The main numbers in Santhanagopalan's concert were `Gnanamusagaradha' (Tyagaraja -Poorvikalyani) and `Saroja Dhala Nethri' (Syama Shastri-Sankarabaranam). The neraval in the Sankarabaranam piece at Sama Gaana Vinodhini brought forth the contours of the raga, displaying musical perception of the highest order.
The concert survived on the pluck and strength of Umayalpuram Sivaraman's mridangam. Sivaraman combines completeness with proficiency — a fact that was abundantly clear from the way he played for the Varnam (Saveri), notably for the second kaalam, at the start of the concert.
His thani after Sankarabaranam bore testimony to his long experience, indubitable vidwat and techniques perfected over the years. T.V. Vasan on the ghatam adhered to the ways of Sivaraman, adequately responding during the exchanges.
V.V. Ravi was on a par with the vocalist in areas of alapana but more often than not cut into his bliss during neraval and swaraprastharams with an element of self-doubt.
Veena Mudikondan Ramesh and Malathy Krishnamani's veena duet brought alive the ancient instrument on stage . The twosome presented a graceful thanam in Hemavathy as a prelude to `Sri Kanthimathim' (Dikshithar).
Earlier, they rendered pristine alapana of Ritigowlai (`Janani Ninnuvina' - Subbaraya Sastri). The alternative patterns of vilamba sahithyam (thuritha swaram) and thuritha sahithyam (vilamba swaram) for `thamasamu seyakane' showed their mastery over both bhava and rhythm.
There was a special Devarnama in Mohanam, in which the raga acquired a novel yet grammatic swaroopa.
Melakaveri Balaji (mridangam) and Madipakkam Murali (ghatam) accompanied the artists with control and ease without drowning the sound of the veena. Swathy Srikrishna's concert was marked by sincerity and reflected the strength of her padanthara. That the audience did not touch the double figure did not deter her.
She included three Tamil songs, an Arutpa (Gowlai) tuned by P.S. Narayanasami being one among them. Her creative impulse was evident during her alapana of Sankarabaranam (Manasu Swadhinamaina - Tyagaraja) and rendering of Sri Sankara Guruvaram (Nagaswaravali - Maha Vaidhyanatha Iyer).
Her penchant for Suruti was revealed in her chaste version of `Vanga Kadal Kadaindha' (Tiruppavai). The supporting artistes on the violin (Venkatasubramaniam) and the mridangam (Ramana) provided able support.
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