MYLAPORE FINE ARTS CLUB
Beautiful raga sketches
M.RAMESH
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Krishna's raga excursions were brilliant with the accompanists rising to the occasion.
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Photo: S.S.Kumar.
ADMIRABLE: T.M.Krishna.
T.M.Krishna's concert broke midway into a flurry of mutual exchange of compliments between the vocalist and Umayalpuram Sivaraman, the latter saying that he was so moved by Krishna's brilliant Saveri that he did not feel like playing the tani. Indeed, just after Krishna started singing swaras, Sivaraman stopped him with a request to continue the niraval for some more time, which the vocalist obliged. But no sooner than the swaras got over, Sivaraman, pulling the mike to himself, said that he had planned to play two new `gatis' but after listening to Krishna's enchanting singing, he would not play them.
However, Krishna would have none of it. Declaring that he was "privileged and honoured" to be accompanied by Sivaraman, he implored the vidwan to play the new rhythmic sequences. The thrilled rasikas applauded for each of these compliments.
Krishna's Saveri was indeed fully worthy of Sivaraman's admiration. Following a brisk Harikhambodi (`Untedi Ramudu' of Tyagaraja), in which the artiste delivered swara sequences as though from a hidden AK-47, the leisurely Saveri was a refreshing contrast.
From the glacially slow opening phrases to the heady swirls of the upper notes, the Saveri was seductively appealing. But the slide from the upper `da' to the gurgle of the lower notes was a little too quick. The lack of symmetry between the upward and downward climbs was somewhat disturbing. Violinist Sriram Parasuram provided laudable support.
Earlier, Krishna's Ahiri alapana was delivered in slow, stretched phrases, bringing out the devotional appeal of the raga in full. Nourished by Sivaraman's feather-touch percussion, Syama Sastri's `Mayamma' came out so beautiful that if it had a physical form you would have hugged it. Later, following the Sankarabharanam ragam and tanam Krishna sang a Pallavi (`Mahima Teliya Tharama'). The Pallavi was tailed by a blaze of notes about a dozen ragas, each lasting not more than one tala cycle.
Umayalpuram Sivaraman and the ghatam artiste E.M. Subramanian gave solo performances for the Saveri and the RTP respectively, an unprecedented transgression.
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