Emotional singing sans frills
S. SHIVAKUMAR
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It was an aural treat for the audience of the Winter Music Festival organised by Nadopasana Music Trust.
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DECEPTIVE SIMPLICITY: Manda Sudharani. Photo: R. Shivaji Rao.
Nadopasana Music Trust had organised a winter music festival. A. Sundaresan, in his performance, sang with a power that was derived from his deep association with music, which had stood the trials of time and tide. His rendering with full-throated abandon was divested of frills and charged with emotion.
Sundaresan began with "Lambhodaraya Namasthe" (Varali-Dikshitar) and followed it up with "Saadhinchane" (Arabhi). His Ritigowla alapana ("Cheraravathemira" - Tyagaraja) was neatly woven, as was his alapana for Dhanyasi ("Meena Lochana" - Shyama Sastri). He gave a rare vision into "Epapamu" (Atana - Tyagaraja), a song bristling with meaning but never kept in circulation. He then gave a lovely alapana in Shanmukhapriya and sang the only composition of Tyagaraja, "Vadhane Vaaru." His swaraprastharam spoke of his calculative efficiency.
V. V. Ravi gave seasoned support and played alapanas with good phrase structuring and Ramesh on the mridangam followed well and gave a tani after his guru.
Radical approach
Manda Sudharani's performance stressed the role a learned musical culture could play in the development of musical abilities. Her radical approach was made evident in her alapanas of Gowdamallaru ("Sarasamukhi" - Harikesanallur) and Janaranjani ("Nadadinamata" - Tyagaraja), and a compact chittaswaram for the former and swaraprastharams for the latter. Swaras came forth like leaves dropping from a tree with its captivating rustle only to be replenished as they descended. There was a deceptive simplicity in all her efforts. She rendered an altogether different alapana for Poorvikalyani ("Visalakshim" - Dikshitar) and Kambodhi ("O Rangasayi" - Tyagaraja).
Sherthalai Sivakumar seemed to follow the policy of kaizen, a state of constant improvement, and during his alapanas, was a picture of confidence and answered with sureness during the swaraprastharams. Koviladi Madhavaprasad (mridangam), who is also a vocalist and Trivandrum Rajagopal (ghatam) provided enjoyable yet learned laya support.
Prema Rangarajan is best known for her ability to add fresh colours to the spectrum of music, by rendering new and less-heard kritis and true to her nature included "Jaya Jaya Ramanatha" (Nattai - Narayana Tirtha) and "Ennadu Joothunu" (Kalavati - Tyagaraja) in her concert.
Prema's brief Abhogi alapana ("Manasunilpa" - Tyagaraja) was marked by clarity and Todi ("Kadhanuvariki" - Tyagaraja) was elaborated with fine-spun sangatis that were pleasurable and stress-free. Her neraval at "Padhu Thappaka Bhajiyinche" made one experience the sahitya in its fullest sense as the words were always held together meaningfully. There were a few instances of lack of sruti alignment during the concert.
Usha Rajagoplan on the violin played according to the pattern of the main artiste and Melakkaveri Balaji on the mridangam played an outstanding tani and added to the value of the songs.
Eloquent
Bharath Kumar who figured in the junior slot showed how planning is a major ingredient in the success of a concert. His rendering of alapanas and kritis spoke of an eloquence that never was noisily assertive. His main piece was Bhairavi ("Sari Evvaramma" - Shyama Sastri) and the song rendering was at a pace that could impart meaning and bring out the raga swaroopa.
Bharath Kumar earlier rendered alapanas of Chakravaham ("Sugunamule" - Tyagaraja) and Devagandhari ("Kshithija Ramanam" - Dikshitar) adroitly and his swara singing found a healthy pattern. He seemed to experience some difficulty while resting at the adhara shadjamam, which could get better by time and experience. Mannargudi Srinivasan on the violin handled the ragas and kritis to satisfaction and Anilkumar on the mridangam was flawless though he gave a surprisingly short tani.
Pleasing rendition
Jayamangala Krishnamani is a dual genius who excels on the mridangam too. Her vocal concert commenced with "Sri Vigna Rajam Bhaje" and followed with an extraordinary piece in Mohanam ("Endhuko Baga" - Tyagaraja). She then gave a pleasing alapana of Abheri ("Kayarohanam" - Dikshitar) and set forth to explore Kalyani and the alapana, which began with promise, tended to lose direction as it progressed.
The vocalist's kriti choice was, however, exceptional — "Nee Sari Sati" of Thanjavur Ponnaiah Pillai. Her laya orientation prompted her to render a tillana, her own composition, in Sivaranjani.
Jayanthi Kesav on the violin was good at some places though her playing left much to be desired. Thirupoonthuruthi Visvanathan gave decent laya support on the mridangam.
Delectable alapana
Sumitra Nitin rendered a delectable Suruti alapana ("Sri Venkata Girisam" - Dikshitar) and then presented an alapana in Simhendra Madhyamam ("Ninne Nammithinayya" - Mysore Vasudevachar). The neraval and swaraprasatharam were at the customary "Pannagendra Sayana" and was sung with a good sense of proportion. Sumitra, however, was out of sorts when she touched the top shadjamam and swaras beyond them. She also offered a faithful rendering of "Entha Muddo" (Bindumalini - Tyagaraja). Charumathy Raghuraman gave a glorious alapana of Suruti and Simhendra Madhyamam with classic purity and Sankaranarayanan on the mridangam gave praiseworthy laya support.
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