in TVS singing, clean sruthi, ringing voice, natural singing( i.e. no voice contortions ).
The late 1980s was probably the best period of TVS singing.
Heard him so many times - so many memorable concerts - TVS - VVS - TKM @ 1984 Music Academy (one of the best concerts of TVS I have attended), and several TVS - MSG - Sivaraman concerts.
Over the years, TVS's music has become very predictable ( Kapali, Ka va va, Ga ma pa ga in Kamboji, ...)
There is one recording of Hamsandam kriti, Banturithikolu by Sri. TVS. Absolute bliss for about 6 minutes. I found that from Sri. TVG's repo in Sangeethamshare. The start and the neraval are too good. Especially the neraval done at Rama nama is totally different from most of the other vidwans..
Margazhi Festival of 2015 is in full swing and I was very fortunate to hear the great and grand Music of Padma Bhushan Sangita Kalanidhi Sri T V Sankranarayanan the prime disciple of ever green Gana Kaladara Madurai Mani iyer!TVS@Music Academy began his concert in a grand style even in the morning and got into his moods quickly!TVS was ably supported ably by
Mysore Manjunath on the Violin Mannargudi Eswaran on Mridangam and Guru Prasanna on Kanjira and it was a very total Team Effort on the 27th Dec 2015 Sunday@Music Acaademy.TVS was in TOP form and started the Cutchery in the traditional way and sang a piece on Lord Ayyappan fittingly and the audience were treated to grand musical sojourn.TVS took up the great Raga SANKARBARANAM as main with the most divine composition of the all time great Saint Thyagayya@Endugu Beddallu and the whole MA hall became excited and clapped the great vidwan in total ecstacy.TVS has mesmerised the audience with his swarams and the whole rasikas were tied up in a mood of total JOY and devotion.TVS has once again proved his own TRUST VALUE AND SERVICE as a musician and he was given an able and full support by his son Mahadevan from behind!All of us left with TVS in lips!Perhaps one of the greatest concert of 2015@Academy!Kudos to TVS!
S.Venugopalan
7-A, Prashanthi Apts.
T.M.Maistry St.
Vannandurai
Chennai - 600 041
Ph: +91 44 42151321
S.Venugopalan
7-A, Prashanthi Apts.
T.M.Maistry St.
Vannandurai
Chennai - 600 041
Ph: +91 44 42151321
venu sundar wrote:All of us left with TVS in lips!Perhaps one of the greatest concert of 2015@Academy!
So true. Absolutely, one of the most outstanding concerts of this season. The shankarabharanam was unbelievable, the enthusiasm and the joy being palpable all over the auditorium was testimony to this.
Thanks for the brief but welcome review of TVS @ MA. I was looking for the detailed review on the other forum. He comes up with something special for the MA occasions.
Album Name: Masterpiece - Sri Krishna Gana Sabha 1985
Song Name: Bhajamahesri
Artiste: T.V. Sankaranarayanan
Raga: Hamsadhwani
Tala: Adi
Composer: Thulaseevanam
Album Name: Masterpiece - Sri Krishna Gana Sabha 1985
Song Name: Nadathanumanisam
Artiste: T.V. Sankaranarayanan
Raga: Chittaranjani
Tala: Adi
Composer: Tyagaraja
Album Name: Masterpiece - Sri Krishna Gana Sabha 1985
Song Name: Ini Namakkoru
Artiste: T.V. Sankaranarayanan
Raga: Bilahari
Tala: Rupakam
Composer: Koteeswara Iyer
Album Name: Masterpiece - Sri Krishna Gana Sabha 1985
Song Name: Unnatha Venkata
Artiste: T.V. Sankaranarayanan
Raga: Saramathi
Tala: Adi
Composer: Thulaseevanam
Album Name: Masterpiece - Sri Krishna Gana Sabha 1985
Song Name: Mantrabalam
Artiste: T.V. Sankaranarayanan
Raga: Hamsanadham
Tala: Adi
Composer: Madhurai T. Srinivasan
Album Name: Masterpiece - Sri Krishna Gana Sabha 1985
Song Name: Kana Kankodi
Artiste: T.V. Sankaranarayanan
Raga: Kambhoji
Tala: Adi
Composer: Papanasam Sivan
Album Name: Masterpiece - Sri Krishna Gana Sabha 1985
Song Name: Sri Mathrubhootham
Artiste: T.V. Sankaranarayanan
Raga: Kannada
Tala: Misrachapu
Composer: Muthuswamy Dikshitar
Album Name: Masterpiece - Sri Krishna Gana Sabha 1985
Song Name: Ragam Tanam Pallavi - Sriranga Hari
Artiste: T.V. Sankaranarayanan
Raga: Brindavana Saranga
Tala: Khanda Jati Triputa
Album Name: Masterpiece - Sri Krishna Gana Sabha 1985
Song Name: Sathva Gunasraya
Artiste: T.V. Sankaranarayanan
Raga: Abheri
Tala: Adi
Composer: Thulaseevanam
Album Name: Masterpiece - Sri Krishna Gana Sabha 1985
Song Name: Mangalam
Artiste: T.V. Sankaranarayanan
Thankyou Shankarank , I just had time and only heard mohanam RTP as i was interested to hear the team of right press of TNK and right taps of Karaikudi Mani. It is a joy to always hear the flow of shri TVS , few decades back one of his hamsanandi pallavi with lines starting with needu mahima ... was quite a rage for me and i think that was performed in kalarasana.
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