SRI PARTHASARATHY SWAMI SABHA
At a comfortable pace
LAKSHMI VENKATRAMAN
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There was a sense of cheer in Mahathy's concert, while Ranjani and Gayathri were pleasant on the violin.
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Photo: K.V. Srinivasan
S. Mahathy.
Beginning with the Ata tala varnam in Kanada, Mahathy set a comfortable pace and a sense of cheer in her concert. Muthiah Bhagavatar's `Sakthi Ganapathim' in Nattai and Oothukkadu Venkatakavi's Manirangu piece, `Yarenna Sonnalum' added to this feeling. In the latter, the talagati was very interesting. She eschewed the ragas considered purely Carnatic for elaboration but took up Hindolam and Subhapanthuvarali. She began the Hindola alapana at the top octave and went on to explore its depth and width in full-throated singing.
It would have been more attractive had it been shorter. There was an interesting play of the note `sa' and `ma' in the swaraprastara for the kriti, `Samajavaragamana'. The Dikshitar composition, `Sri Sathyanarayanam' came with some very charming suits of swaras.
V.Ananthakrishnan providing violin support proved good both in the raga elaborations and the kalapanaswaras.
M.S.Varadan and Anirudh Athreya accompanied effectively on the mridangam and kanjira respectively. The thani by both was quite good. One cannot understand why the amplification for the mridangam is kept so high and the artistes pound on their instruments, almost drowning the main artiste's voice.
For a change Bombay Ranjani and Gayathri presented a duet violin concert, which came as a surprise to many in the audience who had not looked at the programme sheet. After the Ata Tala Varnam in Ritigowla, they played the Gowla Kriti, `Sri Mahaganapathim' with swarams for the pallavi and `Mamavasadha' in Kanada.
Then Ranjani took up the essaying of Pantuvarali, `Siva Siva Siva' followed with niraval and swaras. On the whole it was a decent attempt. After a short alapana of Yadukulakhambodi by Gayathri, came `Kaalaithookki' rendered in a pleasantly slow pace.
One might have mistaken Kharaharapriya that followed for the main item. The raga alapana by Gayathri was suitably long with occasional attractive prayogams. Kalpanaswaras were taken up for `Kandiki Sundara' of `Chakkanirajamargamu.'
Through the entire concert Neyveli Skandasubramanian played a very supportive role along with N. Guruprasad on the ghatam. For a change the amplification for the percussion was just right, making it pleasant to listen to the concert. The thani by the two was very lively, the muffled sound created by Guruprasad added variety to the tones.
After a quick `Telisirama,' the main item RTP was taken up in Nattakurinji. The raga elaboration and tanam shared by Ranjani and Gayathri was quite evocative, though as always Gayathri dominated. The pallavi was set to Tisra Triputa tala in Kandanadai.
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