Inspiring, memorable recitals
G.S. PAUL
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Maestros T.N. Krishnan, A. Ananthapadmanabhan and Ramesh Narayanan enthralled the audience during a three-day festival in Thrissur.
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It was a short concert .... but the ‘visranti’ (peace) it provided to the rasikas was praiseworthy.
Mellifluous: T.N. Krishnan’s superb performance was enhanced by his selection of kritis.
The three-day ‘Chetanotsavam – 2007’ was a memorable event on account of the inspiring concerts presented by maestros. The festival also showcased up-and-coming talent in classical music and dance.
The demarcating feature of the 90-minute inaugural concert by violin maestro T.N. Krishnan (TNK) was the slow tempo that was maintained throughout by the virtuoso.
True, it was a short concert, going by TNK’s standards, but the ‘visranti’ (peace) it provided to the rasikas was praiseworthy.
The meticulous care he had taken in the selection of kritis also contributed immensely in reaching out to the audience.
Perhaps it was for the first time in recent times that Muthuswamy Dikshitar’s popular composition in Hamsadwani ‘Vatapi Gana pathim bhaje ham’ in Adi tala was heard in such a vilambita kala. Remarkable was the ‘laya’ it provided.
That TNK was keen on bowing out soothing phrases embellished in aesthetic combinations of swaras was evident from the way ‘Evarani,’ the much sought after and only composition in Devamruthavarshini raga was presented. He appeared relaxed as he entered into a prolonged alapana of Nalinakanthi. Movements in the lower octave provided a new dimension to Tyagaraja’s ‘Manavinalagincharadade’ in Adi tala.
The only (relatively) fast number he tried in the whole concert was Tyagaraja’s ‘Vara Narada Narayana Smaranananda’ in the rare raga Vijayasri, also in Adi tala. TNK assumed the role of a music director during its recital by accompanying artistes G. Chandrasekharan Nair (mridangam) and Thripunithura Radhakrishnan (ghatam) who rose to the occasion by giving their best. After the avartanam, the musician was generous enough to praise them profusely, which elicited applause from the audience.
After a honeyed Neelambari – Swati’s ‘Kanthanodu chennu melle’ in Roopakam – he wound up with a tillana in Sindhubhairavi. Worth mentioning was even the customary mangalam that was etched in the minds of the audience thanks to its slow tempo.
Duet
The highlight of the third day was a vocal-instrumental duet jointly presented by A. Ananthapadmanabhan (veena) and Ramesh Narayanan (vocal).
The experiment was enthralling as the veena, the only musical instrument that can closely match vocal music, assumed an independent status in the recital. Moreover, Ananthapadmanabhan exploited to the hilt the freedom from the rigidity of kritis.
Madhuvanthy, the equivalent of Dharmavathy in Carnatic music, received a vigorous treatment by the maestros for more than an hour.
The sahithya for the druth laya, (teen Taal) ‘Rang jagath’ was notable as it was a rare composition of Miya Tansen. ‘Thum bin kaise,’ a madhya laya bandish, and ‘Hanuman lala,’ a druth laya bandish, were typical of the Mevathy gharana. The recital concluded with ‘Niranjani Narayani’ in Sindhubhairavi.
Vocal support was provided by Hema Narayanan, Madhuvanthy, Vinaydas and Madhusree. Six-year-old Madhusree sprang a surprise by a sruti bhedam in the midst of the elaboration of raga Jog.
Praphulla Athle (tabla) and Berni (Harmonium) accompanied. The festival was organised by Chetana Sangeet Natya Academy, Thrissur, to mark its third anniversary.
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