Neyveli Santhanagopalan is not the artiste he used to be

(A shorter version of this write-up appeared in The Hindu on December 15, 2009)

Neyveli Santhanagopalan has lost either interest in singing or confidence in his abilities. These days he doesn’t swerve off the beaten track, is content to present his ‘regulars’ – the same ragas, compositions and notes. That is a pity, because Santhanagopalan is truly a great artiste who has the rare ability to undertake daring expeditions into the depths of a raga without sacrificing the meditative or aesthetic aspect of music.

If any proof was needed that Santhanagopalan is not the artiste he used to be, it was amply provided in his concert for Nungambakkam Cultural Academy. He could even be forgiven him for the fact that every single number of the concert was so very Santhanagopalan-ish, rendered staid by repetition. There was Giriraja Sutha (Bangla, Thyagaraja) which is an old Santhanagopalan-favourite, Teliya leru Rama (Dhenuka, Thyagaraja) which the vocalist had sung in another concert just a few days ago, Heccharikkaga rara (Yadukula kambodhi), Nalinakanti (Natajana of Thanjavur Sankara Iyer) and Bhairavi (Koluva of Thyagaraja).

But it is difficult to countenance his approach to the concert. Until well over an hour into the concert, there was no alapana. The artiste would pause long after completing a number, raising hopes that something big was about to be presented, but tame would follow. The central piece (Bhairavi) lacked elaboration, had no nereval, and in swara singing, the customary successive halving of tala cycle (koraippu) was absent—the ‘main piece feel’ was absent. All this is surprising because the vocalist’s once-recalcitrant voice was good and co-operative. He could have done a lot better.

Above all, there was too much talking from the stage with the vocalist and the accompanists indulging in garrulous mutual admiration and banter. Santhanagopalan and Mridangist Tiruvarur Bhaktavatsalam morphed the concert stage into a club-room, shaking hands and throwing effusive praise on each other. After V V Ravi played a straight Bhairavi, Santhanagopalan said that the violinist ought to be rewarded for such a Bhairavi by giving him further opportunities to accompany. Such commercials are completely out of place in a concert hall and a seasoned artiste like Santhanagopalan should know that.

True, both Nalinakanti and Bhairavi were good, but Santhanagopalan must have sung Nalinakanti a million times in the last decade. He has milked the raga, laid bare its entrails and explored every inch of its scope so much that he ought to be banned from singing it ever again. The Bhairavi was neat, but unremarkable. Surely rasikas are justified in expecting better from an artiste of Santhanagopalan’s caliber.

The only positive feature of the concert was the superb swaras for Dhenuka, reminiscent of Santhanagopalan of yesteryears.

Those of us who became die-hard fans of Santhanagopalan’s music after being mesmerized by it in the 1990s are still waiting for the artiste to make a comeback. That Kapi and Mukhari at Kalarasna!!!! That four-raga pallavi (Sankarabharananai azhaithodi vaadi kalyani darbarukku)!!! That Kiravani at Indian Fine Arts!!!! Santhanagopalan of THAT time was a phenomenally great singer.
We want him back. We have still not lost hope. Santhanagopalan should take care not to shortchange his committed rasikas -- like me!