Vocal concert ~ Neyveli Santhanagopalan @ Toronto, May '97
Sri Neyveli Santhanagopalan gave a vocal concert at Toronto on
11 May, 97 with Smt Lalgudi Rajalakshmi (violin) and Sri Vellore
Ramabhadran (mridangam). Here is a brief report: ( r,R=raga alapana,
N=neraval, S=swara kalpana)
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1. sarasuda(varnam)-saveri-kothavasal venkatarama iyer (S)
2. naadha thanum -chiththa ranjani -thyagaraja (S)
3. mana viyala - naLinakaanthi -thyagaraja (RNS)
4. marivE -anandhabhairavi - syama sastri (rS)
5. thelisi - poorNachandhrika - thyagaraja (S)
6. kaa vaa vaa -varaLi - papanasam sivan (RS)
7. mridangam solo
8. annapoorNE - saama -muthuswami dikshitar (r)
9. RTP - kaapi -aadhi ( 2 kaLai)
" saravaNa bava guhanE - shanmukanE dhayaaparanE "
( mridangam accompaniment to thanam; swara raga maalika )
10. anju vidha bhootham (thiruppugazh) -sindhu bhairavi
11. thillana -behag -papanasam sivan
12. aarabhimanam (ragamaalika) - tharangampaadi panchanadha iyer
13. niRai madhi (thiruppugazh) -hamsanandhi
14. mangalam
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* The Toronto audience was perhaps not sure what to expect when the
young Panchakachcha-clad Bhagavathar took his seat amidst the two
veteran accompaniests. When the 3-hour+ concert was over, there seemed
to be an unanimous feeling that a good time was had by all. Santhana -
gopalan's voice seemed to have gained more strength in the upper range
in comparision to what I seemed to remember. His leisurely method of
presentation, proportionate alapanas and swara kalpanas for different
pieces, choice of ragas (for detailed presentation) not heard here for
some time, a few nice songs reminding us that it was Mothers' Day ...
all these, together with calm, confident and supportive accompaniment
went a lot towards the success of the concert. On the negative side,
his stage-mannerisms seemed to have increased to such an extent as to
be distracting to the serious listener. Also his style of presentation
took on the hues of many vocalists (who are no longer with us) in
different kritis; it was difficult to say if this was intentional or
not. Perhaps he was trying hard to differentiate his "product" from
that of his main Guru, Sri T.N.Seshagopalan. ( During one kriti,
someone remarked to me that there was more (Maharajapuram) Santhanam
than (Sesha) Gopalan in Santhana Gopalan ! ) .