Vocal: Vid. SriranjaniSanthanagopalan
Violin: Vid. VittalRangan
Mridanga: Vid. KUJayachandraRao
Ghata: Vid. PhanindraN
Occasion: Kalotsav @ Odukattur Mutt
01 shlOka... apAra karuNa sindhum in sahAna
karuNimpa varNa shahAnA Adhi thiruvottiyUr thyAgayya
02 dhEva dhEva kalayAmi mAyAmALavagouLa rUpaka swAthi thirunAL (O, N, S)
nereval @ jAtarUpa nibha chEla janmArchita mama kila
03 kAraNam kETTu vADi pUrvikalyANi gOpalakrishna bharati
04 pAlisamma muddu SaradE shrIranjani Adi purandaradAsa (A,S)
swara @ sarvAlakAra daya mUruti
05 abhayAmbA nAyaka vara dAyaka kEdAragauLa m.dhIkshitar (A)
06 mA ramaNan umAramaNan hindhOLa rUpaka pApanAsham shivan
07 nannu pAlimpa mOhana Adhi thyAgarAja (A, N, S, T)
nereval @ karamuna shara kOdaNDa kAntito
08 viruttum shaNmukhapriya kApi darbAri kAnaDa
09 Chandra chUDa Shiva Shankara pArvati darbArikAnaDa Adi purandaradAsa
10 chinnanchiru kiliyE rAgamAligai m.k.subramanya bhArathi
11 nIraimadi mukhamEnum thiruppugazh hamsAnandhi Adhi aruNagiri nAthar
12 nI nAma rUpamulaku mangaLa sourAshtra Adhi thyAgarAja
A cool spring afternoon, a sizable audience, serene ambience and talented vocalist, could one ask for more?
The concert started with a beautiful standard shloka of neyVeli school.. apAra karuNa sindhu... which is usually tuned to the rAga of the first song to be performed. Since it was sahAna, it was a clear clue what was following next , which was well rendered. The control over the tonalities required to extract the essence of sahAna was well on display.
A sharp resonant voice reminded me of many famous singers of years past and present. This majestic voice coupled with a clear diction and pronunciation (open mouth singing), clearly puts her amongst the elite practitioners of this sublime art form.
The mAyAmAlavagaula (3 in 4 concerts !!) which followed was good with sparkling kalpana swaras. The nereval was in 2 speeds at the standard take off point in this krithi. However, it started with janmArchita mama kila but later hovered around jAtarUpa. The rendition had flashes of genius, although the violin support was found wanting.
There was a whiff of aha aha amongst the audience when Sriranjani started shriranjani AlApane, elevating the connect to the next level.
Krithis in pUrvikalyAni and hindOLa did not have any improvisation, though each of them can stand as grand as main piece of a concert.
abhayAmbA nAyaka vara dAyaka in kEdAragauLa was was a repeat for me from this artist! However, you can't say NO, when a rasika request comes across and they want to listen to it on and on and on.
During mOhana AlApane the gamakas and swara patterns were beautifully essayed by both Vocalist and violinist. kalpanA swaras were simple (trademark Neyveli school simplicity) and patterns blended with next phase of improvisation.
Vittal Rangan, in my opinion was very attentive, quick and followed singer like a shadow (even in silence !!). 2 AlApane in the concert (shrIranjani and mOhana) provided ample opportunity to demonstrate his skills. The husky tone (was it tuned to kizhkAla ? added to melody of his solo performance and his accompaniment). Even though he has accompanied the singer in the recently concluded margazhi season, I felt his silence in the silence moments of singer was a bit distracting. Especially when the charana / anupallavi concluded and the singer did not have sufficient breath to complete pallavi, the momentary silence was a bit awkward.
KU Jayachandra Rao and Phanindra (first time for me as his audience) played outstanding in the mAyAmAlavagauLa and mOhana krithis. Other krithis without nereval / swaras did not provide much opportunity for percussion flourish. The Tani was apt in both decibel and duration. Both percussionist shared equal time individually and together while accompanying. Ghata was clearly heard throughout (thanks to a sensible sound engineer).
This was followed by Chinnam chirukiliye and chandrachUDa (2nd time in this week) and hamsAnandi tiruppugazh. The concert concluded with a customary Mangalam. Clock had run just 2.5 hrs by then.
As I pen this review, the gamakas and sawaras of mAyAmALavagaula, shrIranjani and mOhana continue to reverberate in the mind, long after it was heard no more.
The concert was not just another concert, but a brilliant one. For the talent and tutelage, I expected the artist to utilise the complete 3 hours of slot and render a grand pallavi. Left home wanting for more. Hope to get a fuller treat later this year.
With this concert, my shivarAtri season comes to an end shifting focus to my daughter's exams. Will be back with more during the rAmanavami season starting April 8th.
Bye till then
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