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SRI KAPALI FINE ARTS
Rendered with verve
S. SIVAKUMAR
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Geetha Raja brought out the essence of the chosen ragas with spirit and passion.
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PHOTO: B. JOTHI RAMALINGAM
SOOTHING: Geetha Raja.
Geetha Raja’s concert had a certain gripping dimension that was evidenced as she sang the rustling swaras for Kannadagowlai (‘Sogasu Jooda Tharama’, Tyagaraja) that had the life-essence of the raga in them.
The descriptive alapana for Kalyani (‘Birana Brovahithe’, Panchanatha Iyer) and the flowing niraval at ‘Neepadha Pankajamu’, a line that lends itself naturally to niraval, was sung with a sense of adequacy. ‘Nekkurugi’ (Abhogi-Sivan) came as filler.
The Khambodi alapana was on a different plane with phrases, and showed verve and dynamism in approach and presentation.
The sangatis for the pallavi line ‘Thiruvadi Charanam’ (Gopalakrishna Bharati) were stamped with passion — the passionate plea of the composer.
Balm-like effect
The beauty that padams and javalis possess and the vishranthi manner in which they are rendered demands extraordinary effort and a seasoned ear for appreciation and enjoyment.
Geetha sang the Kshetragnar padam in Useni, and a javali, ‘Athi Neepai’ (Yamuna Kalyani, Dharamapuri Subbarayar).
It had the balm-like effect of the Brinda-Muktha school and was also replete with its ravai sangatis, the spirit of the compositions and her own spirit came together. A virutham was sung, followed by ‘Kanthamam’, a composition by Mayuram Viswanatha Sastri that had fine Edhugai/Monai phrases, typical to Tamil poetry, that were sung to bring out their arrangement and meaning with a sense of purpose and feeling.
The fare also included Bharatiyar’s ‘Parukkulle Nalla Nadu’ and a Thiruppugazh.
Shertalai Sivakumar was on the violin and one could see him as an artist who has gained in confidence over the years.
The alapanas and swara replies were neatly executed.
Manakkal Sriram on the mridangam and Ernakulam Ramakrishnan on the ghatam gave an imaginative thani.
Their special accompanying style for the songs had a listenable sogusu about them.
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Friday Review
Bangalore
Chennai and Tamil Nadu
Delhi
Hyderabad
Thiruvananthapuram
|
