Off the beaten track
S. SIVAKUMAR
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Manda Sudharani was refreshingly original in her approach and rendition.
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Perfect control: Manda Sudharani
Manda Sudharani, bestowed class on her concert in many ways. The alapanas had a grace with a perceptible freedom of manoeuvre. That she would depart from the beaten track was indicated when the pallavi, anupallavi and the mukthayiswaram of Saranga
Varnam (Thiruvottiyur Thyagayyar) were sung in three speeds in a challenging manner and the Ragam Thanam Pallavi in Kalyani saw the introduction of a fierce intellectual and laya rigour.
The raga spans for Andholika (‘Ragasudharasa,’ Tyagaraja) and Thodi (‘Koluva Maregadha,’ Tyagarja) had a glowing serenity attached to them with sparkling swaras. The vocalist also picked up a prototype folk song of Annamayya in Navroj and annotated its origin. The cup of pleasure became brimful with a Thillana of Mangalampalli Balamuralikrishna in Kadhanakuthoohalam, sung with the credo that some original versions are worthy of imitation.
Sudharani also included ‘Sri Gananadham Bhajare’ (Easamanohari, Dikshitar),’Vinanasakoni’ (Prathapavarali-Tyagaraja), ‘Niravadhi Sukadha’ (Ravichandrika, Tyagaraja) and ‘Bogeendra Sayinam’ (Kunthalavarali, Swati Tirunal). Her RTP had a scholarly immanence. The pallavi cast in the regular Adhi Thalam (Chathusra Thriputa - Kanda Nadai) was split into a 16+20 pattern, called Kanda Chathusram. The laghu segment had the song in Chathusram and beats in Kandam and the Dhrutham segment had both the song and beats in Kandam. The rendering had perfect control and attentiveness and balance, moving back and forth across with studied casualness. Komanduri Venkata Krishna (violin) never tried to overreach but showed prowess during the raga alapanas, the thanam and the pallavi rendering, without being unduly demonstrative. His thanam playing on the violin showed mastery of technique, melody being the bottom line.
Parupalli S. Phalgun (mridangam) fully cognisant of the subtle and seamless split in the thala pattern for the pallavi, summoned all his skill to produce a thani of great distinction.
Manda Sudharani belongs to the Ivaturi Vijayeswara Rao school. The concert was organised by “rasikas.org”, in collaboration with the The MATSCIENCE Institute, Tharamani, and was held at the acoustically well-designed Ramanuja Hall.
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