True to its purpose
Sharp notes Manasi Prasad’s recital was marked with great enthusiasm
R.N. Shrilatha sings in an unassuming, simple and mature style. At Layavidya Pratishtana her pleasing voice entertained the audience with commitment guarded by well-bred traditional values. She was supported by Veena Suresh (violin), H.L. Shivashankaraswami (mridanga) and T.A. Ramanujam (mrichangi). Her voice spanned over the required sthayis preserving its tonal qualities and volume with consistency and stability. Added to this, dispensation with the mike gave a pers
onal feeling carrying the audience closer to the art.
The above remarks were evident in “Akhilandeshwari” (Dwijavanthi-Muthuswami Dikshitar). A majestic alapana in a slow and steady tempo brought the mind into the warm folds of devotion ingrained in the lyrics.
“Enthaninne Varninthunu” (Mukhari, Shri Thyagaraja) featured a pleasing alapana comprising subtle sancharas. It was further vitalised by a neraval at “Kanulara Sevinchi”. Proper nilugades and accentuations made the text easily comprehendible building up the expected sentiments. The same experience continued into the swarakalpana section too.
Alapana in Shanmukhapriya was methodical and measured leading onto the “Vaddhanevaru Leru” of Shri Thyagaraja extending into kalpanaswaras ending in moharas. Here some of the commonplace sancharas favourite for instrumentalists could have been avoided. Nevertheless, while she was on faster articulations toggling between low and high pitches the inflections though deep and clear, occasionally lost their pleasant timbre.
Accompanists favourably responded to the singer’s ideal approach and enhanced the overall impact.
***
Manasi Prasad sang at Ganabharathi with that drive becoming of a young artiste and that mettle the domain of a professional one, supported by two more young artistes of equal stature - Smitha (violin) and Radhesh (mridanga). Her assertive voice had melting softness and a tonal quality which was sharp and silvery.
“Chalamela Jesevayya” (Padavarna-abridged- Natakuranji- Mulaivittu Rangaswamy Natuvanar) comprised adequate and crisp akaras the nature of the construction of the composition warranted.
An inbuilt gentleness in the voice exposed the supplicating hue enshrined in the text. Even in fast paces the lyrics were not obscured by deep akaras and gamakas.
As a result of a fine amalgamation of all her merits she could impressively transform the imploring tone in the “Shri Rama Padama” (Amrithavahini - Shri Thyagaraja) into a perceptible experience. A measured narration with delicate intonations, followed by a neatly latticed swarakalpana contributed to the whole experience.
Similar were favourable observations in “Brindavana Nilaye” (Rithigoula, Oothukadu Venkatasubba Iyer), “Sarasamukhi” (Goudamalhar-Muthayya Bhagavathar) and so on.
However, raga-thana-pallavi, one of the important touch stones of an artiste’s improvisational capabilities, did not favour Manasi.
There weren’t too many significant interpretations during the elaboration of raga Madhyamavathi and thana (needed deeper inflections). While she was elaborating the pallavi – “Palinchu Kamakshi” (Shyamashastri), the word “Kamakshi” was repeatedly mutilated in order accommodate it within the ambit of the closing rhythm patterns.
V. NAGARAJ
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