A captivating resonant voice, plentiful originality and an unquenchable urge to create something new. These are the characteristics of Calcutta K. Srividya.
Her evening concert can be broadly divided into two parts. The first part was purely Carnatic in style and substance, while the second a strong flavour of Hindustani music.
She offered an extensive Hamir Kalyani alapana with a pronounced Hindustani style. After an imaginative response by her mother and Guru Vasantha Kannan on the violin, she presented a tanam, which also had a Northern aroma. The Pallavi ‘Krishna Nandalala Gokulabala’ was set in an intricate Khanda Nadai in Khandajathi Triputa thalam.
Srividya offered swaraprastara in Ragamalika with Kalavathi, Bowli and Kapi. Her briga saareeram stood by her in making the rare and exotic phrases even more charming.
In the percussion department, Delhi Sairam’s skill in anticipation and dexterity in execution came to the fore in bedecking the Pallavi and the thani. A competent Sunil Kumar on the ganjira effectively complemented the percussive requirements.
Narayana Tirtha’s Tarangam, ‘Govardhana Giridhara’ (Darbari Kanada) and a pleasant Sumanesaranjani thillana, composed by her mother, completed the final phase.
Lilting varnam
Srividya commenced her concert with a lilting Kadhanakuthuhalam Varnam, ‘Saranagatha Vatsale’ of Calcutta K.S. Krishnamurthy. He was a performer, a Guru, a musicologist, a tunesmith and also a great composer. It is sad that he did not get the recognition he deserved.
Srividya’s pure Carnatic package also included ‘Meru Samana’ (Mayamalavagowla – Tyagaraja), in which niraval and swaras were at the usual ‘Galamuna Sobhillu.’
The swaras were in fact like a garland! Mysore Vasudevachar’s ‘Devadideva’ (Sunadavinodini), popularised by M. Balamuralikrishna was an instant hit.
After an elaborate alapana in Anandabhairavi, she took up Muthuswami Dikshitar’s ‘Tyagaraja Yoga Vaibhavam’ (Rupakam) in which the composer has arrayed lovely Goapucham (agaraja yoga vaibhavam, rajayogavaibhavam…up to ‘vam’) and Shrotovaha. (prakasam, swarupa prakasam and so on).
The Gowdamalhar piece ‘Sarasamukhi’ of Muthaiah Bhagavatar (Rupakam) was a neat presentation.
