Alluring amalgam
|
E. Gayatri’s mellifluous rendition and Sudha Raghunathan’s range gripped the audience at the Kalostav music festival
|
Photo: R. Shivaji Rao
REMARKABLE Sudha Raghunathan’s impressive manodharma was explicit in the alapana of Shanmukhapriya
A veena recital by E. Gayathri on Sunday, accompanied by Trichur Narendran (mridanga) and V. Rajasekhar (morsing), was part of Kalotsav 2009 organised by the Sree Ramakrishna Bhajana Sabha Trust, Bangalore.
The concert got off to a brisk start with “Chalamela”, Thiruvottiyur Thyagayyar’s adi tala varna in Darbar, followed by the Deekshitar krithi in Goula raga and misra chapu thala, “Sree Mahaganapathiravathumam
”. The alapana of Panthuvarali was an exposition of the artistes’ acclaimed dexterity and command over the instrument. Occasionally striking the plain nishada during the ascent to the taara sthayi to great effect, she executed passages of great velocity and complexity with consummate ease. Modal shift of the adhara shadja to the rishabha and omission of the shadja and panchama to generate the pentatonic Shuddhadhanyasi scale provided an absorbing interlude, but some reduction in the unremitting speed would certainly have enhanced listening pleasure. Thyagaraja’s “Siva Siva Sivayanarada” in adi tala, rendered with kalpana swaras, was followed by a short, but scintillating alapana of Salagabhairavi, and the perennial favourite Padavini.
The mellifluous elaboration of the main raga of the evening, Mohanam, was remarkable for its steadfast adherence to tradition. The ragamalika tana, which began and ended with Mohanam also included Mukhari, Shahana, Kanada and Valachi, and proved to be one of the highlights of the concert with its alluring amalgam of classical propriety and improvisational brilliance. The Papanasam Sivan krithi Kapali in adi taala featured copious kalpana swaras, and concluded with a tani avartana that reaffirmed the calibre of both percussionists.
Sudha Ragunathan, accompanied by Embar Kannan (violin), P. Sathish Kumar (mridanga), and R. Raman (morsing), presented a vocal concert on Monday as part of the same series.
A melodious beginning was made with “Vanajaksha”, the adi tala varna in Behag, followed up with “Saranu Janakana” in Bilahari and “Idadupadam Thookki” in Khamas.
The Deekshithar krithi “Srivatukanatha” in Devakriya was preceeded by a succinct alapana with a sustained stress on the plain rishabha in the tara sthayi, and followed by kalpana swaras. A vivid contrast was provided by the unearthly beauty of the vivadi melakartha Chalanatta as embodied in the ensuing Koteeswara Iyer composition “Edayya Gathi” in adi tala. The immaculate rendition of Deekshithar’s Chathurdasaragamalika beginning “Sriviswanatham Bhajeham”, a massive edifice of a composition in 14 ragas set to adi tala interspersed with swara passages, did full justice to its structural and literary beauty.
The remarkable range and clarity of the artiste’s voice and impressive manodharma were explicit in the alapana of Shanmukhapriya, the main raga of the concert. The phrases around the madhya sthayi nishada and the tara sthayi rishabha and gandhara were particularly evocative of the raga bhava.
Papanasam Sivan’s krithi “Parvathi Nayakane” in adi tala featured substantial a neraval at the line beginning “Sarvabhoumane Sankarane”. The rhythmic permutations in the initial phase of the kalpana swaras appeared slightly excessive but the conclusion with diminishing cycles ending at the nishada, echoed in the prompt responses of the violinist, was riveting, with the ebullient tani avartana providing a fitting finale to the item.
Printer friendly
page
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Friday Review
Bangalore
Chennai and Tamil Nadu
Delhi
Hyderabad
Thiruvananthapuram
