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Music Season
BRAHMA GANA SABHA
Excellent team work
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The recital by the Akkarai siblings had an impressive aural impact while Mahathi gave a stimulating performance. Sulochana Pattabhiraman
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Photo: K.V.Srinivasan
Right on track: Akkarai Subbulakshmi (left), Swarnalatha and Mahathi.
The team of siblings, Akkarai Subbulakshmi and Akkarai Swarnalatha (vocal), H. N. Bhaskar (violin), Poongulam Subramaniam (mridangam) and N. Guruprasad (ghatam) set the concert on track with Tiruvotriyur Tyagayyar’s Sahana varnam and a rare composition of Oothukkadu Venkatakavis ‘Senaphate’ in Gowlai was garnished with high voltage, yet accurate swaraprastaras.
Ragas also have individualistic kalapramanams of their own. For instance, Devagandhari, cannot be elaborated in the same tempo as Arabhi, having to sport a more leisurely gait.
In the same manner, Durbar has more vivacity, whereas Nayaki is more gamaka oriented and is suited to restrained development. A slower raga vinyasa with slightly more focus on the delicate nature of the gandhara would have been more appropriate. However, Dikshitars ‘Ranganayakam’ was a satisfactory version positively showcasing the subtle microtones of the melody.
The violinist H. N. Bhaskar’s alapana was sensitive to the various hues of the melody. After a competent interpretation of Swati Tirunal, the vinyasa of Poorvikalyani registered well, as did the violinist’s. N. Ravikiran’s creative instincts as a composer were brought to the fore in his Sanskrit compositon ‘Uma Gowri Sukhapani’ and the interesting swara sahitya chittaswaram. The swara improvisations for a tricky take off point were dexterous and skilful.
The ‘Akara’ in a raga dissertation is the best form of expressions. All others like “ri ri ri” and ‘ookaram’ can be sung occasionally, but not outdoing the ‘Akara.’
Thodi was expanded with toneful patterns, including a ‘sruthi bedham’ exercise in the ‘rishabham.’ The violinist gave a good account of the inherent regal bearing of Thodi with balanced proportion.
Tyagaraja’s ‘Koluvamaregada’ deifying the wielder of the Kodhanda, the convincing niraval and swaras in the madhyama and dhurita kalapramanams revealed a commendable degree of proficiency. The brief tani avartanam by the two percussionists in tandem with a tight leash on laya, was bestowed with high potency.
A Tamil kriti ‘Ananda Thandavam’ in Vachaspati by the vocalists’ grandfather, Suchindram S.P. Sivasubramaniam, with jathi had an impressive aural impact.
S. Mahathi is a popular vocalist who has created ripples both as a playback singer and a Carnatic musician. Having initially trained by her father, she is currently under the guidance of Madurai T.N.Seshagopalan.
The Nattai composition on Lord Ganesha by Rukmini Ramani and the swara arrays, aurally stimulating, made for an interesting introduction. The Shanmukhapriya alapana — enterprising, energetic, ebullient and efficacious — was an impressive essay.
Melakaveri Tyagarajan, the violinist, has raised his performance levels several notches, and his Shanmukhapriya, in spite of the high pitch, was clear, free of scratchy phrases.
Patnam Subramania Iyer’s ‘Marivere Dikkevaraiyya’ was tuneful but for a minor flaw. ‘Dikkevaraiyya’ has to be sung at one stretch and not with a pause between ‘Dik’ and ‘Evarayya.’ The barrage of swaras with laya perfection, maintained the momentum of the programme with considerable vigour and vibrancy.
A Subramania Bharatiar’s song, pleasingly tuned in Suddha Hindolam, known in the contemporary scenario and the swara matrices are confident interpretations.
A solid base with an intelligent amalgam of karvais, chowkakala, madhyama and dhurita kala sancharas, with good breath control and an easy flow in the tara sthayi, defined the delineation of Mohanam most creditably.
The violinist responded with focus on underlining the charm of the melody, indicating his propensity for quality outputs.
‘Nannu Palimpa’ by Tyagaraja, who was one of the great saint poets, was a genius whose flames of Rama Bhakti were perhaps the ultimate, was given a glossy sheen by Mahathi providing a platform for the percussion interlude played with a commendable rhythmic thrust by mridangist R. Shankara Narayanan and kanjira player Anirudh Atreya.
A Tiruppugazh as a Ragamalika in kanda chapu, marked the conclusion of a concert that rises above mediocre presentations.
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Music Season
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