When the performing artists' focus of the music is on melody, it invariably creates a tranquil effect on the listener and if the music is instrumental the feel turns all the more comforting. Shankmukhapriya's instrumental Carnatic concert ‘Nadha Sangamam' jointly presented by P. Ganesh on the Chitravina and V. Sanjeev on the violin at Swamy's Hall was a testimony of the statement.
Wonder how a soft and supple Chitravina blend well with sharp toned violin? Well, the camaraderie of today's younger musicians is something awesome. They exhibit perfect bonhomie in their professional approach even though they have been trained in different schools.
Ganesh's chitravina gracefully complimented the poignant notes of Sanjeev's violin. Melody and harmony were blended in perfect proportion.
From the beginning of the concert, with the Thodi varnam, to the end, with Desh tillana, each item was a carefully crafted and chiselled musical motif. The two main ragas – Ramapriya and Saveri – were shared by Ganesh and Sanjeev.
Soulful touches
Ramapriya's manthra and madyama sthayi sancharas carried Ganesh's powerfully conceived soulful touches, and the tara sthayi sojourns brought out Sanjeev's pleasing ingenuity. Patnam Subramaniya Iyer's dynamic kriti ‘Korinavara' and the niraval with swara trades were done with dignity. Saveri saw Sanjeev pitching on the lower regions while the upper and ultimate madyama kala phrases witnessed Ganesh at his best.
Syama Sastri's masterpiece ‘Durusukha' and the ‘Paramapavani' treatise with swara adjunct elevated the sublime character of the composition to resonant heights.
There were no loud overtures or musical gymnastics while demonstrating their mastery over their instruments. Instead every move was loaded with reverence and humility.
Another interesting point was the way Ganesh added subtle but very impressive and delicate shades to the sangatis in Gowla (‘Pranamamyaham'), Ramapriya and Neelambari (‘Madhava Mamava'). A majestic inclusion was Arabhi pancharatnam ‘Sadinchane.' There was a bhajan in Dwijavanti tuned by the late S. Kalyanaraman towards the end.
Sivaraman on the mridangam and K.V. Gopalakrishnan on the ganjira provided subdued percussion and saved their energy to project a forceful tani avaratanam after Saveri.
Ganesh and Sanjeev made their ‘Nada Sangamam' a delightful confluence of melody, harmony and aesthetics.
