Central Lecture Theatre, Music Club IIT Madras
19th September 2008. 7 pm
viribhONi ninnEkOri - bhairavi - aTa tALam - PA
srI mahAgaNaptim - aTANA - Adi - JCW (RS)
vara sikhi vAhana - supradIpam - Adi - T (S)
annapUrNE visAlAkshi - sAmA - Adi (2 kALai) - MD
rAvE himagirikumAri - tODi - Adi (2 kaLai) - SS (R)
bhajarE rE citta - kalyANi - misra cApu - MD (RTS)
tani
teratIyaga rAdA - gauLipantu - Adi - T
mari mari ninnE - kAmbhOji - Adi (2 kaLai) - T (R)
Adaya srI raghuvara - Ahiri - Adi (2 kaLai) - T (R)
tillAnA - kApi - Adi
nI nAma rUpamulaku - saurAshTram - Adi - T
madhyamAvati short sketch
It was another of those concerts where one could hear a lot of vintage stuff played. Each piece was outstanding and eventually at the end of the concert, one couldnt help being in tears.
The bhairavi varNam marked a grand beginning for the concert. The aTANA AlApanai which followed was nice. The kriti and a quick round of svarams which followed were too good. The supradIpam kriti and svarams at the pallavi line were very good as well.
The sAmA piece, rendered in the cauka kAlam set to 2 kaLai Adi tALam was much brilliant and grand compared to the popular version that one gets to hear at concerts. The tODi AlApanai was quite elaborate and the svarajati was rendered in a very bhava laden fashion. The kalyANi AlApanai was absolutely classical and tAnam which followed was nice as well. The kriti was rendered in a leisurely mood with some svarams and tani to follow.
The post tani part had gauLipantu first up. The rAgam does have a great flavour in its original form, with suddha madyamam. The kriti was rendered beautifully. The kAmbhOji AlApanai was quite surprising here. The AlApanai was very elaborate and the rare kriti was rendered with all its sangatis and it was fulfiling sight to see and hear Smt. Swaminathan handle so many heavy kritis one after another and with utmost control over the instrument and giving life into the compositions.
However, it wasnt over yet. A grand AlApanai of Ahiri and the rare tyagarAja number came up next. It was very emotive and soothing to Ahiri during this time of the day and from such an artist who made it absolutely fabulous, it was just too good. The concert came to a close with the tillAnA.
Smt. Padma Shankar on the fiddle, played very sensibly and gelled well with the Smt. Kalpakam Swaminathan's vINai. The rAga essays and svarams she played were measured and all through the concert she provided much needed support to the main artist.
Sri Swaminathan on the mridangam was playing with utmost precision on the kind of playing needed for such divine music. He was embellishing the concert through his strokes and sollus in the mridangam. Sri Murali was part of the team much involved and enjoying the music and playing according to what was needed. The tani was nice as well.
The treasures hidden such artists never fail to amaze me. Hope we get to hear maximum of them as long as we can.
