Exact enunciation

THE VOCAL concert of Seetha Narayanan, an experienced singer cum guru, was heralded by the Durbar varnam in adi tala composed by Tiruvotriyur Tyagayyar. The rendition in three kalapramanams including the tisra nadai in the Poorvangam, was testimony to the artiste's laya control.

Dikshitar's ``Ganapathe'' in Kalyani was a compact version with the enunciation of the lyrics being clear and exact.

The Sriranjani alapana was imaginative, yet, more slow prayogas and karvais in the initial stages would have added stature to the exercise. ``Bhuvinidasudane'' of Tyagaraja had a crisp fluid flow.

Charukesi was elaborated with finesse - a full-throated sustained karvai in the thara sthayi gandharam and subsequently weaving the sancharas around it would not have been amiss. The violinist with years of performing experience, presented a listenable essay.

``Krupayaa paalaya'' of Swati Tirunal sung with confidence, the lyrical expansion of ``Narada mukha muni'' quite methodical, and the well organised swara passages, but for a rather tame finish, were above par efforts. Lakshminarayanan in his sedate, unobtrusive style, played his part very well to tread sensitively the path paved by the vocalist.

Vedanayakam Pillai's ``Karunasagara'', a rarely heard kriti in Atana, had lyrical and musical flavour to be savoured.

Kedaragowla, a jewel of a rakti raga in Carnatic Music, delineated comprehensively except for occasional rushes of adrenalin, was quite a suave, fulfilling alapana. However, one wishes that although as old as the hills, and made popular by even great stalwarts, the phrase mpdnd pdp would be eschewed by artistes to conform to the raga lakshana. ``Vanaja nayanudani,'' a weighty composition of Tyagaraja in 2 kalai adi talam, generated an atmosphere of tranquillity. The neraval, although competent, could have been made more interesting and involved if it had more raga sancharas and karvai between the lyrical phrases, instead of repeating the sahitya sequences without a breather.

To give the singer credit, her chowka, madhyama and dhurita kala phrasings were embedded in laya accuracy.

The swara with the kuraippu forays in the panchamam, again spelt rhythmic exactitude. Rammiah Vittal, a worthy disciple of Karaikudi Mani, offered unstinted accompanying support and a tani avartanam with systematic, laya precision.

Vachaspati, the 64th mela chosen for Ragam, Tanam and Pallavi, was explored in detail covering the gamut of the raga with prayogas appertinent to the raga swaroopa. The violin vidwan, in his own quiet fashion, moulded a dignified alapana avoiding irrelevant flamboyance. The tanam singing in various speeds was according to prescribed norms while the pallavi in tisra triputa talam (4 Kalai) with a tricky adheeta eduppu needed considerable skill and aplomb to be presented with perfection.

The improvisation of lyrics ``Velavane Kolahalane Unadhu Padham Thunaiye, Orarumukhane Arumukhane'' was most certainly efficient with scarcely a lapse in talam. The tri kala exercise with the mridangist's confident support was meticulous.

The swaras, including a ragamalika chain in Sahana, Mohana Kalyani and Revathi and Bageshri, also sung in reverse order to reach the pallavi eduppu, was well articulated. The prati lomam was a convincing display.

A Ponnaiah Pillai tillana in Behag and a sweet Meera Bhajan applied the closure on the proceedings.

BY A CORRESPONDENT

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