The Sanjay Stamp_Part 2
First, here is a link to Sanjay's blogs and podcasts:
http://sanjaysub.blogspot.com
http://sanjaysub.libsyn.com/index.php?post_category=podcasts
With the 'Vande Mataram Enbom' for a second song, Sanjay (ji understood) took me by surprise. It was a good reminder of the recent August 15th. After all, the Indian embassy at DC was closed down for Indian Independence Day without even a flag hoisted proudly.
It took me 3 songs to actually start enjoying the concert. Even the Ritigowla didn't make any difference to me. Just another rendition with no bhavam.
But, when he elaborated Kamalamanohari, I understood the previous 3 songs were only jetlagged. I haven't heard an alapana for kamalamanohari before by anybody and the only song I knew in this raga is Kanchadalayadakshi. I have only heard it being sung as a thukada. The beautiful sancharas of Sanjay brought out the deep inner flavor of the raga -neraval at "raga sashivadanae"- unhindered by the obvious limitation for higher pitch in his husky voice. (I am the kind that expects all octaves, esp the highest note and the lowest note in all concerts. I feel the rendition incomplete without them. Never humble at my expectations, esp from proclaimed musicians like Sanjay!).
The Tamil songs interlaced with regular telugu/carnatic kritis showed his emphasis for including Tamil songs to kutcheris. His diction was clear and impressive but I don't think there was sufficient bhavam when he rendered "enathu manam kavalai enum". He must be a perennially happy man or a person of equanimity.
Then came Todi and it was mindblowing. Sanjay brought out the symmetry of Todi the way it is done with Nadaswaram - prolonged sancharas to soak every swara in you that refuses to leave you thereafter. I felt suddenly cold, taken and realized the horripilating effect of Todi. It took a long time to come out of the spell. The chittaswaram was remarkable with its underlined, bold faced 'Ga'. For the kalpanaswaras, he changed the nadai, stressing the "Pa Pa Da Pa", quite a challenge to both the accompanists. Masters sing Todi and Sanjay is truly a Master by his very choice of ragas for the evening and their rendition. I was totally lost in bliss and held lost after the Todi throughout the rest of the concert.
"oho kalame" in Sahana - WOW. That says it all.
RTP in Bahudari - he started the Bahudari just like the song "Brova baramma". It received an instant 'wah wah' from the crowd. I really wanted the song itself but was given more with the RTP. More as a student than as an audience, I understood that Bahudari cud be more technically detailed than what I have heard from others. I was very much engrossed in every phrase, unable to believe in what I was hearing.
Kamas has become one of my favorites in the recent days (after the "Mathey Malayathwaja" by Sudha Ragunathan in the movie Morning Ragas ) and "Kundrin meethu" was captivating.
What a Mohanam! With the 'Sruthva guna' slokam in Mohanam, I thought its going to be followed by "swagatham krishna". Swati Tirunaal's bhajan was simply mesmerizing. Sanjay created an air of Krishna, a mix of prema bhakti and sneha bhakti, and the everything the word 'mohan' wud mean.
Sindhubairavi - Sanjay started the "shenbagame shenbagame" tune. Ramarajan bhavanai-yil sonnal - 'oru pasu irundhaal paal karandhu viduvar pola irundhathu'. It was a unique version of Sindhubairavi. May be this is called Sanjay stamp. The crisp phrases made me sway. "Aarumo aaval" came as a surprise too. Mand gave a swift conclusion to the kutcheri mood leading to Madhyamavati.
The Sindhubairavi and the Mohanam kritis wud be the best to my ears and mind for this season. Cherished every thadarinana of the evening from the 'uncompromising in technicalities' Guru Sanjay, elevated and energized all the way to next season.
PS: didn't stay put to hear the vote of thanks from Shivakumar. Madhyamavati just made me too hungry, you see ;-))
http://sanjaysub.blogspot.com
http://sanjaysub.libsyn.com/index.php?post_category=podcasts
With the 'Vande Mataram Enbom' for a second song, Sanjay (ji understood) took me by surprise. It was a good reminder of the recent August 15th. After all, the Indian embassy at DC was closed down for Indian Independence Day without even a flag hoisted proudly.
It took me 3 songs to actually start enjoying the concert. Even the Ritigowla didn't make any difference to me. Just another rendition with no bhavam.
But, when he elaborated Kamalamanohari, I understood the previous 3 songs were only jetlagged. I haven't heard an alapana for kamalamanohari before by anybody and the only song I knew in this raga is Kanchadalayadakshi. I have only heard it being sung as a thukada. The beautiful sancharas of Sanjay brought out the deep inner flavor of the raga -neraval at "raga sashivadanae"- unhindered by the obvious limitation for higher pitch in his husky voice. (I am the kind that expects all octaves, esp the highest note and the lowest note in all concerts. I feel the rendition incomplete without them. Never humble at my expectations, esp from proclaimed musicians like Sanjay!).
The Tamil songs interlaced with regular telugu/carnatic kritis showed his emphasis for including Tamil songs to kutcheris. His diction was clear and impressive but I don't think there was sufficient bhavam when he rendered "enathu manam kavalai enum". He must be a perennially happy man or a person of equanimity.
Then came Todi and it was mindblowing. Sanjay brought out the symmetry of Todi the way it is done with Nadaswaram - prolonged sancharas to soak every swara in you that refuses to leave you thereafter. I felt suddenly cold, taken and realized the horripilating effect of Todi. It took a long time to come out of the spell. The chittaswaram was remarkable with its underlined, bold faced 'Ga'. For the kalpanaswaras, he changed the nadai, stressing the "Pa Pa Da Pa", quite a challenge to both the accompanists. Masters sing Todi and Sanjay is truly a Master by his very choice of ragas for the evening and their rendition. I was totally lost in bliss and held lost after the Todi throughout the rest of the concert.
"oho kalame" in Sahana - WOW. That says it all.
RTP in Bahudari - he started the Bahudari just like the song "Brova baramma". It received an instant 'wah wah' from the crowd. I really wanted the song itself but was given more with the RTP. More as a student than as an audience, I understood that Bahudari cud be more technically detailed than what I have heard from others. I was very much engrossed in every phrase, unable to believe in what I was hearing.
Kamas has become one of my favorites in the recent days (after the "Mathey Malayathwaja" by Sudha Ragunathan in the movie Morning Ragas ) and "Kundrin meethu" was captivating.
What a Mohanam! With the 'Sruthva guna' slokam in Mohanam, I thought its going to be followed by "swagatham krishna". Swati Tirunaal's bhajan was simply mesmerizing. Sanjay created an air of Krishna, a mix of prema bhakti and sneha bhakti, and the everything the word 'mohan' wud mean.
Sindhubairavi - Sanjay started the "shenbagame shenbagame" tune. Ramarajan bhavanai-yil sonnal - 'oru pasu irundhaal paal karandhu viduvar pola irundhathu'. It was a unique version of Sindhubairavi. May be this is called Sanjay stamp. The crisp phrases made me sway. "Aarumo aaval" came as a surprise too. Mand gave a swift conclusion to the kutcheri mood leading to Madhyamavati.
The Sindhubairavi and the Mohanam kritis wud be the best to my ears and mind for this season. Cherished every thadarinana of the evening from the 'uncompromising in technicalities' Guru Sanjay, elevated and energized all the way to next season.
PS: didn't stay put to hear the vote of thanks from Shivakumar. Madhyamavati just made me too hungry, you see ;-))
Hi Aarthi,
ReplyDeleteI was serching for raga behag in google and came across your blog. I always dream to write music review like you. I am impressed with your work. I think you must have learnt carnatic.
Will take time for me to do write. I will follow your blogs.
please keep up the good work.