It's a mixed bag from abroad
Sandeep
LIGHT VOICE, neutral delivery and racy raga flow can impress only for a while. How long can one keep singing just in the periphery? Shankar Ramani (U.S.) was doing that; he was more tentative in communication than affirmative. ``Era napai" Todi varnam was the start. After a few indifferent numbers (``Aparama bakthi" in Pantuvarali, ``Sarada veena vadane" in Devagandhari and ``Antharanga bakthi" in Shadvidamargini), Shankar settled for Sankarabharanam. It was lightweight exercise with quick and snappy phrases picking up here and there to maintaining continuity. The vocalisation too was slightly unsteady. ``Sri Nagalingam bhajeham" followed with the same traits. Shankar Ramani has the potential and concerted efforts could bring out the best in him. Radha Sundarasan, senior violinist, tried to salvage the recital through her accompaniment. Erode Nagarajan on the mridangam just performed passively.
V. Pradeep Kumar was the eleventh hour local substitute for a NRI singer. Predeep's voice has been well trained for light music. So there was absence of full-throated singing and accent was more on style than substance. He modulated his light and pleasing vocal chords only to make thin and thick musical variations. The core raga Shanmugapriya logically contained repose, brigas with imagination, but only superficially with several frills.
``Parvathi nayagane charanam" by Sivan was the kriti with ``Nee maravadennai aal Jagadeesa" for elucidation and swaras. They carried synthetic shine.
Sandhya Srinath (Washington, U.S.) is a good violinist and she did not have to strain herself much in answering Pradeep. In fact, Sandhya and the senior mridangist Thiruvidaimarudur Sankran only took the responsibility of providing padding to the airy rendering. This concert tried to introduce an NRI composer, Brazil Subramanyam, whose compositions are more prosaic and set to tune in rare ragas like Sarasangi, Hamsanadham, Pasupathipriya, Tapasvini, etc.
Jayalakshmi Sekar
The difference between rigorously tutored singing and spontaneous delivery is identifiable. Fifteen years old, tall and elegant Aditya Prakash's (Los Angeles, U.S.) diligence is visible but his voice is yet to ripen. His concert sounded more tutored than being natural. The main problem is sruti alignment. It slips occasionally and the adolescent crack, which pops up in upper region is another culprit. Notwithstanding all these, Aditya entertained the audience with a Simhendramadyamam alapana and ``Nathajana paripalakana." He even managed a show of niraval and swaras at ``Srutipathambu jeevanambu." Earlier he added ``Sarasa sama dana" (Kapinarayani), and ``Vallaba nayakasya" in Begada. Dr. Jyothsana Srikanth, a NRC (Non Resident of Chennai) was more professionally matured in age and expression. So also was K.M.S. Mani on the mridangam.
It does not require extra acumen to differentiate indifferent fare and involved performance and to understand Geetha Sundaresan (Muscat) belongs to the latter. Geetha does not mull over raga alapanas or beat around the bush for kalpanaswaras. She draws the listener into the musical web she weaves as soon as she starts the raga vinyasa. Her two main courses — Vasantha and Kalyani — were the standing examples. The kriti chosen by Geetha ``Sri Kamakshi katakshi" (the composer name was not disclosed!) was a worthy one with an expertly composed chittaswaram with sahityam including tastefully filled swarakshara lyrics. In Kalyani, Geetha spread out elongated phrases before switching over to the mandatory brigas; even here, she did not just reel out brigas carelessly, but backed them with soft and solid cushioning kaarvais. The kriti ``Kamalambam bhajare" (Dikshitar) was well articulated with swaras segmented carefully through expert combinations. Singing ragas with vivadhi swaras is an acid test for one's musical comprehension. Sundaresan's ``Arul seyya vendumayya" (Koteeswara Iyer) in Rasikapriya was another reinforcement of her musical prowess and so was the concluding viruttam and ``Mandirgugandadu" in Sindhubhairavi (Thanjavur Sankara Iyer). C.A. Rajasekar, one was disappointed, could not emphasise his presence in the violin and somehow it sounded half hearted. Papanasam Kumar maintained the tempo of the concert very well in his control.
Jayalakshmi Sekar's (Malaysia) credentials are impressive; she is four rolled into one: veena player, vocalist, violinist and flutist. She very well started her veena concert with the Begada varnam in two speeds. The initial force was sustained throughout. There was an undercurrent of restless race in her delivery. ``Sri Mahaganapthira" in Gowlai (Dikshitar), ``Mokshamu galada" by Thyagaraja in Saramathi, followed by Kamboji alapana and ``Maa Janaki" with niraval at ``Raja raja vara." Again this also went on fast track. A check on her tempo will be helpful for Jayalakshmi to balance her program. Melakkaveri Balaji played soft to suit veena's tone.
Is imitation the best form of Guru Bakthi? Present day children are precocious and grasp things faster. Young Sandeep Narayanan (U.S.) is an example; he has meticulously imbibed the style, body language and gesticulations of his guru. Sandeep's Latangi (``Mariveredikkevvaru") and Karaharapriya (``Chakkani raja") expositions were loaded with the structure and techniques of what he had learnt. The niraval at 'Dharaloni nee sati'and 'Kantiki sundara' once again reiterated his absorption-reproduction capacity. Sandeep is still young and his display is loosely structured. It will be good if Sandeep tries to evolve his own style on the strong foundation he had laid and he can. Jayalakshmi Sekar on violin, contrary to her veena playing was more relaxed, matured and leisurely in her interpretations. Nirmal Narayanan on mridangam was just supportive.
Magic spell
How to describe Bombay Jayashree Ramnath's voice? Refreshing breeze? Rejuvenating nectar? During the 90 minutes concert of hers on the felicitation day of Hamadhwani Ramachandran the audience was under the spell of her magical vocal chords. ``Ramachandram bhavayami" in Vasantha was the opening number with a few trials of swaras. Her favourite ``Munduvenuga" in Darbar came next. The piece-de-resistance of the concert was Mohanam and the famous, enchanting, moving Thyagaraja kriti ``Nannu palimpa." To be factual, Jayashree in her raga vinyasa underlined some phrases and left the rest to the imagination of the audience. VVS Murari, indeed, on the violin tracked them and presented them in all its niceties. In kriti rendition, Jayashree was just impeccable. Earlier she essayed Varali for "Mamava meenakshi'' and after a very precise thani by Poongulam Subramaniam (mridangam) and Trivandrum Rajagopal (kanjira), she concluded with the lilting Brindavanasaranga thillana of her guru.
G. SWAMINATHAN
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