Quality, the watchword

December 29, 2014 05:10 pm | Updated December 30, 2014 03:17 pm IST

Bharat Sundar. Photo: M. Vedhan

Bharat Sundar. Photo: M. Vedhan

Rama speaks admiringly of Hanuman’s voice as 'springing from the bosom, traversing the throat and emerging at a soft, medium pitch.' Bharat Sundar’s voice too sounded the same as the ‘Viriboni’ varnam in Bhairavi (ata talam), began.

V.V.S. Murari (violin), Trivandrum Balaji (mridangam) and Karthick (ghatam), accompanied him in joyous unison.

Starting at a comfortable medium pace, the varnam proceeded easily in two kalams. Sahitya suddham stood out in Papanasam Sivan's ‘Gaja Vadana’ in Sriranjani Adi, embellished with pleasant manodharma swaras.

The grand Thodi came after this without an alapana, with Tyagaraja's rare kriti ‘Koti Nadulu Dhanushkotilo,’ in a single beat Adi. The lustre and depth of the raga was striking, amid the absence of a flourish.

Bharat conveyed the meaning and depth of the saint's words to the audience (“Why waste your effort looking everywhere for Rama when he is resting at Dhanushkodi?”). It was an effortless soulful alapana of Vasantha. There was a note of power and pleading in the sancharas.

Dikshitar's ‘Ramanatham Bhaje’ in Rupakam was inspiring. The articulation of the majestic Sanskrit of Dikshitar was impeccable. The concert picked up tempo to reach a high plateau in the niraval at ‘Kumara Guruguha Vahitam.’ The singer patently loved the sahityam.

There was an occasional interesting ‘ swara – akshara –prayoga’ as when the word ‘Kumara’ coincided with the corresponding swaras ‘ga-ma-ri’, something Dikshitar had a penchant for.

Not to be outdone, Murari made a gallant effort to make his violin ‘speak.’ The technique of making the ghatam’s sound emerge from deep within came in handy for Karthick to adumbrate the aesthetics of the singing.

At the height of durita kala swaras, tisra and chatusra clusters were literally flying across the stage. They spun out at a stunning speed, loaded with originality – as a tribute to Dikshitar.

The next number, Dikshitar’s ‘Ganamurte’ was an apt choice and the atmosphere became tranquil and one felt surrounded by ‘Omkara.’ Bharat also evoked mischief on the words, ‘Navaneeta Chora.’ Over 15 minutes, Bharat explored Abheri with commitment. His voice was audible at the mantra gandhara, even as he could make daring sancharas at the higher pitches with confidence. Murari responded with spirit in an eight -minute presentation.

Tyagaraja’s soul-filling ‘Nagumo..’ rang out, starting from the impassioned anupallavi lines ‘Nagaraja Dhara Needu Parivaru Lella,’ appealing to the Lord reclining on the serpent, to come to his aid.

One felt a little uncomfortable with Trivandrum Balaji’s playing. While his virtuosity was manifest, there is more to accompaniment than mere tala and sollus.

The blending with the ethos of the main music is a major area where the mridangam should contribute, but it was missing. For the near 20 minutes allotted to the thani, one could not hear any sollus and prayogas, which mirrored the feeling generated by the sahityam (‘Nagumo…’) or the mood built by it.

The exchanges with ghatam could have been more frequent, with fewer avartanams per round. Chatusram appeared at the end after countless khandams.

The concert concluded with ‘Kanda Nall Mudalaai Kadal Perugudhadi’ in Madhuvanti and thillana in Maand.

Click on the respective venues to read about concerts performed there.

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