Suryaprakash@STSVS(Mylapore) on May 08th,2022
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Vocal : Suryaprakash
Violin : Pappu Gyan Dev
Mrudangam : TR Sundaresan
Kanjra : Nerkunam Shankar
Tambura : Vaidyanathan
Concert duration/Day : close to 2 hrs and 30 mins /Sunday
Concert Type : Nirvana (no concert to follow)
sabha/Hall : Sadguru Thyagaraja sangeetha vidwath samAjam , mylapore
Occasion : Sadguru Thyagaraja Jayanthi
Expectedly all compositions was by sadguru thyagarAjA
1. RAma bhakthi sAmrAjyyam (RS,S) - Sudda Bangla
Raga sketch and 5 mins swaras
2. Sitamma mAyammA (N)- Vasantha
8 mins neraval in sitammA mAyammA shree rAmuni
3. dunmArga charA (R,S) - ranjani
8 mins alapana and 4 mins violin return
4 mins swaras
4. paramAthmudu- vaagadeshwari
5. manavyAla(S)- nalinakAnthi
8 mins swaras
6A. vidulaku mrokeda (R S T)- maayamalavagowlai
14 mins alapana and 6 mins violin return
13 mins swaras
6B.tani for 20 mins
Speech break for 3 mins announcing next few days concert
7A. Vaidehi sahitam - behag + agrE vaachayati - Kapi - srirama dhyana slokham
7B. meevalla guna - kAPi
8. nee naama roopamulaku - sowrashtram
It is a joy to always hear exclusive Sadguru thyagaraja compositions for two main reasons -Most of them have such high musical merit and they have varying moods and tempo. To an extent possibly I am also just beginning to spot certain internal spiritual fabric with few key phrases . Being in this samAjam i am just may be able to visualise the Bhakti , because I am seated in this vidwath samajam where the only idol is sathguru Thyagaraja in the right with a big portrait in front of me .
The idol board says entarO mahanubhavulu antha Riki vandanamulu with the list of founder names in the side ranging from Harikesanallur Muthiah Bhagavathar, TL Venkatarama Iyer , Tiger Varadachari , parur Sundaram Iyer and few more who founded this samajam in 1930s. This Sabha is equivalent to a railway museum of Chennai Carnatic Music, if you consider all stations and trains are sabhas and Vidwans/vidushis respectively.
The start of the concert was spectacular , Having a Rama Bhakti in suddabhangla gives a joy for all co artists and they get into a zone of excellence . Lovely swaras then slowly segued to a bit slower Vasantha number as #2 . This Vasantha was bit sung in a KVN fashion to me not appearing as a racy semmangudi. The neraval was stunning and very well done with brilliant support by TR Sundaresan who goes so deep into laya patterns .
To not have say Kalyani , pantuvarali ,or poorvikalyani and getting Ranjani is to Me a great prathimadhyama choice that is bit rare for sure . Suryaprakash voice opened up very well in Ranjani with few patterns in brigas ,a touch of S Kalyanaraman was there to me. Swaras were ganakaladhara and I enjoyed it.
The joy of vilambit paramAthmudu was well done , I could definitely connect a little more than usual the bhakthi and the more musical maturity in vaagadeshwari . I am told by internet that T composed vaagadEshwari as his last few krithis, it is evident that it showcases an arresting let go matured bhaavam that is bit more entered on more intense devotion to Lord RaamA . Suryaprakash sarvalaghu fast filler is bit like MMI in TRS mode for me-MMI equivalent not MMI like . WHen i say TRS mode it is pouring ideas with near zero violin returns. Ranjani had long patterns and towards the end Pappu played bit like parur school of MSG in nalinakanthi. This nalinakanthi is one of a kind for sure
My mind was thinking with prati gone he may end up with Big 5 of sudda madhyama ragas. But what came is a bit of surprise . I referred my notes I have heard once by Suryaprakash with taanam and two occasions of RKM and Abhishek singing maayamaalava gowlai all these times with this krithi vidulaku. Ofcouse msamma has sung it elaborately along with mmi. The 15th melakartha flowed with great ideas in alapana with power and restraint mmg glows like platinum ring .After a nice krithi there were so many many unheard cluster of patterns in swaras . It was pure on spot kalpana sarvalaghu swaras discovered to suit madhyamakala play of sundaresan in mridangam . MMG If well sung with.a touch of restraint with power is maalava Maaya (magic) glow la triple sundae.
The tukkadas were well done with Kapi getting brewed with meevalla was sung with bit more focus on kapi alankaram than the earlier starter of behAg .Violinist pappu gynadev played with nice azhuttam and he is so cautious to not intrude during the singing part which is a great good habit. His ideas in higher crescendo to give mmi typecast needs to get better. What can one say about this very very under rated TR Sundaresan. His patterns were well received by the audience, he listens intently and plays without a touch of overbang . Kanjira artist Shankar showed his class mostly in swara patterns . Special mention to tambura vaidyanathan who continues to show his top notch skills of playing tambura. Tambura was well heard and there was zero sag.
I would have liked this concert may be it would have been half a notch better if say MMG main had a neraval in say the key line kamalA gaurI vAgIshvari but it did not happen. Tani slightly ate the concert time for me , but excellence was indeed there and there was near zero sag. Thanks to bard of tiruvayaru.
Overall an excellent concert for 2 hours and 30 mins .
