O.S.Thyagarajan @ Asthika Samajam, Alwarpet, Chennai

Venue: Asthika Samajam, Venus Colony, Alwarpet, Chennai

Date: 09 Jan 2007

Organizer: Asthika Samajam

Vocal: Sri O.S.Thyagarajan (OST)

Violin: Sri Nagai Muralidharan

Mridangam: Sri Mannargudi Easwaran

Ghatam: Sri B.S.Purushottaman

List of songs:

1) sangIta gnAnamu – danyAsi – Adi – thyAgarAja (A)

2) entarANi – harikAmbOji – Adi – thyAgarAja (ONS)

3) bhuvini dAsuDanE – srIranjani – Adi – thyAgarAja (ANS)

4) nADADina mATa – janaranjani – misra chApu – thyAgarAja (S)

5) dasharata nandana – asAvEri – Adi – thyAgarAja

6) anurAgamulE – saraswati – rUpakam – thyAgarAja

7) dAchukOvalEna – tODi – misra jampa – thyAgarAja (ANST)

8 ) vArijanayana – kEdAragowLa – Adi – thyAgarAja (O)

9) challarE rAmachandru – Ahiri – misra chApu – thyAgarAja

10) uyyAlalUgavayyA – nIlAmbari – kanDa chApu – thyAgarAja

11) pAhi rAma dUta – vasantavarALi – rUpakam – thyAgarAja

12) nI nAma rUpa mulaku (mangaLam) – sowrAshTram – Adi – thyAgarAja

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

It was vintage OST doing what I like him do best – singing Sri Thyagaraja’s compositions. Even the bad audio arrangement couldn’t mar his excellent performance.

The main alapana for the day in raga tODi was sung by OST for 18 minutes. The taniavartanam in misra jampa tALam played by Sri Mannargudi Easwaran and Sri B.S. Purushottaman was a treat to the mind and to the ears. The kuraippu and the end kOrvai that merged into the beginning of the song stood out.