Finger on the audience pulse
S. SIVAKUMAR
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Right from the start the fare Ranjani-Gayatri offered was right up the listener’s alley.
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Photos: S.S.Kumar
Pacy: Ranjani and Gayathri.
The kutcheri craft of Ranjani and Gayathri is all about discrete sharing of concert space that provides for independent initiatives, even while retaining a common ground. And they know to judge the mood of the audience. Thus when the curtain rose, at the Music Academy for the inaugural concert of the Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer Centenary celebration, with “Ramachandra” (Purnachandrika), a Swati Tirunal kriti tailed on to the Durbar varnam complete with pacy and inventive swaras, it was evident that the sisters were going to serve the audience madhyama kala kritis.
‘Theliyaleru Rama’ (Dhenuka, Tyagaraja) started on a quiet note, Ranjani’s raga sketch of Sriranjani (‘Marubalka,’ Tyagaraja) coming with a rich blend of tasteful phrases, smooth glides and inimitable upward traversals. The niraval at Dhari Neriki Santha Silli Natti was handled with a fair level of competence.
Excellent Kalyani
‘Sri Mathrubootham’ (Kannada-Dikshithar) was the vilamba kala kriti and ‘Biranabrova’ (Kalyani-Panchanadha Iyer) brought out the strength of their patanthara. This Kalyani kriti had a coherent niraval at ‘Nee Padha Pankajamu.’
Gayathri’s voice has a naturally predominant nasal resonance, which may not always appeal to the rasika. This is not to detract from the merits of her Khambodi alapana (‘O Rangasayee,’ Tyagaraja) that had the requisite stridency at the pivotal phrases. The mandhara sthayi prayogas towards the end, held one captive with its sophisticated sensitivity and well developed musical awareness.
Vadaeluppai Anandan.
Duets would by default have relay type of reciprocal swaraprastharams and these were done with demonstrative dexterity for Sriranjani and Khambodi. A virutham in Shanmukhapriya, Valaji, and Kapi descended deftly on ‘Aravindha Padhamalar Nogumo.’ The audience then was asked to express their preference between a Thillana and an Abhang. The vote went in favour of the latter, which was sung to invoke the ‘Vittala’ effect, drawing generous praise from the rasikas in the bargain.
Ganesh Prasad on the violin never overreached himself and was in tune with the duo giving pleasing alapanas and responding well during the swara exchanges. Arun Prakash (mridangam) and K.V. Gopalakrishnan (ganjira) had a laya style that added value to the concert. Their thani inclined towards numerical korvais with exhaustive possibilities, which exhibited their excellence.
The celebrations began with Mangala Isai by Vadaeluppai Anandan. The initial Surutti phrase as a preface to the varnam and the brief alapana for Hamsadhwani that appeared later (Varana Mukha Vaa, Koteeswara Iyer), spoke eloquently of Anandan’s capacity.
The Sadguru’s kritis ‘Naradha Gaana Lola’ (Atana), ‘Evaritho Ne Thelpudhu’ (Manavathi) and ‘Emanadhichevo’ (Sahana) were the other songs that followed underlining the potential of the vidwan. The elaboration of Dharmavathi (‘Parandamavathi,’ Dikshitar) had ornately decorated flowing phrases that portrayed the raga in its finest elements, Anandan’s style reminding on of Namagiripettai Krishnan.
Kunrathur Venkatesan provided nagaswaram support. Thavil vidwans Nandambakkam Dakshinamurthy and Vadapalani Manikandan accompanied with customary gusto and élan.
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