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Scholarly recital

CLARITY Sukanya’s singing brought out the richness of lyrics

Vani Hardikar Heggade gave a scholarly Hindustani recital at Veene Sheshanna Bhavana, under the aegis of Saptaswara Balaga and Indian Overseas Bank. Somashekhar (harmonium) and Ganesh Bhagavat (tabala) accompanied her.

The singer possesses bold and emotive voice, which gets more pronounced as she reaches higher octaves. This intensity could have been counteracted by restricting her articulations more to the madhya sthayi and by reducing overstressing and overstretching of individual swaras for long periods in higher pitches.

Ragavisthar in Puriya Dhanashri elaborating the cheez “Avetho Ruthuman” comprised the necessary ingredients and embellishment – behlavas, katkas, sargams (quite frequent) sams and the like. It was felt that she could have advantageously utilised many more opportunities of achieving sams (harmonic closes) to establish her spontaneity.

Introducing swift taans even in the early stages of the badhat, when the moods of the raga and the lyrics were not yet sufficiently established, appeared premature, though they were a measure of the singer’s sadhana.

Better alternative at this stage would have been taans of moderate depths and in medium speeds.

Sancharas predominantly in the uttaranga of madhya and taara saptakas instantly drew the attention of the audience by their emotive (more exciting) fervour, but it was not a smooth and gradual elevation into sublimity. The chota khyal, “Payaliya Jhankar” comprised a sprightly tarana. Major part of the concert trod a lighter path comprising Sadhuji, Karahakari and Meera Bhajan. Frequent dramatic pukaar-like passages and unduly prolonged stresses (nilugades) signaled signs of ostentations.

Sukanya Prabhakar, sang at Shri Krishna Dhama, accompanied by Veena Suresh (violin) and G.S. Ramanujan (mridanga). The wise artiste sings for the lyrics, and working in this direction, she streamlines her scholarship and decorative ingredients to convey the impregnated meanings of the compositions and to expose the true intentions of the composers.

The percussionist too followed lyrical accentuations rather than plunging into mechanical and flashy rhythm-constructions.

The violinist’s measured and melodic refrains along with her own imaginative inclusions played vital roles throughout.

Now, in this background, it is relevant to discuss “Maanasa Guruguha Rupam” (Ananda Bhairavi-Muthuswamy Dikshitar). In the alapana, vali and ullasitha gamakas imparted necessary swing to the mood. Her resilient and melodious voice modulated in good taste. Slow articulations were perfect prelude to the substance of the text.

The general tempo being vilamba and the pronunciations and diction falling in line with the gravity of the Sanskrit language, the audience enjoyed the import of the presentation: worship in a state of trance. The kalpanaswaras too harmonised with the main tone. “Brochevarevarura” (Khamach - Vasudevacharya) featured elaborate scholarly alapana, pleasing recital of the text, a meaningful neraval (at “Sithapathe” – elaborating the passages on par with full-fledged pallavi by incorporating intricate sahithya and laya vinyasas) and apt passages of kalpanaswaras.

Other presentations were “Gananayakam Bhaje” (Rudrapriya - Dikshitar), “Narayana Ramaaramana” (Nagaswaravali - Vasudevacharya), “Nijada Nija” (Bhanudhanyasi – H. Yoganarasimha- the raga closely resembles Rag Lalith) and so on.

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