MUSIC ACADEMY
With unfettered enthusiasm
SULOCHANA PATTABHIRAMAN
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Raju and Nagamani displayed quite a measure of maturity in their raga development.
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Photo: R.Ragu
QUALITY STUFF: U.P. Raju (left) and Nagamani.
The husband and wife duo, Raju and Nagamani, served a refreshing concert. The Mallari is a musical form exclusive to the nagaswaram, which is also played in tandem by several vidwans when the deities are taken out of the temple precincts in procession. Packed with vivacity it is normally played in Gambheera Nattai in various nadais. The Mallari played by the artistes had palpable undertones of unfettered enthusiasm.
Ranjani developed with care brought forth convincingly the mellifluent bhava of the melody. Peri Sriramamurthi on the violin expressed his ideas with sensitive prayogas that were worth savouring. Tyagaraja's `Durmarga Chara' was tidily interpreted with niraval and swaras that had quality, the only plank for rasika approval. A Syama Sastri kriti invariably adds stature to the agenda, and with `Marivene Gati' played in a chowka kalapramanam, melody and involvement occupied the driver's seat. The Ragam, Tanam and Pallavi in Sankarabharanam was set to the rhythm of Khanda Jathi Triputa.
Somehow, a raga expanded in brief segments by both artistes alternatively, mars an otherwise wholesome fulfilling end product.
The imagination gets disrupted and the easy flow curtailed. Raju and Nagamani, nevertheless displayed quite a measure of maturity in their raga development with an unhurried deportment encompassing the exercise to provide aural satisfaction to those who have had enough of roller coaster rides.
Sriramamurthi was methodical and purposeful in his reply, sticking to the essentials and cold-shouldering excessive pyrotechnics. Once or twice there was a faint hint of Kaishika Nishadam, in the tanam by Nagamani, but otherwise the efforts of all three instrumentalists were much above par.
The niraval trikala and swara prastaras met successfully the demands of the genre. The Tisra nadai swaras were particularly pleasing.
Kalyanavasantham, Bilahari, Varali and Vasanthi by the main artistes and Vachaspati and Kapi on the violin were resplendent flora in the ragamalika. Special mention must be made about the accompanying skills of Neyveli Venkatesh and Tiruchi Murali on the mridangam and ghatam respectively - unobtrusive, accurate and sophisticated. The tani avartanam with glowing laya sparks, sizzling pharns, a lively mohra and a finishing sequence reaching take off point with praiseworthy precision, commanded instant response.
An Annamacharya song in Bowli and a Khamas tillana and a Purandaradasa pada in Madhyamavati invoking the blessings of Mahalakshmi concluded a concert of commendable standards.
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