Smooth transition of ragas

A SCINTILLATING and stimulating pallavi in four ragas, Sankarabharanam, Todi, Kalyani and Darbar, with perfect raga and swara alignment, was the highwater mark of Bangalore V.N. Padmini's concert on December 21. The parameters of the four ragas were fully explored, the transition from one to the other, both ways, was remarkably smooth.

The tanam in the four ragas had a perfect blend of harmony and rhythm. Her animated version of the ragas and the pallavi, ``Sankarabharananai azhaithodi vaadi Kalyani darbarukku'', and the swara enunciations that followed were a marvel of musical excellence.

A bewitching Bilahari covered the contours of the raga. The Darbar kriti, ``Kayalarenu Krishna'', which followed was marked by clarity of intonation. A Kaikasi piece of Thyagaraja, ``Vaachamagocharame Manasa'', his Saramati song, ``Mokshama galada'' and ``Kripa Joochudaku'' in Chaya tarangini, preceded by Harikesanallur Muthiah Bhagavathar's ``Gam Ganapatim'' filled the bill. Her performance proved that tradition could still rule high without being hide-bound.

Neela Jayakumar, who accompanied Padmini on the violin, matched the vocalist's exercise with equal gusto in the Ragam Tanam Pallavi as well as in the exposition of Bilahari raga. Her smart fingering and bowing added enchantment to the programme. Melakkaveri K. Balaji and Bangalore Sukanya Ramgopal extended well-knit support on the mridangam and ghatam respectively, more especially in the pallavi in the Adi tala with three eduppus off.

Tonal value

Harikesanallur Muthiah Bhagavathar's Suddha Dhanyasi Varnam set the pace for Maharajapuram Ramachandran's programme characterised by tonal value and classical flavour. Starting with the varnam, he switched over to Ambi Dikshithar's Gowlai composition, `Gana Guruguha``. Ramachandran's vinyasam on Begada clearly defined the warps and woofs of the raga in its elegant sancharas. Papanasam Sivan's ``Bhuvaneswari Paadam ninainthi'' came off in rapturous colours with swaras on the pallavi line flowing in unconstrained fluency. Muthuswami Dikshithar's ``Nasikabhushani'' keertana ``Sri Ramaa Saraswati'' was sung with abiding feeling.

Dr. M. Narmada's picture of Bilahari and the ragas of pallavi produced on the violin was true to shape and substance. Madirimangalam G. Swaminathan, the mridangist, in his usual top form, with Bangalore H. Sivaramakrishnan provided excellent rhythmic assistance to make the entire show enduring.

A thumping Todi

A schematised analysis of Purvikalyani by Lalitha and a dexterous description of Todi by Saroja (the Bombay sisters) marked the high noon of their performance for the Indian Fine Arts Society on December 20. That the two sang with deep involvement lent additional flavour and colour to their concert. Thyagaraja's `Gnanamu Saharada' in Poorvikalyani (also rendered in Shadritamargini) brought out the significance of Nama Sankeertanam and glorified by the Saint, with sweeping swara prayogas on ``Paramaatmudu Jeevatmudu''.

``Gati neervani ne kori vacchiti'' in Todi, one of the five Lalgudi gems and an unusual kriti, was rendered full justice to by the duo. Usha Rajagopalan was her usual confident and constructive self in projecting the highs and lows of Purvikalyani and Todi and in drawing appreciative musical phrases during neraval and swara aralis. K. R. Ganesh and N. Govindarajan supplied rhythmic support on the mridangam and ghatam with prescriptive grace.

Mandolin at his command

Mandolin still remains an attraction viewed by the large presence for U. Srinivas's vibrant and vigorous performance, assisted by Delhi P. Sundarrajan, on the violin, Bangalore V. Praveen, on the mridangam and T. S. Subashchandran on the ghatam. This contrivance, notably, answers truly what command Srinivas makes of it employing it for the Carnatic system.

After a varnam in Mohanam, he played ``Gajananam'' (Chakravakam); ``Maamava Meenakshi'' (Varali-lok by Muthuswami Dikshitar); ``Mokshamugalada'' (Saramati) and ``Telisi Rama Chintanato'' (Poornachandrika - both by Tyagaraja) with a Nalinakanti number of G. N. Balasubramaniam, ``Nee paadame gati Nalinakantimati,'' thrown in between. His spirited raga alapanas and swaraprayogas drew instant approbation from his listeners. The three accompanists matched his innovative skill in maintaining the tempo of the concert, while traversing the three kaalams and in the three pitches, even bordering on atidwita kaalam. The percussionists excelled themselves in their tani avartanam.

Good embellishment

Tyagaraja, Muthuswami Dikshitar, Muthiah Bhagavatar and Narayana Thirtha occupied the time and effort of Vasundhara Rajagopal for her 100-minute performance with her studied embellishment. She started with ``Ekadantam'' (Bilahari), ``Ekumbresa Nayika'' (Karnataka Suddhasaveri); ``Kori Sevimpararo'' (Karaharapriya); ``Kalyanagopalam'' (Sindhubhairavi) and a tillana in Hamsanandi by the savant of Harikesanallur.

A student of Prof. T. R. Subramaniam, she has imbibed her mentor's skill in swara permutations. Bangalore Yashavi, on the violin and B. Sivaraman, on the mridangam, gave the vocalist adequate support in making the cutcheri meaningful and pleasant.

A beaming taanam

A stirring taanam in ragamalika composed of Kanada, Hamsadvani, Mohanam, Bageswari, Hamsanandi and Valaji got flautist S. Sashank a big hand from a fairly large attendance.

Earlier, he made a genial survey of Kanada for the pallavi line taken from a composition by Papanasam Sivan, ``Saravanabhava Guhane Shanmukhane''. This being his major exercise, he devoted considerable time and attention to the development of the tempo in respect of the pallavi in the three kaalams and in the three octaves.

The swara combinations that followed were both spirited and spacious, and were astounding. Sashank started with a Hamsadvani varnam, after which he blew Gopalakrishna Bharati's Abhogi song, ``Sabhapathikku veru Daivam''. ``Rama Naamame'', in Desh, by Thanjavur Sankara Aiyar came later and the flautist concluded his recital with the javali, ``Vanibhondu'', in Kanada.

Bangalore Nalina Mohan presented a sharp picture of Abhogi, Poorvikalyani and Karaharapriya. Her swara essays on the pallavi lines of Abhogi and Poorvikalyani keertanas gave an insight into her exhaustive vocabulary in this sphere. Anoor Anantakrishna Sarma's mridangam was both improvisatory and impressive. Veteran Bangalore K. Venkatram imparted to the cutcheri through the ghatam a grace and grandeur born of his rich and varied experience and expertise as a percussionist par excellence.

- TPR

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Entertainment
Previous : Aggressive approach
Next     : Kannadasan's poetic prowess on show