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Serene and sublime
THERE IS a certain serenity and sublimity in Sushila Krishnamurthy's music which has come so naturally to her that she need not have to exhibit it in the form of gestures as some artistes do. The Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan mini hall was fairly full when she sang under the joint auspices of the Naadhabrahmam Music Journal and Music Education Trust. On the violin was Sandhya Srinath, a U.S. NRI, whose support was massive. In fact, in the Dwijavanti RTP while Sushila's rendering was more akin to Jaijaivanti, a Hindustani counterpart, it was Sandhya who drew the correct contours of this bewitching raga in Carnatic style.
Again except for the word "Anantama" to begin with, Sushila's tanam rendering hardly looked one. It was a chain of short phrased alapana. Sandhya it was, who played the correct style to sound a genuine tanam. However, the vocalist's choice of tanam words, "Janakatmaja Vallabham Dwijavanti Ragapriyam" was well-conceived. The violinist came out better in the swara duels too. A pity that owing to constraints of time she was not given an opportunity to answer the vocalist's charming Huseni in the ragamalika.
The artiste sang all the kritis in a slow tempo. With an excellent diction and meaningful splitting of the words she brought out the aesthetic beauty of the lyric and the spiritual fervour of the composer.
Bowli was an auspicious starter and she included in her programme several less-heard songs like "Bruhaspate" (Atana-Dikshitar) "Kannilteriyum" (a ragamalika in Anandabhairavi, Purvikalyani and Lalita) and a Swati Tirunal kriti in Mohana Kalyani. Syama Sastry's "Mayamma Yanibilachite" (Ahiri) was a tailor-made kriti for her slow tempo style. Before beginning any alapana, she would sing a sloka or Tamil vrittam and sing it in the raga of the kriti. She would build up the atmosphere thus.
Hanumanthapuram J. Bhuvarahan played the mridangam with soft beats.
Slow turn of phrases
S. P. Ramh's music has become static. His booming voice may be of help in the lower octave, which he skilfully exploits. But speedy sparkling brigas or gamakas is a different cup of tea and Ramh wisely does not attempt. With a slower turn of phrases and idioms, which suits his shariram, he achieves the objective.
In his concert under the joint auspices of the Nadabrahmam Musical Journal and Music Education Trust he sang a technically perfect alapana in Keeravani and followed it up with Tyagaraja's "Kaligiunte" heard so often. Earlier, Gopalakrishna Bharathi's Surati kriti, "Tillaimbalatane" was sung with verve.
A Lalgudi student, Ramh began the concert with the guru's varnam in Huseni. Followed "Gurulekha" (Gowrimanohari _ Tyagaraja) "Kantajudimi" (Vachaspti) and Dikshitar's "Srirama Saraswati" (Nasika Bhusani). "Teeradavilayattupillay" ragamalika and Kalki's composition, "Senganivayil" (a ragamalika) gave added pep.
Violinist Pakkala Ramdas' turn of phrases in the Keeravani alapana and answers in the swara duel glistened the concert. Ganapatiraman (mridangam) and A. S. Krishna (morsing) gave good support.
Lively and entertaining
Panthula Rama appears to have specialised in rendering closed mouth brigas and gamakas. This technique obviously facilitates her to churn in any phrase or idiom (though lacking in depth) at any speed with absolute ease.
The audience at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan raised a cheer every time the artiste sang a round of brigas (coming from the tip of the lips) almost in one breath. Her vidwat is beyond doubt as evidenced by the Arabhi RTP in Khanda triputa (dwinadai), the pallavi words being, "Balagopala Pahimam Venuganalola". The violinist, Kalyani Shanker, had to battle it out to stand up to the challenge in the neraval and swaras, rendered by the vocalist.
Mridangist Trivandrum Vaidyanathan more than enjoyed the laya test in the company of Sivaramakrishnan whose ghatam beats had a metallic sound.
"Vidajaladura" (Janaranjani) was on the fastest track. Of course, clarity was not sacrificed. In Panthula's programme, Tyagaraja had a lion's share. Being a Telugu, pronunciation could not be faulted, nor the splitting of the words. A detailed Khaharapriya alapana was followed by the saint's Shodopachara kriti, "Vidamu Seyave". The not-so-frequently heard "Sasivadana" in Chandrajyoti, "Manasa Yatulo'' (Malayamaruta) and `Sriramapadama" (Amritavahini) completed the Tyagaraja list. The opener was Dikshitar's "Gajananayutam" and the concluding number was Tirupati Narayanaswami's javali (Kapi).
The concert was so lively and entertaining that when Prof. T.R.S. began to speak on the intricate pallavi and Pantula's vidwat, there was a suggestion from the audience that instead of a speech the time slot may be used for an additional song or two! _ KSR
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