A pleasing concert
B.R.C. IYENGAR
|
Sriram has a good sense of sruti and laya.
|
Sriram
The vocal concert of Sriram, arranged by Kalasagaram last week, clearly demonstrated that good music could still be found in amateur rather than professionals artistes. They don't cater to mass appeal and, therefore, chastity and purity remains untainted. Sriram, who hails from a family of musicians seems to have accomplished this art. Sriram has a frail voice and lacks depth. He also seems to struggle while singing in the higher octaves. It is not too late for him to practice some voice culture. However, like any contemporary musicians he too indulges in fast moving alapana (dritha kala sancharas) that lacks clarity and the effort proves fruitless. He was accompanied by Sachidanandam on the violin and Ramachandran on the mridangam. His strong point, evidently, is his mastery over swarakalapana where the combination of swaras, the attractive jathis and imaginative koruvais flow effortlessly and everything falls in its place. Thus, he provides excellent opportunity for the accompanying percussion artistes to add rakthi (splendour) to the concert. His sense of sruti and laya are exceptionally good and he sings with total dedication.
The selection of the items for the concert was carefully planned and the sequence was attractive in providing pleasing contrast from raga to raga. Kaanada ata thala varnam was followed by Ra rama intidaka in Asaveri. Vallabhanayakasya in Begada had a good set of swarakalapana, the following krithi in Anandabhairavi and marivere of Shyamasatri carried the desired bhava. His choice of the raga sucharithra as the next item called for scholarly temperament. The mela and sucharithra raga has significant vivaadi dosha and it is difficult to generate melody in them, be it in alapana or swarakalapana. The krithi in the raga was one of kotiswaraiyer - velum mayilume. Manasulonimarmamu in Hindola was attractive for the exercises involved in swarakalpana.
The elaboration of the raga Brindavanasaranga was impressive and the krithi of Dakshithar was arresting. The was in the raga Bhairavi set to khanda jathi triputa thala. The entire exercise was just average, although the thanam part of it was distinctive.
One feature palpably lacking was the exclusion of one of the most essential components of a concert - neraval in the songs. Not a single item carried it and this speaks of inadvertence. Care should always be exercised not to be unresponsive to this.
Sachidanandam, a well-experienced violinist, added melody and enhanced the status of the concert while Ramachandran was soft on his instrument. However, he should learn the art of choosing different patterns for different features of a krithi like pallavi, anupallavi and charana failing which a monotony of sorts sets in. All in all, the three-hour concert was engaging and attractive.
Printer friendly
page
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Friday Review
Bangalore
Chennai and Tamil Nadu
Delhi
Hyderabad
Thiruvananthapuram
