In tune with the festivities
G. JAYAKUMAR
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The Carnatic music concerts that were conducted in connection with Onam Week celebrations were a treat for listeners.
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IN FULL FLOW: Thrissur V. Ramachandran.
Both hold doctorates in music. Both teach at the same college. Both are known playback singers - B. Arundhati and Bhavana Radhakrishnan. When they came together for a concert held in connection with the Onam week celebrations in Thiruvananthapuram, they produced music that was both scholarly and entertaining, in tune with the festival mood.
The main composition of the evening was Neelakanta Sivan's `Sivane ninnaithu' in Kambhoji set to Adi talam, the bhakti bhava was well brought out.
Synchronised harmony
Synchronising harmoniously, the twosome began their vocal concert with a varnam `Entho Prematho' in Suruthi. This was rendered in Tisranada. It was followed by T. Lakshmanan Pillay's `Gananaadhanai' in Natta (Adi thalam). The other important compositions rendered included Pattanam Subramonia Iyer's `Ninnu jooji' in Sourashtram, Ramnad Srinivasa Iyengar's `Anudinamu' in Begada; Muthuswami Dikshitar's `Mamava pattabhi rama' in Manireng (Misra chappu talam); again Lakshmanan Pillay's `Ambar ullum' in Vachaspati; Swati Tirunal's `Paramapurushom' in Lalitha Panchamam set to khandachappu talam.
The `thukkadas' comprised K.C. Kesava Pillai's `Onam ethu bahu mangalam' in Navarasa kanada and a thilana composed by Lalgudi G. Jayaram in Maand.
The thaniyavarthanam for the main composition was a feast to the ears with Dr. Babu on the mridangam and Attingal Madhu on the ghattom doing a good job. Attukal Balasubramanian ably supported the singers on the violin.
Elaborate ragavistarams and brisk swaraprastharams highlighted the concert.
The next day, Kavalam Srikumar gave a vocal recital characterised by the quality of his rich basal tone, elaborate ragavistarams and fast-paced kalapramanams.
The high point of the concert was a Dikshitar composition `Pannakasayane' in Madhyamavati set to Adi thalam in which Dikshitar glorifies the deity at Thiruvananthapuram, Sree Padmanabha Swami.
Kavalam Srikumar revels in giving a Kerala touch to his concert.
Earlier, Srikumar began his recital with M. Balamuraleekrishna's `Sidhivinayaka' in Amruthavarshini (Khandachappu talam), followed in quick succession by Dikshitar's `Swaminatha' in Natta. The other compositions of the day included `Hariharasutha' in Lathangi; `Yethine naalma' in Ahiri, both composed by his guru, B. Sasikumar.
Kerala touch
Srikumar also rendered in his inimitable style a `Swaya prabha' sloka from the Adhyatma Ramayan and followed it with `Karuna cheyvan', a composition of Irayinman Thampi in Yadukula kambhoji.
The concluding piece of the concert was a tillana composed by Sasikumar in Hamsavinodini.
Kavalam Srikumar was ably supported by Trichur C. Rajendran on the violin, Alleppey Chandrasekharan Nair on the mridangom and Manjoor Unnikrishnan on the ghattom.
Srikumar dedicated his `kutcheri' to the memory of the noted Kathakali artiste Venmani Haridas, who died recently.
Brisk rendition
On the concluding day, true to form, veteran vocalist and Padmabhushan recipient Trichur V. Ramachandran brought out his rich repertoire and regaled listeners with his brisk rendering of kritis, swara sancharam and sangathis.
The major attraction of the day was Swati Tirunal's `Pahi Jagat Janani' in Hamsanandi set to adi talam, wherein TVR excelled in stirring the listeners with his vibrant and resonant voice.
A worthy disciple of the great Sangita Kalanidhi G.N. Balasubramaniam and M.L. Vasanthakumari, TVR who has completed five long decades of performing Carnatic recitals, began his concert with a varnam `Chalamela' in Nattakurinji, a composition of Sri Rangam Rangaswamy. This was followed by Sidhivinayakom in Mohanakalyani (a composition of Muthiah Bhagavathar, Adi thalam). Some of the other pieces he rendered were Dikshitar's Swaminatha (Natta); Ninne near nammina' (Pantu varali); Thyagaraja's `Nannu Vidachi' (Reetigoula) and `Unn adiye gathi' a composition of GNB (Bahudari). Jayakrishnan on the mridangam, and C.S.Anuroop on the violin accompanied the vocalist skilfully. Although the mridangist did a commendable job, the absence of an instrument, like the ghattom was keenly felt.
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