Tyagaraja audio album
Aural pleasure: Trditional and innovative.
Kalavardhanis REC 3/5 :
Carnatic Vocal - Dr. Prameela Gurumurthi - Price Rs.50.
Prameela Gurumurthi, commendable vocalist, Harikatha exponent, and a musicologist of no mean order begins her audio album of the Utsava Sampradaya and Divya nama Kirtanas with "Namo Raghavaya" in Desiya Todi or Sindubhairavi as it is popularly known. This is Tyagaraja's first song composed when he was all of seven years old. The utsava sampradaya and Divya nama compositions of Tyagaraja emphasise the tradition of Nama sankeertanam as the shortest route to attain salvation.
Pramila has chosen soul stirring utsava sampradaya and divya nama kritis such as "Deena Janavana" in Bowli, "Pahi Rama" in kharaharapriya, "Phalamu Kulamu" in Saveri, "Nagumomu" in Madhyamavati, "Jo jo jo Rama" in Reetigowla, "Sita kalyana Vaibhogame" (Kuranji) and "Tavadasoham" in Punnagavarali among others. The volume closes with a Padyam and a Mangalam by Walajapet Venkataramana Bagavatar, a devoted disciple of Sri Tyagaraja.
The musical expression of the songs by the artiste stresses the concept that music without devotion is inconsequential, whereas when it merges with bhakti it is unalloyed, eternal bliss.
Kalavardhanis REC 348 - Carnatic vocal - Tehjaswi Ramachandra - Price Rs.50.
Vijayalakshmi Subramaniam's audio-cassette comprises eight songs by Alathoor Vijayakumar, a composer of merit. He is innovative in the sense that by employing various swara permutations and combinations he conceives new melodies and more important, authors' songs in those ragas.
"Nishantha" in khamas on Lord Rama gently woos the rasika ear, while the alapana of malayamarutham by the vocalist and the violinist Akkarai Subhalakshmi are dotted with prayogas apposite to the raga swaroopa.
The kalpana swaras with finishing korvai hitting the target with precision are appreciable. The songs in ragas Shankara that is similar to Amruthavarshini, and Balamurali that sounds like Mohanam with both the sadharana gandahram and the antara gandharam leave a melodic impact.
"Mandahasa" in Bhoopalam that rightly sports an antara gandharam is pleasant, while `Venkataramana' in Hamsanandi is invested with a tilting rhythmic gait. The mohanam elaboration moving away from the beaten track is refreshing and the violinist faithfully toeing the dotted line puts her best foot forward.
"Thejaswi Ramachandra" with sweet, soothing lyrics on Sri Rama reiterates the efficacy of the Lord's Taraka Nama. :Poongulam Subramaniam (mridangam) and Adambakkam Sankar (ghatam) play the tani avartanam for Roopaka Tala in tandem with flawless rhythmic patterns, quite impressive.
S.P.
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