Some of the highlights of the Sanjay Subramanyan concert. The event is so well organized by the SIMA Los Angels. One song that stood out among the initial 45 mins was Thyagaraaja yoga vaibhavam in Ananda bhairavi written by Muthuswami deekshidar. A very unique composition and the way Sanjay presented it displaying the songs’ main characters so elegantly. The pallavi consists of a phrase that is reduced from (tyagaraja yoga vaibhavam … to vam!) and madyamakalam phrase that is repeatedly extended, from “swa prakaasham” to “swaroopa prakaasham” took listeners through the images of a tapering cow tail and a river flowing narrow to wide in its literal sense.
Next unique presentation was in
Khambhoji Indu shruthi smriti Purandaradasa in Jhampa thala
I think this song set apart Sanjay’s concert many of his contemporaries. What a philosophical meaningful song he choose for his concert. it takes the audience through that shruthi and the subtext smriti. our great teachers gave us many shruthi and that formed many matha’ and yet the truth is that there is only one god, people call him in different names.
Few of the unique songs he chose towards second half of the concert Kulam tharum selvam, A devotional tamil song, It is in praise of lord Narayanna Lord vishnu. Written by the famous devotee to Vishnu Thirumangai azwar presented in Hamsavinodini and Adi tala. This was the song he choose to display the mridangam and violin accompanying artist as well.
Beautifully done with thalam adi both the instrumental performances were outstanding. Kudos to S Varadarajan and Neyveli Venketesh. There was only those two and no grandeur accompanying instruments yet no one felt any void. These two talented musicians filled the gap very well and took audience through a lot of percussion and harmony on beautiful violin.
Raagam thanam pallavi was beauty in its self. I have posted few of the excerpts from this presentation as recorded from the concert for you all to enjoy. Agathin azhagu mukhathil theriyum was the pallavi. Beautiful presentation of the Tamil proverb.
And then a Bharathi song
Ninnaiye rathi yendru ninakirenadi-Kannana
Best was kept toward the last was Japata japata harinaam by Irayimman thumpi in Todi (not sure). Adi talam
kaNDE nA uDupiya taaLam: aTa
Composer: Purandara Daasar
Language: Kannada
When the three and half hour fly by a Sanjay Subramanyan clad in white clothes so unique of his presence and smiling face told a story as he sang “Agathin azhagu mukhathil theriyum”, very true. Sangeetha Kalanidhi at a young age is indeed is great presence in modern classical scene. The flyer that accompanied invites all his listeners and enthusiasts to guess the missing notes game on his YouTube series of “On that note…”
https://youtube.com/@sanjaysubmusic?si=lwfF9SIvV6be6vhq
A whole night of journey through notes and raagas. What is so unique was there was not a moment of missed thalam, clear presentation with very well thought selected unique numbers. Raaga aalapana took one through scapes that never had another contemporaries took. Tonight again he is performing at San Jose, CA. Please go watch his concert tonight and make it a big success.
