The deep-toned resonance of the 'kudam' in the veena is sublime and soothingly caressing to the ears. If veena music is a world of grace, when a performer gains a glimpse of it, as Revathy Krishna revealed, it is a reward in itself. In her recital at the Krishna Gana Sabha the quality of the meettu and the rhythmic ebb and flow of movement lent superior mellowed excellence.
Arresting aspect
The most arresting aspect in her play was the way veena's melodic environment was grasped in her meettu and fingering felicity. It was rather difficult to judge whether music's sensibility lent sweetness to her veena or vice versa.
The springs of the creative manodharma of Revathy were indefinable, but its expression was enjoyable.
The product of all these aspects in her style, reflected in the rendering of alapanas and sangatis in songs, swelled with deep delicacy. The subtle variations behind the layers of simplicity carried depth as well as lyrical repose stamping the exposition with uncommon aesthetic affability.
Soft texture
It was in the rendering of the Dwijavanti kirtana, 'Akhilandeswari' that the blending of the softness of texture (sahitya) and richness of melody climbed the peak. It produced somewhat of a trance-like experience.
The two items at the beginning of the recital, 'Pari Haasakama,' (Vanaspati) and 'Jaalan Dara' (Valaji with a good alapana) were presented without much fuss though they sprang from parampara stock. It was an austere approach.
Latangi ('Piravaa Varam Thaarum') and Dhanyasi ('Nee Chittamu' of Tyagaraja) were preceded by perceptive alapanas.
There was a clever matching of the veena idiom with the classic stature of the ragas.
Every sanchara revealed professional competence and smooth fluency with her mind set on conferring distinctness.
In rendering the kirtanas, niravals and swaras performing dignity (without jingle-jangle technique) formed the fundamental principle of her style which gave a flawless image clarity. Chidambaram Bala Sankar (mridangam), Adambakkam Shankar (ghatam) and A.S. Krishnan (morsing) formed the percussion group.
Of them except the mridangist, the other accompanists were not very active even during the tani.
