The experienced performance of Malladi Brothers, Sriram Prasad and Ravi Kumar, triggered certain thoughts. They have gained competence to frame their external impressions, which does matter. But as well-trained artists, the important thing is what sensitivity their exposition carries. It is not enough if raga development is imaginative. It must also reflect a tranquil profile. It is not enough if a kirtana is rendered with precise sangatis. It must expose the sahitya bhava. In these two aspects Malladi Brothers have a long way to go.
The kutcheri was decent enough to be called popular. They have up their sleeves techniques to attract audiences. If they choose to lift their minds beyond these mundane objectives, music’s revelations will be felt and not merely heard.
Brimming with tonal vigour rather than calming musicality happened to be their aim, with communicative skill riveted to excitement. If they prefer to leave behind fleeting values, they could gain music’s dignity and nobility.
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The alapanas of the ragas Vasanta, ‘Etla Dorikithivo,’ Kamas, ‘Sarasadala Nayana’ and Mukhari, ‘Entaninne Varnintunu,’ were satisfactory. In presenting the songs, there was clarity and patantara suddha. It was in the interpretation of the Mukhari kirtana, the lucidity of the articulation of the ‘Telugu’ sahitya and emphatic neraval for the line, ‘Kanulara Sevinchi,’ confirmed they are Andhra artists. The other items were in the mode of our Tamil Nadu vidwans. The sahitya bhava of Sabari Bhagyam was well emphasised. This quality indicated that their style could emerge from aesthetic contents. He included a composition on Kanchi Periava.
The violin accompanist was Mysore Nagaraj. The management of his accompanying role was a stylistic achievement of hardcore violin playing technique. Sanchara for Sanchara was like sawal-jawab between the vocalists and Nagaraj.
In the mridangam support from Neyveli Narayanan, there was laya’s invisible charm purveyed in gentle strokes for songs. In his tani with Alathur Rajaganesh (ganjira), the perception of percussive vividness came to the fore, his ripened experience revealing incredible control over laya intricacies.
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Simplicity is a difficult trait to achieve in music, particularly in exposition. There are two styles – one, gentle persuasion and the other, strident impressiveness. Exemplifying the former, V.V. Subramaniam’s soft violin tone was soothing to the mind and the depth in raga and kirtana, a matter of excellence. His playing technique matched up to the imaging capabilities of manodharma. Overall, it was designed to access nuances and transform his perception to elicit a deep understanding of music’s classical core.
Subramaniam’s alapana exposure of the raga’s intrinsic beauty was accurate with korvais’ cadences and tonal niceties. The beauty of this method was showcasing its image through sancharas, without appearing to be overdone. The presentation sought to convey values rooted in sampradaya. The sancharas documented the boundaries of each raga handled.
In the interpretation of kirtanas, the musical culture he is heir to embellished them with an eye on the structural and sangati-clad richness. It reflected his mind’s quest to get deeper into their grandeur. The emphasis placed on the right areas, spoke of his objective that subtleties were more enriching than exaggerated assertiveness.
The whole concert was framed in the guru-sishya pattern. V. V. Ravi and V. V.S. Murari, who played with him, were made to repeat whatever sanchara in ragas or sangatis in kirtanas Subramanian outlined till he was satisfied.
The kirtana list was good – ‘Syama- Sundaranga’ (Dhanyasi), ‘Marivera Dikkevvaru’ (Latangi with an alapana) and ‘Maate Malyadwaja’ (Kamas).The patantara and rendering were crisp.
Poovalur Srigi (mridangam) extended support with great understanding and anticipation of every word of the kirtanas. N. Guruprasad (ghatam) remained unnoticed all the time with the mridangist stealing the show.