My Chennai Diary 2008 - 25thDec - part1

I was in Chennai last weekend for attending Carnatic music concerts during the December season, 2008. We left from Bangalore on 24th December and reached Madras (aka Chennai) on 25th morning. I'd taken along printouts of the concert schedules from 25th to 28th. As in 2007, I had a tough time deciding on which concerts to attend as various Sabhas host concerts of front ranking artistes simultaneously. I was slightly sad that I couldn't attend any concerts of Vijay Shiva and Vedavalli mami as they had no concerts scheduled during this time-frame.

The first concert I attended was at The Madras Music Academy.The Music Academy auditorium named after TTKrishnamachari has excellent acoustics with Bose Speaker systems and paintings of Purandaradasa , the Trinity and Swathi Tirunal by S.RAjam adorn its walls. Prof. T.N.Krishnan was scheduled to play at 9.15 AM and arrived at the venue a little late. He was accompanied on the violin by his daughter Viji Krishnan and son Sriram Krishnan, on the Mridangam by Thiruvarur Bhaktavatsalam and on the Ghatam by Vaikom Gopalakrishnan. Vaikom has accompanied prof. TNK in almost every concert of his that I have listened to.

1.) Viriboni- Bhairavi - ata tAla Varnam

2.) Giripai - Sahana - St. Thyagaraja, Adi tALam
Missed the first two songs. Also read in the paper on the next day that Prof. TNK cut a cake to celebrate his 81st Birthday and that his children played "happy b'day to you" on the violin.

3.) Siva Siva - Pantuvarali (R,N,S) St. Thyagaraja,
TNK started playing the first phrases of raghuvara, when his son interrupted him with "appa, we need to watch out for time" and then they choose to play a shorter composition. At the end of the piece, Sriram apologised to the "raghuvara fans" in the audience. Sriram played in all 3 octaves effortlessly and with complete control over the instrument proving himself to be a worthy heir of his illustrous father.

4.) Me Valla - Kapi (R) St. Thyagaraja , Adi tALam

5.) RTP - Natakurinji - Adi talam (ThaKiTa eduppu)
Pallavi - Un Darishanam Kidaikimo natarAjan dayA nidhe.
Ragamalika swaras in mohanam, ranjani, dvijavanthi, sindubhairavi
Excellent tani - Prof. TNK enjoys evry Tani to the fullest and this was no exception. His face was glowing with happiness while he kept the beat and was listening to his accompanists.
6.) Marubari - kamas JAvaLi
7.) Ragamalika in Chenchuriti, nAdanAmakriyA, YamunAKalyANi and Sri Ragam
8.) Sindhu Bhairavi
9.) Suruti - Vanga kadal - Andal TiruppAvai
10.) Mangalam

I then walked to SaptaswAra musicals in Luz Street, Mylapore with my friend Sridhar who wanted to pick up a few flutes from there.
We came back to the Music Academy after having a South Indian meal at Woodlands.

Listened to Carnatica brothers with Dr. Jyotsna Shrikanth on the violin and Delhi S. Sairam on the Mridangam.
1.) KedAragowlai - SaragunA PAlimpa - St. Thyagaraja - Adi tALam
2.) Dhayajoodu - GAnavArini - St. Thyagaraja - Adi tALam
3.) NataBhairavi - Ragam, tanam and pallavi. Excellent AlApanA by Jyotsna on the violin. Adi tALam .
pallavi - Bhairavi BhArgavi Shankari Vara Ravi Shashi nataBhairavi.
RagamAlika Swarams in Vasantabhairavi, SAlagabhairavi and Sindhubhairavi.
4.) Shree Ashtalakshmi namostute - RaganmAlika in Shree, Nattai, Khamaj, Gaula, SAramati, Arabhi, malayamArutham, varAli and kedaraGaula.

Good concert and they weren't too loud unlike last year at PArthasArathi sabha.