MUSIC ACADEMY
Haunting voice, immaculate delivery
GARIMELLA SUBRAMANIAM
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Sikkil Gurucharan's voice danced around with finesse; Gayathiri Dhevi presented a stirring performance.
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Photos: Shaju John and S.Thanthoni.
ELECTRIFYING: Sikkil C. Gurucharan
Sikkil C. Gurucharan's naturally haunting voice, his deep musical erudition, immaculate delivery, captivating emotive movements (sanchara) and musical variations (prayogam) were received enthusiastically in a packed house.
The grandson of Sikkil Kunjumani, one of the reputed flautist duo along with sister Neela, commenced his recital with a varnam on Singaravelavan, the presiding deity in Sikkal, in Ritigowla, racy rhythmic phrases punctuating every charanaswaram.
Then Mayamalavagowla, the 15th in the melakarta system, and the scale in which a beginner learns the Carnatic alphabet, was sung with poise.
When Gurucharan had finished with `Devadevakalayamite,' the vintage Swati Tirunal song with a short niraval and improvisation, there was no doubt that some top quality music was in store for the rest of the afternoon.
As Gurucharan reached for the upper tonic each time in his alapana of Begada, it was as though the temple bells had begun to resonate right before you. Patnam Subramanya Iyer's `Abhimanamennadugalgurama,' and the apt swara improvisation on `Anna Vastramulakemi Tovayani Ennadaina Ninnadiginana,' could well have been interpretations by Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer or Ramnad Krishnan.
Dikshitar's `Ardhanareeswaram,' in Kumudakriya that followed gave a similar impression. The other kriti in the interlude, `Saravanabhava Guhane Shanmukhane,' in Kannada of Papanasam Sivan made sure that there was no let off from the electrifying experience of the past hour or more. It was Hanumathodi next and Gurucharan's voice was dancing around with ever greater ease and finesse up to the upper fourth and occasionally taking a jibe at the one above (panchamam).
Tyagaraja's `Emijesitenemi Srirama,' was treated with a rare clarity that you could more or less take down the lyrics word for word. Gurucharan drew the proceedings for the afternoon to a close with the tillana by Ponnaiah Pillai in Kapi.
Gayathiri Dhevi.
Nagai R. Sriram on the violin and Trivandrum V. Balaji on the mridangam played their part as accompanists exceptionally well.
But before we close, let's put this to the young master. How do you justify singing `Devi Brova Samayamide,' in the chowka kalam, when Syama Sastri's operative words, roughly correspond to: come at lightening speed (`Ativegame Vachchi') in pleading with the goddess for redemption?
Humdrum initially, A. Gayathiri Dhevi's singing metamorphosed into a stirring performance.
Her accompanist on the violin, Akkarai Swarnalatha, also seemed promising as she essayed the two main ragas.
It is not a rule of the thumb. But a short alapana may have let her loosen up a little in the beginning. Instead, Gayathiri attempted kalpanaswaram in Dikshitar's `Mahaganapatim,' and Tyagaraja's `Bhuvini Dasudani,' to no great effect.
Things steadily improved in the exposition of raga Anandabhairavi to a point where early impressions on the artiste's calibre proved rather misleading. A patient and deliberate effort to work on the raga's key notes instead of an indulgence in exhibitionism, rewarded Gayathiri with greater resonance in delivery.
She kept Dikshitar's `Dandayudapanim Dandita Daitya Srenim,' simple, sober and melodious. She sustained the same tenor in Syama Sastri's `Trailokya Mata Nannu.'
A seasoned exponent could not have taken Gayathiri's alapana of Kalyani lightly, even though there were a few obvious slips. Her approach to scrupulously avoid any attempt to dwell too much upon complex passages may have turned out to be her biggest strength — something that youngsters could take note of.
The rendition of Tyagaraja's `Ye Tavunara Nilakadaneeku,' was extremely enjoyable, as was the niraval on `Srikarudagu Tyagaraja Kararchita.'
The violinist's ability to manipulate the tonic and the fifth note in the Kalyani alapana was highly appealing. E.Krishna Prakash on the mridangam gave splendid support.
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