The Current Monotony of T M Krishna

[shreyas]

Considering that I wrote this post, the title would be surprising to most of you that have been following my antics on this site for some time now.

I am an overt fan of T M Krishna, and that I don't deny. But I am beginning to have some serious issues with his concerts nowadays. Not the music, of course. The music is always sublime. But I am beginning to sense a certain lethargy when it comes to, what shall I call it, the 'Pure carnatic' side of things.

Before I begin, I am completely in favour of what he is doing with the art form and increasing its reach by diversifying religions, content, language etc. But this is coming at the cost of the pristine Sri Bhargavi Bhadram or the passionate Mari Mari Ninne of yore. I can actually see most of his concerts these days are completely overrun by these 'secular' or 'diverse' songs.

Even this is not that important for me at the moment. Not only does this modern content populate approximately 99 percent of his concerts, it is also the same songs over and over and over again.

I live in Hyderabad - a city not known for its Carnatic music circuit. And T M Krishna last came to Hyderabad in February 2018 - a solid two years ago. Therefore, I search online for his music and become seriously excited at the prospect of viewing a concert online. Last October, First Edition Arts put up a concert of his for livestream, and I watched it (I think I reviewed it here too). That was a good concert. It included two compositions that I had never heard before (one of them being my request) and was overall well organised and performed. The next one I watched was a livestream on IIC Delhi's website - I was delighted to chance upon it and connected it to my TV. The first song was an elaborate Sahana, and then came the brigade of secular songs for the next 90 minutes. That ticked me off. It's not that I don't like the concept of bringing the music to the masses, but it's the same songs again and again and again. And once he sings a new song once, it's the same song in the next fifty concerts. In fact, when I caught a short snap of his concert tonight on Facebook, he began with Rangapura Vihara, and then Adu Pambe (a Narayana Guru composition) and then came Perumal Murugan again. The same Bhairavi, the same song which he sang less than a month ago at Hosur. This is quite irritating now, to the extent that I can actually predict what he is going to sing. Yes, I can predict what T M Krishna is going to sing.

His secular repertoire is staying the same and his 'Pure Carnatic' repertoire is just depleting. When I heard his Begada from the other day online, it had me elated but also dejected that I can't expect a good Dikshithar or Tyagaraja rendition from him for the next few months.

Well, you could say it's about the venue. Well, these days, it's like practically every venue has the same thing: One 'proper' Carnatic composition, then a bunch of random compositions which I've heard him sing a hundred times. Only rarely can I hear a well-balanced concert (I was pleasantly surprised at the Mannarasala concert recently where it was almost all 'classical'). I wouldn't even mind this if the secular songs were actually new each time.

In the December Season concert, he sang a lot of 'heavy' stuff and then concluded with some new content (Yene Sukha Bhashini AGAIN, sigh). That is how it should be, in my humble opinion. I don't mind a few elaborations of Jesus and Allah songs, Perumal Murugan songs, that peacock song from Haripad etc. But that's literally all you get from him these days.

Even his regular repertoire is quite limited these days. It's always Sri Matrubhutham, Teliyaleru Rama, Nadopasana, Rangapura Vihara, Kaligiyunte, Marubari etc. When I look at some his songlists from the early 2000s, there is at least one new composition every concert. What happened to that?

I am possibly THE biggest fan of T M Krishna today, but, at the risk of sounding elitist, I really want to hear some more of the 'classical' fare in his concerts. I think a 60-40 split for the 'classical' vs 'modern' content makes sense. Hopefully, he gets wind of this somehow and I hear a Manasuna Neranammithi (a song I found in his very old songlist) or a Dorakuna in his next concert... But, I guess that's a bit too optimistic, now...

[Sachi_R]

Shreyas,
The word Shreyas means what augurs well in the long run. As contrasted with Preyas which is what gives immediate pleasure and looks desirable.

Since you connect with him, email him this post. And perhaps delete it from here afterwards. Because this is belongs to his inner circle of fans.

Please don't mind, we grandpas are here to give advice

[SrinathK]

This is a price you pay for total spontaneity. Going that side allowed him to find a new intensity, but spontaneous musicians as far as I have observed almost always fall into repetitive numbers. IMHO you need the organized side to expand that into his vast repertoire.

[Sachi_R]

Srinath makes an excellent point. The word complacency comes to mind.

[sankark]

Think of him as a preacher. So repetition is not only expected, it is must, to repeatedly preach and stay on the message. The issue could be you are following him everywhere and so find it monotonous whereas for audience in each location it is the message they have heard from others; but now the preacher is preaching, in the flesh; in person. To hold the audience in thrall.

[arasi]

Prays, poor Shreyas
Pray why, asks Kris
I will sing of Christu
The prophet and all

It's repeats I mind
Says Shreyas--but
That's tradition too
Many oldies sang
The same forever
Pray! demurs Kris

Prays, poor Shreyas
Wishing to be Preyas

[shankarank]

Your only hope now is to catch the sing-a-like here and there ! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYeGSGx9XiE
See he is not leaving an opportunity for verving when he serves an atItam in arammmmmA .

That should help break the real monotony - not the alleged! You will get some better deals

[sreebeecane]

Srinath makes an excellent point. The word complacency comes to mind.

Reminds me of a famous quote attributed to the great Dwaram Venkataswamy Naidu: 'If you don't practice for a day, you will notice your mistakes. If you don't practice for two days, your audience will notice your mistakes'.