Lilting Sai melodies
Devotional music - Compact Disc - Garland of Sai melodies - Prashanti - Price not mentioned - Enquiries: Prapancham Ravindran (Ph: 2479 0223).
PRAPANCHAM RAVINDRAN, the popular mridanga vidwan, reveals other praiseworthy facets of his artistic persona such as a melodious tune-maker and worthy lyricist in his album Prashanti that pays obeisance to Bhagwan Satya Sai Baba at Puttaparti. The lilting songs set in pleasing ragas serve the quintessential purpose of creating an environment of contemplation and devotion.
The host of artistes comprising the orchestral backdrop have given impressive support while all praise is due to the vocalists Mangalam Shankar, a senior disciple of vidwan T. M. Thiagarajan, G. Viswanathan and Seshu Srinivas for their involved musical and emotional expression.
Charsur - CDWS 097 - Carnatic classical vocal - Janani - Gayathri Venkataraghavan - Rs. 195.
Worship of the universal mother extolling her various manifestations is one of the oldest cults and is central to the Hindu faith.
This CD has recorded six songs on Devi, sung by Gayatri Venkataraghavan with M. A. Krishnaswami on the violin and P. Satish Kumar on the mridangam.
A slokam and Dikshitar's "Hiranmayeem" both in Lalita make a melodic beginning — however, the chatursruti rishabha anuswaram for the antaragandharam has to be eschewed as the anuswarams have an important role to play in maintaining the swaroopa of the raga.
Dikshitar's concept of Lalitha in this song was a shadava raga and it would have been more appropriate to use the rishabham in the arohanam while singing the swaraprastharas. The kriti rendering conforms to the grammar of the melody. "Mayamma" in Nattakuranji by Syama Sastri is not as often heard in concerts as his "Mayamma" in Ahiri. The kriti interpretation is a lucid flow with the clear enunciation of the sahitya enhancing listening interest. Tyagaraja's "Kanna Thalli" in Savera is another rare composition on Devi Tripurasundari of Tiruvotriyur.
"Pati Jagajjanani," a Vachaspati creation of Swati Tirunal with neraval and `Sivakamasundari' in Mukhari by Sivan are mellifluent efforts. Kalidasa's lines from the Shyamala Dandakam sung in Shanmukhapriya, Sahana, Sindubhairavi and Surutti fall pleasantly on the ears. Without hints of Suddha Madhyamam in Shanmukhapriya, the auditory effect would be even more. — S.P.
New release
Sea Records (28143050) has released four volumes (CDs) of the Bhagavad Gita. The verses, set to music by J. Purushotama Sai, have been chanted clear and well by Nishantala Surya Prakash Rao. Each disc is priced at Rs. 325.
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