TMK's Concert @ GURUVAYOOR DORAI TRUST-Dec26 @P.S.High School

[Ramasubramanian M.K]

A partial list of songs:

1. KALIKIYUNDE--KEERAVANI.

2.MARUBARU(JAVALI)--KHAMAS

3.PAYYADA(PADAM) NADANAMAKRIYA

3.SREEMATA SHIVA(KRITI)BEGADA(MUTHUSWAMY DIKSHITAR'S COMPOSITION.
P.S. Had to leave after the Begada piece in the midst of the Thani--a sacrilege I admit but my "ride" persuaded me to leave!! Excuses,Excuses!!!!

DISCLOSURE: I am an admi
rer of his Music despite his iconoclasm.

As could be expected,the Hall was packed even an hour before the concert(there was a dance program on till 6:30) with aisles and steps fully occupied. The audience(contrary to my expectations of turnouts of only young people) there were several old geezers like me clearly demonstrating that most rasikas are fair-minded paying attention to the quality and sanctity of the music rendered without minding the deviation from conventions in the sequence of songs he chooses.

My Opinions about the pieces rendered:(Sorry I may not be very elaborate on the spots of the neraval or swarams as some of the forumites like Rajeshnat do with great clarity!!)

Keeravani was soothing rendered with feeling,dwelling on every swara and coaxing the notes to perfection in Sruthi--this is what one expects to get out of TMK and he did not disappoint. Followed by a short alapana of Khamas and the Javali Marubari was sung with fervor "milking" the Kakali Nishada.(I comment later on on the appropriateness of a Javali in the early part of a concert).
Next was "Payyada" in Nadanamakriya--the raga delineation was plaintive and emotional but given that it has an One-Octave range (upto Nishada),it has its limitations and repetitions could not be avoided. I have one doubt in a portion of the lyrics which PADAM followers of this forum could help clearing-- the line "AMMAMMA VEGADALENE" TMK substituted
"AYYAAYYO"-the brinda-Muktha version I think would have been AMMAMMA. This by itself is not a big deal but for my "crooked" iterpretation of substituting a "neutral" gender(AYYAYYO instead of AMMAMMA). Was there an intent towards gender neutrality in the expression of pleading!!! I know I am treading areas that I ought not to step in but my weakness for levity in even serious situations has got the better of me!!!

Next was a rare MD krithi(which in my 75 plus years of listening to DKP.TLV--MD stalwarts-- I have not heard) in Begada.
The raga was again rendered with lot of passion--he prefaced it by saying that he had done extensive research into the Raga and had discovered some rare sancharas which he has tried to incorporate into the raga delineation-did not elaborate on what those sancharas were--to me it appeared conventional rendering with perhaps an extension of the 'Ma" at times and "skirting" Sankarabharanam at times--more than I have heard from other musicians. Aesthetics were NOT sacrificed in the process!!!

Midway thro the Thani that followed Begada I had to leave so that I do not know what other pieces were rendered!!
The accompanists were AKKARAI on the Violin and Dorai on the Mridangam with one of his sishyas(doublemridangam) --forgot his name and Ghatam by Sridhar. They were very supportive and did justice to their roles. Dorai was sweetness personified and subdued in his playing to suit the mood of the Krithis.

My comments on selection of songs and their sequences.
Convention of varnam to be followed by a brief alapana of a raga and a quick piece in between to raise the tempo etc,etc.(the ARI Bani).While I still prefer the convention as it does not constrict the Artist's imagination, I do not quibble about TMK's concert patterns. here I follow GN Sir's dictum(when I was young, he used to tell me that as listener I have to pay attention to WHAT the artist offers and not "dream" about how it should be renderred or how it was rendered by custom etc and he used to cite an example of how he sings SARASASAMADHANA--which in those days was sung by Semmangudi,as well as MMI--a rarity in those days when three top musicians sing the same piece!!). In Tamil he will succinctly say "NAN KODUTHTHAI EDUTHAKKA THERIYANUM"--YOU SHOULD BE CAPABLE OF TAKING WHAT I DISH OUT RATHER THAN DWELL ON COMPARISONS. I have tried to follow that dictum(although my late wife used to stick to conventions and did not brook departures lightly --without "breaching" the "rules" of "Marital Harmony"!!! .
Against this backdrop I enjoyed both the Javali(marubari) and the Padam(Payyada).

My advice to detractors of TMK for his flouting of conventions or his iconoclastic views--If it truly appears antithetical to you and if you are a lover of CM you should reconsider. Whatever TMK renders is authentic--his presentation of rare krithis like the MD's krithi cited above and once I heard "MURIBAMU"(Mukhari) in another concert shows his respect for those composers---no liberties taken wih the Krithis and adherence to the original. I for one do not for a moment think he has set CM music back and I do not urge his disciples to follow him in every step--unless they can match his passion and fervor and diligence, .

Summing up(to quote Somerset Maugham in his book "SUMMING UP" about his contemporary writers in English),
he writes about Ruskin 'I CAN READ TWO PAGES OF RUSKIN WITH DELIGHT BUT TWENTY ONLY WITH WEARINESS".

I leave it to forumites to draw their own conclusions.

[rajeshnat]

what a superb review mkr sir despite your retired hurt status in this cocert. keep them coming .

usually uzhavoor babu accompanies dorai sir.

[SrinathK]

You were there yesterday and I was sent away at the gate and couldn't even come in till the behAg number and the last item which was the other unheard portion of Rabindranath Tagore's jana gana mana (not the anthem part).

The bEgaDa kriti was actually straight out of the SSP in kriti, manodharma and all and unfortunately I couldn't come to hear it and see what the old phrases were. payyada is also one of my all time favourite padams and I heard Smt. Rama Ravi render it a few days back at Raga Sudha, but I missed what TMK would have done with it. @Ramasubramanian M.K Ayyayyo is what kshetrayya actually wrote - that's the original line. Ammammma is a slighty "detuned", politically correct substitution.

Full Hall? Like you will never see. There was not a place anywhere in the Hall or stage or even the stairs outside to even stand, but finally I spotted an empty seat in a corner and was able to get in for the last 2 numbers.

My friend was there waiting since 4:30 pm to hold on to a seat and described it as the concert of the season, with that kind of involvement and intensity only TMK can create. The standing ovation for 5 min that he got at the end of that 3 hour concert would tell you how it must have been. Well I remember the last time where I was so overwhelmed I could not listen to music again for a few days and now it was his turn. He was too stunned to speak.

We may talk of the packaging of a concert, but this was actually very naturally packaged. Ultimately it is the experience of the concert that matters to me. I have always been aware that all musicians are capable of far more at home than anything that comes out on stage - I have seen this in my classes with my teacher as well when he made me explore bilahari and pUrvikalyANi off road for 2 hours each - swear to God, most of that never comes out on road on stage. Setting the artiste loose allows them to find 2 gears more, a new other level of intensity and that is what TMK is seeking. Sometimes he has gone off to the spontaneous end too much, but there are days where it all falls into place and something else comes alive. Simply discussing it as views and words doesn't do any justice to the experience. On those days it feels like the personality and mind and views and opinions have all dissolved and music alone shines. After such occasions I don't want to talk or think anything and just be in that. (Much later I found out there's a yogic secret in that which the body knows but we don't...).

I got a chance to speak to him too as he greeted everyone who came up before leaving. Not only has the music deepened to another level, so has the man. This is a much more mellow and moving TMK than what I remember of him years back. I was just observing his camaraderie with his team off stage, and you should see how he treats his fans and students and co-artistes. I was touched.

[Sachi_R]

Sri. MKR:I for one do not for a moment think he has set CM music back and I do not urge his disciples to follow him in every step--unless they can match his passion and fervor and diligence

Sir, well put. I feel TMK clearly establishes in every concert that there are two TMK's in combo. The first is a musician dipped in tradition and cooked to perfection by masters with an inherent musciality of splendour. The God-given voice and lung power help no end in dealing with every aspect of CM. His choice of accompaniment and stage dynamic management delivers memorable experiences.

The other TMK does not bear discussion. It is a goulash of opinions and agenda-driven lyrics and abrasive attitudes that does not resonate at all with what he espouses in his music.

His students - they have a tough job. His brand is MOSTLY unlikely to rub off. As far as I know none of them even come close in their voice quality and quality of training.

[SrinathK]

The other TMK does not bear discussion. It is a goulash of opinions and agenda-driven lyrics and abrasive attitudes that does not resonate at all with what he espouses in his music.

The words and opinions and politics in the papers has not allowed me to see the person either, something I could only get to know face to face. This TMK is indeed different, much more mellow than I've ever known.

Honestly the absolute last thing I want after a soaking and dissolving in music of this intensity is for the chatterbox of thoughts and opinions in my mind to come back. It is just noise. All true creative genius and intuition comes from beyond the noise. So I hope this thread doesn't turn into another rubbish bin and we can leave it with this.

Meanwhile I hope someone puts up the full songlist.

[shreyas]

I cannot express my indignation at the fact that I live in HYD and thus cannot attend any concerts of his (the last concert I attended was 2nd Feb 2018, yes: nearly two years ago, the opening 45 minutes of Bhairavi still resonating in my head).

The krithi is one that I have really wanted to hear him sing (Begada is my favourite ragam and I have always wanted to listen to TMKs Dikshithar-style Begada (I have been researching the SSP also for a while now), especially Sri Mata since I have already heard his Tyagarajaya Namaste) and after seeing this this morning I immediately dropped him an email about whether I can obtain a recording of it. I guess that's better than risking his wrath, although my desire for at least the main piece (if not the entire concert) is quite overwhelming.

Also, can someone complete the list?

[Venkat Ramachandran]

From his 'liked' tweets, i could see he has sung last three stanzas of our anthem

http://www.nationalanthems.info/in_'.htm

[Venkat Ramachandran]

Also YT recording is available for the same

[gajaa]

So heartening to see that the concert was so well received. Also, it's no surprise that the there were overflowing crowds, given the scarce concerts he performs in Chennai these days. The man, his music and charm - surpass all I guess. And now that it's almost over a decade since he shifted gears, even the audience has in some ways stopped chastising his juggled cutcheri format and seems to just savor what he has to offer. He seems to have achieved what he set out to?!

[Ramasubramanian M.K]

Folks:Thanks for some of your kind remarks. I forgot to elaborate on my own perspective on my approach to conventions and concert planning and audience-sensitiveness. This is borne out of my own experience.

I grew up in the age of Mali,TNR and MVI(Maharajapsuram Viswanatha Iyer). It was well known each had their own distinct views on conventions and practices. I have been a fanatic of both Mali and TNR --the former will at times --totally inebriated-"mix" up songs pallavis,anupallavis and charanams--which elders around me used to condemn as being disrespectful of the audience etc etc. But the tonal quality and the occasional flights of imagination sparked my listening skills and I never minded the "antics"--although as a student having to pay for these concerts I could ill afford such extravagances!! What little they offered was more compensation than I deserved.
Similarly MVI used to take liberties with the krithis, starting Ninnu nera Nammina in Pantuvarali and switching to the saranam of Vadera without a trace of remorse-but then aBegada,mukhari or Arabhi will make me forget the trespasses!!!
Given that kind of listening indulgent background how could I with all due conscience object to TMK breaking conventions-- atlhough one could hardly call his departures from tradition as a breach of aesthetics or respect for the art.

I doff my cap off to TMK for his doggedness in pursuing what he believes in--conventions be damned .Unless there is a serious breach in the grammar or aesthetics in his performances I wish him more "power to his elbow"!!!

[SrinathK]

It is not a juggling of the format. He's just freeing himself up for a deep dive into music and creativity - that is his real intention. It seems to have taken some time, many successes and some growing pains and even a couple of hiccups, hits and misses, and lots of misunderstandings, but he seems to have found a natural flow that is better understood by being in a concert rather than reading the song list. It has definitely opened up new possibilities.

The loss of pattern is compensated by sheer depth and inspiration in the moment. There is a flow to it of course, there is the feeling of having eaten a nice full meal. It need not be a buffet but it does need to be satisfying.

Now I would draw the line at randomly singing bits of one song and then another bit of another. That would be disorder to me. Every composition is a complete work of music and doing this is distorting and even misleading.

He wasn't the first or the last off road explorer either. Among others today Abhishek Raghuram also does his own style of off road exploration. But the thing about this is that both of them have the stuff to do this and make it work, compensating for less breadth with more depth.

TMK's students are all very capable musicians, but they wouldn't and IMHO shouldn't do it unless they genuinely have the inspiration to explore off road. It wouldn't work otherwise. Assuming that the art of an artiste best represents their personality, it may not suit musicians who do not have the personality for it either.

[arasi]

MKR,
So good to read your review. Ah, you are in Chennai...
That begada kriti is a favorite of mine. Rarely heard, true. Have heard Sanjay sing it (not a surprising thing). You may find it on youtube--he sang it for writer Devan's centenary some years ago. Pasupathy was a guest speaker at the event and he kindly brought it to us (still there in his Nostalgia thread?).
As Rajesh says, It would have been Uzhavur Babu who plays very well.
You now make me want to listen to TMK when I get a chance.
Have a good time in India and at the music season.. Please send me mail...

[Ramasubramanian M.K]

ARASI: Nice to hear from you--I understand you have involuntarily chosen to brave the winter in Boston area!!!! I hope things are Ok on the health front- I am -just recovering from prostate cancer treatment which ended 3 months ago and I have been given clearance. While this was a shock so immediately following Nirmala's demise I am glad that I had this ailment this year--last year would have been hell. I miss her the most during this season. It was truly a gift that she shared the same passion for music that I did.

The concert circuit is maddening and Sabha/Canteen "hopping" is the order of the day. have caught more than 20 events so far--lec demo,concerts--mostly in the MA--some in Vani Mahal,some in MFA,Bharathi Vidya Bhavan.
Tomorrow we are having a small function in my brother's house commemorating my late mother's Birth centenary--some nostalgia recalls from friends(mostly the MSS family) and concert by Aishwarya and Soundarya. I am expecting some of our forumites to show up. It is at mybrother's house(30,krishnapuri,Off Srinivasa Avenue--about half a mile from Sangeetha Hotel in R.A.Puram.
Forumites --sorry for this late notice, You are welcome-I realise tomorrow is ajam=packed day--Sanjay at MA, Vijay Shiva @ IFA.
My brother and his wife have worked hard for this event with their son and daughter-in-law. Hoping the event goes smoothly.

[arasi]

All the very best for the event, Ramesh! Aishwarya and Saundarya singing too...Great of your bro and your sis-in-law and family in doing all work which goes into an event like this. Your mother being honored is a special occasion, indeed. My miss...
Once again, by not coming to Chennai this season, I miss the GBL series of concerts too Hope next year I get lucky...

Didn't know about your ordeal. Good to hear that you are out of the loop. May God keep you well...

[shreyas]

Next was a rare MD krithi(which in my 75 plus years of listening to DKP.TLV--MD stalwarts-- I have not heard) in Begada.
The raga was again rendered with lot of passion--he prefaced it by saying that he had done extensive research into the Raga and had discovered some rare sancharas which he has tried to incorporate into the raga delineation-did not elaborate on what those sancharas were--to me it appeared conventional rendering with perhaps an extension of the 'Ma" at times and "skirting" Sankarabharanam at times--more than I have heard from other musicians. Aesthetics were NOT sacrificed in the process!!!

I am now yearning for that Begada.... Have been looking for a TMK rendering for a LONG time now but have never gotten to hear him live at all in the last two years. If only the trust itself recorded it????

[Nick H]

Regrets. A little better, but still sick.

[Ramasubramanian M.K]

NICK: Sorry you may not be able to come. We will catch up. I am here in India till March 18. My local mobile# is 9790739619. I will be awa y in Coimbatore between JJan 6 and Feb8th after which I will be in Chennai. lets plan to meet.

[RSR]

@1

Summing up(to quote Somerset Maugham in his book "SUMMING UP" about his contemporary writers in English),
he writes about Ruskin 'I CAN READ TWO PAGES OF RUSKIN WITH DELIGHT BUT TWENTY ONLY WITH WEARINESS".

Somerset Maugham was primarily a novelist and short story writer. and a good guide to the best novels of others.
Bertrand Russell , Harold J.Laski and Sydney Webb were also his contemporaries. A discerning reader will never tire of their Sparkling wit, poetic prose , profound erudition, social commitment . especially Laski 's Dilemma of our times , Liberty in the Modern State, State in theory and practice, and Reflections on the revolutions of our times. He wrote for people like Justice Oliver Wendel Holmes.
Russell's Roads to Freedom , Principles of Social Reconstruction and Prospects of Industrial Civilization ,are classics in content, style and conviction.
To paraphrase, we can read one or two reminiscences but after a dozen, we can only skip,especially when they are bad-mouthing reputed musicians of olden times.

[Nick H]

NICK: Sorry you may not be able to come. We will catch up. I am here in India till March 18. My local mobile# is 9790739619. I will be awa y in Coimbatore between JJan 6 and Feb8th after which I will be in Chennai. lets plan to meet.

Yes please, it was a brief moment in the MA.