Kunnakudy Balamuralikrishna’s concert oscillated between elevated and sober moods, the latter largely due to a pervasive RTP in Subha Pantuvarali, ‘Kanna Vaa Manivanna Vaa.’ The pallavi itself was very creative for the choice of the ragam and an engaging tisra Jampai misra nadai structure. However, one felt it filled too much of the concert space and did not really rise to the heights that the artist must have hoped for, even as the layam quotient was brilliantly showcased.
The concert had good omen with a brisk start of Begada varnam followed by the Swati Tirunal kriti ‘Deva Deva’ (Mayamalavagowla) popularised by Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer in a pacy tempo. The niraval and swaram at ‘Jatharupa’ was a quintessential adjunct and Balamuralikrishna brought to life the Semmangudi aura. ‘Kanna Thanri Naapai’ (Devamanohari, Tyagaraja) was cast in the same mood. The brief raga sketch of Devamanohari focused the spotlight on the vocalist’s sensitive understanding. ‘Smara Sada Manasa’ (Bilahari, Swati Tirunal) and the niraval at ‘Garuda Thurangam’ were adorned with striking elegance, scholarship and aesthetic handling of the raga. The duel with the violinist Venkatasubramanian in this song deserves special praise. The violinist probably stole the march in the Bilahari raga alapana and partnered well with Balamuralikrishna and B. Sivaraman (mridangam). At this point the concert was rising in stature. One felt that Balamuralikrishna’s concentration on landscaping an over-elaborate pallavi took the sails out of the promising concert stride. ‘Kannanidam Eduthu Solladi’ (ragamalika) was a breezy antidote to the large pallavi.
The percussion duo – B. Sivaraman (mridangam) and S. Venkataramanan (ganjira) got carried away at times, trying to align to the fast pace of the concert. Their crafty strokes got buried in exuberant noise production. Anayampatti Venkatasubramanian’s bowing was sweet and his creativity well matched with that of Balamuralikrishna.
ADVERTISEMENT