MUSIC ACADEMY
Songs and ragas less heard
GARIMELLA SUBRAMANIAM
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Prema Rangarajan made an impact with challenging ragas and less known compositions.
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Photo: R. Ragu.
SOBER SINGING: Prema Rangarajan.
On an afternoon, when the contemporary musicologist V.V.Srivatsa's work was featured twice, Prema Rangarajan, in her recital made a strong statement that accessibility need not be a casualty at a classical music performance.
She achieved this end with aplomb, even as she plumped for kritis and ragas that are less in vogue than others. Tyagaraja's `Nada Sudha Rasam,' in Arabhi was probably the only popular song in the entire performance.
Muthuswami Dikshitar's `Pavanatmaja Agacha,' was a convincing opener with a short improvisation. She followed this up later with `Yevarito Ne Telpudu Rama Naloni Jali,' again with kalpanaswaras.
The performance of both the above songs is, relatively speaking, unusual for two reasons. First, they are set in the so-called dissonant (`vivadi') ragas, the singing of which has long been held to be inauspicious (Varali and Nattai represent but a minor break with this thinking.)
Second and more important, ragas Chalanatta and Manavati, which the songs under discussion are set to, are among the foundational 72 scales and the closeness of notes in many of them pose a challenge to artistes.
Ragas Saraswati and Bhairavi were obviously child's play in Prema Rangarajan's hands. But here again, Patnam Subramanya Iyer's `Srikara Raghuveera,' and Annaswami Sastri's `Srilalite Kanchinagara Nivasini,' respectively, are not the most well-known kritis in these ragas. The elaboration of Bhairavi was marked by melodious variations in slow speed and controlled but fluent phrases in the faster tempo.
Prema Rangarajan's Ragam and Tanam in Latangi was the third foundational scale that was featured that afternoon. The Pallavi, `Manikyabhooshani, Madhuramaya Swarnalatangi Srirajamatangi,' was set to tisra triputa talam in kanda nadai — its delivery displaying mastery over timing and technique.
Prema's penultimate piece in Sindubhairavi had its own share of novelty. `Saptagirisam Sada Chintaye Aham,' is a kriti penned and tuned by scholar-musicologist Srivatsa. The tillana in Vasanta by Ammachattiram Kannusami Nattuvanar concluded a session of sober singing from a seasoned vocalist.
Amruta Murali on the violin proved herself to be a highly competent hand and so was Mannarkoil J.Balaji who played the mridangam.
Jayamangala Krishnamani, who really took off after the first two compositions, made the most of her pleasing voice, good imagination and keen sense of time.
The varnam in Kedaragowla and the Muthiah Bhagavatar kriti in Hamsadhwani were an introduction to her vocal range.
Things took a more interesting turn with Tyagaraja's kriti in Devamanohari, `Yevarikai Avataramettitivo,' Krishnamani's essay of Purvikalyani was a melodious treat; her assent to the upper fourth note was comfortable and anything more that she could do was in reserve for the Ragam Tanam Pallavi.
She then sang Srivatsa's tribute to Tyagaraja, `Tyagaraja Mahaguro! Tarayamam Dayakaro.' Not surprisingly, the vocalist's choice for the niraval was this opening line.
Kiravani, the scale for the Ragam and Tanam, was a magnificent effort.
The pallavi, `Dasaratha Tanayuni Maravaku Manasa! Dinamu Kshanamu,' first in the main raga and then in Valaji and Suryam was enjoyable, especially the faster finish on `Maravakumanasa.' Anayampatti G.Venkatasubramanian's violin support came in for highly appreciable notice at many points in the recital. Geetha Dilip Kumar on the mridangam sounded highly capable.
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