Carnatic music fans were delighted when Maestro T.N. Seshagopalan presented a concert as part of the MITHAS concert series on Fri, May 24, 2002 at the Wong Auditorium in MIT. The concert was cosponsored by MIT Sangam and the New England Hindu Temple.

The event began with an introduction by Puran Dang, a director for MITHAS, the organization that brings wonderful classical concerts to New England. He urged people to join and support MITHAS. Dr. George Ruckert introduced the artists, and then the artists proceeded to present a high energy concert, the review for which follows. Deepti Nijhawan, a volunteer at MITHAS thanked the artists and informed the audience about the fall concert series which will include a jugalbandhi by Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt and Shri Ravi Kiran.

Artists

Vocal: Sri. Madurai T.N. Seshagopalan
Violin: Sri Delhi P. Sunder Rajan
Mridangam: Sri. Guruvayoor Dorai

Concert List

Composition-Ragam-Talam-Composer

1. Sarasuda-Saveri-Adi-Kottavasal Venkatrama Iyer
2. Vallabha-Begada-Rupakam-Muthuswamy Dikshitar
3. Siva Siva-Pantuvarali-Adi-Thyagaraja Swami
4. Marivere-Anandhabhairavi-Misra Chapu-Syama Sastri
5. Ranganaayakam-Nayaki-Adi-Muthuswamy Dikshitar
6. Yare Rangana-Hindolam-Adi-Purandara Dasa
7. Etavunara-Kalyani-Adi-Thyagaraja Swami
8. Kala Harana-Suddha Saveri-Rupakam-Thyagaraja Swami
9. Ragam-Thanam-Pallavi-Saveri-Adi
10. Virutham-Ragamalika
11. Thiruppavai-Sindhu Bhairavi-Adi-Aandal
12. Bhajare-Yadhunaatham-Peelu-Adi-Sadaasiva Brahmendra
13. Thillana Bilahari-Adi-Patnam Subramania Iyer

Sri Madurai T.N. Seshagopalan commenced the concert at 7:30 pm sharp with the famous Sarasuda Varnam in Saveri. The varnam was adorned with a few lines of brisk kalpana swarams at the charanam line "Daneepai". The next selection, Vallabha Naayakasya, provided a beautiful contrast in tune, but not in tempo. Rendered at a fast speed, Sri. Seshagopalan once again ended this piece with kalpana swarams at the pallavi line. Following this was an elaborate Pantuvarali alapana in which Sri. Seshagopalan traversed all three octaves effortlessly. Sri. Sunder Rajan, not willing to be outdone, sprinkled his alapanai with charming prayogas and also won much appreciation from the audience. Siva Siva Siva Yanaraada, Thyagaraja Swami’s krithi on Lord Shiva was chosen for elaboration. Nereval and kalpana Swarams were sung at the charanam line "Aagamamula nutiyinchi". The next piece was Syama Sastri’s Marivere in Anandhabhairavi. The chittaiswaram with swara saahithyam was soul stirring, evoking many "ahaas" from the audiences.

Both Sri. Seshagopalan as well as Sri. Sunder excelled in their swara exchanges as the end of the song. The next piece was one of, if not the most memorable pieces of the concert. Sri. TNS rendition of Sri.Muthuswamy Dikshitar’s evergreen masterpiece Ranganaakayam in Naayaki was simply superb. Through the course of the piece Sri. TNS brought out the most beautiful subteleties of the rarely heard raga. With their superlative accompaniment, Sri. Sunder and Sri. Guruvayoor Dorai helped to create a divine atmosphere which held the audience in trance-like state. Next came a lovely piece in Hindolam composed by Sri. Purandara Dasa. This too was adorned with racy swara passages in the charanam. Kalyani was chosen as the sub-main piece for the day. The majestic beauty of the ragam was brought out in the ragam delineations of both Sri. TNS and Sri. Sunder. Thyagaraja Swami’s Etavunnaara was sung in all its glory, with nereval and kalpana swarams sung at the charanam line "Sita, Gowri, Vaageeshwari". This was followed by an excellent thani avarthanam in which Sri. Guruvayoor Dorai’s complete mastery shone through. Next came Kalaharana, a quick piece, sprinkled with a few swaraprastharas at "Dinadinamunu", to set the stage for the main piece, the Ragam Thanam Pallavi.

Following a long forgotten tradition, Sri. TNS chose to sing the RTP in the same ragam as the varnam – Saveri. The ragam was elaborated in all its grandeur in the usual two-part style, and the thanam, though short took the audience to dizzying heights. The pallavi was set to Adi talam with the eduppu two aksharams before samam. The lyrics were "Gurvaay Varuvaay Muruga Arulvay."

Pallavi
Madhya Sthaayi – S (upper case)
Taara Sthaayi – S (bold)

|D – S – |–R S N | D P D M | P – D – || S – – – | – – D R || S N D P | D M P – ||
|-ru---vAy|---va-ru---|vAy--------|mu--ru---||gA--------|------a-----||ruL----vaay-----Gu---||

After nereval and swaram were sung in Saveri, Sri. TNS sang a string of ragamalika swarams in Athana, Varali, Dhanyasi, Hamir Kalyani, Kuntalavarali, and Behag, at lightning speed. Special mention must be made of Sri. Sunder at this point. In spite of the extreme speed, Sri.Sunder never missed a beat, nor did a wrong sound emanate from his violin. He brought out the most beautiful shades of the raga. Sheer melody poured out of his instrument, faster than the audience could absorb it. His expert handling of Behag, with the timely, appropriate usage of the Kaisiki Nishadam, will not be forgotten in the near future. In these few minutes he left no doubt in any mind that he is one of the most foremost violin experts of his generation. Following the RTP, was another thani avartanam by Guruvayoor Dorai which was just as melodious and enjoyable as the previous one had been. Next came the much awaited tukkada section. The first selection was a verse sung in Chenchurutti, Nadanamakriya, Punnagavarali, Yamuna Kalyani and Sindhu Bhairavi. All the ragas sparkled in the hands of Sri. TNS. This was followed by "Andru Ivvulagam Alandai Adi Potri," a pasuram from the Thirupavvai in ragam Sindhu Bhairavi. The last tukkada was Sadasiva Bramhendra’s gem in Peelu – Bhajare Yadunaatham. The grand finale of the concert was a Thillana – "Dhim thathara thani nadru dith dith thim" – a composition of Patnam Subramania Iyer in ragam Bilahari. Sri. TNS sang the mangalam, and a short shlokam in Madhyamavathi proved to be a fitting choice for bringing the concert to an end.

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