Strict adherence to classicism
LALITHAA KRISHNAN
|
Prasant Radhakrishnan gave no room for gimmickry or compromise.
|
Photo: M. Vedhan
Capturing quintessential flavour: Prasant Radhakrishnan.
Gatsby Collection Pvt Ltd (The Raymond Shop) allied itself with promoting the cause of classical music by featuring the Carnatic saxophone recital of Prasant Radhakrishnan accompanied by B.U. Ganesh Prasad (violin), Trichur Narendran (mridangam) and V. Suresh (ghatam).
Based in the U.S., Prasant, a long-time disciple of Kadri Gopalnath, with several acclaimed recitals to his credit, has seen his share of prestigious performing venues across India and the world as an accomplished classical as well as jazz musician.
Affirming the adage “Well begun is half done,” the artist opened confidently with the Khambodi Ata tala varnam, gamaka-rich phrases and due respect for kalapramana instantly establishing atmosphere, built up step by traditional step. A brisk “Sobillu” (Tyagaraja, Jaganmohini) heralded a clutch of compact niraval and kalpanaswara passages.
The Kharaharapriya delineation captured quintessential flavour. No jitterbugging up and down the scale or taking convenient recourse to uncharacteristic, oscillation-shorn notes. Instead, apt gamakas did the talking — irrefutable proof of goal-oriented sadhana. The halt at the dhaivatha, a destination for medium-fast sancharas interspersed with value-adding double oscillations at the madhyama and nishadha and the focus on the tara sthayi rishabha were enhanced by rock-steady karvais held by evenly sustained blowing, fidelity to sruti and the thoughtful toning down of volume in the upper and lower octaves.
The all-time favourite, Tyagaraja’s “Pakkala Nilabadi” exuded dignity with a precise, logical line-up of sangatis and a judicious mix of odukkal and sarvalaghu-based swara patterns culminating in a (7,5) (7,7) (7,9) permutation korvai. Notching up his score with a leisurely exposition of Muthuswami Dikshitar’s majestic “Dakshinamurthe” (Sankarabharanam), the artist moved on to a ragam-thanam-pallavi that was truly a class act. Given the eclectic audience, it would have been all too easy to succumb to the lure of a ‘light’ raga sensationalised by applause-seeking gimmickry.
Artistic integrity
However, right from the choice of raga (a pristine Shanmukhapriya) to substance, to execution, the artiste displayed an unswerving allegiance to classical ideals. There was no watering down of classical content. Instead, what shone through was Prasant’s artistic integrity whether in alapana, the surprise ragamalika tanam (Shanmukhapriya, Sama and Nagavalli), the Adi tala (2-kalai) pallavi, the trikala progression, leisurely melkala and sparkling kizhkala swaraprasthara, the latter unflinchingly opting for a demanding three-raga switch in the concluding single, half and quarter avartanas.
B.U. Ganesh Prasad’s habitually free-flowing style appeared a tad constrained in Kharaharapriya but went on to achieve a wonderful synergy in Shanmukhapriya, especially in the swara repartees and ragamalika segments in which sax and strings played swift, absorbing thrust and parry.
Senior percussionists Trichur Narendran (mridangam) and V. Suresh (ghatam) provided a solid base of invaluable support, their tani highlighting alternating nadai intricacies that garnered well-deserved appreciation and applause.
Printer friendly
page
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Friday Review
Bangalore
Chennai and Tamil Nadu
Delhi
Hyderabad
Thiruvananthapuram
