Lyric and melody in happy harmony
GARIMELLA SUBRAMANIAM
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Remarkable symmetry between lyrical aesthetics and melodic beauty characterised P. Unnikrishnan's recital.
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CAPTIVATING: P. Unnikrishnan. Photo: S. R. Raghunathan.
If there were to be a `Concert of the Season' prize, P. Unnikrishnan's late evening performance at the Music Academy would surely rank among the top contenders. On Tuesday night, his honeyed-voice once again captivated listeners for nearly three hours. A remarkable symmetry between sensitivity to lyrical aesthetics and melodic beauty characterised his interpretation of mostly known compositions. Contrary to the view in some circles, Unnikrishnan's other avatar as a playback singer equips him splendidly in many of these aspects. His singing of the Adi tala varnam in Hanumatodi was not just a routine opening ritual.
The delivery in the madhyamakala, with accent on the appropriate syllable, was in particular evocative of the sringara rasa underlying this category of composition. Again, there was renewed pleasure in his rendition of oft-heard kritis — Swati Tirunal's "Devedeva Kalayamite" in Mayamalavagowla, and Tyagaraja's "Dhvaitamu Sukhama" in Reetigowla. Then followed two less known kritis: "Karuna Elaagante," of Tyagaraja in Varali and Dikshitar's "Rajagopalam Bhajeham" in Mohanam.
Unnikrishnan is discriminating in the use of embellishments such as alapana, kalpanaswaram and neraval. With the result, no composition was lengthy beyond what is warranted and all of them received the necessary treatment.
This approach gave him room for manoeuvre in the two centrepieces of the recital — Bhairavi and Bahudari. The alapana which resonated with the akara, ukara and makara prayoga was followed by a masterly presentation of Maharaja Swati Tirunal's "Janani Mamavameye Bharati Jeya Sarasijasana Dyaye." A ragam tanam pallavi just half an hour before close is not looked forward to nowadays, although few may admit it openly.
But the exposition of Bahudari and the ragamalika in Ranjani, Kapi and Kuntalavarali were the loss of those who had to leave the venue by then. The pallavi ``Bahu Darita Chela Varada! Ava Kanakachela Krishna Sada," the line beautiful in itself, was decorated with improvisation in all the four ragas. Accompanists Varadarajan (violin), V. Harikumar (mridangam) and V. Suresh (ghatam) gave spirited support in their own distinct ways.
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