Delightful display of raga

EQUIPPED WITH a musically eloquent style of vocal artistry, Madurai T.N. Seshagopalan endeared himself to the listeners as an entertaining performer. The occasion was Sri Krishna Gana Sabha's Gokulashtami Sangeetha Utsavam.

The recital's initial phase covered a sprightly delivery of the opening varnam, ``Chalamela'' (Darbar) and a lively depiction of the piece, ``Devadeva'' in Mayamalavagowlai, both completed with spirited sessions of swara rendition. Presenting the pancharathna piece, ``Sadinchane'' (Arabhi) in an agile musical form, Seshagopalan took up Hamirkalyani and delighted the audience with a resourceful display of its details in the different grades of tempo. A tasteful delineation of the piece, ``Venkatasailavihara'' of Subbaraya Sastri followed.

Following the tarangam, ``Govindaghataya'' of Narayana Tirtha in a refreshing diction in Bhairavi and a partially admirable innovative representation of ``Govardhanagirisam'' in Hindolam, the vocalist proceeded to dwell on Kalyani elaborately as the recital's major raga. Exhibiting the power, range and fluency of the flow of his voice through an exciting essay of this raga, Seshagopalan rendered the piece, ``Pankajalochana'' of Swati Tirunal in a terse and tidy form. The phase included a smart session of neraval and swaras.

V. V. Ravi played tunefully on the violin. His performance in the phases of Hamirkalyani and Kalyani revealed his comprehension of the ragas' comely features.

Mannargudi Eswaran (mridangam) and Avudayarkoil H. Subramaniam (gothu vadyam) enlivened the recital. The attractiveness of their misra thani in conclusion of the piece, ``Panakjalochana'' drew praise.

Convincing classical force

Young V. Sankaranarayanan sang with a convincing classical force for Sri Krishna Gana Sabha. He impressed the audience with his deft depiction of the pieces, ``Viriboni'' (varnam in Bhairavi), ``Siddhivinayakam'' (Shanmukhapriya), ``Dinamani'' (Harikambodi), ``Ranganayakam'' (Nayaki) and ``Pankajalochana'' (Kalyani). The vocalist's description of the ragas, Harikambodi and Kalyani was dignified and expressive of his effective conception of their classical features. The neraval and swara phrases for Harikambodi piece adhered to a pleasant and peaceful style of vocal music.

A.G.A. Gnanasundaram (violin) and Umayalpuram Mali (mridangam) extended enjoyable support to the recital.

Gifted with a sweet voice, T. V. Sundaravalli gave a pleasant recital for Kala Kruthi in its Sri Jayanthi series. Her execution of the pieces, ``Chalamela'' (varnam in Nattakurinji), ``Smarana onde'' (Malayamarutham), ``Sarasadala'' (Khamas) and ``Kshemam Kuru'' (Mohanam) was neat with sufficient stress on their distinctively appealing classical contents. The singer's exposition of Khamas and Mohanam reflected her grasp of their details.

Hemamalini Ranganathan (violin), Mannargudi Srinivasan (mridangam) and G. Ravichandran (ghatam) accompanied the recitalagreeably.

- R. V.

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