Deeply contemplative
S. SIVAKUMAR
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Unnikrishnan’s recital was a fitting tribute to Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer.
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Photo: V. Ganesan
INSPIRED: Unnikrishnan at the Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer Centenary Celebration.
Unnikirishnan’s concert that brought the curtains down on the four-day festival organised by the Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer Centenary Celebration Committee at the Music Academy proved that he was an artist capable of multiple orientations.
Thiruvadi Charanam, (Khambodi, Gopalakrishna Bharathi) the central piece — which had a redoubtable past master as its inspirational source — saw Unnikrishnan interpreting it with a sense of close and appreciative self-identification.
The alapana itself was marked by an innate strength of ideas that meshed well with the deeply contemplative phrases.
The many traversals to the higher octaves performed with dignified ease, indicating the meticulous care of a supple voice. Sruti alignment was instinctively perfect, characterising it with an amount of sureness and integrity.
Semmangudi’s favourites
The kutcheri began with the Thodi varnam. What followed were two of Semmangudi’s favourites — Intha Paraka in Mayamalavagowla and Karunayelakante in Varali, which saw Unnikrishnan’s total fidelity to the mood and context of the songs. Swaras for the former at Kanna Thalli and niraval at Paramathmudu for the Varali kriti were both bound by the principles of proportion and balance.
One could feel a perceptible change in the vocalist’s raga vinayasam for Kalyana Vasantham (“Nadha Loludai,” Tyagaraja), which had swift and novel asaivus that were finely suitable for the raga. He may, however, have to review his tendency to mumble, which at times deprives the syllables of their clarity.
“Shanti Nilava Vendum,” “Chidambaram Poi Neer Varumayya” in Sama, a Bhajan and a Thillana were the other numbers that together formed the final phase of the concert. R.K. Shriramkumar (violin), in total alignment with the vocalist, echoed Unnikrishnan in the alapanas for Khambodi and Kalyanavasantham but and played to his full capacity during the swaraprastharam sessions. Guruvayur Dorai on the mridangam and Purushothaman on the ganjira gave a thani that had a matured measure of aggressiveness and their playing during the niraval drew the best from each one of them.
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