Elegant ornamentation
GARIMELLA SUBRAMANIAM
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CONCERTS The fare offered by Mambalam Sisters, Charulatha Mani, Suryaprakash and Arundhati was varied in content.
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The Mambalam Sisters' (Chitra and Vijayalakshmi) combined power is probably as formidable as that of any duo. But the secret of the sisters' strength as a team lay perhaps in the stewardship of their father K.S.Rangachary who, besides accompanying them on the kanjira, steered the recital with remarkable precision and detail. This was most evident in the Ragam, Tanam, Pallavi that was explored at some length (without circumventing any other part of the recital), unlike the prevailing tendency to go through with this segment more as a ritual.
The first two songs by the sisters made for a quiet beginning. Their elegant ornamentation concluded Tyagaraja's `Varasikhivahana,' in raga Supradeepam. The `Tiruppavai,' which was set in an equally introspective raga, dhanyasi, was again kept brief. It was then time to hear the sisters separately.
After a short alapana of raga Kalyani by Chitra, Tyagaraja's `Nammivachchinannu,' was a lively rendition of a like kriti. Incidentally, this was the second occasion in the current post-noon concerts that a piece from the Kovur Pancharatna series of compositions was featured.
It was Vijayalakshmi's turn next for an alapana in raga Kedaragowla followed by Tyagaraja's `Tulasi Bilva,' and an impressive spell of improvisation. The sisters presented the Ragam, Tanam, Pallavi in two ragas, Nalinakanti and Bhairavi.
PHOTOS: S.R.RAGHUNATHAN and R. SHIVAJI RAO
TEAM EFFORT: Mambalam Sisters
The vocalists as well as the exposition of each raga followed alternately rather than in sequence. As one would expect, the lyrics of the pallavi were, `Natajanapalini Nalinakanti, `Sambhavi, Bhargavi Bhairavi,' set to Kandajati Triputa talam in Tisra Gati.
There was time enough for a kriti of Dikshitar in raga Suddhavasantam and an abhang at the end of a relatively elaborate RTP. Padma Shankar on the violin made an impression in her essay of Nalinakanti and Bhairavi. Mannargudi R.Srinivasan who played the mridangam proved a competent hand. So was Rangachary on the kanjira.
With depth and rigour
Charulatha Mani kept the number of kritis she sang down to just five in her performance of 90 minutes' duration. With the result, she was obliged to present each composition with considerable depth and rigour. In the event, however, there was more form than substance in evidence and the rendition of Koteeswara Iyer's piece turned out to be disproportionately lengthy Charulatha's opening song was `Bhajamanasa Vigneswaram,' composed by Tulasivanam in Bahudari. The vocalist then gave an exposition of Rishabhapriya and then followed this up with Koteswara Iyer's `Gananayadesika.' But she could hardly justify having dwelt on the kriti up to about half-time in the recital. The Tyagaraja kriti, `Muripemukalige Kada,' in Mukari was not very convincing either.
Srilakshmi Venkataramani on the violin sounded better in the essay of Mukari and Thillaisthanam R.Suryanarayanan played the mridangam.
With command over voice
R. Suryaprakash broke a soul-stirring spell of singing merely to observe a formality; i.e., of featuring a Ragam Tanam Pallavi in a concert. He, and many others who seem to feel obliged to adhere to a certain format, should reflect as to whether they might as well have done without this composition in a two-hour recital, considering that the net gains (if at all there are any) to their personal reputation as artistes and the pleasure of listeners from such conformism are negligible. The composition in this instance was in raga Kiravani to which Suryaprakash must have devoted at the most 20 minutes including the pallavi `Sarasadalanayana! Rajagopala,' and the ragamalika in Mohanam, Ranjani and Sindubhairavi.
The overall impact of the recital would have been no less absorbing had Suryaprakash instead continued the journey that he began with a splendid opening piece, `Tatvamariya Tarama,' and a succession of kritis of Tyagaraja thereafter.
He kept the presentation of each kriti just long enough to sustain the attention of listeners, a strategy that commends itself in the present context. Thus, if `Tatvamariya Tarama,' was embellished with kalpanasvaram, he settled for a niraval at the end of Tyagaraja's `Ninnanavalasinademi,' in Kalyani.
Similarly, `Srinarada,' in Kanada was ornated with a brief alapana and kalpanaswaram. And then, `Chinnanatanaa,' in ragam Kalanidhi was a heartfelt tribute from Suryaprakash to T.N.Seshagopalan.
B. Arundathi
Dikshitar's `Srisubrahmanyaya namaste,' in ragam Khambodi was a masterly demonstration of command over his voice and fluency of expression. Shertalai Shivakumar played a splendid part on the violin and Nellai A. Balaji gave an excellent solo spell on the mridangam.
Rich flavour
B. Arundathi packed her recital with the rich flavour of the music of Swati Tirunal, punctuated with a sprinkling of Tyagaraja and Muthuswami Dikshitar. Ragas Ramapriya and Kiravani brought splendour to the performance, whereas Khamas and Navarasakannada added a lighter touch.
A recalcitrant voice did not stop Arundathi from an exploration (in three speeds) of the varnam in ragam Saveri - which again was featured twice before and at least once subsequently in the current series. Once she moved onto Dikshitar's `Ganarajena rakshitoham,' in Arabhi, it was as though sheer willpower had overtaken the voice which gave out mellifluous phrases of imaginative improvisation.
Arundathi then devoted the next half an hour or more to Swati Tirunal's kritis in ragas Khamas and Ramapriya respectively.
She sang both the stanzas of `Sri Eesa Padmanabhapahi.' The graceful alapana that preceded `Samodam paripalaya pavanamam,' the niraval and kalpanaswaram thereafter took the recital to great heights.
Tyagaraja's `Palukukandachekkara,' in Navarasakannada brought a nice change-over in atmosphere.
R. Suryaprakash
It was Kiravani all over again for the RTP. But Arundathi surely put in a good deal of variety through variations in tempo at every opportune moment. She sang `Devi brova samayamide vegame vachchi,' followed by vasanta and behag, conscious of the clock that was ticking by.
Neela Jayakumar who played the violin came for repeated appreciation during her solo essays as well as in the intelligent follow up on other occasions.
Mannarkoil J. Balaji produced a tenacious spell of sound and rhythm on the mridangam.
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