Nagaswaram and thavil as vocalist’s orchestra
Nithyasree Mahadevan has a high pitched and a very pliable voice that obeys her commands to the fullest at present. This could probably be the reason for her to have had nagaswaram and thavil accompanists in M.K.S. Siva and A.K. Palanivel in addition
to the violin and mridangam accompaniment of B.V. Raghavendra Rao and J. Vaidhyanathan.The opening strains of Reethigowla on the nagaswaram at the beginning of this album lead on to a prayer song invoking the blessings of the elephant headed Ganesa.
‘Thathvamariya Tharama’ of Papanasam Sivan is the chosen composition. The anupallavi rendition alternates between voice and the wind instrument. It is appreciable that the thavil and mridangam players take turns while accompanying the singer without raising the decibel levels. ‘Devadi Deva’ (Sunadavinodini-Mysore Vasudevachar ) owes its popularity to the exquisite rendering by Dr M. Balamuralikrishna. This composition is rendered vigorously by Nithyasree. A slight harshness is noticeable when the vocalist dwells on the upper gandhara note in a raga phrase in the latter half of the charanam.
The swara bouts by the singer and the nagaswaram player are precise. The korvai is initially shared by both of them before being rendered in unison for ‘Devadi Deva.’ The brief vinyasa of Chakravaham by Nithyasree employing Janta prayogas is a soft version and paves the way for Tyagaraja’s ‘Sugunamule’ in Rupaka tala. The blending of the nagaswaram with the voice is absent when the pallavi and charanam opening lines are played on the wind instrument.
Nithyasree’s Khambodi essay is initially over frilly but sobers down later. The brighas are clear as always with the singer. The violinist Ragahavendra Rao offers a sedate version of the raga. Papanasam Sivan’s masterpiece describing the majestic procession of Lord Kapaleeswara is an involved rendition by the vocalist with the thavil accompanying her during the pallavi segment of the song.
The kizh kala and madhyama kala solfa passages are professional exercises. The korvai before the kuraippu swaras has a thisra nadai appendage. The kuraippu centred around the dhaivatham has voice, nagaswaram and violin taking turns. Nithyasree takes over the sarvalaghu swara singing after the kuraippu and embarks on the korvai which lands with precision at ‘Manickam Vairam. A not-so-oft heard creation of Oothukadu Venkata Subbier in Jayantasri (Neerathasama Neela Krishna ), a Sanskrit composition, is briskly sung.
The Shanmukhapriya alapana on the nagaswaram is bright though with traces of the avoidable Chathsruthi daivatham creeping in. The song sung after the elaborate virutham is by a lesser known composer Sathur Karpagam. The raga snatches of Mohanam and Shanmukapriya vocalised have an extra punch, which would reach out to lay listeners.
‘Broohi Mukundethi’ (Senjurutti-Sadasiva Brahmendra) falls softly on the ears and is in contrast very soothing to the earlier dramatic rendition. The album comes to a close with the overworked tillana in Dhanasri by Swathi Tirunal. Apart from the novelty of having nagaswaram and thavil accompaniment for the voice, they do not contribute much to enhance sedate listening pleasure.
SUNADA SANGAMAM
Dr. Nithyasree Mahadevan
Aditya Music.
MRP Rs. 150.
PVK
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