Veritable feast
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Kalasagaram's music fest saw good performances by the maestros.
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Rich voice and immaculate `sruthi' marked Sangitha Shivakumar's concert.
HE IS perhaps the tallest figure today amongst vocal musicians. One should at the same time realise that T.N Seshagopalan's music is beyond the reach of even the connoisseur. It is not that the audience demand excellence from the maestro; it is the other way about. TNS expects from the audience the ability to understand what he presents and is resolute on playing what his mind and senses guide him to do. This is where the two more often fail to meet. To add to this enigma, TNS is essentially unpredictable. If most of the present-day singers' music is dramatic, with TNS it still remains epic. To be true, his concert on the sixth day of the music festival organised by Kalasagaram in Secunderabad, was different from his normal presentation. Where he is generally high-spirited, he was unruffled, composed and relaxed.
Easy rhythm
The item `Kshirasagara Shyana' in `Devagandhari', for instance, was packed with tranquillity. It was the same experience with `Brindavanasaranga' (Soundaryaraja) and `Anandabhairavi' (Rama Bhadra). When he took up `Kharaharapriya', he was in a different disposition. The raga had a different format, more common and easier to assimilate; the presentation was elaborate and convincing. The `kriti' and `pakkalanilabadi' had all the desired embellishments that were harmonious and less tiring. Peri Sriramamurty on the violin found it hard to meet the challenge for to meet it, the violinist must be aggressive failing which he is likely to lose confidence. Guruvayoor Dorai on the mridangam did exactly that and came up with some insistent and forceful innovations.
The vocal concert of Sangitha Shivakumar, accompanied by Akkarai Subbalakshmi on the violin and Arvind on the mridangam, was a pleasant surprise. At a time when audiences have profound distrust for the new approach in contemporary music, here is an artiste who uses a language full of resonant music and sweet rhythm The strong point in Sangitha's music is her rich voice, which deepens itself with the right decibels and immaculate blend with `sruthi'.
Her selection was excellent, each item coming in pleasing contrast. `Begada Varnam' led the way to `Namami Vigneswara' in `Hamsadwani'. `Vinathasuthavahana' in `Jayanthasena' displayed rhythmic skill. `Varali Alapana' was exhaustive but the `kriti' had some `sangathis' that were uncommon and not quite pleasing. `Shankarabharana' was sedate and pleasing with innovative and arresting `sangathis' in the higher octave.
Amateur attempt
In the `swarakalpana' exercise, the `kuraippu' attempt was not quite smooth. It is an old truth that people prefer to hear the thing that they already know. In that context, `Kuraionrum Illai', a composition of Rajaj, popularised by MS, was relished by everyone. At the end, however, all that Sangitha built was partly ruined by an amateur attempt in singing the `ragam', `thanam' and `pallavi' in `Ritigowla'; it did not carry any weight. Subbulakshmi, who accompanied on the violin, had an artistic precision balanced by intellectual superiority. The classic playing on the mridangam by Arvind proved that passionate partnership must be the aim in a performance.
The concert of Hyderabad Sisters (Lalitha and Haripriya) on the final day was the customary. Their singing has become so frequent and common that the listeners have got too familiar with the style and presentation. Nevertheless it has its own originality, a style that is brisk and lively. `Natakuranji' augured well and the next appealing item was the famous `kriti' of Thyagaraja, `Naradagurusami'. The excellent lyrical content was well conveyed. If the sisters induce some `visranthi', their concert will prove more pleasing. Akkarai Subbalakshmi's contribution on the violin was great.
B.R.C. IYENGAR
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Bangalore
Chennai and Tamil Nadu
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