Invoking the five elements
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It was a Dikshitar collection presented by T.M.Krishna at the Kalpa Druma Arts and Artists’ annual festival. G. Swaminathan
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Photo: M. Vedhan
THEMATIC CONCERT: T.M. Krishna
The second Kalpa Druma Arts and Artists’ annual festival featured two music concerts apart from a music appreciation programme by Sampradaya, at the Sivagami Pethachi auditorium. The aesthetic stage décor was testimony to Kalpa DrumaR
17;s artistic inclination.
The first day’s concert was thematic as is the trend these days and T.M.Krishna had chosen the five main elements of the universe.
If it is ‘Pancha Bootham,’ the composer has to be Muthuswami Dikshitar, who has identified the five centres of Siva and composed exclusive compositions on them.
Fluent swara
Krishna started his recital with a verse from Kalidasa’s ‘Abignana Sakunthalam’ following it up with ‘Ananda Natana Prakasam’ (Kedaram) referred to ‘Akasam’ (Sky).
His quick-fire swaraprasthara at ‘Sangeetha Vadya’ with fluent jandai swara application added appeal to the slow rendition.
‘Vayu’ (Air) was represented by ‘Srikalahastheesa’ in Huseni. Here too, Krishna infused zest with a few rounds of swaras covering the special notes of Huseni backed finely by Mannargudi Eswaran (mridangam), T.V.Vasan (ghatam) and R.K.Sriramkumar (violin).
Saranga alapana and ‘Arunachala Natham’ were illuminative of ‘Agni’ (Fire). Krishna’s concise Bhairavi exposition gave a build-up to ‘Chintayama’ featuring ‘Prithvi’ (Earth).
The highlight of the concert was the Ragam Tanam Pallavi in Sankarabharanam set in Kanda Jathi Jampa Talam in Kanda nadai and a masterly stroke with the pallavi ‘Panchanana Pancha Boothakara Vibo Pahimam Sambo.’
Krishna’s raga alapana of Sankarabharanam probed the depths of emotion and touched the pinnacle of excitement. Krishna’s exaggerated hand gesticulations and facial expressions complimented the content.
The tanam was high voltage stuff rendered with élan including breathtaking passages leading to a dramatic climax.
Several sangatis with perfect ‘trikalam’ made it an excellent exercise with brilliant support from Mannargudi Eswaran and Vasan in the percussion area.
The conclusion came with a stretched out ‘Jambupathey’ in Yamunakalyani, referring to the fifth of the five elements ‘Appu’ (Water) and the finale with a special mangalam in Surutti composed by violinist R.K.Sriram Kumar.
Sriram Kumar demonstrated controlled perfection on the violin with a strong hold on melody though the vocalist employed embroidered idioms in many places. Eswaran and Vasan regaled the audience with a thunderous thani avartanam with innumerable varieties of amazing rhythmic configurations.
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