|
Music Season
SRI PARTHASARATHY SWAMI SABHA
Aesthetic grace, focussed approach
G. SWAMINATHAN
|
While Raji Gopalakrishnan’s concert was properly timed and neatly executed, Aishwarya Vidya Raghunath’s swara korvais flowed with confidence and clarity.
|
Photo : N. Sridharan
Remarkable: Raji Gopalakrishnan
Raji Gopalakrishnan’s concert was a well designed, properly timed and neatly executed affair. A slightly husky voice carries its cultivated elegance and it was exploited by Raji in full measure with commendable conviction. ‘Sri Parthasarathy’ in Suddha Dhanyasi carried kalpanaswara replete with ingenious jandai and dattu swara combines landing on panchamam before the final korvai.
‘Brova Barama’ in Bahudari was also appended with a fine swara cushion. Gopalakrishnan’s Ranjani essay was notable for its structural beauty; sancharas in each segment had equal import and proportion making the final picture of Ranjani in all its allure.
‘Durmarga Chara’ of Tyagaraja and the swara distribution in ‘Palugu Boti’ once again reiterated Raji’s preference and acumen in selecting and combining interesting swara mix.
The main raga Thodi was managed with absolute professional élan and aesthetic grace at the same time adhering firmly to grammar. Long phrases with finely etched brigas in the end were a special attraction of Raji’s Thodi exposition.
Ambujam Krishna’s ‘Gati Neeyae Endru’ sung with emotional impact was further enhanced in the niraval development in ‘Karunasagaram Neeyandro’.
The swara segment, long and short kuraippus with shadjam as the focal point, was concluded with calculative rounds. A viruttam in ragamalika that prefaced Jayadeva’s ashtapadi and ‘Bhajare Yadunatham’ were the tail-end pieces.
Hemalatha on the violin enjoyed equal importance in the concert and her share in raga alapana of Ranjani, swara portions in Bahudari and in Thodi were remarkably professional. Ganapathyram (mridangam) and Madipakkam Murali (ghatam) always form a ‘vocalist friendly’ percussion team. But their thani avartanam turned out to be a deafening thousand-wala cracker.
Young Aishwarya Vidya Raghunath sings without inhibitions; her voice has range and she is able to move without restraint in her sancharas.
This was evident in her raga alapana of Latangi and Bhairavi. Aishwarya preferred to project Latangi with layers of brigas. At the same time, she was wise enough to allow her vocal prowess to extend karvais and easy moving glides in Bhairavi.
‘Aparadamula’ in Latangi had its slice of kalapanaswaras at ‘Kripa Jesina’. Bhairavi was followed with Dikshitar’s ‘Bala Gopala’ and her focussed approach in the niraval ‘Neela Neerada’. The swara passage here was well managed with panchamam as the centre swara.
Aishwarya’s swara korvais are also easy flowing with confidence and clarity. Her free wheeling sancharas are enjoyable but a better vocal modulation in certain places will give more sophistication to her singing.
‘Marubari’ in Khamas and an unhurried padam in Punnagavarali by Kshetragna were the final bits of her concert.
Adithi Krishna Prakash, another young girl, accompanied Vidya Raghunath on the violin with total commitment.
Adithi’s raga vinyasa and swara exercises are promising. Madurai B. Sundar’s support on mridangam and his compactly framed thani are worth mentioning.
Printer friendly
page
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Music Season
|
