The concert of N. Vijay Siva was easily the best New Year gift that discerning listeners would have received. You can look forward to something new in his recitals. This time it was a crisp but commanding RTP in Jayanthasena, a raga close to the heart of his guru D.K. Jayaraman. The raga swarupa emerged crystal clear right in the opening phrase. With a rich, resonant voice of uniform timbre in all three octaves, Vijay Siva crafted a solid alapana and an energetic tanam.
On the violin, R.K. Shriramkumar proved a great asset. The pallavi ‘Senapathe,’ set to chathusra jampa tala, was engaging. In the ragamalika swaraprasthara, Vijay Siva defined three closely related ragas — Madhyamavati, Manirangu and Sri — in quick succession, highlighting their individualities. His music feels natural and spontaneous.
The thani presented by Bombay C.N. Balaji and V. Anirudh Athreya (ganjira) in the uncommon tala was lively. Balaji was initiated by none other than Palghat Mani Iyer and his craft was later fine-tuned by Tiruchi Raghava Iyer, brother of Alathur Srinivasa Iyer. His accompanying technique is refreshingly unique.
In the Thodi alapana, Vijay Siva sculpted a soulful statuette, which Shriramkumar embellished.
Syama Sastri’s ‘Karunanidhi’ in Adi (tisram) provided ample scope for detailed raga delineation. Niraval was at ‘Komala Mrudu Bhashini.’ In the concluding swara cycle, Vijay Siva handled the pallavi technique fabulously.
An extensive Gamakakriya alapana preceded Dikshitar’s masterpiece ‘Meenakshi Me Mudham.’ Swaras were at ‘Vidhu Vidambana.’ Vijay Siva rendered a few unusual swara cycles leading to the eduppu in mandhra sthayi. And that was certainly moving. In Thyagaraja’s Khamas kriti ‘Sujana Jeevana’, there were quite a few intrinsic kalpanaswara renderings at ‘Charu Nethra’, bringing out the spirit of the raga.
Vijay Siva opened the recital with the Kalyani varnam ‘Vanajakshi’ (Adi). Arunachala Kavi’s Ramanataka piece, ‘Eppadi Manam Thunindhadho’ (misra chapu) in a melancholic Husseni brought out the emotion of the song. Thyagaraja’s ‘Toli Nenu Jesina’ in Kokiladhwani was a neat rendition.
The lyrics of ‘Neramora Jara Chora’ (Hamsadhwani Javali) in a pleasant misra chapu are intensely poetic. Subramanya Bharatiyar’s ‘Pagaivanukkarulvaai’ in Ragamalika – Mandu, Jonpuri, Durga and Abheri – was as remarkable as the other segments of the concert.
Vijay Siva lost himself in the Thukaram abhang ‘Sundarathe Dhyana’ (Yamuna Kalyani). He found it hard to control his tears in the third Charana, ‘Sanmukatho Ubha Maruthi’, and many in the audience too went into a pensive mood. Vijay Siva wound up the lively concert with Arunagirinathar’s ‘Erumayil Eri’ and ‘Swajana Hrid Kamala’ of Krishna Das.
