Spirited and scholarly presentation

A MELLIFLUOUS varnam in Hindolam by Ramanathapuram Srinivasa Iyengar set in motion B. Rajam Iyer's vocal performance at the Music Academy on the morning of Christmas Day. V. V. Ravi on the violin, R. Ramesh on the mridangam and Yazhpanam K. Santhana Krishnan on the kanjira were the accompanying lieutenants. One of the Pancharatnams of Tyagaraja, ``Sadinchane'' in Arabhi was an appreciable version.

Dikshitar's Nattai kriti ``Pavanaathmaja'' on Anjaneya was embellished with bravura swara passages in the Pallavi. Ravi's answers were prompt and precise.

Mayamalavagowla expanded pertinent prayogas reflected the musical substance of the raga creditably. The alapana on the violin held one's undivided attention marked as it was with unhurried, melodic phrasings. ``Thulasi dala'' of Tyagaraja invested with bhava, the neraval and the kalpana swaras were denotative of age not even slightly withering the vidvan's enthusiasm for a spirited scholarly presentation.

The Kalyani elaboration, although the vidvan's voice was not too co-operative, had considerable artistic merit. The violinist's delineation, capsuling the essence and beauty of the melody was a gratifying denouement.

``Sankara Siddhanta'', a fascinating kriti of V. V. Srivatsa, was rendered with palpable consciousness to its lyrical and musical substance. The vidvan's swara prastharas including those in tisra nadai had an invigorating, intellectual rhythm.

``Chintayama'', one of Dikshitar's Pancha Linga Kshetra kritis, was an avidly satisfying rendition. The neraval and solfa chains in two kala pramanams were sung with a precise, controlled rhythmic flourish.

The percussion display was a sound effort, punctuated by accurate rhythmic phrasings.

Tyagaraja's ``Anupama gunambudhi'' provided a spirited plank for the Ragam, Tanam, Pallavi in Shanmukhapriya. The convincing raga and the tanam by the singer followed by positive efforts by the violinist were ear worthy. The Pallavi in Chatursra Triputa Talam, Misra nadai was authored with confidence, stemming out of years of performing experience. The ragamalika swaras in Behag and Varali were refreshing.

A viruttam in Poorvikalyani, Dhanyasi, Khamas emotionally sung by the vidvan and sweetly played by the violinist was followed by ``Marulukonnadhira'', a javali in Khamas.

Mellifluous

After the opening varnam in Sahana by Tiruvotriyur Tyagayyar, ``Ennadu joothuno'' in Kalavati by the Bard of Tiruvaiyaru, was given mellifluous treatment by N. Ravikiran on the Chitraveena, P. Ganesh supported him on the Chitraveena.

A soothing alapana of Varali bore mainly marks of grace and elegance, and to the artiste's credit it must be said that he consciously refrained from over burdening the essay with fast brighas, quite in keeping with the nature of the raga swaroopa. Sriram Parasuram on the violin focussing on the melodic dimensions of Varali, played a tuneful delineation.

Dikshitar's ``Seshachala Nayakam'' the neraval and swara pratharas with no exhibitionic efforts, did strike a listening chord.

The musical maturity of the artiste came to the fore in his sensitive expansion of Nilambari that preceded ``Amba Nilambari'', a song by Ponnaiah Pillai of the Thanjavur quartette. Sriram's dignified depiction of Neelambari did credit to his imaginative prowess. Ravi Kiran among his generation of artists, has wisely kept his cool in not falling headlong into the trap of indulging in mind boggling, complicated calculations, forsaking the beauty and rhythm of the sarva laghu.

Tiruchi Sankaran, who has carved a niche for himself in the sphere of percussion, as a mridangist of singular calibre, played a tani avartanam with T. D. Balasubramaniam on the ghatam, not lengthy but studded with brilliant rhythmic nuggets.

The artiste distinguished himself in stellar fashion in his alapana of Kalyani enriching it with colourful phrasings, soft, slow and sweet initially and later peppered with pertinent faster prayogas. The artistic bent of mind of the violinist was well showcased in his alapana. After an engaging Tanam in Kalyani, Nattai, Gowlai, Arabhi, Vijayasri and Sri, an intricate Pallavi set to Misra Nadai Chatursra jathi Triputa Talam was attired with the lyrics ``Parimalarangapathe mampahi Sri'' with the take off point pat on the samam. The elaboration of the sahitya, the Anulomam and the solfa embellishments were grafted with percentage laya precision. With the percussionists all the time on their toes, the laya support for the Pallavi was praiseworthy while the tani avartanam was negotiated with skill and alacrity.

The Hyderabad sisters, Lalitha and Haripriya, were in the company of Lalgudi Vijayalakshmi on the violin, Tiruvarur Vaidyanathan on the mridangam, and Adambakkam Shankar on the ghatam.

The concert started off on pleasant note with Anamayya's ``Vade Venkatadri'' - however, too many phrases of s-n-g-r-s-n in the song rendition could have been avoided. The swara passages were rendered competently with strict adherence to sarva laghu.

Hamsanandhi was elaborated with care, and although the artiste's voice was not in full free flow, the result was very commendable. The violinist played a concise raga interpretation that received palpable appreciation from the audience. ``Pahi Jagajanani'' of Swati Tirunal was embellished with methodical, lyrical swara patterns in the Pallavi, and Vijayalakshmi laced her answering statements with precision.

The expansion of Sankarabharanam had a highly respectable stature, the singer covering a considerable range with aesthetic sruti aligned prayogas in different kala pramanams with grace. The survey on the violin had an emotive, mellifluent appeal that reflected the artiste's solid musical background.

The tanam singing and Pallavi in Misra Jampa with sahitya ``Satguna nidhi chandra, guna nidhi chandra, nidhi chandra, chandra sekhara, manasa smarami'' with the aridhi in Sekhara, replete with tidy neraval, flawless tri kalam of the lyrics, meticulous swara prastharas and a ragamalika chain spelt a high degree of professionalism.

Consummate tani

Tiruvarur Vaidyanathan is an extremely competent percussionist, who makes a signal contribution to the success of a concert both in his support and individual efforts. Adambakkam Shankar is also a frequent occupant of concert platforms, and together they played a consummate tani avartanam.

O. S. Thiagarajan's concert was very pleasing in terms of sruti unison, fluent raga and swara expressions, clarity of diction and laya accuracy. Opening with the varnam in Sri Ragam, he moved on to Tyagraja's ``Nee Bakthi'' in Jayamanohari, with swaras in the Pallavi that had the free sarva laghu flow, prompting audience approval.

The Begada and Bhairavi alapanas had appreciable quality, though ``Vishranti'' in slightly more measures would have enhanced listening interest. Mysore Manjunath with leanings to the Parur style, coverd his delineations with aesthetic sancharas.

The tani avartanam by the recognised master in the field of percussion, Umayalpuram K. Sivaraman and V. Suresh on the ghatam also versatile, delighted the rasikas with scintillating `sollu kattus' and made a percentage contribution to raise the level of the concert to spirited heights.

Neela Ramgopal, Bangalore-based Vidushi was in good form. The Hindola varnam of Sivan on Lord Muruga that has considerable populist appeal and ``Sri Swaminathaya'' in Khamas were chosen to set the tone and tenor of the concert. The swara prastharas for Subbaraya Sastri's ``Sankari'' in Begada confirmed the artiste's proficiency in the genre of solfa improvisations.

Shyama Shastri's ``Ninnuvina mari galadha'' sung in abheri, a la M. L. Vasanthakumari, was pleasing, while the Kalyani alapana was a spontaneous display of imaginative ideas. The neraval, one of the better segments in the cutcheri in Tyagaraja's ``Enduko'', and deft kalpana swaras for an atheetha eduppu received equally pertinent replies from the violinist.

The tani without the decibel levels causing discomfort, was a rhythmically precise, pleasant interlude, except that it could have had a finishing sequence to synchronise with the take off point where the neraval and swaras were sung, instead of reaching the Pallavi eduppu.

Maharajapuram S. Ramachandran, scion of a rich musical tradition, launched his vocal concert with the Sahana varnam in Adi Talam. ``Siddhi Vinayakam'' by Harikesanallur Muthaiah Bagavatar with sarva laghu swara prastharas in the Pallavi had a tuneful ring to it.

A vivid, melodic essay of Saveri and the neraval swaras in the Tyagaraja's ``Dhari tapu lekha'' merited rasika acclaim. The violinist in his solo attempts shared the honours evenly.

Dikshitar's ``Sri Satyanarayanam'' in Subhapantuvarali had praiseworthy bhava - perhaps Dasavathara could have been pronounced as such, instead of Dasavadhara.

Harikambhoji was sensitively delineated by both the singer and the violinst, not allowing the raga swaroopa to slip away. Mannargudi Easwaran's percussion solo was, as ever, a complete effort, after Tyagaraja's Harikambhoji kriti ``Dinamani vamsa'' in 2 kalai Adi Talam.

BY A CORRESPONDENT

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