Sankari Krishnan started and ended her concert with Lalgudi Jayaraman’s compositions, a beautiful varnam ‘Inta Tamasameede’ in Kannada and a lilting tillana in Chenjurutti. (The percussion interlude was enjoyable). After initial hiccups, her voice settled down when she rendered Tyagaraja’s ‘Sogasujuda Tarama’ in Kannadagowla.
The Yadukulakhambodi alapana that followed was soaked in bhava, with the violinist V.V. Ravi contributing equally. Marimuthu Pillai’s famous composition ‘Kaalaithooki’ (‘Ninradum’ could have been split into ‘ninru’ and ‘adum’ instead of ‘nin’ and ‘radum’), rendered with a feel for the raga as well as the meaning, was a welcome change. The contrast for the slow tempo came in the form of a breezy ‘Neekelanayeda’ of Poochi Srinivasa Iyengar in Devamanohari which was sung with the tempo intact with good support from the accompanists.
A superb, well-executed Bhairavi alapana, including manthra stayi sancharas, with an equally good version from the violinist, was followed by Patnam Subramanya Iyer’s ‘Nee Padamule.’
The pallavi line did not seem suitable for niraval but the swaraprastara with different combinations and endings was enjoyable. Soon after came raga alapana of Kalyani followed by good tanam. The pallavi, ‘Guha Va Muruga Va Shanmukha Nee Va Gurupara Kumara’ set in Khanda Nadai was handled confidently with interesting swaraprastara.
A virutham in Mohanam, Shanmukhapriya and Sama was followed by Gopalakrishna Bharati’s ‘Varuvaro Varam Tharuvaro’ and a Tarangam, ‘Madhava Mamava’ in Nilambari.
The mridangam player Shertalai Ananthakrishnan and Tiruchi Murali showed great interest and were supportive throughout which enhanced the recital. The thani after the Bhairavi piece, and the grand theermanam they gave to the RTP were good.
