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Photos: V. Ganesan

Good show: (Clockwise from top left): Master Balamuralikrishna, Mohan Santhanam, Sikkil Gurucharan, T. P. Nishant, sisiters Bhairavi and Malavi, and Aruna Ranganathan.

Shanmugapriya, a very appealing Prathimadhyama raga, was conceptualised well and rendered crisply. The kriti of Patnam Subramanya Iyer had swaras at Sannuthanga and kuraippu handled competently. The Hindolam kriti, Sama Gana, Sivan with chittaswaras was rendered well. The kriti ‘Teliyaleru Rama’ (Denuka) swaras at ‘Teliyaleru’ with necessary porutham had vigour.

Khambodi was the RTP raga. Balamuralikrishna’s rendition in the higher octave had imagination and his continuity in the prayogas lent charm to the entire raga exposition. Tanam was a little wanting in its grip. The Pallavi was executed with confidence coupled with perfection. The recital was concluded with Ramanai Tharuvai (Sindhubhairavi, Adhi, Arunachalakavi). Ambika Prasad’s raga forays were fairly good and Delhi Sairam’s mridangam was an asset to the concert. Sairam has good musical insight to accompany and give the much needed support for the vocalist to shine. Balamuralikrishna is an artist with a good voice, has a traditional base and is sincere and committed to cherish the values of our classical system.

Mohan Santhanam in the junior slot, sang Pallavi Gopala Iyer’s Thodi raga Ata tala varnam followed by ‘Anupama Gunambudhi’ and this pallavi line had swaras. The Varali raga, Adhi tala kriti Maragathamani of Tyagaraja was the next song taken up. The Varali raga was treated scantily. The beauty of this raga is full of bhavam. Mohan Santhanam could not bring out its musically rich phrasings. There was mere vocal exercise pattern rather than azhutham. Singarakumara in Varunapriya ragam Adhi Talam of Koteeswara Iyer followed. This is a Vivadi rRagam and swarams were sung pleasantly. To the benefit of the listeners, Mohan gave out the Arohanam and Avarohanam of this raga.

Sankarabharanam was treated elaborately. The essence seemed to elude the singer, whose effort otherwise was diligent. The rounded effect of the swaras did not come out well. The violinist played Sankarabharanam very well. The Navavarna kriti, ‘Kamalambikaya’ of Muthuswami Dikshitar was sung. Swaras and thani followed. Violinist S.P.Ananthapadmanaba played adequately and M.R.Srikrishna accompanied well. One found him a little jittery in the early part but he found his touch as the recital progressed.

Sikkil Gurucharan was accompanied by A.G.A.Gnanasundaram on the violin and Trivandrum Balaji on the Mridangam. Blessed with a wonderful voice, Gurucharan started off with the Rudrapriya kriti of Muthuswami Dikshitar, Gananayakam. A short Bilahari alapana preceded ‘Intakandanandamemi’ of Tyagaraja. The artist omitted the chittaswaram usually sung for this song but kalpanaswaras were sung for the pallavi line. ‘Sri Dakshinamoortim’ in Phenadyuti raga (Adhi) of Muthuswami Dikshitar was the next rendition. ‘Bhajana Seyave’ in Kedaram with chittaswaram was a peppy interlude.

Gurucharan’s Bhairavi alapana was wholesome with all the important sancharas included. In the tarasthayi sancharas, the artiste’s voice was in full bloom with excellent Sruti alignment. The fifth day Navaratri kriti in Misra Chapu Talam of Swati Tirunal was Gurucharan’s choice. The song was well rendered with the solkattu.

The RTP was in Gamakakriya (Adhi) with which all the necessary exercises deftly handled. The tani by Trivandrum Balaji was crisp. Enguthan Selven in Dwijavanthi of Periyasami Thooran and Ramanai Bhajithaal in Mand of Papanasam Sivan were the last two songs of the concert.

Here is a young artist who is not carried away by speed but only by bhava-filled rich classical version and maintaining this trend, he should be a top performer in due course.

The Saveri (Adhi) kriti of Swati Tirunal on Mahaganapathi, Paripahi was the first number of T.P.Nishant accompanied by R. Rahul (violin) and K.S.Ramana (mridangam). ‘Ekambresha’ Chamaram (Shanmukapriya) of Muthuswami Dikshitar was taken up after a good Alapana by Nishant and the violinist Rahul. The kalpanaswara treatment was at Kanchi Nagara Vasini. ‘Aparadhamula’ in Kandachapu Talam Darbar Ragam was a filler before the Sankarabharana alapana. Nishant did well in the Manthra stayi and the Madhya Stayi with the violinist matching equally. ‘Dakshinamoorte’ in Misra Jampa Talam of Dikshitar was presented with niraval on the Pallavi line and kalpanaswara rendition at the same point which had a good flourish. Thani by K.S.Ramana was appropriate and the concert, based on classicism, concluded with Navasidhi Petralum, the Karaharapriya piece of Neelakanta Sivan and Radha Sametha Krishna in the Ragam Yaman.

Sisters Bhairavi and Malavi sang with K.P.Nandhini on the violin and Karra Srinivas on the mridangam. In the first slot, Parameswara Bhagavathar’s Nattai (Adhi) kriti, ‘Sarasijanabha’ was sung, impressively. The kriti ‘Ganapathiye’ in Kharaharapriya, Adhi Tala of Sivan was tidily sung. Swaras at Sakala Sura were sung by both the artistes. Sahana Raga was sung by Bhairavi and the kriti Giripai of Tyagaraja came out well. Between Sahana and Varali, the chirpy ‘Paramapurusha’ (Swati Tirunal) in Vasanta was sung.

Varali raga was sung by Malavi who has a husky voice. The Kriti Bangaru Kamakshi in Misrachapu of Syama Sastri with Swara Sahityam was sung poignantly. The swara exchanges between the sisters including the violinist revealed the beauty of Varali. The ‘Nenerunchinanu’ kriti in Malavi raga of Tyagaraja came out attractively. The mridangam playing for this kriti came out convincingly and boosted the effect of the kriti rendition. Bhairavi & Malavi later took up Madhyamavati for elaboration. Because of the basic huskiness of the voices, the prayogas came out with depth but speed was a little deficient. Dikshitars Rupaka tala kriti ‘Dharmasamvardhani’ in Madhyamavathi was sung followed by swaras and Tani Avarthanam. Mridangam Srinivasan played well throughout the Nandhini is a violinist of good calibre. With better planning, Bhairavi and Malavi, students of Meera Kedaranathan, can go places.

Accompanied by Poorna Vaidyanathan and Madurai Sundar, Aruna Ranganathan presented a concert. ‘Manasa Sri Rama’ (Eshamanohari) of Tyagaraja set the ball rolling. Then came a brief sketch of Kannada followed by ‘Sri Mathrubhootam’ by Muthuswami Dikshitar. The patantharam of this kriti was different and because of this, the beauty did not get fully showcased. The Saveri kriti, ‘Entanerchina’ of Patnam Subramanya Iyer was rendered. Aruna did not present an open throated approach and the niraval and swaras were taken up and the kuraippu swaras were painfully slow and at the end, the flow of swaras were not forthcoming. The tani was played for this piece.

A Begada padam in Triputa Talam by Kshetragna was sung. A padam is normally sung at the end of the concert so that the voice can bring out all the nuanced Pidis after being warmed up. Later, Sri Ranjani Ragam Ramaadhayajuta by Krishnaswami Iyer was sung in a languid way. Sankarabharanam, however, was built up well with a full scale alapana and had good prayogas followed by tanam. The pallavi was in kanda triputa.

The Teamwork that was supposed to be present for this stage of the concert was visibly absent and the total effect got marred. Aruna does not possess a powerful voice and found it difficult in the upper octaves. One found her to be distracted and her presentation almost drew a blank to the disappointment of the listeners. Poorna and the mridangist, seemed to be at a loss but put intheir best effort.

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