FULL MARKS
|
Responses to the music season from a cross-section of the audience
|
My friends told me that I must hear this singer from Andhra. That is how I went to Pantula Ramaa's recital at the Mylapore Fine Arts. A singer of high calibre, she has yet to make a name for herself in Madras. Her Todi was outstanding, you should hear the phrases in the lower register.
She brought out the raga's essence. She easily overshadowed her accompanists of the day (M. S. N. Murthy and M. S. Varadan). When she sang Mohanakalyani I remembered KVN. Like him, she established the identity of every raga with absolute clarity and sweetness. She needs to anchor the cascading flow with karvais.
I give full marks for her raga selection. She did justice to rakti ragas like Kedaram and Kedaragowlai. In the latter she began ``Venuganaloluni" from the anupallavi and created a ringing impact. But I must say that her diction is not clear. I would go as far as saying that hers is purusha sangitam, with lots of gamakam and weight. Nothing superficial about it. She may not be a fully polished performer. But a gem only needs to shed its rough edges to shine.
V. V. SUNDARAM,
ADYAR
Printer friendly
page
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Music Season
