|
Music Season
SRI KRISHNA GANA SABHA
Mature and youthful
|
T.N.Krishnan’s bowing was sensitive and Viji and Sriram proved they are not just chips off the old block but the old block itself. SVK
|
Photos: S. Thanthoni
Exalted: T.N. Krishnan with Viji Krishnan
The recital of T.N. Krishnan with his daughter Viji and Sriram provided the two sides of classical music – the guidance of the mature father and the response of youthful exuberance of the children.Krishnan’s concerts gain an exalted status by the choice of the compositions.
For the Krishna Gana Sabha he presented ‘Evarani’ (Devamritavarshini), ‘Vallabha Nayakasya’ (Begada), ‘Siva Siva Siva Enaraadha’ (Pantuvarali), ‘Sogasuga’ (Sriranjani), Janani Ninnu Vina’ (Ritigowla) and ‘Manavyala’ (Nalinakanti). These were so framed as to provide the elevation a concert calls for and visranti that speaks of the creditable aspect of Krishnan’s play.
In Krishnan’s initial raga lines, there was sensitivity. The further development allowed to his offsprings was lively.
In the rendering of the kirtanas there was perfect unison because Viji and Sriram are not just chips off the old block but the old block itself. The interpretation of a kirtana is not mere musical exercise.
It has to address to the rakti and emotional content, which Krishnan’s style stands for.
Thodi was taken up for ragam, tanam and pallavi. The alapana and tanam were a meaningful documentation of the twists and turns of Thodi in mega proportion.
The high level of Krishnan’s play is a product of decades of experience which even in shot spells of Begada, Sriranjam and Ritigowla were distinctive.
The way Guruvayoor Dorai handled the high sound level of mridangam, it looked as if he was all the time indulging in stealing the show from Krishnan. Gentleness of play was in patches. He breathed frenzied vigour in his tani with the kanjira artiste N. Amrith.
Jayanti Kumaresh (veena) accompanied by Jayachandra Rao (mridangam) Pramath Kiran (morsing and electronic rhythm pad for percussion effect) and Sukhanya Rajagopal (ghatam) played in part traditional veena and more of daring interpretative style that looked un-veena-like. Those who have heard her a few years ago could have noticed a sea change in her musical objectives.
The portions that pertained to veena play were full of bhava and the balance was neo-veena.
The song list was wholesome – ‘Rama Ninnu Nammina’ (Mohanam), ‘Aparaadamula Norva’ (Rasali), ‘Nannu Vidichi’ (Ritigowla), ‘Ninnu Vina Gati’ (Kalyani). As she played these items two thoughts crossed the mind.
How beautifully these classic songs lend themselves to any kind of treatment – sweet, dainty or abrasive, when she developed the alapanas of Rasali, Ritigowla and Kalyani it occurred how the great vaggeyakaras could not even conceive of the ‘unique’ creativity that she displayed to integrate it in their kirtana structure.
To expound any newness in play a high level of competence is necessary which she revealed in an abundant measure.
The arithmetical areas of her swaraprastharas and sangatis in kritis provided abundant supply of grist to the percussion mill. The tani exchanges between the tala artists were pulsatingly extensive.
The heavy voice of Manimaran imparted depth to his exposition. Fluency ensured maintenance of briskness but also a drawback. Raga alapanas mainly depended on pacy sancharas in succession, which in the case of every raga, robbed the recital of variety.
One good aspect in his technique was that the phrasings in the tara sthayi were sung well-controlled sans loud vocalisation. In the bargain rendering of sahityas in the higher octave lacked clarity.
Manimaran’s musical sense was refined without much excess in alapanas, swaras or niravals.
A proper proportion in the matter of karvais, madhyama and durita kalas would take his music to a higher plane.
Manimaran.
Also, the absence of a weighty kirtana in a major raga in the middle of the cutcheri was a factor he had to keep in mind. This alone helps to uplift the status of a concert.
The songs were: ‘Swaminaatha’ (Nattai), ‘Sambo Mahadeva’ (Pantuvarali with an alapana), ‘Enneramum Undan’ (Devagandhari), ‘Ramaabhi Rama’ (Dhanyasi) and ‘Amba Vani’ (Kiravani with an alapana). This catalogue speaks for itself.
Manimaran has a good sense of raga swaroopa and the vinyasas were smooth. K.L. Kumar, on the violin, in his own style, presented his versions of the ragas.
Madirimangalam Swaminathan (mridangam) provided muffled pattern of support. In the thani, Pudukkottai Ramachandran (ghatam) and Swaminathan exchanged pertinent korvais.
Printer friendly
page
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Music Season
|
