SRI THYAGA BRAHMA GANA SABHA
In the footsteps of the stalwart
LALITHAA KRISHNAN
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If Unnikrishnan's Kharaharapriya was a dazzling display of fluency in voice and technique, U. Srinivas's Purvikalyani was an essay in sensitivity.
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Photo: R. Ragu.
OFF THE BEATEN TRACK: Unnikrishnan.
Laden with the aroma of the Madurai Mani Iyer bhani, its bracing tang has lent a new edge to Unnikrishnan's interpretations.
Whether in the building block patterns of swaraprastara or in the use of `ukara' and narrative strands in alapana, it is evident that the artiste has invested tremendous effort in absorbing the stalwart's technique.
The percussive support of the explosive duo, Tiruvarur Bhaktavatsalam (mridangam) and S. Karthick (ghatam) ensured an energetic build-up and an applause-clinching climax for his concluding niraval and kalpanaswaras in Tyagaraja's `Karuna Yelaagantae' (Varali) and Muthuswami Dikshitar's `Rajagopalam' (Mohanam).
The approach to Mohanam was off the beaten track. Unexpected touches bubbled to the surface. There was an entirely natural progression in the linking of sancharas that had their finest hour in the upper octave.
Syama Sastri's `Nannubrovu Lalitha' (Lalitha) was intended as a vehicle for bhava exploration. Only, it carried an air of slight exaggeration as the stylised articulation was at odds with the Ati Chowka kala.
The Kharaharapriya alapana was a dazzling display of fluency in voice and technique. With slow and steady footholds leading to the madhya stayi panchama, the alapana gained in power and stature as the vertical climb continued. The no-holds-barred tara stayi exploration made a forceful impact with powerful voice projection and sinuously winding prayogas that reinforced vistara. True, the essay leaned towards flamboyance, but importantly, it drew the line at exhibitionism and retained accountability. The descending suite touched upon the Harikhambodi, Kalyani and Thodi raga scales uncovered by grahabheda. In the composition `Andari Sundari' the niraval, swara passages and kuraippu culminating in an impressive korvai proved exhilarating.
T.K.V.Ramanujacharyalu's sensitive violin accompaniment was a treat to be savoured. His portrayals of Mohanam and Kharaharapriya were aglow with rounded bhava-rich gamakas.
In Kharaharapriya, he highlighted the Natabhairavi and Sankarabharanam scales in grahabhedam, during his solo turn.
Commencing on a seemingly innocuous note, the thani avartanam grew to overwhelming proportions as mridangam and ghatam squared off to fight the good fight that brought the house down.
The accompanists' spontaneous appreciation of Kharaharapriya and the vocalist's polite but firm request that the audience remain seated during the thani was a healthy expression of mutual regard and cooperation.
Forget Prada handbags and camcorders. The best accessory a listener can bring to a concert is an open, receptive mind, free of preconception. If there is a section of opinion leaning towards generalisation that tends to classify `mandolin music' as merely a display of super-competent pyrotechnics, then U. Srinivas's music in this recital would have triggered a re-think. The artiste proceeded to drive home a point with his characteristic quiet efficiency — where there is room for artistic growth, there is room for discovery, by artiste and audience alike.
The predominant mood was meditative. The aim was not to overwhelm by showmanship. Instead, virtuosity was directed towards lifting the listeners to a higher plane, in gentle stages.
The chiselled lines of Lalgudi G. Jayaraman's definitive varnam in Kannada straightway established the tenor of the recital. A contemplative `Pancha Matanga' (Muthuswami Dikshitar, Malahari) with limited edition kalpanaswaras followed. The soothing flow of sangatis in Tyagaraja's `Marubalga' (Sriranjani) led to concentric loops of swaras with a madhyama leitmotif and exhilarating flights across octaves.
If there is one word to describe Srinivas' serigraphs of Purvikalyani and Charukesi, it is `lucent'. The ragas glowed with inner light, each a microcosm suspended in time.
The Purvikalyani alapana was an essay in sensitivity. The raga saw the artiste in quiet conversation with his music. Incidentally, there was an audience present. And so the music flowed, a cleansing stream that did not ask, only gave. The delicate filaments woven around the gandhara, economy of phrasing, the voice-simulating gamakas in the concluding phase — all these contributed to an exposition of class. The niraval-swara sequence in Neelakanta Sivan's `Aananda Natamaduvar' incorporated a powerful, yet non-aggressive build-up.
The lilt of Tyagaraja's `Emani Pogaduthura' (Veeravasantham) was complemented by well-chosen kalpanaswaras.
Charukesi was a subtly layered delineation. Unhurried exploration yielded moments of sharp poignancy. Masterful technique came into play without intruding on the ambient mood. Kizhkala swaras were redolent with anuswaras.
In the melkala swaras, technique was ascendant with enthusiastic participation from the accompanists, the kuraippu morphing into a `sawal-jawab' round with a dramatic finale.
The light section included the compelling appeal of compositions such as `Vellai Thamarai,' `Kurai Ondrum Illai' and Lalgudi G. Jayaraman's Kanada tillana.
Srinivas led a team of skilled accompanists featuring S.D.Sridhar (violin), Thanjavur Murugabhupathy (mridangam), T.H.Subhash Chandran (ghatam) and Srirangam S.Kannan (morsing) whose rapport and energy remained unflagging from start to finish.
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