INDIAN FINE ARTS SOCIETY
Proving their credentials
G. SWAMINATHAN
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The concert of Rama and Geetha stood out for manodharma.
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Photo: R. Shivaji Rao.
BALANCED: Serugudi Sisters Rama and Geetha.
The music of Serugudi Sisters, Rama and Geetha, proved that good teachers develop good students. The two were inducted into music by Kalakkad Ramanarayana Iyer. Later, they came under the tutelage of R.K.Srikantan, B. Rajam Iyer and at present their skills are being honed by T.R.Subramaniam. The siblings have assimilated several good aspects of Carnatic music from these gurus of merit and with clear, full-throated balanced singing impressed the audience at the Indian Fine Arts.
Manodharma Sangeetham's ability could be judged by how one handles raga essays and kalpanaswaras or introduces innovative sangatis. Rama's Poorvikalyani alapana and later Geetha's Mohanam spoke of their credentials in the development techniques of raga with continuous passages with proper hold outs, restrained brigas and proper embellishments of sancharas in all the three regions.
`Avatharaya Maneeswaram' in Poorvikalyani and ingenious niraval and swaras in a place with swarakshara made one sit up and watch the sisters with more attention. `Nannu Palimpa' in Mohanam as the main piece was full of verve with elegantly conceived sangatis and the kalpanaswara focused on `Natachi Vachithivo' had appeal because of the prudent deployment of jandai and thattu swara usage and well-knit korvais.
The other noticeable kritis in the concert included `Sakala Graha Pala' in Atana, `Annapoorne Visalakshi' in Sama and the popular Chenchuruti tillana.
Roopa Rajagopal on the violin matched the duo's talents very well and her moves in raga expositions and swaras rolled off with assurance. Juxtaposed with this women brigade was S.Venkatasubramanian who did his job with all sincerity without much show off.
Papanasam Ashok Ramani dedicated his concert to Syama Sastri and his grandfather, the great composer Papanasam Sivan. If a concert could stand just because of the power of the kritis chosen, this could be easily shown as an example.
Ramani's refractory vocal chords let him down in the most unexpected junctures. Though not too obvious, a trained ear could pick up the drawbacks. However, Ashok Ramani, put his heart and soul in his presentation through feral gestures.
The Kalyani raga alapana in the form of several highly-laboured passages was lined up by S.D.Sridhar on the violin in a cohesive way. `Himadri Sudhe Pahimam' and the clamorous niraval-swaras at `Syamakrishna Sodari' laid bare the singer's serious efforts to impress the listener. The percussion pad by Thiruvarur Vaidyanathan and B. Shree Sundar Kumar was of high decibel to enthuse Ramani.
`Sri Vatapi Ganapthiye' in Sahana, `Matha Innum Vada' in Sriranjani of Sivan and `Marivere Gati' of Syama Sastri in Anadabhairavi were nice selections.
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