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Music Season
NAADA BRAHMAM
With the flourish of nagaswaram
M. RAMESH
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The Kalyani that Chandrasekaran played as a tribute to Rajarathinam Pillai was lapped up.
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Photos: K.V.Srinivasan and R. Shivaji Rao
True to style: M.Chandrasekharan-G.Bharathi
If M. Chandrasekharan had not announced what he was doing and why, the Kalyani would have been considered flat. But the announcement that he would play ‘Sivaguru’ in memory of Nagaswaram maestro T.N.Rajarathnam Pillai, who created and popularised the song, paved the way for the piece.
Rajarathnam Pillai’s 51st death anniversary was the following day (December 12). Having thus received an indication of what was on offer, the audience enjoyed the nagaswaram-ish burst of brigas. Chandrasekharan, ably supported by another veteran on the mridangam, Guruvayur Dorai, played Sivaguru again, in breakneck speed-with each cycle of the Adi tala lasting only 4.5 seconds.
The long, thunderous applause that the violinist received at the end of the piece showed how much the audience immensely enjoyed it.
Wedged between two slow ragas — Malayamarutham (‘Manasa Etulo’) and Dvijavanthi (‘Akhilandeswari’) the brisk Kalyani helped provide a nice contrast.
Chandrasekharan’s dreamy Dvijavanthi showed class, especially when he played on the thick string for bass effect. If only more phrases terminating in the upper ‘ri’ had been employed, the show would have been even better.
When the song came, Chandrasekharan also doubled as a vocalist and sang along with his own play. Puritans may frown at this, but the singing was as good as any professional vocalist. Here Guruvayur Dorai’s admirable support must be recorded. The mridangist really provided muscle to the rendition, with a mix of feather-touch meetus and gumikkis. The mridangist also showed a great sense of anticipation while playing the swaras.
Saradha Thottatharani.
H. Sivaramakrishnan on the ghatam was also good enough to earn gestures of approval from the violinist, but Dorai’s brilliance eclipsed him.
Earlier, accompanying violinist, G. Bharati played a soothing alapana of Malayamarutham and most of the kalpanaswaras. While the alapana was high-class, the swaras were too much in clipped bits, affecting free-flow.
Saradha Thottatharani’s veena recital for was enjoyable, but not a memorable one. The two main pieces of the concert were Chakravakam (‘Sugunamule’, Tyagaraja) and Simhendra madhyamam (‘Needu Charanamule,’ Tyagaraja), both pleasantly delivered, the latter more so than the former.
The Simhendramadyamam alapana was indeed beautifully presented, but the aspect of speed was rather lacking. There was no niraval, which was a let down, and the kalpana swaras were also brief. Previously, the Chakravakam alapana was followed by a short tanam, which made for good listening.
Saradha also played ‘Sri Mahaganapathim’ (Gowla), ‘Bantureethi’ (Hamsanadam) and ‘Kantukontini’ (Bilahari). There was no need to pack too many bald pieces within the given short time and sacrifice better treatment of any raga.
Udipi Balakrishnan on the violin and Venkatesh on the mridangam gave appropriate support.
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