Trichur Ramachandran @ STSVS, Chennai

Venue: Sri Thiagaraja Sangeetha Vidwath Samajam, 5, Thiagarajapuram, Chennai

Date: 20 Nov 2006

Vocal: Sri Trichur V. Ramachandran (TVR)

Violin: Sri M.A. Sundareswaran

Mridangam: Sri Srimushnam Raja Rao

Khanjira: Sri B. Sree Sundar Kumar

I landed up more than 45 minutes after the concert’s scheduled start time. Here is the partial song list:

* srI ramaNa vibhO – Arabhi – Adi – swAti tiruNAL (AS)

* ramA ramaNa – vasantabhairavi – Adi – thyAgarAja

* mInAkshi mEmudam – pUrvikalyANi – Adi – muthuswAmi dIkshitar (ANS)

* nanu brOvakanu – shankarAbharaNam – misra chApu – thyAgarAja (ANST)

* paramakrupA sAgarI – yadukulakAmbOji – rUpakam – g.n. bAlasubramaNiam

* pavamAna (mangaLam) – sowrAshtram – Adi – thyAgarAja

(Key: O=raga outline, A=raga alapana, N=neraval, S=kalpana swaram, T=taniavartanam)

Sri Trichur V. Ramachandran (TVR), even at this age of his, weaves magic with his strong voice that shows no signs of ageing. I enetered when he was singing Sri Swati Tirunal’s composition “srI ramaNa vibhO“. mInAkshi mEmudam was sung so as to start one beat after the samam which was kind of strange as it is usually sung starting from the samam. pUrvikalyANi and shankarAbharaNam alapans had many good prayogas. Sri M.A. Sundareswaran was brilliant in his individual essays and while accompanying for the songs. His usual practice of coming and settling at the normal shadjam irrespective of whichever note the vocalist held on to during the raga alapana was however very disturbing at times. Sri Srimushnam Raja Rao and Sri Sree Sundar Kumar excelled in their own departments.

Sri Thyagaraja Sangeetha Vidwath Samajam, where this concert was organized, is one of the best concert venues I have been to. The concert takes place in front of a sannadhi of Sri Thyagaraja and one can squat on the ground close to the stage and totally lose himself/herself in the divine music. Chairs are also available for people who want to use them.