An unexpected touch came in the form of kalpanaswaras that delicately circled the lower reaches, before heading to the middle register, with a brief nod to the upper register. Proportion was the key word here. A succinct sketch of Gowrimanohari was marked by sancharas rooted in azhutham. ‘Gurulekha’ (Tyagaraja) was accessorised with niraval at ‘Tattvabodhana’ and animated swaras at a different eduppu (‘Teliakapodu’), both spirited efforts. The Suruti alapana, strengthened by prayogas, rose above run-of-the-mill editions. While a slower pace would have maximised bhava in ‘Nee Dayaradha’ (Vasanthabhairavi, Tyagaraja), the vocalist’s clear understanding of raga swaroopa helped retain much of the composition’s poignancy.
Serene Khamas
Vibrant madhyamakala phrasing, vadi samvadi features and open throated tara sthayi sancharas added punch to a serenely structured Khamas. The niraval and swaram accompanying ‘Seethapathe’ (Tyagaraja) held points of interest that proclaimed a thinking approach. Deep jarus complementing nagaswaram-style interwoven passages made for a Subhapanthuvarali that impressed with effortless ease in execution. Sparkling brigas cascading from the tara sthayi gained in value through judicious usage — a commendable trait that spoke of an artist who knows his strengths and capitalises on them without going overboard. ‘Sri Satyanarayanam’ (Muthuswami Dikshitar) stood out for neat sangathis redolent with bhava. A flexible voice of rich timbre and tonal depth backed by clarity of concept and an amalgam of proportion and aesthetics, all added up to one thing - Advantage Aditya! Karaikkal Venkatasubramaniam on the violin was unobtrusive and served up placid versions of Suruti and Subhapantuvarali. Tanjore Pravin Kumar’s percussive input (mridangam) enthused his fellow artists.
