Marked by clear expression

TWO OF Tyagaraja's compositions and one each of Purandara Dasa, Papanasam Sivan and Mysore Vasudevachar filled the calendar of kritis rendered by Kamala Ramini for the Indian Fine Arts Society at Bala Mandir German Hall on December 27.

Her exposition of Bhairavi and Kamavardhini with quiet confidence was praiseworthy. ``Ninne nera Namminura'' (Tyagaraja) in the latter raga, Purandara Dasa's ``Sri Kantha'' (Kannada) and ``Niravati Sukada'' (Tyagaraja-Ravichandrika) were marked by clarity in expression. Her depiction of Bhairavi was filled with musicality. ``Viswanatham Baji'' of Papanasam Sivan was rendered lucidly and in a lively manner. The swara session on ``Annapoornawari'' was striking. The Dhanasri tillana by Swati Tirunal brought the curtain down.

S.Vijayaraghavan, on the violin, took his audience on a tour of Kamavardhini and Bhairavi and his swaravalis were suggestive of his confidence in handling this branch. However, S.Ananth's percussive accompaniment was much spoken of by the learned appreciatively. His artistry revealed his practice over the years. He did his mentor, Umayalpuram K. Sivaraman, proud with his subtle and delicate taps on his instrument. His tani particularly for Bhairavi was engaging.

Arresting Anandabhairavi

With her relaxed and reposeful performance on the veena on December 29, Geetha Krishnamurti is getting more and more bhava- ridden and embellished with sunadam. Commencing with a varnam in Vasantha, she did a smart alapana of Nattai for Puliyur Doraiswami Iyer's kriti, ``Sarasiruhasanapriye'', followed by a complex interchange of notes. Tyagaraja's Jaganmohini song, ``Sobillu Saptaswara'' was a space-filling effort. Anandabhairavi claimed her attention for an imaginative vinyasam of the raga, with the floating sancharas. Syama Sastri's ``Marivere dikkevaramma'' was played with verve and vision. ``Bandureeti'' in Hamsanadam of the Saint of Thiruvvaiyyaru, was dealt with exhaustively. Swarajatis were extensively employed on ``Rama Nama''. After a period of enlivening taanam, Geetha strummed ``Pakkala Nilapadi'' to the enjoyment of rasikas. A devarnama of Purandara Dasa in Hamsanandi and the composition of Annamacharya in Hindolam, ``Garuda Gamana'' brought the session to a close.

S. Vijendran on the mridangam and A. S. Shankar on the ghatam gave of their best to make the recital enjoyable.

Committed artiste

Loka V. Shankar of Bangalore, faced an almost empty auditorium when she began her flute recital at 2 p.m. But undeterred, she went through her commitment with conviction and comprehension. Subsequently, however, a few turned up to hear what later proved to be a delectable performance. Harikesanallur Muthiah Bhagavatar's ``Siddhi Vinayakam'' in Mohana Kalyani, was succeeded by a spirited exposition of Nagagandhari for Muthuswami Dikshitar's ``Sarasinanakhe Sodari'' with swaras on the pallavi line. Subramania Bharti's ``Theerada Vilayattu Pillai'' in ragamalika and Purandara Dasa's Sri raga piece, ``Bhagyada Lakshmi Baaramma'', saw the conclusion of her percipient performance. R. Raghuram provided good support on the violin. Vijay Ganesh created a good impression on his mridangam following swara prasthara in Nagagandhari kriti by the flautist.

``Anupama Gunampudiyani'' in Atana of the Bard of Thiruvaiyyaru gave a right push to Bangalore Pushpa Kashinath's veena concert in the late afternoon slot. But for a lone Syama Sastri Kalyani kirtana, ``Himadrisuthe pahimam'', the afternoon belonged to Tyagaraja. The Kalyani alapana took the gathering round its contours. Then came Kapi of the saint, ``Meevalle Gunadoshamemi'', after a substantive vinyasam of the raga. Swaras on the pallavi line poured from the instrument in a regulated flow. Todi was her main fare and she presented a microscopic picture of the raga. ``Kaddana Vasiki'' was taken up for detailed treatment. The saint's Kalyana Vasantam kriti, ``Nandaloludai'', in which he explains ``Saptaswara raaga nichnya sahita naadolosudai Brahmaanandam'', the bliss of nadayogam, was played with great emotion.

Bangalore N. G. Ravi on the mridangam and Nanganallur S. Swaminathan on the ghatam extended excellent percussive support. Their tani in Todi was particularly engaging.

Well-organised

Pachimimiriyam Audiappa's famed varnam in Bhairavi, ``Viribhoni'', was played on the flute in a high-spirited manner by the Sikkil Sisters, Kunjumani and Leela, beginning their late- evening slot. It seemed to be a well-organised performance in the choice of the fare served. Koteswara Iyer's Hamsadhwani song, ``Vaaranamukhi'' was played with vigour and verity. Then followed ``Sriman Narayana'' of Annamacharya in Bowli, ``Sri Rangapura Vihara'' of Dikshitar, in Brindavan Saranga, preceeded by a comely coverage of the raga's dimensions by Kunjumani. ``Nannu Vidachi'' by Tyagaraja in Ritigowla, ``Nijadasa Varade'' by Patnam Subramania Aiyar, in Kalyani, concluding with Tanjore Sankara Aiyar's Revati composition. ``Mahadeva Siva Sambo''. There was perfect alignment of the sound from the two instruments by the duo to ensure harmony and melody. T. Rukmini, the veteran stradivarins made a deep impression on the listeners with the deft and delicate manner. She handled the violin playing the ragas and the lyrics. Hers was a display to be seen rather than heard. Madirimangalam S. Swaminathan and Pudukottai N. Ramachandran on the mridangam and the ghatam respectively were accomplished accompanists.

Lively

Veena is a sensitive instrument which produces the finest of sounds with delicate handling, but even a minor slip can produce a discordant note. Saraswati Viswanathan who played on the veena on December 31, presented an enlivening programme with her accurate mettus and strumming. A varnam in Hamsadhwani neatly executed was followed by Dikshitar's Nattai kriti, ``Maha Ganapatim''. Ramanathapuram Srinivasa Iyengar's Begada keertana, ``Anudinamunu'' brought out the raga's essential beauties.

Tyagaraya's ``Vasudevam'' in Kalyani was taken up for raga elaboration. ``Venkatachala Nilayam'', in Sindhubhairavi by Purandura Dasa brought the curtain down. T. Satyamoorthy and Nanganallur S. Swaminathan provided good support on the mridangam and ghatam.

Refined style

The veena respond to the way it is handled depending on how the strings are strummed and the frets are operated. T.C.A. Sangeetha who took the 3-15 p.m. slot on the New Year Day exhibited her felicity with which she could play on it with such refined musical ambience as would produce a synchronisation of beats. Beginning with a navaragamalika varnam of Kothavasal Venkatarama Aiyar, she moved on to Tyagaraja's celebrated gana raga Pancharatna kriti, ``Entharo Mahanubavulu'' in Sri raga, bringing out the structural grandeur of the song. ``Ora joopuju'' ran on it established track. Kalyani came in for special attention with a comprehensive survey succeeded by Subbraya Sastri's keertana ``Ninnu Vina''. A short but sweeping tani by R.N. Ganesan of Kumbakonam was appreciated both for his quality and brevity.A varnam in Mohanakalyani by the violin master Lalgudi G. Jayaraman, ``Vallabha Nayaka'' was the opening piece of G. Vidya in the 2 p.m. slot. Kamboji, not much favoured during the afternoon series, came as a refreshing draft and Dikshitar's ``Kailasanathana samrakshitoham'' was sung in a conceptual understanding of the language and the diction. Marimuthu Pillai's Andolika poem, ``Serikka Vendumayaa'' was a swinging part of the whole. Her calendar closed with a tillana in Desh by Lalgudi Jayaraman, her mentor.

Jayanti Kesav's interpretative depiction of Dharmavati and Kamboji on the violin was adequately descriptive. Sekhar Subramaniam contributed his might by his precision on the mridangam to make it lively.

- TPR

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