Smooth and subtle
SVK
|
Keeping close to the veena's aesthetic spirit, Pichumani offered an impeccable interpretation of songs and ragas.
|
IMPECCABLE: R. Pichumani Photo: K.V. Srinivasan.
The ebb and flow of sound seeped into the interpretation of songs and alapanas of ragas in the concert of Pichumani. They had a smooth ascent and descent. The gentle meetu transformed whatever he played with grace and suppleness. He always kept close to the veena's aesthetic approach. The depth of his vidwat was matched by the skill of presentation. The rakti aspect was within his grasp, which elevated his music to the inherent veena subtleties.
In the music festival series of the Mylapore Arts Academy, Pichumani's recital was highly conservative living up to the veneration of music. The method of his play was fully in harmony with veena sampradaya. He offered an impeccable interpretation of songs and raga alapanas. With the Kedaram song "Rama-Neepai-Tanaku," which provided a soothing start, he essayed a brief genial Ritigowla alapana followed by the song "Janani-Ninnu-Vina." The alapana and kriti were well nourished with depth and delicacy. In the same vein was the rendering of "Akhilandeswari" (Dwijavanti).
The major item was Poorvikalyani. In the raga vinyasa and kirtana, "Meenakshi-Memudam," the external expressiveness and the subjective experience well integrated. He had in R. Raman a reliable veena support. During the solo, he revealed to the hilt the kind of training he has received from Pichumani.
T. K. Ramakrishnan (mridangam) A. S. Sankar (ghatam) and K.V.R.S. Mani (Kanjira), responded responsibly to the gentleness of veena's sound.
When vidwat is unlinked from expressional sensitivity, the music ceases to be pensive. Such was the nature of Sanjay Subramaniam's cutcheri. His manodharma was fertile, but not aesthetically felicitous. His interpretation of songs was rugged, but not reposeful. His alapanas were entertaining, but not musically endearing. Expository bravery was all that Sanjay seemed to be after. This resulted in high-flown utterances.
"Kaaka-Unakku-Irakkam" in Karaharapriya "Enna-Punnyam-Seidaayo" (Ritigowlai) and "Arunachala-Natham" (Saranga) were the kirtanas. Sri Ramkumar, the violinist supplied tranquillity. Neyveli Venkatesh, mridangist, absorbed well the tenor of Sanjay's purpose.
* * *
GNB volume
The release of the third volume of the compositions of G.N. Balasubramanian by the GNB Foundation at a function held recently at Raga Sudha Hall was an occasion for speakers to refer to the several great qualities of his music. In essence, GNB stood for the dictum that deeper the base of musical perception, higher the peak of a performance. Two aspects stand out. The vidwan introduced a rare breath of freshness into his concerts. His exposition served one purpose - tradition is not just something handed down from guru to the sishya, but a creative evolution sung and experienced. Veteran T. N. Krishnan, made a clinically clinching diagnosis of the ills of music today. Trichur Ramachandran, accompanied by V. V. Ravi (violin) Umayalpuram Mali (mridangam) and Vaikom Gopalakrishnan (ghatam) sang some kritis of GNB.
Printer friendly
page
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Entertainment
Bangalore
Chennai and Tamil Nadu
Delhi
Hyderabad
Thiruvananthapuram
