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Pleasing melodies
INVOLVEMEnT The intricacies spoke of his expertise
Shesha Prasad has a melodious voice, relaxed, not assertively energetic, but pleasant and lulling. Though the narrative style is scholarly with a distinct touch of tradition, the selected adhara shadja may not be adequate to infuse the expected emoti
onal fervor into the renderings.
Aditi Krishna Prakash (violin), N. Ashok (mridanga) and T.A. Ramanujan(morsing) accompanied the artiste. Nadabrahma Sangeetha Sabha had arranged the concert.
The beginning two compositions – “Chalamela Jesevayya” of Kuppuswamy Iyer (Natakuranji) and “Gam Ganapathe” of Jayachamaraja Wadiyar (Durvanki), could not draw any special additional attention.
Consider “Ennaganu Ramabhajana” (Kamavardhini - Bhadrachala Ramadas): The young artiste started showing definite signs of competence and dedication. Yet, the alapana could not satisfy a serious listener. A strange insecure feeling that the articulation may lose balance at any moment lingered on.
On the other hand, the melody accompanist was more specific and clear in his approach to the raga. It was a different picture when he presented the lyrics. An appropriate tempo and clear diction complemented the text. Further, a neraval at “Rama Chiluka Nokate Penchi” provided necessary dynamic support to the composition.
The beginning part of the swarakalpana was undeniably both melodic and emotive. As the expansion progressed, only the former element remained, the latter waned. The complexities was not in consonance with the general mood of the text and undue prolongation. Nevertheless, the improvisations spoke of his technical competence.
Signs of endearing expressions which started originating in Anandabhairavi, expatiated in a slow steady pace, furnished with in-depth gamakas and subtle sancharas, grew to its peak in Shyama Shastri’s “Marivere Gati”. A few passages of swarakalpana would have made the experience complete.
“Shri Krishnam Bhaja” (Thodi - Dikshitar) was the prime focus of the concert. With equal importance, he presented raga-tana-pallavi (Natakuranji – “Chekkanai Saamiki Manchi” set to intricate thaala patterns).
The intricacies involved in the whole process stood for his expertise. Nonetheless, empirically, scholarly intricacies and musical delicacies are inversely proportional.
Sushira Shri Deshikachar Academy of Music had arranged S. Shankaran Mahadevan’s concert. C.A. Nataraj (violin), C.A. Gurudath (mridanga), Sukruth (kanjira) and Ganapathi Milind (ghata) accompanied the artiste.
The learned singer conducts his concert with a virile voice and a vigorous progression, firmly building it on his gentle predisposition. He breathes emotional fervor into all his presentations.
Paradoxically, the emotions reached the audience, but melody suffered, not because of any deficiency in his style and approach, but because of frequent deviations from shruthi at important points.
The concert started with Calcutta Krishnamurthy’s varna, “Sharanagata Vatsale” (Kadanakuthuhala), and continued into “Shri Mahaganapathiravathumam” (Goula- Dikshitar). He exhibited admirable imagination in framing swara prasthara for the latter composition.
However, the swaras tanas showed distinct signs of vacillations thereby causing uneasiness.
V. NAGARAJ
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Friday Review
Bangalore
Chennai and Tamil Nadu
Delhi
Hyderabad
Thiruvananthapuram
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