T.M.Krishna’s 4-hour concert

T.M.Krishna – Vocal
R.K.Shriramkumar – Violin
Trichy Sankaran – Mridangam
V.Suresh – Ghatam

Where & When? – Infosys Hall (Mudhra) on 13th January

Concert Duration – 4hrs 15 min

Songs List:
1. Varnam – Kalyani – Ata taalam
2. Meru Samana – Mayamalavagowlai – Short alapana, Swarams at Meru Samana
3. Epaapamu – Atana – Alapana, Neraval & Swarams at Rajasekhara sannutaanga
4. Devi Bhrova – Chintamani – Raaga outline
5. Paridaanamichite – Bilahari – Alapana
6. Nenarunchinaanu – Malavi
7. Baalagopala – Bhairavi – Alapana, Neraval & Swarams at MaaNikya makuta (Main piece)
8. Raagam Taanam Pallavi – Purvikalyani
Pallavi: Chintita manorata purvikalyani amba devi – Chatushrajati Jampa Taalam (4 kalai)
Swarams in Sankarabharnam, Sri Ranjani, Kalyani, Sama
9. Shringaram (Viruttam) – Raagamalika (Khamas, Kambhoji, Karaharapriya, Hamirkalyani, Dhanyasi, Kapi) – followed by Inta Sowkhya – Kapi
10. Aliveni – Kurunji
11. Santatam – Behag – Raaga outline
12. Mangalam – Sowrashtram

First of all, I was very happy to hear a T.M.Krishna’s concert that didn’t have Todi or Sankarabharanam as the main. I have heard him sing these two too many times and I went to the concert thinking one of these would surely be sung in the concert! Though like most of T.M.Krishna’s concerts, this one too started a few minutes late, it was surprising to see him sing continuously for 4+ hours. And the most surprising part was, not once did he have to adjust his tamburas (that takes atleast 5 minutes) in between.

Apart from the Tani Avartanam, that I felt was the best part of the whole concert, the ones that I liked the most are: the Atana piece, Devi Bhrova sung in a slow pace, the very fast-paced Nenarunchinaanu, Swarams in Bhairavi, Purvikalyani Pallavi and the raagamailka swarams, Raagamalika viruttam, songs in Kapi and Behag.

Unlike most of the other sabhas where you can sit anywhere within the allotted rows for a ticket of a particular price range, Mudhra sells concert tickets with the seat number written on it. The last time when I went to Sanjay’s concert at Mudhra, there was a big confusion since they had sold tickets having the same seat numbers to more than person! But thankfully my ticket wasn’t a part of that. But this time, despite going and getting the tickets a few days earlier itself, I had got the tickets that had the same number as somebody else’s. There was a little bit of confusion because of that. When they have decided that they are going to sell tickets with the seat number on it, why can’t they do it properly? When someone walks in between the concert and finds his seat occupied by somebody else, it causes unnecessary commotion and disturbs the audience around too.

11 thoughts on “T.M.Krishna’s 4-hour concert

  1. Sriram

    whoa – 4 hours huh – i dont think even ben hur or gulebagavali was that long!this sounds more like a chembai rocking for 4+hours in the 60s that my mother used to talk abt!btw, shriramkumars awesome (& not just bcos we share the same first name:) next time feel free to say hi to him

    Reply
  2. Sathej

    //this sounds more like a chembai rocking for 4+hours in the 60s//

    There have been several concerts even in recent times strteching well beyond 4.5 hours….just to say 4 hour concerts are not that rare….

    Coming to the concert, well, a nice list indeed. Meru Samana with Swarams at Meru Samana?? Interesting. Have heard Swarams at Alakala and Gala Muna Shobhillu usually. Maybe, just maybe, Ariyakudi tradition of a Varnam and RTP in the same Ragam could have been adhered to, esp in a 4 hour concert, but then, well, its the artiste’s choice after all.

    Looks to have been quite a nice concert. Prof Trichy Sankaran, well, he lifts any concert, no doubt. Suresh is also a great percussionist. RKSK, well, always accompanies befittingly.

    Sathej

    Reply
  3. Sriram

    ‘There have been several concerts even in recent times strteching well beyond 4.5 hours….just to say 4 hour concerts are not that rare….’

    i’m obviously outof touch with the music scene then but thats a change i’ll happily embrace so long as they dont indulge in a talkathon.

    Reply
  4. Sathej

    4+ hour concerts do not happen every day with every performer. However, quite a few artistes give them quite regularly. However, not all are explicitly advertised as 4 hour concerts. For instance TNS….
    Sathej

    Reply
  5. Viswa

    I too had been there with limited knowledge. It was enthralling. But for couple of persons leaving (for water or nature break), the hall was packed but bit humid too! On the whole (although no tamil song was sung), it was great to hear the concert.

    Reply

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