An edifying experience
S. SHIVAKUMAR
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Sampradaya and manodharma went hand in hand in the vocal recital of Pantula Rama.
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REFRESHING: Pantula Rama.
Panthula Rama presented a concert for Gana Mukundapriya and it was an edifying experience — the kritis were rendered in a manner that was refreshing and educative on how each bard had held mastery over structure, setting and detail.
Panthula Rama was able to discover a self-contained harmony by a judicious selection of songs. The bhava soared to great heights as sampradaya and manodharma went hand in hand.
A revelation
One wondered which really was the centrepiece as each song was a revelation by itself. Simhendra Madhyamam ("Ninne Nammithi, Mysore Vasudevachar) and Mohanam ("Mohana Rama," Tyagaraja) were given elaborate treatment exposing them in all their shades and hues. The alapanas showed how the mandhara sthayi and taara sthayi segments should mesh with the entire alapana and should not incongruously stick out as exercises in an exhibition of voice-range.
The lightning brigas and fast-paced swaras (tisram-second kalam) had swara-spashtam (each swara could be heard distinctly). "Ganamurthe" as a beginning number had its customary ιlan. "Vararagalaya" (Chenju Khambodi, Tyagaraja) was a bold adventure at raga alapana and "Parithapamu" (Manohari, Tyagaraja) shone with its subtle elements.
"Parvathi Ninnu" (Kalgada, Shyama Sastri) had its engaging melodic and rhythmic structure and the episodic "Sri Rama Padhama" (Amrutha Vahini - Tyagaraja) was rendered passionately. "Mudhhugare Yashodha," Annamacharya's popular kriti, came as the penultimate piece.
Contemporary composers were not ignored. A tillana in Brindavani (M. Balamuralikrishna) and a song by Ashok Madhav in Hamsa Kalyani were included.
M.S.N. Murthy on the violin was a picture of discretion. His Mohanam and Simhendramadhyamam alapanas had well thought-out original phrases and the swara exchanges were enjoyable and accurate.
Melakkaveri Balaji on the mridangam teamed up well with the main artiste and the sangatis especially for "Parvathi Ninnu" and "Mudhugare Yashodha" were rendered with precision.
His tani bore special qualities and the final mora he rendered with all possible speeds and varieties was executed to perfection.
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