It was a neat performance by Subha Ganesan in her afternoon concert. After the Pantuvarali varnam, the Hamsadhwani kriti ‘Vaaranamukha’ with
swarakalpana set a pleasant mood. A brief essay of Kadanakutuhalam, which added to that mood, prefixed the song ‘Giripriyam Gangadharam.’ The elaboration of Kalyanavasantham was a good attempt by her. ‘Innudaya Barithe,’ a composition by Purandaradasa was a good choice to showcase that raga. The unhurried rendering of ‘Amba Neelambari’ enhanced the beauty of the raga as well as the lyrics. One might say this was the highlight of the concert.
The main raga Kharaharapriya was expanded in a steady manner within the classical framework. Subha has a good reach in the lower octave and it would have been interesting if she had lingered at it a little longer. The alapana seemed to lose direction somewhere along the way but she soon gained control of it. The swara combinations were interesting than the niraval for ‘Manasunadalachi’ in the kriti ‘Pakkala Neelabadi.’ Nothing much to mention about V.V. Srinivasa Rao’s efforts except to say he also played. In the earlier part of the concert Kallidaikurichi Sivakumar on the mridangam and Papanasam Sethuraman on the ganjira were a bit domineering but later settled down to play a supportive role and came out with a lively thani. A thiruppugazh was the concluding item.
