Well planned and presented
LALITHAA KRISHNAN
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Sisters Haripriya and Shanmugapriya relied on preparation and packaging for success.
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IMPECCABLE EXECUTION: Haripriya and Shanmugapriya.
The Priya sisters — Haripriya and Shanmugapriya — relied on thorough preparation, neat packaging and slick presentation for the success of their concert. The Saveri raga edifice was built with painstaking care, prayogas neatly in place, but failed to move.
A wealth of bhava lies embedded in Periasami Thooran's "Muruga Muruga," but the kriti was merely a competent rendition.
In the encompassing sweep of Panthuvarali, the sisters allowed spontaneity to take precedence over technique and the resultant sancharas emerged in a torrential downpour.
Although the reach in the mandra sthayi remained intact, their voices showed definite signs of strain in the tara sthayi. Tyagaraja's "Siva Siva" was affixed with free-flowing kalpanaswaras.
Their best was reserved for the main piece, Karaharapriya, which impressed with its meticulous attention to detail. The alapana was a high-watermark of style, substance and impeccable execution.
VASUDHA RAVI
The sound raga framework was supported by crisp layering of pin-point accurate prayogas while closed-mouth singing minimised vocal strain in the upper register.
The grand old Tyagaraja kriti "Chakkaniraja" with expansive, variation-laden neraval and swaras at "Kantiki Sundara" captivated the listeners.
M. A. Krishnaswami (violin), P. Sathishkumar (mridangam) and B.S. Purushottaman (kanjira) were totally in sync with the vocalists and excelled in their solo turns.
Vasudha Ravi is a young vocalist blessed with a determination to reach for lasting musical values that signals a polite but firm `no' to edge-of-the-seat-excitement ploys.
Gaining a lilting start with Mohanakalyani in "Siddhi Vinayakam," any trace of nervousness vanished under the soothing strains of Anandabhairavi, a tidy presentation replete with salient features. The kriti, "Pahi Sri" with the opening lines set attractively to `sa pa sa' came as a breath of fresh air.
The demands of Janaranjani were met with familiarity tinged with respectful caution and swaraprasthara flowed easily for Tyagaraja's "Nadadina."
Striving for maturity in phrasing, Vasudha painted a clear picture of Madhyamavathi, the main raga. Papanasam Sivan's "Saravanabhava" rendered with empathy for its moving lyrics and the neraval and swaras at "Annaiyodu" won well-deserved ovation.
If the artiste could employ an open-mouthed enunciation of the tara-sthayi shadja, there would be a more resonant sound projection.
There was logical progression of ideas and exemplary discipline in the raga expositions of violinist S.P. Ananthapadmanabhan while R. Suryanarayanan (mridangam) was consistently supportive.
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