It is the annual time for projecting senior and higher grade artistes of All India Radio by featuring them in country-wide concerts and then broadcasting them on AIR. For Vani Satish, a Bangalore-based Carnatic vocalist, and Malashri Prasad, a Delhi-based Hindustani light classical artiste, Ravindra Bharati became the venue for them and their team to present concerts for one hour each. Both are A- grade artistes of AIR.
Vani had in her company violinist Jyotsna Srikanth and percussionists Ganapathi Agraharam G.R. Balachander (mridangam) and Udumalai A. Balasubramanian (kanjeera). Vani revealed good vocal culture with good span. She opened with Pranamamyaham Sri Gowri Suthaym in Gowla, a composition of Mysore Vasudevachar in adi talam, preceded by a brief raga sketch. The swarakalpana was interesting. Saraswathi Namostute in Saraswathi and roopaka talam also had a brief sketch of raga creating right mood for the devotional number.
Idi Nyayama in Malavi, Adi talam, Patnam Subramanya Iyer's composition, was taken up next. The main number of the whole concert was Manasu Swadheenamaina in Sankarabharanam, set in misrachapu talam. She expanded the raga for good time and exposed its beauties in all the octaves. The kriti rendition was expressive and carefully worded with clarity of sahitya. Later she went for nereval and swaraprasthara, mandatory in this major number. This was followed by Tani Avartanam by the two percussionists for about ten minutes. In the end Vani rendered a ragamalika composition of Purandaradasa, Samsaravendinda in khandachapu talam, that concluded her show.
Then followed Hindustani light classical featuring Malashri Prasad, who stuck to the rendition of a couple of thumris and an equal number of dadras. She was accompanied by Nawab Ali Khan on tabla, Pt. Bharatbhushan Goswamy on sarangi and Badlu Khan on harmonium. Malashri's diction was superb, as both the lyrical forms are known for sahitya output.
The opening thumri was Jao Balam Nahi in Misr Khamaj, followed by a dadra Bali Umar Ladkian also in Misr Khamaj, continuing in the same melodic vein. Both were well-received. The second thumri was in Mishr Tilak Kamod that ran as Maharaja Khidkia Kholo. The final dadra was in Misr Pahadi, Jaayiye Na Paio Hamari Gali Aaake Shyam, a mischievous song addressing Krishna.
The instrumental support added charm to Malashri's renditions of these compositions. The recordings of these two performances will be broadcast on AIR all over India. Vani's is scheduled for November 30 at 10 p.m., and Malashri Prasad's for December 1 at 10 p.m.
