Appealing combination
G. SWAMINATHAN
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Good planning marked the concert of Mambalam Sisters.
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PHOTO D. GOPALAKRISHNAN
PERFECT ENUNCIATION: Mambalam Sisters Vijayalakshmi and Chitra.
Narada Gana Sabha and Guru Karaikkudi Mani's Srutilaya Kendra had jointly organised a vocal recital of Mambalam Sisters, Vijayalakshmi and Chitra, in commemoration of Guru Surajananda Day at the Sabha's Mini Hall. The concert was well planned and completely unified as the group consisted of family members. The sisters sang and played the violin and the father was on percussion, (kanjira).
The two are trained well in full-throated delivery with perfect enunciation. Since the concert was dedicated to Surajananda, their concert started and concluded with the Guru's compositions. "Sri Gowrimatha Putram" in Amritavarshini on Lord Ganesha opened the recital.
Racy swaras
The significant ragas chosen for the evening were Sahana ("E Vasuda" by Tyagaraja) and Poorvikalyani ("Ninnuvina Gamari" by Syama Sastri).
Vijyalakshmi's articulation of Sahana as well as Chitra's Poorvikalyani were grammatically flawless but suffered from acceleration. Raga expositions are meant for employing creativity and internalisation of music with sensitivity. While Sahana by Vijayalakshmi moved a little breathlessly, Poorvikalyani by Chitra was perceptibly racy packed with fast set akaras leaving no room for repose or contemplative pauses. But the sisters handled the neraval at `Kamidartha Pala Dayaki' in "Ninnuvina" with consummate ease and the swara sallies were exchanged on perfect notes of arithmetically satisfying and aesthetically appealing combinations.
A beautiful but almost forgotten kriti "Sarasa Dala Nayana" by Dikshitar in Khamas was presented with verve and right pace. "Ishta Guru Raghavendra" in ragamalika and "Gangadeeswaram" in Sindhubhairavi of Surajananda were the tail end pieces, both set to music by late D.K.Jayaraman. Dr. Hemalatha on the violin played to suit the mood and style of her siblings.
Kallidaikurichi Sivakumar on the mridangam proved pulsating beats in the slow number "Dasaratha Nandana" (Asaveri by Tyagaraja) and shared a crisp tani in viloma chapu with K. S. Rangachari on the kanjira.
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