Etched with classical grace
LALITHAA KRISHNAN
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Hamsadhwani's guru-sishya parampara concert series featured flautist R. Thiagarajan.
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R. Thiagarajan.
The tang of wood-smoke mingled with the delicate fragrance of evening blossoms laced the first liquid notes of the flute over the open-air auditorium of the Indiranagar Youth Hostel, Hamsadhwani's chosen venue for the Guru-Sishya Parampara concert featuring the solo recital of R. Thiagarajan in the presence of his guru and father N. Ramani.
The rarely-heard Ganaragamalika of Kalahasti Venktasami Raja, rendered at a sedate and stately pace, set the tone for the programme that followed.
Thiagaraja's "Brochevarevare" in Sriranjani was succeeded by a crisp sketch of raga Chintamani and Shyama Shastri's "Devi Brova," the artiste exploring the elegant kriti structure at leisure and weaving skilful kalapramanas culminating in apt poruttams.
Contrast
The Neelakanta Sivan composition, "Ananda Natamaduvar" in Poorvikalyani provided the much-needed contrast in terms of both gait and flavour.
Notable for the combination of lightning-fast swirls and coaxing jarus cresting at a plaintive gandhara and rishabha in the tara sthayi, the Poorvikalyani raga suite effectively established areas of meditative calm juxtaposed with unexpected nuances as the artiste's skimming fingertips skittered over fragile borders to offer an instant's glimpse of fey elements.
Purity of conception and economy of expression sculpted the form and line of the main raga, Harikamboji, to create a study in classical grace.
The artiste's explanation prefacing the chowka-kala Tyagaraja kriti, "Enduku Nirdaya" and his singing of the pallavi made for an interactive audience experience while intricate permutations and lively swara exchanges during the kuraippu marked the kalpanaswara round.
Scintillating
Complementing the main artiste's style and rising to the challenge during swara sallies, Pudukkottai Ambika Prasad's playing on the violin was imbued with enthusiasm.
Subdued yet firm support and a scintillating tani avartanam were the highlights of Nagai S. Narayanan's mridangam accompaniment, his steadiness of pace proving an invaluable contribution during tricky switches in nadai.
Post-tani, the artiste embarked on Thanjavur Sankara Iyer's Ranjani mala, a composition that gently unfurled to link the ragas Ranjani, Sriranjani, Megha Ranjani, Janaranjani and their respective chittaswaras.
"Pranasakhuditu" in Senchuruti and "Parvai Ondre" in Suruti formed a chaste interlude, while the sparkling tillana in Hindolam composed by Ramani and a Tiruppugazh brought the concert to a fitting conclusion.
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