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Music Season
MUSIC ACADEMY
Akin to the sound of bugles
SULOCHANA PATTABHIRAMAN
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Developed with imagination, Venkatraman’s phrases gave a spirited lift to the ambience.
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Photo: V.Ganesan
Clarity of expression: R.Venkatraman
Veena vidwan R. Venkatraman is well known to the musical diaspora of Chennai for more than four decades. His participation in the violin, veena, venu concerts conceived by vidwan Lalgudi Jayaraman was well appreciated. His programme for the Academy was introduced by ‘Pranamamyaham,’Mysore Vasudevachar’s Gowla kriti on the first deity in the Hindu pantheon. It was furbished with swaras, discerning and clarity of expression. The Nattakurinji song of Swati
Tirunal, ‘Mamavasadha Varadhe’ with swara improvisations, was similar to the sound of bugles of the experienced warhorse, still fresh and clear. The expansion of the melody exuded an aromatic fragrance.
Panthuvarali was developed with imagination and the Panchama varjam in the phrases gave a positive spirited lift to the ambience. Bhadrachalam Ramadas’s ‘Enna Ganu Rama Bhajana’ and swaras were of a high professional order. Sahana’s exclusive beauty surfaced even in the opening sancharas while the later development though suffering a few minor slips, was a happy blend of vidwat and convincing presentation capability. It was welcome that the artist chose ‘Giripai’ of Tyagaraja, a towering composition studded with sangatis that reach the core of one’s heart. The kriti version with a large measure of tonal delicacy and finesse was a class act.
The keezhkala swaras was anchored by the inherent bhava of Sahana, and the dhurita kala chains with a kuraippu in the panchamam, that comprised interesting and rhythmically sound passages, were a cut above the normal when every aspect becomes routine.
V. Kamalakar Rao is one of the senior mridanga exponents in the sphere who displayed acute sensitivity while accompanying the soft notes of the veena. Madipakkam A. Murali, a ghatam player of considerable merit, is much favoured in the concert circuit. The thani avartanam had a holistic approach, covering all relevant aspects of laya and well synchronising them.
‘Mamava Meenakshi’ in Varali by Dikshitar sans irrelevant embellishments, was the forerunner to a captivating Bhairavi visthara with a conscious endeavour to highlight the sukha bhava, had fluidity of movement and stylised communication of ideas. The tanam with emphatic quality and the scholarly Pallavi in misra rupakam with all the necessary requisites for a Pallavi, such as niraval, swaras in two tempos and ragamalika in Dhanyasi and Mohanam were conducive to a succinct portrayal of the genre of Pallavi rendition. The brief stint by the percussionists was dotted with rhythmic patterns of skill.
The lighter songs in Behag and Sindhubhairavi concluded this laudable kutcheri of Trivandrum Venkatraman in style.
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