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MADRAS MUSIC MELA 2002 |
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RASIKANUBHAVA 10 |
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V Balakrishnan via email...
The 83-year old veteran kept a fairly large group of rasikas in
awe with his clear and ringing voice, which would put to shame even artistes half
his age. Maintaining full control over his voice, which lends itself to
fluent brigas, he gave an excellent concert at Naada Inbam on
December 28, 2002. The importance he gave to sruti alignment, should
serve as an ideal to all other musicians. He began his concert with the
Varnam Samidayajuda in Kedaragowla, which had an arresting
impact. Chintayami satatam (Veeravasantam), a rare
kriti of Mysore Vasudevachar in an equally rare raga, followed.
Entaraneetana (Harikambhoji), the grand kriti of Tyagaraja was
rendered in a royal style by the vocalist. The neraval and swaras at
Seshudusivuniki displayed a classic style and were unique. Nepogadakunte (Varali) was rendered with
great feeling.
It requires the competence of a real master to do alapana in Huseni. Most of the musicians settle for just the kriti. Srikantan did the alapana in a masterly fashion bringing out the raga lakshana with his exquisite phrasings. Swati Tirunal's Sri Ramachandra was sung with a few avartas of sarvalaghu swaras. The outlines of a traditional Hindolam was followed by the short kriti of Dikshitar Govardhana girisam. One of the Charanams of Tyagaraja's Sri Raghuvaraprameya (Kambhoji) declares that Sri Rama is the treasure house of Swara, Laya and Moorchana. All these factors combined in optimum measure in Srikantan's rendering of the kriti, which was preceded by a scholarly alapana of the raga. The swaraprastara had the stamp of originality. Needayarada in Vasantabhairavi was the appropriate filler before the grand alapana for Kalyani. Sustaining a note in tune with the Tambura sruti is itself a divine experience for the singer and the listener. This rasika got this to his heart's content in Srikantan's concert. Nidhichala sukhama, with its universal appeal, was the kriti. The neraval and swaras at Sumati' was novel and tricky. The fabulous concert ended with a Purandaradasa Devarnama in Karnataka Devagandhari. Rudrapatnam Ramakanth gave excellent support to the vocalist. Coimbatore Balasubramaniam's violin was pure and precise, particularly in Kambhoji and Kalyani. Madirimangalam Swaminathan's mridangam was soft and full of melody.
Rara ma intidaka (Asaveri) gave a fine beginning.
Gnanamosagarada (Poorvikalyani) of Tyagaraja was preceded
by a short outline of the raga. Some swift dives to mandra sthayi
were attractive. The neraval at Paramatmudu Jeevatmudu and the
pattern of swaras that followed had the stamp of originality. Anjeneyam
namamyaham (Darbar) composed by Ganapati
Sthapati, has beautiful lyrics. This was sung with great devotion. The
alapana for Begada that followed was excellent. The raga was
gradually developed from Mandra sthayi with long 'Akara' and 'Ukara'
sancharas. Reaching Tara sthayi, it was a surfeit of effortless brigas.
Sankarineeve of Subbaraya Sastri, with its lilting chittaswara and
swara sahityam, was rendered with dignity. Ramanukkumannan
(Hindolam) of Arunachala Kavi, was a medium-paced affair,
wherein the mridangist chipped in to add percussive colour to the
presentation. A loud Sarasasamadana (Kapinarayani) was as
refreshing as a cup of Kumbakonam degree coffee in the late afternoon! A few
rocket-like sancharas in Tara sthayi, emphatically
established Kiravani. Coming down to Madhya sthayi, the mild, moving
and bhava-laden sancharas were captivating. Kaligiyunde has the
power to move even a rock, when rendered in a serene fashion. The
neraval at Bagugasriraghuramuni had the imprint of Chembai
style, in which Ramprasad showed his prowess. The swaras that followed
had alluring patterns of creativity. The concert ended with
Annamacharya's Bhavayami gopalabalam in Yamankalyani and
the intensely moving Varugalamo
in Manji. The young artiste would do well to impart sowkhyam to his
music and to restrict the exhibition of his briga prowess. He has a
wealth of gifts.
Kandadevi S Vijayaraghavan played on the violin. Trivandrum Balaji on
the mridangam and C S Venkataraman on the khanjira gave percussive
support.
Pantula Rama began her concert for Carnatica's Sangeetanubhava festival with the Sahana varnam.
The rarely heard Tyagaraja
kriti in the raga Bangala on Lord Ganesha, Girirajasuta, was rendered with
enthusiasm. Alapana in Bindumalini, a very pleasing
raga, is rarely attempted by vocalists. This artiste did this with
extreme grace, confidence and beauty. She uses her throat to
produce brigas with uncommon ease. She sang a few avartas of
well-crafted swaras to Tyagaraja's Entamuddo. Sarasamukhi
(Gowdamallar) of Muthiah Bhagavatar
was sung next. Raga Anandabhairavi has different colours. The
vocalist gave a novel version of it and rendered Dikshitar's Manasaguruguha. I
did not hear any other artiste sing this kriti during the season,
but Rama did full justice
to it. Laboured brigas many a time make music a ritual.
That brigas rendered with a silken voice, seemingly effortlessly,
can produce very pleasing music, was ably demonstrated by the
vocalist in her short alapana for RTP in Kalyani. A precise Tanam
and a beautiful Pallavi were attractive. The Paras Javali Chelinenetlu and a Tillana in Brindavanasaranga,
concluded the concert by this talented young artiste.
T K Padmanabhan on the violin and Mannargudi Subramanyam on the
mridangam lent adequate support to the vocalist.
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