KARTIK FINE ARTS
Never a dull moment
GOWRI RAMNARAYAN
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The recital of the Malladi Brothers was competent — no soaring flights but no slides either.
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Photos: R. Shivaji Rao.
ABSORBING: Malladi Brothers.
Just as you gave full marks for a stage devoid of banners at the Malladi Brothers' (Sriramprasad and Ravikumar) concert, the inevitable board was carried in, and in mid-neraval. Another pleasing sight - of the vocalist playing the tambura - was disrupted when a tambura player appeared partway through the recital.
The recital was a competent affair, with no soaring flights, but no slides either. ``Pranamamyaham" (Gaula) was full-fledged. Ritigowla stood out for its alapana, enhanced by M.A.Sundaresan's responsive violin. Any song benefits when Umayalpuram Sivaraman gets into the mood. With ``Nannu vidachi" he had a field day to create playful and pleasing effects. The swara-singing here had the emotive charge you missed in songs like the following ``Sivakameshwari" (Kalyani) where the entire exercise was designed for toe tapping and applause, the voices emphasising the rhythms. ``Karpakambike" stuck to a sharp Bilahari.
The major raga essay in Mayamalavagowla blended gamaka prayogas with suddha swaras and even folksy touches, which the raga permits. The violin played in consonance with the vocalists' conceptualisation. ``Vidulaku" was unfolded in medium pace, with an apt neraval and a fine kalpanaswara in the first kalam.
The second speed was mechanical, on voices and violin, the arudi reminiscent of emphatic recitations. The kanjira (B.Srisundarkumar) managed to make its presence felt in the tani. The amplification avoided high volume, a boon. Sivaraman concentrated on rasa, not fireworks, quality, not decibel. The upapakkavadyam followed his lead. The result? You were hardly aware of the passage of time.
Vijay Siva.
It was not Vijay Siva at his best, though his concert had everything going for it with accompanists like R.K.Sriramkumar (violin), Manoj Siva (mridangam) and B.S.Purushothaman (kanjira). Nor were they slack or out of sync with one another's needs.
Yet, despite commitment from all, the concert failed to satisfy. Why? Possibly because there was no visranti, tranquillity. There was a palpable restlessness throughout. This was partly due to banking on faster tempos. ``Deva deva" (Mayamalavagowla) had the speed expected in an opening piece, where the neraval sacrificed rakti. ``Vinana sagoni" (Pratapavarali) was on the same track. The Saranga alapana too avoided vilamba phrases, while ``Arunachalanatham" did not rise above the charm of a honed patanthara.
Lightning flashes are essential to Arabhi, evoked with zest by Vijay Siva. The violin matched the sparklers. Moreover, this raciness was perfectly suited to the song chosen — ``Marakatamanimaya." Its architectonics, replete with chittaswara and jati, was engagingly realised in teamwork. Notably, Vijay did not allow the swara or jati floods to lose their raga content. His neraval and kalpanaswara were infused with freshness.
But, instead of a mood change with a leisurely Mayamma or Brova vamma, Syama Sastri came in with a ``Minalochana brova," heralded by a slokam in madhya laya. After that there was no need for a ``Sanatana" (Phalamanjari) to lead on to the main raga.
Khambodi was explored with maturity. Technique buttressed the alapana without dominating. What was missing was self-forgetfulness, which came in briefly, during the upper sancharas around the gandhara. ``Kanakankodi" had a winsome neraval. The swaraprastara kept you guessing, banked sensitively by the violin and thoughtful mridangam and kanjira.
The understated energy in the tani generated a power of its own. The final ragamalika ``Arunachalasiva" (Nadanamakriya, Sivaranjani, Yamunakalyani, Sindhubhairavi) refracted the distinct and subtle lights of the desya ragas and touched quietness.
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