Mohanam glows with fluid notes
G. SWAMINATHAN
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Lavanya and Subbulakshmi played the saxophone efficiently, although there was an overdose of kalpanaswaras.
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EFFORTLESS PLAY: Lavanya (right) and Subbulakshmi. Photo: R. Shivaji Rao.
When women can handle the gigantic nagaswaram, why not the sophisticated saxophone? The Lavanya-Subbulakshmi duo played the saxophone no less efficiently than men. But it was distressing to hear the sisters stacking their kalpanaswaras like a pile of empty syllables without any pattern in the kriti "Pavanaguru Pavana Pura" in Hamsanandi. The Mohanam alapana was the silver lining. Lavanya poured out glowing and fluid phrases despite the fact that a sax can produce only flat notes. And she did it with consummate ease.
Again greed took over as the sisters opted for a tanam and pallavi towards the close of the concert. The tanam and pallavi were only in name; sangatis were few and the sisters straightway went to trikalam. They rounded off with ragamalika swaras leaving no time for tani.
However, there was a section bolstering the artistes — M.R. Sainath on the mridangam, Udupi Balakrishnan on the ghatam, V.V.S. Manian on the kanjira and konnakkol. T.K. Padmanaban played the violin with sobriety.
Padma Seshadri Sisters Randhini and Roshini have two advantages; voice with the right pitch and a clear diction.
An unfamiliar Atana varnam was their first number. "Manasu Garugademi" in Hamsadhwani with swaras and "Shadanane Sakalam" in Khamas were their warm-up pieces before they settled for Latangi. Randhini managed a brief and methodical alapana. A few more imaginative flights of the raga would have made it appealing though. The kriti chosen was "Kaikooda Venume Kanda." Later, Roshini detailed Mohanam with the popular "Evarura Ninnuvina." Though similar to that of Randhini, Roshini's voice is relatively flexible.
Again, additional glides with contemplative pauses would have given Mohanam extra sheen. The kalpanaswara string centred on `da' was connected with limited rounds by both. Melakkaveri Thyagarajan played on the violin with brevity in raga alapana and swara segments. Trivandrum Balaji backed the sisters with perfect percussion.
Until Subhashree Ramachandran set the swaras rolling at "Pathithula Broche" ("Chani Todi Teve") in Harikambodi, the concert was frosty. She did some winsome spinning of swara combinations on dhaivatam as anchor and it picked up. A very precise preface of Mohanakalyani was followed by "Bhuvaneswariya." Later, Subhashree skilfully built Hindolam ("Govardhanagireesam") and Karaharapriaya ("Sri Janakipathi"). With dedicated work, Subhashree, blessed with a sweet voice, can go places.
Unfortunately, most of her sancharas in raga elaboration followed the cosmetic touch-and-run mode than the search-and-reach technique. Credit should go to Subhashree for rendering two notable and interesting fillers; "Vinave O Manasa" in Vivardhini by Tyagaraja and "Mangala Vara Dayaki" in lilting Kadhanakuthuhalam by GNB.
Calcutta Srividya's violin support was rather indifferent. Kallidaikurichi Sivakumar spiced up the concert, mildly supported by H. Sivaramakrishnan on the ghatam.
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