T.N. Seshagopalan @ Nungambakkam Cultural Academy, Chennai

Venue: Ramarao Kala Mantap, 111, Habibullah Road, T. Nagar, Chennai

Date: 08 Dec 2006

Organizer: Nungambakkam Cultural Academy

Vocal: Sri T.N. Seshagopalan

Violin: Sri M. Chandrasekaran

Mridangam: Sri Umayalpuram K. Sivaraman

Ghatam: Sri T.V. Vasan

List of songs:

1) swAmin gajamukha vibhO – kAnaDA – Adi – kavi kunjara bhArati (OS)

2) telisi rAma – pUrNachandrikA – Adi – thyAgarAja (ANS)

3) alapana followed by nAnA yOgI  (viruttam) – pUrvikalyANi

mInAkshi mEmudam – pUrvikalyANi – Adi – muthuswAmi dIkshitar (ANST)

4) ethanai kETTAlum – bhairavi – tisra tripuTa – UthukkADu venkata subbaiyer (O)

5) gOvardana giridhAra (viruttam) – sudha hindOLam

tum bin mOrE – sudha hindOLam – Adi – mIrAbAi (O)

6) peravA arAvAimai (tiruppugazh) – rAgamAlikA – Adi – aruNagirinAtar

7) pavamAna (mangaLam) – sOwrAshTram – Adi – thyAgarAja

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

It was as though the Gods had descended from above and decided to perform a concert for the rasikas assembled !! What a wonderful concert it was right from the word go !!

TNS simply rocked and clearly demonstrated why he is the best and still way ahead of the others in the field, be it in raga alapana, neraval, kalpana swarams or the rendition of the songs themselves (well ……. lets forget the diction part of it for the moment 😉 )

TNS started the concert with the kAnaDA kriti “swAmin gajamukha vibhO”. The choice of the raga kAnaDA combined with TNS’s vidwat reflected in the kalpana swarams simply made it a treat for listeners. He then did a detailed raga alapana for pUrnachandrikA and sang “telisi rAma” with neraval and kalpana swarams at “rAmAyani brahmamunaku pEru”. The main song of the evening came next and TNS simply let himself loose to explore the various patterns that characterized pUrvikalyANi along with many of his own creation in the raga alapana. The only point in the concert where his voice appeared to be breaking was when he was doing the pUrnachandrika raga alapana and trying to reach the upper panchamam. But he soon recovered after clearing his throat and after getting some concoction (could have even been plain hot H2O) given to him by the person sitting right behind him on stage who appeared like a student of his. He eventually was even able to easily touch the lower sthayi shadjam during the alapana.

Sri M. Chandrasekaran on the violin was the enthusiastic and ever-appreciative shadow of TNS, quickly capturing whatever he sang on his violin. Sri Umayalpuram K. Sivaraman once again demonstrated why he is compared by many to the celestial drummer Nandi himself. In my humble opinion, the amazing clarity of sollus he demonstrates even while playing at very high speeds is something no one has been able to match yet. Sri T.V. Vasan played the role of a upa-pakkavadyam player perfectly.

All in all, a very satisfying concert.