MUSIC ACADEMY
Intellectual, interesting experience
SULOCHANA PATTABHIRAMAN
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Charumathi Ramachandran was erudite and fearlessly innovative.
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Photo:M. Vedhan.
SINCERE: Charumathi Ramachandran and her daughter Subhashree.
Charumathi Ramachandran is one of the cerebral musicians whose fearless innovations are well appreciated. Her concert at the Academy with her daughter Subhashree actively participating in the proceedings, not merely providing vocal support, was an intellectual, interesting experience.
The Arabhi alapana, Swati Tirunal's `Sri Ramana Vibho' and the swaras pipping to the post with precision were
indicative of musical erudition.
Syama Sastri's `Mayamma' in Ahiri was the right prescription for relaxed listening. Charumathi's Kalyani alapana was right out of the top drawer with total unison with the sruti and packed with many musical moments. The alternate articulation by the duo did perhaps dilute the impact. Mullaivasal Chandramouli is an accomplished violinist and his raga development had the audience's seal of approval. `Birana Brova,' perhaps a whit on the faster track had niraval and well calculated swaras emanating an aura of authority and confidence. The finishing sequences and the korvai found the mridangist Prapancham Ravindran in enthusiastic form, and his tani avartanam with E.M. Subramaniam on the ghatam with zestful, flawless rhythmic patterns had sound laya dictates.
Amritavauhini is a raga in which Tyagaraja has composed only a solitary kriti, `Sri Rama Padhama,' the rendition of which kept faith with the composer's emotions. Tilang, the chosen melody for the Ragam, Tanam and Pallavi, may have raised a few eyebrows with the notion that the raga does not have enough Carnatic classical weight to suit the genre. But Charumathi's approach is such that it does not get shackled by others' pre-conceived thought and she does what she wants to do with utter sincerity and percentage skill. She elaborated Tilang with fine-tuned charm to which the violinist responded with an aesthetic statement. The lyrics for the pallavi, `Swagatham Sangeetha Vidwath Sabhayai Sathabhishekha Mahotsava Vaibhave' composed by Charumathi — wishing the Academy all the best on its 80th birthday — talked of innovative thought and Charumathi come out with flying colours.
The niraval on a prescribed mode and the ragamalika in Anandabhairavi, Karnaranjani and Surutti revealed the multi-faceted talent of the vidushi. A padam in Sahana (`Sarangapani') a Behag Javali by Tirupati Narayanaswami, a Jayadeva ashtapadi that raised a lump in the throat remembering the mesmerising rendition of the inimitable M.L.Vasanthakumari, and a few other light classical numbers marked the end of a scholarly performance.
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