Enthralling concerts
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The Hyderabad Sisters and Maharajapuram Ramachandran, who performed at the Shanmukhananda Sangeetha Sabha's music and dance festival, gave audiences an evening to cherish, writes VENKATESAN SRIKANTH.
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Maharajapuram Ramachandran.
SERIOUS AND pure music coupled with capacity to bring out the religious and spiritual aspects of compositions is sure not only to result in musical excellence, but also to win the hearts of rasikas. This was amply reflected during the concert of Lalitha and Haripriya, popularly known as the Hyderabad Sisters, who performed past this week in the Tyagaraja Music & Dance Festival-2005 organised by the Sree Shanmukhananda Sangeetha Sabha.
The sisters began their concert with Tyagaraja's "Ninne Bhajana" in the raga Nattai. The swaraprasthara that followed was crisp and provided the required briskness and colourful start. In yet another composition of Tyagaraja, "Theliyeleru Rama" in the raga Dhenuka, the sisters portrayed the emotive aspects of the composition and raga. "Ne Jesinaa", a composition of Pattanam Subramania Iyer in the raga Poorna Chandrika, also underwent such treatment.
Fine alapana
Another composition, "Samayamidhudu Nannu Brochudu" of Tiruvatriyur Tyaggaiyer, in the raga Shadvidha Margini (46th melakarta) enthralled rasikas. Musicians rarely venture into presenting an alapana of this raga. Nevertheless, Lalitha, the elder sister, while presenting a fine alapana, delineated it in a comprehensive manner. Similarly, the niraval of the phrase "Nijanamana Ne...." and swaraprasthara handled by the sisters was marked with rich manodharma music.
The main item was Tyagaraja's "Madi Madiki" in the raga Mohanam, set to Mishra Chapu tala. In an involved rendition, the raga was delineated by Haripriya, and the niraval of the phrase "Mangalakara Rupa Githara Thiraja" and the swaraprasthara handled by the sisters in turns, were appealing.
Ragavendra Rao on the violin, Palladam Ravi on the mridangam and Trichy Murali on the ghatam provided excellent support throughout. Ragavendra Rao's exposition of the raga, whether it was Mohanam or Shadvidha Margini, had commendable fluency of expression. Ravi's laya style was soothing and elegant. His as well as Murali's understanding of the compositions enriched the overall standard of the concert.
Good rapport
In another concert, Maharajapuram Ramachandran, apart from enjoying the understanding and confidence of his accompanying artists - M.A. Sundaresan (violin) and Thiruvarur Vaidhyanathan (mridangam) - very quickly established a rapport with the audience. He also had a very pleasing disposition when he seemed to be distracted (not disturbed) during his concert by a child making noises in the balcony of the auditorium. He politely requested the parent to take care of the child realising the possible inability of these `rasika parents' to leave the little one behind at home.
Ramachandran's concert began with the Adi tala varnam "Innum Yen Manam" in the raga Charukesi. His rendering of "Sri Maha Ganapate", a composition of Mayuram Viswanatha Sastri, in the raga Nattai, was elegant. The kalpana swaras were well laid out and appealing. Swati Tirunal's composition "Narasimha Mama" in the raga Arabhi and Oothukadu Venkitasubbaiyer's "Nithaan Mechikolla Venum" in the raga Sriranjani were heart-warming. His alapana of the raga Sriranjani and swaraprasthara using Ma-Ni-Dha combinations displayed his creative talents. Kavi Kunjara Barathi's composition "Velum Mayilume" in the raga Sucharitra (67th melakarta) was emotive. Nevertheless, the alapana could have been used as a medium to delineate the raga, instead of using the verses of the pallavi through `vrithum'. The main song of his concert was Tyagaraja's "Yendhukko Nee Manasu" in the raga Kalyani. The alapana, niraval and swaraprasthara employed by him brought out the depth of his music. A well-structured concert with good team effort.
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