NUNGAMBAKKAM CULTURAL ACADEMY
Well-handled Thodi
S. SIVAKUMAR
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The compositions of various composers and ragas selected by Subhashree Ramachandran were appealing to one's musical sense.
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PHOTO: R. SHIVAJI RAO
IN FOCUS: Subashree Ramachandran (left) and Dr. Ganesh.
The highpoint of Subhashree Ramachandran's concert was the Thodi alapana for `Thanigaivalar Saravana Bhava' (Sivan).
The niraval and swaraprasthara were handled well at `Thulli Vilayadi Varum.' She would do well to avoid truncating this line to `Thulli Vilaya' instead of `Thulli Vilayadi,' during the swara sessions.
Her song selection covering various composers and ragas was appealing to one's musical sense. She also sang `Ganapathiye' (Kharaharapriya, Sivan) sweetly but got involved in the swara pursuit. Subhashree was totally dependent on the notebook that she carried. This made the singing a kind of recitation.
Ramakrishnan on the violin gave a neat and compact Thodi and Kallidaikurichi Sivakumar on the mridangam was a picture of composure, and his accompanying style emphasised "sowkhyam."
Ganesh's concert started off well with the Suddha Dhanyasi varnam and it was a welcome experience listening to swaras in Thilang (`Sri Ganesa Saranam,' Sivan). He showed signs of uncertainty when singing Khamas, but it was a special number, `Sri Swaminadhaya Namasthe,' by Dikshitar that acquired focus.
A kind of repose was sought in `Khaya Roganesam Bhajare' (Abheri, Dikshitar), which blissfully spilled to the raga alapana of Samaram (`Ekambresa Nayakam,' Dikshitar), which had niraval and swaraprasthara in the proper procedural mode.
This artiste has a quixotic penchant for the top shadjamam as songs reach their completion. In the process, the sruti alignment falls by the wayside.
The flurry of songs continued— `Harinama Jabi Maname' (Vijayanagari), `Aarenna Sonnalum' (Manirangu, Ooothukadu) and `Raghuveera Rana Dheera' (Huseni, Tyagaraja).
It was a conscious attempt at playing to the gallery, which was of limited strength, though.
It would have been unpalatable on any ear (read mind) with the slightest musical sense and the violinist and mridangist wilfully joined in this revelry.
Kandadevi Vijayaraghavan on the violin played the alapana for Shanmukhapriya with evolved phrases and did his role creditably otherwise.
Thanjavur Subramaniam 's tani carried the stamp of experience.
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