Gilding the lily
Some knowledgeable rasikas may find it difficult to come to terms with the flamboyant expository technique of Seshagopalan. For him, the structure of kirtanas is not sacrosanct, and he puts them in the Procrustean bed to stretch or contract the words to fit into his whims and fancies in the name of creative nourishment to them somewhat like gilding the lily. It is all strong-winged flights, buoyant and bombastic; no matter whether his voice is in fine fettle or not. Rarely one hears a song in the measured, balanced structure in which the vaggeyakara composed it.
Frenzied brigas
All these facets of his performing equipment were in full display in his cutcheri for Nadopasana, accompanied by M. Chandrasekharan (violin), Guruvayoor Dorai (mridangam) and A. S. Krishnan (morsing). His voice was not trim enough to do justice to his exhibitionistic inclinations, but still toyed with them to present his ignited passion for frenzied brigas. In this genre were the alapanas of Begada and Bhavapriya, charisma being their predominant feature.
Imaginative
Chandrasekharan, in his solo versions, was sharp in absorbing the musical thinking of Seshagopalan. Zig-zag percussive accompaniment was Guruvayoor Dorai's contribution. Now and then the sound of morsing chimed with Dorai's beats.
SVK
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