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Assertive in style
SET AGAINST the sterility of hackneyed cutcheri pantha, Sanjay Subramaniam's approach brought vibrant vitality to his music, though it must be admitted that he forfeited musical finesse in preference to an assertive style. In his recital at the Sri Rama Navami Series under the auspices of Asthika Samajam, Alwarpet, the raga alapanas of Atana, Sahana and Todi provided glimpses of his class, going an extra mile to project the grandeur of Carnatic music and the distinctive raga bhavas. He left it to the imaginative capacity of listeners to visualise how his hefty sancharas would glisten if clothed in mellowed tonal arrangement. This part of music pleasantness was the enriching contribution of violinist Nagai Muralidharan.
If Sanjay regaled the audience with his remarkably creative world, particularly in Atana and Sahana, the reverential vision of these two ragas was from Nagai Muralidharan, which at his hands progressed with soothing musical warmth. Sanjay's tonal fervour was met by the violinist with lyrical felicity. The Todi alapana of Sanjay was demonstrative marked by tonal activism inducing Nagai Muralidharan to respond with salutary gentleness. The rendering of the kirtanas — Anupama-Gunaambudi'' (Atana) ``Yemaanadichchevo'' (Sahana) and ``Nee-Daya-Ravalegaaka'' (Todi) — was in the same mood as the alapanas. Though much effort was lavished on their structure, the emotional aspect remained faint since clarity of sahityas took a back seat in Sanjay's reckoning.
The energetic percussive nuances and intricacies from Karaikudi Mani (mridangam) was an accompanying documentation of laya artistry. Deep-seated rhythmic impulses fondled the kirtanas as expounded by Sanjay Subramaniam with the soft and strong beats in resplendent shades. The ghatam artiste T. V. Vasan was a faithful camp follower.
Marked by expertise
The performance of the violin trio M. S. Anantaraman and his two sons M. A. Sundareswaran and M. A. Krishnaswamy, for Sravanam, T. T. Devasthanam Information Centre, T. Nagar, proved the professional astuteness of the artistes.
They maintained the raga alapanas of Mohanam and Todi in jolly good shape to excite by calculative artistry. The raga pictures were enhanced by a splash of decorative ornamentation. There were also compelling musical statements to lay claim to expertise. The sons' play was a perfect mix of talent and fingering discipline.
In the overall atmosphere of exhilaration the Dwijavanti song ``Cheta-Sri'' was intensely sensitive. ``Teratheeyaga Raada'' (Gowlipantu) and ``Endaro-Mahaanubhavulu'' (Sriraga pancharatna) provided a serene backdrop at the start. ``Janakiramana'' (Suddha Seemantini) and ``Dasarathe'' (Todi) were the other songs rendered.
At the request of the mridangist Tiruvarur Bhaktavatsalam, tanam was played for Todi to his accompaniment, to give a percussive orientation to the raga.
The rhythmic contribution of Tiruvarur Bhaktavatsalam, along with the ghatam artiste V. Suresh decorated the songs with tassels of mridangam korvais, some deafening, some cooing. On the whole an entertaining cutcheri.
— SVK
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