BHARAT KALACHAR
Perfect swaras and touching sangatis
G. SWAMINATHAN
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T.V.Ramprasad's delineation of Ritigowla and Todi glowed while Mahalakshmi's recital showed diligent training.
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PHOTOS: K.N. MURALIDHARAN AND S. THANTHONI
ENCHANTING: T.V.Ramprasad.
It was gratifying to note that T.V.Ramprasad had started internalising the music before expression. This was evident in his enchantingly moving Ritigowla and the treatise of Todi in the `Swagatham Margazhi Utsav' concert of Bharat Kalachar. The lengthy karvais with sruti, shortened brigas in the right places, balanced phrases covering the three octaves registered Ramprasad's perception of Ritigowla's glow and intensity.
The choice of the kriti was none other than Subbaraya Sastri's "Janani Ninnuvina." Ramprasad allowed himself to soak in the lyric concentrating on the bhava at the same time adding many touching sangatis. Even the swara section was perfectly timed and placed.
Ramprasad created a similar feel in Todi alapana. The composition selected here was Marimuthu Pillai's "Enneramum Oru Kalai Thookki," not much in vogue.
C. Mahalakshmi.
But alas, the delight was short lived. The mood changed as the kriti was rendered, the focus shifting to sound and fury.
The first casualty was the clarity of the Tamil words. The neraval went on the same way as the swara segment ending up on a breathless pile of swara syllables culminating in a cacophony of vocal, mridangam and kanjira. Heavy ragas like Khambodi ("Ma Janaki" of Tyagaraja) and Shanmukhapriya ("Saravanabhava Ennum" by Sivan) were primly presented in the concert, which opened with the catchy Mohanakalyani varnam of Lalgudi Jayaraman.
T.K.V. Ramanujacharyulu was efficient on the violin. His smooth versions of Ritigowla and Todi brimmed with sensitivity and melody. Srimushnam Raja Rao, veteran mridangam vidwan, joined hands with young B.S. Purushotham on the kanjira in providing vibrant percussion support to Ramprasad.
With a characteristic timbre and depth in her voice, Delhi C. Mahalakshmi offered a satisfying vocal recital. Her performance spoke of diligent training and there was no evidence of excesses. The Purvikalyani alapana, the kriti ("Inta Paramukham") and her kalpanaswaras at "Silayo Nee Oru" were accomplished in proper proportion. The main Kharaharapriya and the heavy "Chakkani Raja" and the neraval-swara at the usual "Kantiki Sundara" had to go on a slightly faster mode due to time constraint.
Mahalakshmi's manodharma should be supplemented by better voice modulation and pauses, which will add quality to her music. She started her concert with a composition of Purandaradasa in raga Gambhiranattai ("Saranambe Vani") and concluded with Annamacharya's Bowli kriti, "Sriman Narayana." Her accompanists — Thiruvarur Balam (violin), Trivandrum Hariharan (mridangam) and Narasimhan (ghatam) — were quite passive.
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