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Happy merger of creativity and expertise
IF IN a recital three main ragas Kalyani, Kambhoji and Todi find a place, it cannot but be top class. Excellence of a concert is not a matter of chance, but a planned conscious process of creativity propelled by the drive of professional expertise. These two factors were very much in evidence in the performance of Sanjay Subramaniam for the TTD Information Centre. He knew how and what he was singing and offered no apologies for being over-confident. In the alapanas of Kalyani and Todi there was a catchy technique to grasp the regality of the former and the radiance of the latter with stylised punches here and there. In the elaboration of Kalyani, the sancharas bubbled with emotional ripples. His musical imagery illuminated the beauteous niches of Kalyani.
The delineation of Todi was tradition enriched by creativity harmonised to sheer classicism. Long karvais, big loops and gorgeous adventurous sancharas spoke highly of his exquisite manodharma, well directed with accuracy and artistry. The structure of Todi at the hands of many musicians is almost the same, but it was the feel of its graces that made Sanjay's presentation of the raga distinctive. Sanjay's music is stoic and sturdy but laced with animated elegance and charm.
For the solidity of the Kalyani alapana he chose to sing the Tiruppavai hymn ``Ambaramey'' with verve and vigour. But for Todi Sanjay rendered ``Enduku-dayaraadura.'' The pace of the Jampai and Chapu talas was well exploited in the interpretation of the kirtanas to reverberate with resonance. Earlier, Sanjay sang the alapana of Pushpalathika and the familiar kriti, ``Ikanaina-naa.'' Without any alapana or swaras there was poetic intensity in the articulation of the kirtana ``Thiruvadi-charanam'' (Kambhoji).
Sanjay Subramaniam had the right kind of support from S. Varadarajan (violin) and B. Ganapathiram (mridangam). Simple in format, the edifice of Kalyani and Todi at the hands of the violinist in the solo versions was attractive. In the formation of sancharas there was lyrical softness. His play was a blend of delicacy and dexterity and the musical motifs were clearly etched. Quick at ease with the performing pattern of Sanjay, Ganapathiram's was a smoothing flow of tender tekas and lightning pharans. There was welcome percussive refinement marked by rhythm rather than laya rhetoric. His tani avartanam was brief and bewitching. The performing team seemed to be perfectly designed and programmed for a lively concert.
The set of musical values for Palghat Ramprasad seemed to be anchored to unseemly pressured speed that his voice could hardly comfortably manage. In his performance for Sri Thyagaraja Seva Samithi, raga sancharas of Poorvikalyani, Arabhi and Todi gurgled out of his throat. There was little about his approach to music suggestive of concern for true aesthetics.
He was anxious to present an image of profundity in wallowing in the mandhara sthayi sancharas in Todi even at the start of the alapana before he could present an overall picture of the raga. When will our upcoming youngsters realise that simply phrases and brevity in exposition targeting the moorchana of a raga, and crisp rendering of kirtanas constitute the pulsating base of Carnatic music? The tactics of performing methods have radically changed to flirt with chaff unable to visualise the grain. ``Paraloka-Saadaname'' (Poorvikalyani) ``Choo Thamurare'' (Arabhi) ``Sogasuga-Mrudanga'' (Sriranjani) and ``Endu-daaginaado'' (Todi) were the songs handled.
Ramprasad was intensely watching the solo version of violinist R. K. Sriram Kumar's Todi alapana and one hopes he would have seen the difference between his Todi and that of Sriramkumar. Ramprasad has a good resonant voice but how to use it for musical purpose eludes him. Manoj Siva (mridangam) was exuberantly vigorous in padding the kirtanas.
By SVK
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