Young musicians impress with talent
PREMA HARIHARAN
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With competent accompaniment, Sriram, Geeta Raja and Manasi presented lively concerts.
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Photo: S. Thanthoni.
CALM AND COMPOSED: Geeta Raja. Photo: S. Thanthoni.
It is heartening to note that a good number of youngsters are striving hard to approach classical music with sincerity and devotion. We can observe the seriousness and high level of involvement these upcoming young artistes display while performing in public. The afternoon concerts stand testimony to this. Salem Sriram, endowed with a good voice, which is flexible and fluent in fast phrases, made sincere efforts to make the concert lively. The first piece "Ee Vasuda" in Sahana (Tyagaraja) was presented in the correct kalapramanam with an adequate dose of swaraprastharas. He was able to capture the beauty of Varali and Sankarabaranam without much effort. ``Mamava Meenakshi" with the neraval, swaram in "Syame Sankari Dhik Vijaya Prathapini" created a good atmosphere.
After the elaboration of a detailed Sankarabaranam and a tanam sung with the accompaniment of mridangam, Sriram could have sung a major kriti instead of the rupaka tala pallavi, which did not receive any special treatment. The Sriranjini raga kriti "Maaru Balga," was sung with gusto. The chatusruthi daivatham with sudha madhyama anuswaram would have been right. Panchama anuswaram could have been avoided. The Tiruppavai and thillana in a fast pace brought the concert to an end.
It was obvious that Sriram was leaning deliberately and heavily on the Semmangudi bani of singing. However good the music was, one cannot help feeling that instead of imitating the veteran's voice Sriram could do well by just assimilating the good traits of the veteran.
Violin support by Vijay was subdued and at times just adequate. Ammangudi Ramanarayanan gave good suppport on the mridangam.
Geeta Raja's music has settled down very well. Her music has acquired composure and clarity. Starting with a lively Hamsadwani varnam, Geetha proceeded to the Denuka kriti of Tyagaraja, "Theliyaleru Rama." It was sung with involvement and devotion.
The Kalyani composition of Papanasam Sivan preceded the Natakurinji kriti of Gopalakrishna Bharathi, "Vazhi Maraithirukkudhay" set to misra chapu.
In a concert of two hours duration, 10 pieces were presented. It would have been appropriate if the third song was sung with ragam and swaram. After Keeravani, a fast paced song (preferably prathi madhyama) with chittaswara would have been welcome. Following a pattern with a judicial mixture of ragas, talas and speeds will help keep the concert in good tempo. Keeravani was elaborated methodically though the higher octave sancharas were replaced by mandhra sthayi sangadhis. Keervani ragam and the kriti, "Kaligi Yunte" registered well.Violinist young Charumathy amazed the audience with her clear presentation of the ragas and swaras and the way she followed the vocal artiste in a subdued way deserves mention. Mannargudi Ramamurthi on the mridangam could have been a little more sensitive.
It has become the trend to follow the style of popular artists to achieve star value. Manasi Prasad is gifted with a beautiful voice. She proved her calibre as a fine artiste. Her high pitched, vibrating voice was very obedient in the higher octaves. But with some effort, Manasi can train her vocal chords in the lower sthayi also, which will make her music complete and perfect.
Though unsettled in the Todi varnam and "Parvathi Kumaram" in Natakurinji, her voice gained clarity with Kalyani. When a raga is elaborated, its identity should be very clear from the first phrase. After the elaborate Kalyani, the kriti, ``Bhajare rechitha"(not often heard) by Muthuswami Dikshithar fell fresh in the ears and the neraval and swaraprastharas were neatly done.
Manasi was at her best in the neraval of "Bama Mani Janaki" in "Rama Katha Sudha."
The improvisation of neraval and the variety in the swaraprastharas gave the concert much dignity. A pleasing devarnama in Hamsanandi rounded off the concert. Violinist Jayanthi Kesav's quiet following, her raga delineation and her answers to the main artiste's swara challenges proved that she is developing her art in the right way.
Mridangam by Madurai Sundar was lively and the tani avarthanam was crisp.
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