Musical tribute to Santhanam

BY PRESENTING Carnatic music in a pleasing style of vocal artistry, Maharajapuram Santhanam endeared himself to a large circle of music lovers. As a mark of respect to this great musician admired widely as a performer who popularised the classical music of the South in an attractive style of his own, Shri Maharajapuram Santhanam Rasikas Trust organised simultaneous memorial concerts at five places in association with different organisations in the city on June 23.

The vocal recital of Bombay Sisters (C. Saroja and C. Lalitha) featured by the Trust at the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan in Mylapore was an enjoyable musical event. The vocalists' presentation of the opening piece, Ninnebhajana of Thyagaraja in Nattai, was in a bright diction carried over to a short and succinct spell of swara exercises. The piece, Ennapunniyam, in Ritigowlai came next in a relaxed musical mode reflective of the raga's appealing features.

Saroja's elaboration of Madhyamavathi revealed her experience in dwelling effectively on its details. This was followed by the duo's depiction of the piece, Mutchchata of Thyagaraja in a happy tempo sustained through a session of neraval and swara texts. Following the singers' sprightly rendition of `Ramachandram' in Vasantha came Lalitha's description of Poorvikalyani as a resourceful representation of its resplendent facets. The singers completed this phase with a crisp coverage of the piece, Ninnuvinaga.

H. N. Bhaskar provided agreeable accompaniment on the violin. His depictions of Madhyamavathi and Poorvikalyani were pleasant. Thanjavur Subramaniam (mridangam) and N. Govindarajan (ghatam) offered lively percussion support. They played a coordinated misra thani in the phase of Poorvikalyani.

Earlier in a function presided over by Shri Kasi Viswanathar, the Trust honoured vidwans Thirukkokarnam Ramachandra Iyer (veena), Kanchipuram Veeruswamy Pillai (mridangam), A. R. Chellappa (ghatam), Mrs. Saraswathi, wife of the late E. M. Panchapakesan (mridangam) and Pichai Bhagavatar (namasankirthanam) with presentation of cash awards and mediclaim policies in appreciation of their services to music. Mr. R. Krishnaswamy, Secretary, Narada Gana Sabha, felicitated the awardees.

Impressive

Mayuram Sisters (Uma and Gita) gave an impressive vocal recital for Sri Purandara Dasar Bhaktha Samajam, T.Nagar. They delighted the audience with their agile delivery of the pieces, Saranu Siddhi Vinayaka (Nattai), Naneke (Behag) and Andagane (Bhageshri) of Purandara Dasa. Following a convincing account of Panthuvarali, the duo rendered `Naradamuni' of Thyagaraja in a deft musical form set to the tisra gathi (Adi tala). They completed it with catchy neraval passages. The vocalists' delineation of the piece, Yare (Hindolam) was neat and carried a concise raga preface. A. G. A. Gnanasundaram (violin), Poongulam Subramaniam (mridangam) and A. S. Krishnan (morsing) accompanied the recital with efficiency.

- R.V.

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