Impressive notes
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B.R. Geetha’s proficiency and dedication were evident in her rendition, and Roopa Srikanth’s voice was heavy, yet pliable
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GOOD RANGE Well contoured sancharas
B.R. Geetha, accompanied by A.R. Krishnamurthy (violin), M.R. Sainath (mridanga) and M. Gururaj (morsing), presented a vocal concert under the auspices of Raga Sangama, Bangalore, on Saturday.
The concert opened with “Jalajaksha”, the adi tala varna in Hamsadhwani, and “Saraseeruhasanapriye” in Natta, embellished with kalpana swaras and maintaining a lively tempo that was further sustained in “Sadhinchane”, the Pancharatna krithi in Arabhi. Mohanam was next taken up for a quick alapana that contained a few deft touches and ran the entire gamut of the raga right up to the tara sthayi panchama and down to the mandra sthayi gandhara. Mysore Vasudevacharya’s “Rara Rajeevalochana Rama” in adi tala, which was rendered in an accelerated pace from the charana onwards, ended with kalpana swaras in two speeds.
“Nee Dayarada”, the Thyagaraja composition in Vasantha Bhairavi raga and rupaka tala was followed by an elaboration of Madhyamavati, the main raga of the evening. The alapana, though not very expansive, progressed in a systematic and unhurried manner, highlighting the depth and charm of the raga through gamaka-oriented phrases and diverse symmetrical usages with corresponding sets of notes. While the sancharas above the tara sthayi panchama revealed the full range of the artiste’s voice, the aesthetic impact of the attempt remains debatable. The compact neraval and kalpana swaras appended to Shyama Shastri’s “Palinchu Kamakshi” in adi tala bore testimony to admirable proficiency and much dedication, and preceded an engaging tani avarthana. The violinist’s tuneful and individualistic accompaniment and exceptional support from the percussionists added lustre to the concert. Roopa Srikanth’s vocal recital, accompanied by B.K. Raghu (violin), Anoor R. Dattatreya Sharma (mridanga), S. Srishylan (ghata) and B.S. Arun (morsing), was part of the Tenth Anniversary Celebrations of the Suswaralaya College of Music.
The choice and presentation of the initial three items of the concert established the vocalist’s predominantly classical orientation, augmented by a heavy, yet pliable voice. The adi thala varna in Saveri, “Sarasuda”, was succeeded by Thyagaraja’s “Sree Ganapthini” in Sourashtram, which was adorned with kalpana swaras in two speeds at the charanam line “Panasa Narikeladi”. A slow, meandering alapana of Yadukula Kamboji prefaced a polished presentation of Shyama Shastri’s magnificent swarajathi “Kamakshi” in mishra chapu thala, while a complete contrast of mood was ushered in by the effervescent tempo and rolling sangathis of “Kalyanarama” in Hamsanadam and the ensuing kalpana swaras.
Swati Thirunal’s “Paramapurusha” in Vasantha raga, which included a neraval and kalpana swaras at the pallavi sahithya, was prelude to a meticulous alapana of the main raga, Bhairavi. The well contoured sancharas ranged from the mandra sthayi panchama to the tara sthayi panchama with significant rests at all the pivotal notes. Dikshithar’s “Balagopala” in adi tala was sung with due consideration to the gravity of both sahithya and musical structure. Kalpana swaras at the anupallavi line “Neela Neerada Shareera” included a sprinkling of rhythmic combinations, underscored by brilliant support from the accompanists, and leading to a masterful tani avartana. However, the complete absence of a neraval did prevent the exercise from attaining a greater level of fulfilment and enrichment.
MADHAVI RAMKUMAR
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