T M Krishna – Vocal
Akkarai Subhalakshmi – Violin
Arun Prakash – Mridangam
B S Purushottaman – Khanjira

Where & When? – Sivagami Pethachi Auditorium (Brahma Gana Sabha) on 5th December

Concert Duration: 2.5 hrs

Songs List:
1. Terateeyagarara – Gowlipantu – Swarams at Terateeyagarara
2. Sri Valli – Natabhairavi – Started at Anupallavi (Devata saarvabhouma)
3. Amba Neelayadakshi – Nilambari – Alapana
4. Sabapathikku – Abhogi
5. Enduku Dayaradura – Todi – Alapana, Neraval & swarams at Tyagaraja Vinuta taaraka charita (Main piece of the concert)
6. Bogeendra Sayeenam – Kuntalavarali
7. Janaranjani RTP – Pallavi: Paahimaam Sri Rajajeshwari in Kandajathi triputa Taalam – Swarams in Varali, Sahana, Mukhari, Janaranjani
8. Rama Jogi – Khamas
9. Pittham theLiya – Senchurutti
10. Vande Mataram – Desh – Raaga outline of Desh
11. Mangalam/Nee Naamarupamulaku – Sowrashtram
12. Shriya Kaantaaya – Surutti

To begin with, I was expecting Todi to be the raaga chosen for elaboration in this concert. After all, TMK had already sung non-Todi mains in the previous two concerts. Considering how often he sings Todi, could it have been possible that he would sing three consecutive non-Todi-main concerts? 😉 Anyway, I liked the kriti Enduku Dayaradura as well as the Todi alapana.

The Nilambari alapana itself lasted for some 6+ minutes. I felt Akkarai Subhalakshmi repeated some phrases too many times in the alapana. Amba Neelayadakshi was rendered in a classic slow pace that is so typical of TMK. Songs like this, when rendered in a slow pace filled with bhava, lets you get immersed in the beauty of the composition and the raaga completely. I am not sure whether all those who say that sometimes T M Krishna sings songs too slowly, will agree with this.

I will remember the Janaranjani that he sang for a long time. Beautiful is the word you can associate with a raaga of that kind and it was great getting to hear the beauty of the raaga being explored. I wish he had sung the Janaranjani swarams for some more time. It hardly lasted for 3 minutes or so. I loved the swarams in Sahana. 😀

After hearing Sanjay singing pittham theLiya so many times, to be frank, TMK’s rendition didn’t appeal to me as much as Sanjay’s. It was a nice surprise hearing Vande Mataram being sung. This one too was sung in a unhurried pace letting you enjoy the wonderful lyrics all the more.

Akkarai Subhalakshmi played quite well and needless to say, Arun Prakash and Purushottaman did too.

As usual, T M Krishna started this concert also 10 minutes late. It is a known fact that midway through the concert atleast another 5 minutes will be spent for adjusting the Tambura again. In this concert, thanks to the organizers or whoever it was switching the A/C on and off throughout the concert, not only had the Tambura be adjusted often, I guess it affected the Mridangam as well. Sound systemslaam ozhunga irundhaalum, these people will do something like this and disturb the concert. Why didn’t they leave the A/c as it is?

This concert saw many leaving as soon as TMK started singing the Mangalam and as usual, he requested the audience to remain seated till he finished singing. And so ended the excellent concert with Mangalam followed by the short yet awesome Surutti, Shriya Kaantaaya.