Individuality maintained
B. V. Balasayee on the flute and Durga Prasad on the Gottuvadyam.
B. V. BALASAYEE (flute) and A. Durgaprasad (gottuvadhyam) presented a fluent and harmonious instrumental duet, while simultaneously projecting the individuality of their instruments. The tone of the flute was especially soothing. While Durgaprasad showed admirable command over his instrument, one felt that his musical expressions could have been more gripping, at times.
The complementary continuity in raga delineation and meticulous rendition of the kritis added weight to the concert. Opening with Swaminatha (Nattai), the duo rendered ``Idi nyayama" (Malavi), ``Durmargachara" (Ranjani), ``Sharavana bhava" (Pashupatipriya) and ``Mokshamu galada" (Saramati) with great diligence.
Ranjani elaboration by Balasayee was pleasing. An exuberant Keeravani (RTP, Khanda Triputa) was the anchor of the concert and here too, Balasayee presented an unhurried raga, adorned with rich phrases.
R. Ramesh (mridangam), B. Ravi (ghatam), Sundarkumar (kanjira) and Srirangam Kannan (morsing) embellished the songs with soothing accompaniment.
Falling a victim to the seasonal throat affliction, Anuradha Suresh Krishnamurthy struggled to perform to her potential.
This was particularly evident in her opening pieces, ``Sharanam Sharanam" (Sowrashtra) and ``Vande Vasudevam" (Shree). She then rendered ``Shreepate" (Nagaswaravali), ``Neerajakshi" (Hindolam) and ``Bhogeendra Shayinam" (Kuntalavarali) - songs that have been immortalised by her legendary father, K. V. Narayanaswamy.
``Shreepate" (Nagaswaravali) was preceded by a scale-oriented alapana that lacked depth. However, a restrained alapana of Saveri was marked by refined phrasings, in which she rendered the Tiruppavai, "Undu madakalitattran," with neraval and kalpana swaras at "shentamarai kaiyinal."
R. Hemalatha's essays of Saveri and Nagaswaravali were rich in content. Manoj Siva (mridangam) and Tiruchi Murali (ghatam) provided unobtrusive accompaniment.
B. Kannan's veena recital seemed to be more of an exercise aimed at exhibiting his mastery over the instrument, rather than projecting the aesthetics of our music system.
Flagging off his concert with ``Vatapi" (Hamsadhwani), suffixed by kalpanaswaras at breakneck speed.
He followed it with ``Janani Ninuvina" (Reetigowla). One of the defining characteristics of Reetigowla is ga ma ni ni sa. However, Kannan's rendition tended to sound more like ga ma da ni sa, giving it a hue of Shreeranjani.
Expositions of Chandrajyoti (Bagayanayya) and Pantuvarali (R-T-P, Adi), were built on scale oriented sancharas, sans gamakas.
Raghuvamsha (Kadanakutoohala) was lively, backed by a full bench of accompanists, consisting of Melakkaveri Balaji (mridangam), S. Karthick (ghatam), Papanasam S. Sethuraman (kanjira) and N. Sundar (tabla and morsing), who provided highly energetic and enjoyable fare throughout the concert.
B.B.
Printer friendly
page
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Entertainment
