Playing with fluid and attractive ease
LAKSHMI VENKATRAMAN
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The young and talented Vijayagopal showed commendable control over the flute.
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IN COMMAND: Vijayagopal. Photo: K. V. Srinivasan
It was unfortunate that talented young flautist Vijayagopal had to play to a near empty auditorium on a working day morning slot. He handled the Melaraga Vanaspathi with attractive ease and followed it up with the kriti "Pariyasarama."
He revealed commendable control over the Ragaroopams in his delineation of Saveri and Kambodi. The former preceded "Muruga Muruga."
He could infuse emotion into the lyrics even though he was handling an instrument. The number had decent neraval and swaras. After a racy "Raghunathanannu" in Swararanjani, the main raga Kambodi was taken up in detail followed by "O Rangasayee" with neat neraval and interesting swaras.
Varadarajan on the violin played a very supportive role; if at times his music was better than the young flautist it was perhaps because he is older and more experienced.
Srimushnam Raja Rao on the mridangam and Purushothaman on the kanjira also played a very supportive role; in the tani particularly, the sound of mridangam was very comforting and pleasant.
In spite of a heavy downpour there was considerable crowd for Unnikrishnan's concert at the Parthasarathy Swami Sabha. He began with an alapana in Suruti for the Adi tala varnam.
"Varalendukoni" in Gurjari, popularised by his guru S. Ramanathan, was refreshing with a brief spell of swaras. If the delineation of Hamsanadam was attractive, the neraval of "Ramanamamane" in "Bantureethikolu" came with an emotional appeal.
Unnikrishnan's raga elaboration of Dhanyasi followed by the Samashticharana kriti of Dikshitar "Paradevatha" and the main item Kalyani revealed his experience and maturity as a vocalist.
The latter was dealt with exhaustively bringing out the essential aspects of the raga.
In "Bhajare Re Chitha," the neraval and swarams were quite comprehensive. Varadarajan on the violin showed why he is sought after as an accompanist. He came up with excellent exposition of ragas and swaras.
Ananthakrishnan on the mridangam and S. V. Ramani on the ghatam provided enthusiastic percussion support; their tani was quite spirited. At the tail end of the concert, just when the audience was beginning to wonder how to get back home in the heavy rain, Unnikrishnan took up an RTP in Nattakurinji.
The raga delineation, no doubt, was appealing, but why after such a lengthy Kalyani? The Pallavi was set to kandajathi triputa tala. The earlier item, "Sogsujootatharama" in Kannadagowla had imaginative patterns in the brisk swarakalpana.
The popular duo, Mambalam Sisters Vijayalakshmi and Chitra, accompanied on the violin by their sister Hemalatha, created a joyful atmosphere. The Mohana raga alapana and the Dikshitar kriti "Narasimha" enhanced this feeling.
After a neat rendering of "Santhanaramaswaminam" in Hindolavasantham and "Venkatasailaviharam" in Hamirkalyani, the main Karaharapriya raga was dealt with in detail by Vijayalakshmi, effectively followed by Hemalatha. The Tyagaraja kriti "Rama Nee Samanamevaru" had neraval and swarams for the pallavi. Kumbakonam Ramakrishnan on the mridangam and K.S. Rangachari on the kanjira rendered a brief tani . On the whole, the tukkadas seemed to steal the show with a captivating "Begabaro" in Maund, "Vadavaraiyai Mathaki," "Neerajadalanayana" and "Karunai Deivame."
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