Governed by speed
G. SWAMINATHAN
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The concert of Ganesh and Kumaresh was racy with percussion to match.
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Photo: M. Karunakaran.
HIGHLY CHARGED: Ganesh (left) and Kumaresh.
Variety fare is the forte of violin duo Ganesh-Kumaresh. The brothers see to it that there is never a dull moment in their concerts. In fact, this makes them invariably race, presenting the compositions at an accelerated tempo that leaves the atmosphere highly charged.
At the Hamsadhwani concert, the opening gana ragamalika varnam composed by Kumaresh sort of indicated the highlight of the programme. Yes. The Ragam-Tanam-Pallavi was in Nattai with the Pallavi `Bharata nattai kaakkum pani nammudayathu parengum potrum' set to Kanda jathi Triputa talam two kalai. Ganesh presented the pallavi in full form with an elaborate alapana, tanam shared by both, pallavi in trikalam by Ganesh and finally the ragamalika swaram in Gowla, Arabi, Varali and Sri shared again by the siblings very smoothly.
`Muruga Muruga' in Saveri, `Sri Kamalambikayam' in Sahana and `Challare' in Ahiri were on the tranquil trail. Hemavati was another highpoint of the concert where it was Ganesh who delivered a succinct alapana for the lesser known Dikshitar composition `Hariyuvathim haimavatim.' A plethora of swara sallies as expected was exchanged between the brothers with vigour and vibrancy.
Commendable control
When one masters an instrument, the confidence often makes overreach themselves. Ganesh and Kumaresh with their commendable control of the violin could touch any note or create any phrase, which might be the dream of a vocalist. Therefore, their raga essays, apart from delicate phrases carry frightful flights and a surfeit of gymnastic passages too. Though the kalpanaswara start on a breezy composed course, later they take twists and turns. The swaras surge ahead as fast set notes of the raga. A striking example was the Suddha Saveri kriti of Gopalakrishna Bharati.
When speed becomes the prime focus of the main artists, percussionists are only too glad to follow suit. R. Ramesh and S.V.Ramani on the mridangam and the ghatam never missed the opportunity to conclude each kriti with power-packed beats. Apart from these essays, they treated the audience to a fire and brimstone tani avartanam.
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